2.28.2010

grateful for...

March, Zeke by me, all my new little seeds setting on warm damp soil waiting for the sun (catnip,lemon basil,peppermint,moonflowers,mammoth dill,bouquet dill), orchids, money in the bank, cran-grape juice, Ayla, ancestors, bison, spring sports especially soccer kicking off TOMORROW!, doves, self-expression, yellow, spring break, Ping, heels, daylight savings, Rambo, inner energy, vitamins, fruits and vegetables, water, sun, the earth mother.

Sea change

I've shared many poems and words of others. Here is a poem I just conjured up for ya, totally edit free (well pretty much)! Hope you like it, my thoughts on Spring and beyond, so close and yet, so far.

Sea Change.

Lately it seems to be,
spring is here but cannot see,
warming soil, trilling birds strive,
ever-lightening morning drive.

Wicked damp that cools your bones,
peeping sprouts curl past stones,
Painful change, and cutting wind blows,
Earth is heaving, winter's death throes.

During this time we try to find,
A sunny still place to rest our mind,
Calling summer back to this land,
I dream of heat, growth, and sand.



Welcome March. February, ciao.
Namaste,
Kat

2.24.2010

grateful for...

energy, sunlight, seedlings, quiet moments, Spain, soccer, African violets, my classroom, spring break, soul food, spider plants.

2.20.2010

grateful for..

skin care, friends, shelter, dessert, walks, Mission, skiing, snowboarding, curling, athletes, inner beauty, dogs, cats, rest, blueberry pancakes, vitamins, weekends.

2.14.2010

Good Morning

In honor of Black History Month, here I share a poem by Maya Angelou. I'm listening to her "Letters to my Daughter" on CD, I highly recommend it for your commute or leisure time this February of 2010. May we all continue to listen to this little blue planet, and, of course, each other.

The Rock Cries Out to Us Today

A Rock, A River, A Tree
Hosts to species long since departed,
Mark the mastodon.
The dinosaur, who left dry tokens
Of their sojourn here
On our planet floor,
Any broad alarm of their of their hastening doom
Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.
But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully,
Come, you may stand upon my
Back and face your distant destiny,
But seek no haven in my shadow.
I will give you no hiding place down here.
You, created only a little lower than
The angels, have crouched too long in
The bruising darkness,
Have lain too long
Face down in ignorance.
Your mouths spelling words
Armed for slaughter.
The rock cries out today, you may stand on me,
But do not hide your face.
Across the wall of the world,
A river sings a beautiful song,
Come rest here by my side.
Each of you a bordered country,
Delicate and strangely made proud,
Yet thrusting perpetually under siege.
Your armed struggles for profit
Have left collars of waste upon
My shore, currents of debris upon my breast.
Yet, today I call you to my riverside,
If you will study war no more.
Come, clad in peace and I will sing the songs
The Creator gave to me when I
And the tree and stone were one.
Before cynicism was a bloody sear across your brow
And when you yet knew you still knew nothing.
The river sings and sings on.
There is a true yearning to respond to
The singing river and the wise rock.
So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew,
The African and Native American, the Sioux,
The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek,
The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh,
The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher,
The privileged, the homeless, the teacher.
They hear. They all hear
The speaking of the tree.
Today, the first and last of every tree
Speaks to humankind. Come to me, here beside the river.
Plant yourself beside me, here beside the river.
Each of you, descendant of some passed on
Traveller, has been paid for.
You, who gave me my first name,
You Pawnee, Apache and Seneca,
You Cherokee Nation, who rested with me,
Then forced on bloody feet,
Left me to the employment of other seekers--
Desperate for gain, starving for gold.
You, the Turk, the Swede, the German, the Scot...
You the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru,
Bought, sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare
Praying for a dream.
Here, root yourselves beside me.
I am the tree planted by the river,
Which will not be moved.
I, the rock, I the river, I the tree
I am yours--your passages have been paid.
Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need
For this bright morning dawning for you.
History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, and if faced with courage,
Need not be lived again.
Lift up your eyes upon
The day breaking for you.
Give birth again
To the dream.
Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts.
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.
Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.
The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out upon me,
The rock, the river, the tree, your country.
No less to Midas than the mendicant.
No less to you now than the mastodon then.
Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes,
Into your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

Maya Angelou


Namaste,
Kat

2.11.2010

grateful for..

All my teachers that I ever had. Especially Mr.Coleman, Mr.Lamb, Mr.Beecraft, Ms. Jenkins, Mr.Dick, Mrs.Broyles, Mrs.Reeke, Mrs.Rhinhardt, Mr.Wickman, Dr.Sodamann Mrs.Anderson (kindergarten), Mr.Shane, Senor Steere, Senora Kramer, Senora Khan, Mrs.Abernathy, Mrs.Messer, Mr.Woodford, wow, it's kind of amazing how well I can remember them.

Hilary and her good ideas!

Wyandotte Swimming Pool!

Pandora

Wearing Jeans to work on Friday. Why is that soooo awesome?

Yoga.

2.09.2010

grateful for...

Clean water,a nice husband, kindness, Maya Angelou (listening to letters to my daughter on CD, wow), human resiliency, peppermint, candles, pine trees, waves, salads, friends, March, April, even February with its whirling wind and ice, and little babies, so new.

2.07.2010

2.7.10 Grateful for...

ed's birthday!

my washer and (new) dryer

snow

amaryllis

electricity/hvac

DIY

Terrible's Casino, ha ha, seriously. Free pretzels people. nuf said.

CAKE.

2.03.2010

Grateful for...

My E.

Spring - I know you are hiding under a rock, behind a cloud, in a drop of water. I shall wait, of course, you knew that.

My health.

The office oasis.

Getting to work at 8am tomorrow, instead of 7. Dracula emerges from the dark. Ah!

Birthdays.

Babies.

Elizabeth Anne.

Freedom.

Tenure.

Exploration of new avenues.

Coffee.

Sleep.

My advisory students, they are awesome.

L.O.S.T.

Weekends.

Sushi.

Haircut and colors.

My soccer girls, they are awesome. Even when they test me.

Friends.

Foe types, they strengthen my character to be a better person and not "stoop".

My grandparents with whom I spoke this week. Key quotes, "farming is good when you're old, it's a gamble". and "I'm not doing anything very interesting". One is 89, one is 95, they are miracles on earth. I love them very very much.

Namaste,
Kat

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