62 days of gratitude on the wall...

i know it is

my own

shortcoming

we all fall short

of

our potential

i can't

seem

to help

but respond

viscerally

to other's words

thoughts

expressions

and, oh

yesterday...

i read a post

that had me

so rattled

belly churning

running for

the ginger tea

to smooth

tummy and nerves

wondering

resolved

resigned

wishing for the

humility

to not take things

personally

for the words

to express

the other side

and then the

pendulum swung

as our bard

poet

songbird

sounded

(as did

angel gavriel

the messenger

whose name translates as

'the source of all power

makes me man-like...

has made me

appear in the flesh')

depth

beneath

a veil

of words

the pendulum swings

the balance strikes

the messenger sounds

our poet's

beautiful words

wondrous expression

thank you

elizabeth

if you please...

you can

find me

here

64 days of gratitude on the wall...

on you mark...

i have

been

thankfully

busily preparing

it's the holiday season

just beginning

to understand

the holiday rush

six months ago

newly layed-off

i never

would have imagined

people would

come to me

for my work

on a break

i dropped in to the

local

florist

for a birthday bouquet

and got the

most exqusite arrangement

beautiful simple modern vase

purple ornamental cabbage

giant lilies

berries

ranunculus

for a song

when i asked

why?

the proprietess

who opened her shop

a few months ago

giving wings to her dream

said

nobody's buying

my heart sank

and

ever since

i have not been able

to get her

out of my mind

the present attention

to my work

so very much due

to the support

of neighbors

both of the stores

carrying my art

pointed toward me by

neighbors

this day before

the true

holiday rush begins

i want to pose to you

a challenge

get set...

this year

instead of finding gifts

online

or at target

or walmart

find your local craft market

or the independent store

still family owned

buy there

shop online

then find your

local supplier

buy there

shop on etsy

find a hundred things you love

that'll be easy!

then edit your list down

to the artists who

live down the way

buy from your

neighbor

get you

veggies

at the

farmer's market

they say

every dollar spent

locally

circulates

seven more times

before leaving the neighborhood

keeping

local people employed

would

loosen the

stranglehold

this recession has on the

nation

how joyful

or peaceful

will the holiday be

when you step out

to see

the family-owned

market

pharmacy

printer's

has closed?

what kind of

holiday

will it be if

i step out

and see a

for rent

sign on the florist shop window?

spend your

hard earned money

locally

it will come back to you

i promise

it may save

the roof

over your head

tomorrow

as you sit down to sup

with family

tell them to

try

post about it

or

share this post

we all know someone

who has

closed a business

lost a job

lost a home

reign in

your resources

support your neighbors

and

better your own chances

at continuing to live

with the

luxuries with which we

are blessed

you up for the

challenge?

put on you running shoes

get in a good

pre-game stretch

and

go!

64 days of gratitude on the wall...

tell me

have you seen

her?

65 days of gratitude on the wall...

mommy and daddy
2 november 1962

66 days of gratitude on the wall...

sweet hallows eve
brings out the
true nature
in all of us

the veil lifts
and we walk
side by side
with those
on
the other side

all facets
a possibility

those which
the children
chose to put
on display for
this night?

my prince
'the real kind.
the kind who
fight for their country'.


fierce warrior


and gentle giant


and the peanut?
a witch

'a good witch,
but i LOOK
like a bad witch'.

i can't imagine
where she gets
that


she doesn't look
so bad to me



at the
last minute
she asked
if she could wear
cat ears
too

happy happy

67 days of gratitude on the wall....

i'll be honest

part
of me
wants to
retaliate with
a string of
machine gun fired
accusations

assumptions
blind
deaf
opinionated
opinions

to tell folks
exactly
what i think
about their

musings
thoughts
blathering

about their
rants

the other
part of me
understands
we are all
frustrated

although it
is not easy
to hold my tongue
i will
because

i don't know you

but it's clear
that you
misunderstood

please
hear me speak to
addiction
compassion

hear me use phrases
like
my guess i imagine i would think

please
think
before you tell me
what i cannot
or
should not
assume

and then
assume
to know about
my
dance with
addiction
parenthood
or
someone else's
education
resources
demise

please think
before you curse
as you speak

at me
with profound
condescension

perhaps
i am not
the one
who didn't
stop to think?

egos
blown out of
all reasonable
proportion

we
want
to be heard

we
need
to be
respected

the
human family
wouldn't be
the same without
you or me

this
i will
remember

68 days of gratitude on the wall vs corner view...

of course
water

talk about a
corner view

water may
not have any
real
corners

but look

look at how she
dances and shifts

kissing a strawberry
as softly
as she does a
Stonewall


or a
summer house

or a
young boy's dreams





water is
our life
and our breath













for more
visit jane

69 days of gratitude on the wall...

