A Poem - "Goodbye" and Red Hypoestes and Improved Ant Bait

 A Poem

Goodbye

 Goodbye my dear mustang,

My rugged bay pony built to withstand wind and snow

Always mindful of the need to survive.

Your mellow greetings still linger in the air,

Your rich throaty murmurings sing to my heart.

Memories of your beauty will always wave to me:

Your movement, your strength, your agility.

The little flycatchers will wonder where you've gone.

The robins will miss your shed fur for their nests.

My life is forever changed because of you.

Your life resounds in rippled waves across my world.

This red hypoestes (pink polka dot plant) has stayed nice and small over the winter.  Last summer it was on the back deck where it grew to about 10" tall.  I gave it a good prune and it kept its small form while it was on the cool windowsill for the winter. I'll put it in a bigger pot for the summer and it can be outside in a semi-shade location.

Every spring we have ants of various sizes.  I read somewhere that ants like trillium plants and we have lots of those so there are just a lot of ants in our environment.  Over the years, I have used borax/sugar mixes to keep them in check but last year I came across a brilliant improvement to my ant bait. The secret is a piece of Eggo waffle. In the picture, you can see that I took a plastic container and poked some holes near the brim.

Next I put a piece of Eggo waffle on the lid and pour over my equal parts borax/sugar mix that I have dissolved in some hot water.  Put the container bottom back on the lid. The waffle is like a sponge and the ants are happy to break off a little piece of the sweet treat to take home to the nest. Every so often add more borax/sugar solution to the waffle.

I might add that some ants prefer protein so peanut butter is a better bait for them, but my ants like sugar. 

You have to experiment to see what they like.

A Poem "In Recognition of my Aging Body" and Mini African Violet

A Poem

In Recognition of my Aging Body

Like an old stretched sweater,

My sagging arms hang by my bulgy sides.

Age spots masquerade as chocolate stains

On my wrinkled rough hands.

Scarred, lumpy-veined legs

End in worn scuffed feet.

Poor old body that's been with me

All the way.  Thank you.

This cute little African violet is only about 3" across.  It has been bred to stay as a mini.  I bought it last year at Walmart not realizing that it would stay small. I really like its petiteness.  It sits nicely on the windowsill and it's just really cute.  It came in a little plastic pot that comes apart at the middle so you can water it from below.  It grows just like any other African violet except it grows very slowly. 

African violets don't like to be overwatered, they can handle being a bit dry from time to time.  I only fertilize them when they are blooming with a liquid all-purpose fertilizer once every few weeks. This one sits happily on a south windowsill during the winter but as the sun gets stronger I will move it back a couple of feet from the window so it doesn't get scorched. 

I really enjoy my winter blooming indoor plants.

Pop

When she was little and cute,
Her mother told her, with a hug and a kiss,
How pretty she was.

When she grew tall,
Her friends told her, with a hug and a kiss,
How fun she was.

When she worked at a job,
Her co-workers told her, with hug and a kiss,
How well she listened.

When she married a man,
Her husband told her, with a hug and a kiss,
How wonderful she was.

When life came down hard,
Her mind told her, with fear and dread,
How worthless she was.

Her mother, her friends, her co-workers, her husband
With a hug and a kiss,
Told her how special she was;
But the bubble had popped.
Who was she really?

Colour in Our Hearts

Colour in Our Hearts

Dust storms cloud the news
But colour can remind our hearts
Of hope and joy
Of new beginnings.
Beauty growing out of rotted leaves,
Change is always happening.
Soak in the colour,
Breathe in the fragrance of life.

God's Marble

God's Marble

God's marble,
Emerald and sapphire,
Swirled with white,
Is flicked spinning
Towards a black hole.

Forgiveness

God shows his deep tender love
For everyone
By offering his embrace of forgiveness
While we still
Spit in his face.

Light Prevails

Psalm 23 (NIV)

The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
  for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
       of death,
I will fear no evil,
For you are with me.


 Toujours dans nos coeurs.

