Day the Last

And so it has come to this… the closing of this blog.
It was and experiment in discovering the ways of Word Press and I’ve enjoyed the frustrations and challenges. It provoked new ways of thinking and linking. I will be going to more blogging using some of the things I’ve learned here.
I will continue with My Daily Haiku and probably will get back to the BC-Alberta blog to complete it within the month of January as I like the challenge of NaBloPoMo.
Now, let me wish you all a safe and prosperous New Year. More than most years gone bye, we do need a new one desperately. That’s probably been said before and will be said again.
These are the days that try men’s souls (women as well, to be gender inclusive).

Be well, and until we blog again, happy trails to you. Giddy up, Pronto!

Returning to our favorite icebox,

notice that the days are back and lengthening quickly

December 31, 2008 Rise: Set:
Actual Time 12:38 PM VLAT 1:40 PM VLAT
Civil Twilight 10:18 AM VLAT 4:00 PM VLAT
Nautical Twilight 8:53 AM VLAT 5:25 PM VLAT
Astronomical Twilight 7:44 AM VLAT 6:34 PM VLAT
Moon 12:25 PM VLAT 7:47 PM VLAT
Length Of Visible Light: 5h 42m
Length of Day
1h 02m
Tomorrow will be 12m 4s longer.

Ah, well, didn’t catch the day when the sun returned but going at 12 more minutes of sunshine each day it was probably five or six days ago when the sun made an appearance. Perhaps on Christmas day!

Happy New Year to you and yours,

Ron

Returning to our favorite icebox,

notice that the days are back and lengthening quickly

December 31, 2008 Rise: Set:
Actual Time 12:38 PM VLAT 1:40 PM VLAT
Civil Twilight 10:18 AM VLAT 4:00 PM VLAT
Nautical Twilight 8:53 AM VLAT 5:25 PM VLAT
Astronomical Twilight 7:44 AM VLAT 6:34 PM VLAT
Moon 12:25 PM VLAT 7:47 PM VLAT
Length Of Visible Light: 5h 42m
Length of Day
1h 02m
Tomorrow will be 12m 4s longer.

The Dream in the Night

On the way to the party

Paul came thru the snow to Roger’s house and knocked on the door. It was a green door with a beautiful wreath centered on it. A green wreathe with red ribbon with gold trim wrapped on a pattern on it. Paul stamped his feet to get the snow off his boots and scrapped the bottoms on the metal scraper on the landing. this helped release some of the snow clogged there.
Paul heard footsteps approaching the door, The sounded like they were coming down stairs near the door. And the door opened.
Roger smiled and said, “Hello, Paul. I have been expecting you, come in.”
“Hi Roger. Yes, I will. It’s cold outside, tonight.”
“Come in and get warm. Let me take your coat and hat. The fireplace is in the Library, I’ll show you where it is.”
Paul wiped his feet on the thick rough mat just inside the door.
Roger put the hat and coat on a coat tree in the entryway and took Paul into the library, the next room down the hall. The fireplace was in the corner of the large room. It was made of stone and quite large. The fire was burning well and they both came near to warm themselves.
Paul said, “The sky is clear and the snow has stopped falling for now. It was a beautiful winter scene and I met a few people as I walked to your house.”
“I’m sure it is beautiful, Paul, just like a Christmas card.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I’m not quite ready, Roger. Please, give me a few minutes to finish up. Make yourself at home.” Paul left the room and Roger could hear footsteps go up the stairs by the entryway and the creaking of boards above his head.
He had been here before but noticed the new works Roger had carved in a large open display case to the right of the fireplace. The objects were intricate. He picked up one from the second shelf. He saw how delicate reed loops were attached to the front of the carving. He lifted one to see under the set of loops and it broke. Oh, no!
Paul put it back on the shelf and turned the broken loop around so the break didn’t seem so obvious. Gee. I didn’ mean to do that. He took his hands away from the many carvings on display. Put them behind his back and stooped to see the other things in the case.
There were many small carvings made of maple, oak and birch. He reached for another one on a lower shelf and as he fingered the wicker loops on this one another one split off and fell to the floor. Paul retreived it and put it on the neck of the figurine and returned it to the shelf. This time not hiding the damage. He heard Roger coming down the stairs. Oh, oh, Paul thought.
Roger came through the door and said, “Are you warming up, Paul?”
Yes, I am. Roger I need to tell you I broke a loop on one of your carvings. It’s this one here.”
“Oh, that’s not a problem. I can fix it.”
Paul took the object to a nearby candle and dipped the wicker piece into the wax and blew on it. He reached into his pocket and brought out a pocket knife. He quickly scrapped of the extra wax and said. “There, almost as good as new. Are there any others to be fixed?”
“Yes,” said Paul, “one more,” and he reached to the second shelf to get the other one.
Roger looked at the ring and said, “No problem,” He went throught the same repair as the first, saying, “There, almost as good as new. Don’t feel bad about this, Paul. It happens.”
“I am clumsy, Roger and my fingers misbehave. I wasn’t going to show you the first one, but when I broke the second one it was too much to keep a secret. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you for letting me know of the damage so I could do something about it. When you showed me the second piece I saw that the loop had been turned around. I knew what had happened. Thank you for your honesty. These are for display and when they are bought I must be careful when I bring them to their new home. They are delicate and need to be carefully treated. “
“Well, enought of that. Grab your coat, Paul and let’s head off to the party.”

A Digression For You

Remember me when times are passed
And all the world is headlong fast
Take the time to set you down
And gather ye children round

For these are thymes when sages speak
To relish the our salad days
And though their babble may sound Greek
Hear a chorus of hearts at play.

Until we blog again, happy emails

Poems for the day

Stopping by a snowy field
We watch a deer raise his head
We stay until he moves into the wood

We two dine across the restaurant table
Our mouths talk to each other
Our souls side by side encounter the world

Day the 25th (26th)

A day missed is a grey mist.
Oh, well, perfection I do not seek.
It’s -49 in

and -69 in


and both places are smoking.
whilst here in Largo it’s 72

What a world we live in.
Please send luggage to the folks in Siberia.

Be well, until we blog again, happy flails

God Bless…

There are those who ask “God bless… (this group or that)”.

I prefer the wish of Tiny Tim, “God bless us all, everyone.”

Merry Christmas

Be ye well,

Until we blog again, on the other side of the chimney

KEEPERS

He walks along the shore with his companion
A bright summer morning, air fresh, sky blue,
The cool sand crunching under their feet
Gulls call in the distance

He stops to pick up a shell, she walks on

Iridescent green and red shine in its inner spiral
Intricate striations and knurls on its outside
It is beautiful, perfect, a keeper

He takes it to his friend
She looks at it, observes that it is pretty
But, it has a piece missing
It’s broken and not whole
“You’re not going to keep it, are you?”
She moves on, looking for her keepers
Further along the shore

He walks with her
Still holding the shell
And knows that, to him
It is whole and complete
In and of itself

It is not diminished by what is absent
But is perfect just the way it is
Just so

He puts it in his pocket

Rather than looking to find perfection
He finds perfect where he looks

Oh, look at that…

Until we blog again, happy grails to you,

Winter Haiku

Sleet slices the air
I shiver in my thin coat
Presents to be bought

An interesting blog of haiku for the season is found here

And a site to find charming holiday cards throughout the year is Jacquie Lawson’s

It’s late,
until we blog again, happy logging,
Ron