when i
arrived
in this hood

i was greeted
regularly
with a
hey, elissa!

i'd turn around
and a quick
oh
i'm sorry
i thought you were...
would follow

it was
and still is
the
highest compliment
to be mistaken
for her

she
is
brilliant
talented
compassionate
and
darn right
neighborly

and she's posted
an interview with me
here

thanks
neighbor

70 days of gratitude on the wall vs corner view...

at first
i thought
i would write
about
traveling the world

then i thought
perhaps
i should honor
the memory of
my daddy

who
each year
on his birthday
or christmas
asked for
peace
in the world

then i thought
what if
each of us who
share our
lovely
corner view

took a
step back
from
our corner ?

or maybe
a step
forward

we might see
something
very different

dirty dishes?
unpaid bills?
broken hearts?

a woman
i love

a childhood friend
a baker of beautiful cakes
a 'blogger'

who
makes me laugh
and
shares with me
her little corner

took
one
small
step

and perhaps
uncovered the key
to my daddy's dream
and mine

i think
perhaps
one small step
away from my corner
could be
as they say

one
giant leap
for
mankind

after
the sort of
shift
laura made

one might feel
a tad less fear
to think of
realizing
their dream

and we all
might find ourselves
a tad bit closer
to
realizing
my daddy's

so what is
the key?

i will
hand you a tissue
take a step back
and let
roger
tell you

71 days of gratitude on the wall...

i sit

staring
at the screen
trying to
compose
a reply

my head drops
as the river pours
from my eyes

again
i feel the delicate wings
fold around me

gentle
without denial

and in a
split second
through the speakers
come the
words of wisdom

child,
let it be

72 days of gratitude on the wall...

i
just love
being a
girl

73 days of gratitude on the wall vs corner views...

look
at what came
in the mail


a thank you
from our blessed
ms moon


how beautiful she is
next to the collage i made
years ago

a postage stamp
i pulled off a love letter

together
two mothers
in prayer
or reverie
or meditation

call it what you will

how perfect she is
on the mantle


and when they
catch the spirit



eyes downcast
not for weakness
nor shame
or
subservience

but introspection
humility

today
i have been pacing
working
considering
thinking

i have taken offense
at peoples words
comments
opinions
assumptions
that

people who believe
in scriptures that are
holy to me
must be brainwashed

or
if i am of a differing opinion
i must be
paying attention to the
wrong voices

or
perhaps i
simply
don't understand

but i look at the
heavy lids
of this
blessed mother

and
i
know

she cares not
whether you call her
the virgin of guadalupe
patchamama
lakshmi
lilith
eve
kali
branwen
ala
amaterasu
coatlicue
fatimah
or
baba yaga

she knows
who she is

as i know
that
i am a mother
as are you

we are
The Mother

and

whether you
light a candle
or
pray
the rosary
or
chant
ohm
mane padme
ohm
or
blog


i still love you
all

for more
corner views
visit jane

and now for something completely different

i wonder what
john lennon
would think about the
state of the democracy

74 days of gratitude on the wall...

at least
today
we are overwhelmed with
the kind of gnomes


and the kind of mice


that don't eat
all your treats
or line their winter homes with
one
of your best
comfiest
wool socks

and for
that
i am grateful

75 days of gratitude on the wall vs cornerview...

need i say more?

for more corner views
visit jane

76 days of gratitude on the wall...

hangtags
on my artwork
boast a sketch of
a dandelion

befeathered seeds
scatter
on the wind

it seems
one of those seeds
has landed

in the most
magical
of places

acorn toys

the dragon boat
mobile

and the swan boat
mobile


if you're in
brooklyn
swing by and tell them
adrienne
sent you!

77 days of gratitude on the wall vs. corner view...

white...

isn't her work
stunning?

for more corner views
visit jane

78 days of gratitude on the wall...

what a piece of work is man
how noble in reason
how infinite in faculty
in form and moving
how express and admirable
in action how like an angel
in apprehension how like a god
the beauty of the world
the paragon of animals...

this is where
hamlet and i
part ways

there are times when
the human spirit touches me
in so deep a place
that although i know i shall
return to dust

i cannot believe us to be
the quintessence of dust
and 'man'
delights me so

have you seen
this?
if you haven't
go
now
bear witness to

le coup

phillipe petit
weaves a spider's web
between those towers
and
walks on a cloud



afterward he said
when i see three oranges i juggle
when I see two towers i walk

and when i saw
phillipe walk

i sewed

petite philippe

and in honor of
the woman who walked
by his side


petite annie



may we all
wake to our dream
and
walk on a cloud