View

View

The abundance of God's love
Pours mercy and joy
Into the plowed fields of our minds,
Soaks deep into our hearts,
And mysteriously transforms us.

Older

Our older years are different
From the green leafy years of youth
But they can still be beautiful.

Blue Hills Of Sorrow

Blue Hills of Sorrow

Between the yielding inviting sand
And soft fresh clouds and sky,
Lie
The blue hills of sorrow
That launched one-way boats
Made of lumber cut by men
Whose lives were felled, too.
Hills
In whose depths, men and women and children
Picked and dragged relentless loads
Of darkness.

Blue hills of sorrow not forgotten.

Grace

Glad gift
Unmerited delight
Free joy

Flowing from God's unlimited love.

Grace that manifests for me uniquely
In special ways that cheer my heart.

Grace, blooms of beauty, even
Out of the dirt of my life.

Free gift
Delightful unmerit
Glad joy

Connections

Click on photo for full width.

Connections

To connect with you
I have to be really me
Otherwise you are in
A fictional story.

You may not like me.
That's OK.
God loves me.

I may make a fool of myself.
That's OK.
I can laugh with others.

You may misunderstand me.
That's OK.
God understands me.

I may be grieving.
That's OK.
God loves me and he's been there.

To connect with you
I have to be really me
Otherwise you are in
A fictional story.

These two photos were taken near Tower Bridge, London.

It'll BeGrand

It'll be grand
To see and to know
The beautiful mystery.

It'll be grand
To have no more goodbyes,
To hold those I love
Forever.

It'll be grand
To be home.

When The Sky Comes Near

 When the sky comes near,
 Azure blue, cobalt blue,
 Pow-der blue,
 Unbounded

With
 Billowy, ballooning,
 Bold, breath-taking clouds
 
 Below shrinks and fades.
 

Leaves

 Leaves

Leaves curling , cuddling, cloaking
Around lingering blooms who are
Like visitors whose goodbyes go on and on
Because we long to keep them with us.

The Smell of Leaves

Dried rich tea smell
As they crunch and crackle underfoot
Leaves releasing aromas stored in heat
Warming us in the cool days of autumn.

Swinging in the Breeze

Swinging in the Breeze

Swinging in the breeze
Lying on the present hammock
Tethered by the trees
Of past and future outlook.

Swinging in the breeze
Nestled swaying to and fro
Sipping nectar teas
Of memories near and far ago.


Swinging in the  breeze
Covered with a canopy
By whispering leaves                  
Of sweet changes yet to be.


Swinging in the breeze
Lying on the present hammock
Tethered by the trees
Of past and future outlook.
                            

Pride

                           Pride

                           Pride,
             the darling of the day,
                  parades around,
            grinning and boasting,
           throwing us like batons,
              higher and higher.

                           Pride,
                         the lie,
                  someone's worthy,
                someone's worthless,
                   sends us crashing
                       into fear.
                   
                           Pride,
                 the great destroyer,
                      separates us,
            marching over friendships
                    crushing love.
                     

The Generous Colour

The Generous Colour

Enigmatic in its simplicity,
A colour with no colour,
White,
The blank piece of paper,
Invites expression.

All rays reflect outward
 From
The ultimate generous colour.

Hope

 

  Hope

Hope harvests our dreams.
Fresh and vital,
Against the pale of disappointment
Hope flushes expectantly .




















 While hope protects,
 Spikes of unkindness are blunted
 Spears of anger are turned away
 The sharpness of spite is blurred.



















 Hope is graceful,
 With gentle lines that follow through.
 It is strong and steadfast,
 Sharing its visions.












  Hope sprouts new life
 Out of darkness and gloom.
 Hope harvests dreams
 Laughs like stars, and shines like the moon.

The Blue Stays True

                The Blue Stays True

Within knotted messages
Con-founded promises
Mazes full of dead ends

Snarling fears
Confusing threats
Jumbled t-errors

Beyond the tangled web
The blue stays true
Boundless harmonies