Winter Wisdom

Each tiny twig
Like a cold hand
Reaches toward the sky-
Too many to count-
Each held in place
With its larger branch
Securely attached to the trunk-
The roots, always unseen
Yet, their presence felt
With every passing storm
Their wisdom entrusted
In this season when youth
Fades with the falling leaves
And lessons emerge
From an intricate design-
A skillfully drawn
Pen and ink against
A blue-pink watercolor sky-

Teaching my outstretched hand
To soak in the warmth of even
The most short-lived
Patch of Sunshine

Remembering my sweet Dad today. Miss him so much. ❤️

Simply Sunday

Tea parties and bears
Building blocks and bubbles
Favorite shows
Favorite snacks
Silly Songs
Belly laughs
Rocking chairs and
Rhyming books
One more drink
One more snack
Soft blankets
Sweet lullabies
Sleepy eyes
Dreamy naps

Only Then

After all the leaves have fallen
And bare branches
Are covered in snow
Only then can we see
The precious homes left behind-
Homes constructed using
Carefully gathered materials
Perfectly woven in preparation
For a season of life
Lived in the trees –
A temporary season
Filled with holding
And protecting precious cargo-
Fragile eggs and then tiny birds
Chirping and eating
Sleeping and growing
Until all are ready to fly off
Into their next adventure
Leaving their home behind-
Providing an opportunity
Within their leaving
For us to wonder, reflect,
And possibly even relate

Magic


I love the way it stops
Us in our tracks
Forces everything to
Slow down-even time
At least, that’s how it feels –
Pausing while walking
Past a window
Watching as it gracefully
Flutters to the ground-
Slowly trapesing outside
Feet sinking under
A white, fluffy blanket-
Not only are we forced
To slow down, but
Also magically transported-
Allowing me to see the world
Through the eyes of a child
One moment, my childhood memories
Soon followed by those of my children
Until returning to the present
Where I watch
As my granddaughter steps
For the first time
Into the magic of a snowy day

Observations

New every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us-
One day, a gracefully
Blended watercolor
The next, child-like
Sponge-painted clouds
On bright blue
Construction paper-
Certain summer afternoons
Perfectly uniform shapes
Stenciled onto an
Azure backdrop-
And on not-so-happy days
A blank gray slate
Hovering in agreement
With the tears below-
Only a few from
An infinite list-
Simple descriptions
Of the sky above-
Once seen, never
To be seen again
Except in memory
If we remember
It is new every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us
Hoping for a greeting in return

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Fade to Smile


Twinkling Christmas lights fade
Snowman family on the corner
Waving goodbye. Until next year!
Santa and his sleigh? Long gone
Nativity scenes? Packed away

Beautiful reminders of
Love and innocence
Drawing smiles from even
The grumpiest of Scrooges
Shhh! That’s our little secret

Realizations accompanied
By gray morning skies
And approaching cold
As deer graze in the field
A little while longer


Goodbye, Hello

Leafless, yet not lifeless
Able to feel
The sun’s rays
Warming the core of
Bare, gray branches-
Smiling contently while
Sharing the sun’s warmth
With young evergreens
Standing close behind-
Wisdom gained with
The passing of time
Wisdom intertwined with
Roots buried deep
Wisdom acknowledging
The continuous
Changing of seasons-
One year, waving goodbye
As a new one says hello-
Grateful for the
Warmth of the sun
Reaching the core of
Bare, gray branches-
Understanding the space
Created by fallen leaves
Allowed for the sharing

Auld Lang Syne- Kelley Morris, piano

Simply Sunday

Dear Sunshine

I’d almost forgotten
The way you instantly
Lift my spirits
How, even before
Coming into view
I feel your warmth on my face-
Such a gift-
I’m sorry for sometimes
Taking you for granted
Especially in the summertime-
Thanks for visiting today
Hope to see you again tomorrow

Thankful to feel the sun on my face today! 💛

Simply Sunday

Wrapping and Unwrapping

Bright colored paper
Covered in pretty designs
Artfully placed around gifts
With the help of sticky tape, of course-
Shiny bows, perfectly placed
The recipient’s name, neatly written
Waiting to be opened
As soon as we are together

Recollections, clear and faint
Covered with faces and places
Interlaced around my heart
With the help of time, of course-
A name, sweetly spoken for each face
A feeling taking me back to each place-
Waiting to be shared
Whenever we are together

An endless supply exists
For these instances of
Wrapping and unwrapping-
Joy linked with grief
Love bound to loss
Sealed with mercy and grace of course-
Working to create
An entire lifetime

Personal Preference

Which do I prefer?

Remaining on the inside
Hiding, peeking out-
Seeing, imagining
Yet, in a way,
Falsely protected-
-Or-
Stepping outside myself
Away from the walls
Originally placed
To keep out pain
And uncertainty-

Hiding may sound
Like a safer choice
Stepping out, a bit scary-

In which frame of reference
Do I see myself as an integral
Part of the world?
Not simply a bystander
But one ready to explore
Or at least willing to invite you
To climb over the walls-

I think I know the answer