a river of stones #31

the end

only

the beginning

1/31/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #30

As we were leaving, a cold fog rolled in and a fresh layer of snow clung to the warm timbers, gracefully lacing green pines with ice and frost, composing a monochromatic landscape that was very hard to leave behind.

winter wonderland

the fog in between the trees

where gnomes and fairies live

1/30/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #29

halfway through winter

every single oak leaf

now in my garden

1/29/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #28

CAREGIVING

Trying to remember what it's like to worry about nothing more important than which team will win the Superbowl.

mother

still not not happy

living at the Ritz

http://helpguide.org/mental/depression_elderly.htm

1/28/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #27

I spent the whole day without electricity because I forgot to mark on my computer calendar a planned ten-hour maintenance outage in my neighborhood that was to start at seven in the morning. Totally unprepared with a full days work ahead of me, I was left with a half-charged cell phone and a set of car keys to get through the busy day. The partial to-do list I made the night before was as follows; pay bills, wash all sheets, work on taxes, clean master closets, catch up on emails, catch up on writing deadlines, send e-cards out for Mom...all to do with using electricity.

I didn't realize how dark the inside of closets were or how many times a day I actually turned on a light, or, how dependent I was on the coffee maker. It was frustrating at first but I opted to turn the phone off, hang the car keys up on the hook, and see if I could manage a productive day without any modern day conveniences...save the porcelain goddess. I was lucky that the weather was unseasonably warm.

By the end of the day I found that I rather enjoyed the surprising change in my schedule and wrote down a revised list of to-dos; garden, read, sit on the swing and write with pen and paper, garden some more, watch a spider work its web, take pictures of the spider working its web, learn how to make a pot of coffee on the bar-b-que, start enjoying the outdoors like I used to.

I learned a few things things that surprised me and thought a lot about how frustrating it must have been for all those who have gone before me.

electricity
wondering what in the world
they did without it

1/27/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #26

mid-winter
the hills so green
you'd think it was spring

1/26/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #25

At sixty miles an hour it takes ten minutes, three oldies but goodies, and hundreds of memories to drive the ten mile stretch of freeway from one end of San Clemente to the other.

some velvet morning
I remember you
in dreams

1/25/2011 Stevie

Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood 1967
Frank Ifield 1962
Roy Orbison 1963

a river of stones #24

ASSISTED LIVING, the Golden Years

I watched from the doorway as the nurse pushed Mom in her wheelchair, through the hallway towards the dining room. Then I noticed him, again. The tall dapper old gentleman with the gold knobbed cane. He paused and watched Mom until she was seated in her chair at the ladies round table, then gave a big smile, tipped his hat and walked on to the elevator.

bird of paradise
how clever
is his dance

1/24/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #23

This morning I got lost in a an autostereogram and didn't get back until dinner.

the things
you really want to do
daydreams

1/23/2011 Stevie

.

a river of stones #22

Sending congratulations and condolences to two friends in one day. Only the waning moon holds the secrets to our earthly emotions.

a rose bud

blossoms

then dies

1/22/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #21

In a rare moment of boredom, I tried to see if I could hide from my dog. She found me all twenty-seven times.

unconditional

the way you are always happy

when you see me

1/21/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #20

Today, I learned how easy it was to press the 'off' button on my cell phone, house phone, Blackberry, iTouch, fax machine, computer...

peace and quiet

letting all the air out

when you exhale

1/20/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #19

The last love poem I wrote was about a homemade apple pie.

40 years later
he still serves me
the bigger slice of pie

1/19/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #18

Today on the freeway, I decided to give Patience a try, and found the situation easier to handle when she was driving instead of me.

1/18/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #17

The day before your birthday, all day long, you are a year younger than you are when you wake up the next morning.

1/17/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #16

I felt like doing nothing today and nothing consensually obliged, without complaint.

1/16/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #15

My white Go-Go boots still fit so I wore them as I sipped on an old bottle of Red Mountain wine and danced to forty Beatle songs in front of a mirror that revealed my true age.

1/15/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #14

How wonderful it is, the first day of an illness that you actually start to feel better.

1/14/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #13

Working late at my desk, I hear the echoing whistle of a train in the distance. I close my eyes and slip into the caboose. A porter brings me a hot cup of Earl Grey as I lie on a red velvet lounge next to a picture window and watch green pastures go by.

1/13/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #12

How quickly my lawyer whittles down sentences and paragraphs when it comes to discussions. A talent I feel most barristers obviously possess. During the break I asked her if she had ever been interested in or tried writing haiku or short poems?

"No." she simply responded.

1/12/2011 Stevie

down the mountain

through the clouds

back to reality

a river of stones #11

Tonight

driving up the coast

I was in the middle lane

of a five lane hiway

going the speed limit

plus eight

and noticed

all of the egos

that passed me on the right

at 85 miles an hour

were BMWs

1/11/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #10

I clearly see his round baby face as he blows out forty-two candles...happy birthday, son.

1/10/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #9

Wasting time has no sound or energy, it just stares back at you with a blank face.

1/9/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #8

A hummingbird whizzed by so close to my face, I smelled its honeysuckle breath and thought I heard it whisper my name.

1/8/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #7

Even frowns turned to smiles as we watched the sun set at Salt Creek.

1/7/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #6

Today, your shirt was the same blue colour of the sky and for a moment I saw you fade into the clouds.

1/6/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #2

I noticed her big blues eyes

slightly shift to the right

when I told her

that little white lie

even though she's only six

I knew

that she knew

I was lying

Then her eyes pierced mine

looking deep into my soul

and I was forced

to tell her the truth

Yes, Olivia

there really is

a Santa Claus

1/2/2011 Stevie

a river of stones #1

On my way home

an old 60s song

comes on the radio

I'm sixteen again

this time

I'm driving a Benz convertible

with the top down

I have money in my pocket

and

I do not

have to be home

by eleven

1/1/2011 Stevie