Let it snow, Let it snow

It snowed! Not all that unusual for some people but definitely not the norm here in south Louisiana. It wasn't a lot and it didn't stay long but it was pretty fun while it lasted. And I got a day off from work out of it. *grin*

Skye, of course, was less than pleased with the whole ordeal. She wanted to go out for her morning walk. Until she realized that a walk involved actually stepping in that cold, wet stuff on the ground. Miss pampered, prissy princess decided at that point that no walk was worth getting her feet wet and back inside she went. She spent the rest of the day lying in front of the fire, sighing pitifully. I did eventually manage to convince her to go outBut she wasn't happy about it. She was outside maybe a minute when she came running back to me. Can you tell she was ready to go back in? I'm pretty sure she is even less of a fan of cold weather than I am. And yeah, I spent the entire day in jammies. Snowflake patterned jammies.

There's a squirrel at the end of that video that made me laugh. He went running out of my yard and then slid in the snow out into the road. Then he picked himself up, shook off and looked around like "Hmm, did anyone see that?"

Seasons of change

Resurrection

Fires burning
to melt this Ice
River of Life flows
through my soul
again, waking the Garden
pain of Birth equaled
only by the pleasure of living
Winter's Darkness fades
as the madness of spring
over takes my mind
and I return from
Death again to
Celebrate another year

Nothing comes without a price. Feeling again means opening myself, not just to pleasure, but to pain as well. Learning to trust means learning to live through betrayal. And for every joy celebrated, pain must be endured. This poem is, on the surface, about celebrating the return of spring. I dread winter every year, wait impatiently for warmer weather. It's also about living through the winters of the spirit. The times when our souls seem to freeze and everything around us is dull and gray. If we allow it, the light will return. Everything explodes into color and warmth. It's not easy or painless. If you've lived in shadows for a time the light can burn your eyes. And everything seems so overwhelming. Coping with a resurrection of the spirit can be as painful as the loss that dragged you down. It is a madness, the need to touch, see, taste everything all at the same time. To gorge oneself with experiences, to seize every moment and wring it dry of every nuance. Until exhaustion forces a period of contemplation. A moment to sit and put these events into perspective, organize them into my mind. And add these occasions to my memories, these sights to my eyes, these tastes to my tongue. A weary bacchante, temporarily sated.

Southern charms

One of the things I enjoy so much about living in the South is that warm weather comes earlier and stays later here. So, for all my friends enduring icy, dreary weather, here's a little sunshine for y'all.

Tulip magnolias from two different trees. The one above is from the zoo, below is near my home.

Kumquats. Soo good. Right around the corner from my house. I just liked the contrast of red berries and green leaves against that drab, gray wall.

Hope y'all enjoyed this. Wishing everyone warm winds and blue skies. Hugs.

It's that time of year again

Paean

The land welcomes me

Earth Mother opens Her

arms to embrace this child

Life follows Her

rhythms and by Her

we are blessed

from the Goddess we

come and to Her we

shall return

Life to Life and

back again.

Maybe this piece would be more appropriate for Spring, but truthfully, I needed the reminder that Autumn is an important part of the cycle. Harvest, celebrate, and get ready to rest for winter. Honor those who are gone, and look toward renewal. It's not here yet, but everyday it's closer. You can't have life without death, harvest without planting. Autumn and winter are necessary for spring and summer. Besides, who can resist crunching through piles of leaves and lighting bonfires?