Words of Wisdom

Wednesday: Words of Wisdom…Be Prepared

10JUL

Look before you leap for as you sow, ye are like to reap.
Samuel Butler

Forewarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory.
Miguel de Cervantes

Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Brainyquote.com

Sunday Sit and Doodle

7JUL

The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.
Robert M. Pirsig

Saturday is usually my sit at Snug on the Square day, but the 4th of July being on Thursday, no writing group Saturday and a full moon combined with belated daylight savings time, I’m so confused. So, today I had breakfast at Snug and ran into some old and new friends. Tommy, the wandering troubadour is back from his travels and playing his guitar.

My new friend, Laura Bartlett was there having coffee with a friend. We said, “Hi.” I had my iPad, checked my emails and Facebook, and had a mango smoothie. Then I did a little doodling on a torn book page. Here’s Laura!

Sometimes doodling is a Zen-like distraction. That’s probably why the creation of Zendoodle and Zentangle. Very fun! Here’s my amusement for today.

If you aren’t familiar with the concept, just Google Zentangle. Just saying, ” Google Zentangle,” is very disturbing. Are we speaking a foreign language? Yes!

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Tags: SNUG on the Square, Tommy the Wandering Troubadour, Zendoodle,Zentangle

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• CATEGORIESartists, everyday life, McKinney, music,Neighbors, photography, quotes, Texas,True story, Writing

← Saturday Satire: A Bird in the Hand and Other True Stories

A Bird In The Hand

Saturday Satire: A Bird in the Hand and Other True Stories

6JUL

We have a couple of hanging flower baskets in the backyard. Every time I would water one of the plants, a bird would fly out and the dogs would bark and go nuts. Then, one morning, after the bird flew off, I heard little chirping noises. When I tilted the basket, I saw two tiny beaks chirping for their momma. I didn’t want to scare the occupants of the nest, so I just took my camera and aimed randomly inside for the video. What a smart mamma bird. A hanging haven filled with beautiful flowers to safely shelter her young. Unfortunately, the flowers are now dying because this momma is afraid of drowning or harming the babies, but that’s OK. We mothers have to stick together.

The safety of the baby birds made me think of one of my watercolors that I painted a while back. The satire or irony of the painting, in my artistic depiction is, the dove is clutched in a hand. The hand is making a peace sign. Is the bird safe, or going to be crushed all in the name of peace? Or is the dove, a symbol of peace safe and protected? It’s all in the eye of the beholder. Thought I’d share, you decide. Let me know what YOU think.

A BIRD IN THE HAND

Don’t let it be said
When shove comes to push
That a bird in the hand
Is worth two in the bush.
A bird is not free
If he cannot fly
There clutched in your palm
A free bird will die.
Toni Andrukaitis

Morning Mist

Friday Friends: Sharing and Pairing

6JUL

Another collaboration with the talented photographer Seth Johnson. His photos have launched a thousand ships…well, at least a thousand words, and always inspire a poem from yours truly. We have never met, yet I feel like we are friends. Sometimes life, art and the world amazes me. Ain’t it grand!!!

Sethsnap.com

MORNING MIST

Pausing in the morning mist
A silhouette is seen
Nibbling grass the dew has kissed
Guarded glances in between.
With silent dawn, a gentle breeze
A cloak of fog’s embrace
The sun protruding through the trees
She leaves without a trace.

Toni Andrukaitis

Anchors Aweigh

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Anchors Aweigh!

3JUL

As we look forward to freedom, the shining city on the hill and the best days of America lying ahead, it is the men and women in uniform who protect, defend and make us proud to whom we should look and give thanks every night.
Robin Hayes (brainyquote.com)

This is a very appropriate quote for our upcoming Fourth of July celebrations. Why in the world do they call it Independence Day? How ironic that we celebrate being independent, but actually, we are very dependent on our men an women in uniform who insure we retain our freedom and liberties. I vote that we rename it Dependence Day or TYFYS Day, Thank You For Your Service Day. OK, all those in favor, raise your hand.

The last place in the world I expected to see a couple of military uniforms was at my local Starbucks. Not that they don’t drink coffee, it’s because, I don’t drink coffee, and not a big fan of Starbucks also.(No offense to my “Starstruck caffeine-a-maniac friends.) It just so happened, I was meeting my friend, Julia, after Zumba class yesterday, and that was a convenient location. We were catching up and discussing our writing adventures or lack there of. As we said our goodbyes, I noticed two gentlemen in black-grey camouflage uniforms seated across from me. It wasn’t the typical green camo that I was familiar with.

Well, if you know me, I had to go over and shake their hands and thank them for their service. Then I noticed the U.S. Navy on the pocket. Ah, they were Navy guys. So, I plopped myself down and chatted with the delightful young sailors. Turns out that they were currently assigned to the recruiting station up on Route 380 in McKinney. The gentleman on my left had the word Pass on his shirt, and the other had Muldanado on his. I turned to my right and said, “I guess you didn’t get a PASS.” I asked the poor young man named Pass, who probably has endured that joke a million times, “I bet you never heard that one before, did ya?” He smiled and agreed, “Oh no, that’s a new one!”

We talked a while. I learned about their wives and families and where they were from. How cool is that? You meet the most interesting people by just sharing a kind word or a friendly hello. As I was leaving, I asked them what plans they had for the Fourth of July, and they said they were going to be in the parade on the Square. I told them that I’d see them there. I’d be the one waving and yelling, “Hey Jeff! Hey Manny!…ANCHORS AWEIGH!!!”

Jeff Pass…I asked him where he was from, he said, “All over. My dad was in the Navy and we moved around a lot.”

Manny Muldanado… Manny and his family are from the Dallas area. He’s pleased to be stationed around family right now.

Tags: Fourth of July, military, Navy, parades, sailors

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• CATEGORIESeveryday life, Family, Humor,McKinney, music, Neighbors,photography, quotes, Texas, True story,Writing

Tipsy Tuesday: Sideways Zumba

2JUL

Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (Brainyquote.com)

No, sideways Zumba is not the newest exercise or dance craze sweeping the country. What it entails is, a ditzy camera person, (yours truly) an iPad, and a room full of energetic women in a Zumba class at the local YMCA. I never know when the iPad is going to switch directions on me, or how to change it in movie mode afterwards. I did figure out though, how to pick out stills from the movie and turn those right-side-upways.(I made that word up too. Feel free to borrow it.) So, that’s not too ignorant, is it?

OK, I’m sure a 9 year old could explain all this techno-editing-enhancing mumbo-jumbo to me, but I’m old and I don’t have any 9 year olds around. Consequently, I will be forced to stumble around through the cyber world totally confused and alone. Thank goodness most of my friends are in the same boat without a life jacket, so they will understand.

If anyone knows how to fix this, let me know, or just tilt your head sideways like the rest of us.