Monday Morning Afternoon Musings:
“Hills, the trees, sunrise and sunset — the lake the moon and the stars / summer clouds — the poets have been right in these centuries… even in its astounding imperfection this earth of ours is magnificent.”—Lorraine Hansberry, quoted in Imani Perry, Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry
Listen
to mockingbirds,
and robins, crows, and jays
cacophony or harmony,
hear them
rustle
in verdant fields
rain-jeweled, and glistening,
a turtle in painted armor
stands still
Turtle that I rescued from the middle of the street.
aware
that danger comes
rolling like thunder clouds,
flowing like an ancient river,
blue-hued,
Delaware River at Red Bank Battlefield Park
constant
the earth revolves,
frost gives way to sunshine
patriots and the times that try–
but breathe
deeply
sigh, but feel
sun-warmth, as shadows grow
light and darkness work together
always
Lily shadows on our shed.
listen
in verdant fields
frost gives way to sunshine
flowing like an ancient river,
always
I was having a difficult time musing about the week of that began with beautiful sunny days and went to hot, humid, thunderstorms, a week that saw our corrupt and ineffectual leader-in-title-only continue to lie, spew venom, and become ever more authoritarian. On the plus side, I was happy to see all the coverage of Juneteenth, and nature does soothe.
Yesterday was Father’s Day. One daughter sent a book of brain-teasing puzzles to my husband, and the other delivered us dinner and beer (for my husband), which we ate while visiting with them via Zoom. I baked my husband’s favorite cookies, Welsh cookies, which are actually cooked like pancakes, not baked in the oven.
So, I consulted the Oracle for some inspiration and came up with this garland cinquain, except that for the last stanza I reversed the order of lines 3 and 4.
Merril’s Movie/Theater Club: We watched the movie Miss Juneteenth on Juneteenth. (available for a slight rental fee on several streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime). A debut film that has excellent performances. The story involves a Juneteenth pageant, but the theme of a parent wanting a better life for her child is universal. We also watched Ann, a one-woman play about the late former governor of Texas, Ann Richards, written and performed by Holland Taylor. It was excellent! In the U.S., you may be able to still see it on Great Performances online or possibly On Demand.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Beautiful and powerful poetry.
Thank you very much!
Lovely musings, Merril. I’m glad you rescued the turtle!
Thank you, Jill! I am, too. I hope it got safely to where it wanted to go. 😀
Me too! I love turtles. 🙂
That turtle is magnificent! And nature keeps us going.
It’s hard to know what to say anymore about Trump and his ennablers. Can they stoop any lower? Well…yes. (k)
Thank you. I thought that turtle was beautiful, too.
And no words for the enablers.
The Oracle’s voice is in this one 🙂 You help turtles across the road and I help toads, same thing really. And Welsh cakes. I used to make masses of those. I love anything with currants and raisins in it.
Thank you–yes, the Oracle was definitely whispering. And yes, turtles and toads. These aren’t my favorite cookies/cakes, but I do love currants and raisins, too–of course. 😀
I drove my mother wild making Welsh cakes on the top of the stove. It was my way of coping with a broken heart 🙂
Awww–I will have to hear more about that story some day.
I’d never dare tell it except in secret 🙂
I’m still waiting for that transporter. . .
Yes, instead of pissing about with space trips to Mars and suchlike why can’t they just get that transporter developed?
I know! (Though of course in the Star Trek world they have both.)
The more I hear about the Star Trek world, the more I like it—no money, equality, a meritocracy, and transporters 🙂
I know! It’s good to think that we pull ourselves out of our current situation to something better.
If we’re going to believe in anything, Star Trek is as good as anything and better than most 🙂
I agree!
🙂
Beautiful as always, Merril. The Father’s Day celebration, while not perfect, still looks like fun. 🙂
Thank you, Robin, and yes, it was. 😀
what beautiful words and pictures full of life and color. sounds like you had a great low key Father’s Day –
Thank you, Beth. That is so kind. Yes, I think it actually was a very nice and relaxing Father’s Day, and my husband got to chat with both daughters.
I love this guide through nature and appreciate the balm it serves against the ugliness we’re otherwise presented with. 🙂❤️
That is so very kind. Thank you, Marie!
Beautiful and wonderful and what a lovely Father’s Day for your hubby. I do hope you will be able to have your girls over soon… We break the rules and go to my mother. No hugs or kisses but we do go over now.
By the way Anne with an E season 3 has begun 😉
Thank you very much! Older daughter and her wife live in Massachusetts, so we probably won’t see them for a while. We’ve seen younger daughter from a distance–my husband has dropped stuff off and worked in their yard, and they dropped dinner off here, so we stood outside and talked for a little while.
I saw Season 3! Enjoy!
Yeah, not quite next door, eh? Hoping this from a distance will become closer, soon.
I figured you had. I saw it pop up and wasn’t paying attention, then realised the only reason it would pop up was because of a new season! Duh! And of course, you’ve seen it. You’re always twelve steps ahead.
I don’t know about that!
Oh I do!
😘
😘
Nice save for the turtle.
Thank you, Ben!
🙂
Nature revealed in all her abundance – with fun, food and family tossed into the mix. Lovely Merril thank you 😀
Thank you so much, Susan! 😀
A fun gallery and a reminder to use all our senses
Thank you, Derrick!
A great read and view. There were many turtles coming out to lay eggs around here too. :))
Thank you, Janice. They seem to be all around right now. Lots of people have mentioned they’ve seen them, too.
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