October 28, 2002

"Collected Bits"

A remark by Julia and the low level awareness of this being my nearly SIXTH anniversary of journaling have no doubt been the influence for this poem:

Nice-size holes If the moments of parsing could be laid end to end, you might have a journal, each days thoughts neatly parsed   and laid thusly. ''Seize the day,'' Julia said ''You've done that.'' I've seized them and sent them through the sieve and sifted. Soft dirt on earth remains and here are the collected bits. Savor them if you wish, collected bits of mine. Sieve has nice-size holes. JAL, 10 - 28 - 02

collected bits . . .
(clockwise,starting with crystal nearest thumb: topaz, lapis lazuli, citrine, aquamarine, rose quartz, chrysocolla, amethyst and labradorite)

 

October 31, 2002

"Happy Halloween"

Whether or not you have ''The Ears'',
Have A
Happy Halloween!

(''The Ears'' refers to ELVEN ears! There is a logo shaped somewhat like the above design, that is plastered on everything Dark Elven in Everquest. 'You've got to have the EARS!'' is the loud message. I've just made it LOUDER!)

 

November 2, 2002

"In A Rose Garden"

I felt in a mood to return to Smucker's Park, where Laura, Julia and I walked last spring. We first stopped at the fragrant rose garden there, where the above picture was taken. I'm pleased the water droplet shows. Julia tried to interpret the garden's sign, which sadly has been damaged. The rose pictured may be a Mr Lincoln variety. There was a soft breeze, I could detect a faint whiff of ocean breeze in it, prehaps from the gulf, and I inhaled deeply. I could feel Laura's presence with us, as we rounded the trail's corner. Busy hummingbirds and bees were at the flower bushes further on.

fairly clear, despite swaying in the breeze

I wasn't able to capture the quick birds and bees, and even the flowers themselves did not stay still in the breeze. Still the air was fresh and good, and I inhaled deeply.

Julia wanted to explore other parks and gardens afterwards. The Yuma Civic and Convention Center has a rose garden as well. Julia posed for a picture there, which shows her ravishingly sexy side.

I never suggest posing, but as my horoscope advised getting one's photograph taken, I handed Julia the camera and sat where Julia had posed. But the results left me somewhat dismayed. ''My hair looks messy! My bangs look weird, clumped together like that!'' Julia smiled and said, ''I have news for you, your hair is often messy!'' Oh, the shame! But, she says, my expression is angelic and sweet, if a bit BOYISH. Angelic and sweet makes up for messy, doesn't it? At any rate, the results have been preserved.

It was good for both our bodies and spirits to be among the fragrant beautiful flowers and smell the fresh air. As the weather is now cool, we need to do more of this.

 

November 3, 2002 - A

"Year Of The Rose"

I was out and about, trying to find pictures of various rose types, to see if indeed, the velvety beauty in yesterday's entry was a ''Mr Lincoln''. To my dismay, I couldn't find images. I learned this particular type has an unusually strong fragrance, though, and was of the BUSH type of rose. So it's possible.

But I did learn 2002 is the Year Of The Rose. Sponsored by the American Rose Society, it is a ''world-wide, year long, grassroots event'' . . . ''designed to promote the rose as a universal symbol of love, friendship, beauty and peace; a flower of unsurpassed importance in art, history, literature and music. It is the world's favorite flower, one which has provided inspiration to mankind since the beginning of time.'' And it's ''America's National Floral Emblem'', which isn't so WORLDWIDE. But the enjoyment of roses certainly is. You have a nose and/or eyes, you can enjoy the rose.

Some might say EVERY year should be a 'year of the rose'. To that end, I created , The GLORY of ROSES, to celebrate these beauties. Although I could not include the fragrance, I tried to make each page a sensuous delight. The images are from different places and times. There's some from the world's largest rosebush in Tombstone, Arizona, to a rose at the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, as well as some local Yuma roses. By the way, the GATE featured in the imagery of the introductory poem is to the arboretum's rose garden. I have, however, faced the garden's exit in that capture. It was lovely fun to create my little cyber rose garden.