Monthly Archives: September 2014

Sep10

and at long last, the light has returned once more.

Posted on September 10, 2014 by beth

“In that distant beginning season, Sun Man’s warm magic flowed over all the land. Whenever he raised his arms, it was day. whenever he lowered them, it was night. The Bee People and the Elephant People and the Tic People loved the rhythm of Sun Man’s light. Their faces crinkled with pleasure in his heat.

But inside the dreamtime, Sun Man grew old. His back grew stiff and his knee joints ached. He rose later and later each morning. He napped soon after breakfast and went to bed in the afternoon.

“What’s going on here?” complained Grandfather Mantis. “I’m not getting heat anymore.” Grandfather Mantis sent the Bird People to find out. The Bird People returned, rumpled and solemn. Darkness was everywhere, even though it was supposed to be daytime. “Sun Man is getting old,” they explained. “This shining all the time is getting too much for him.”

“Well, I’m old,” snapped Grandfather Mantis. “Doesn’t stop me.”

His wife raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

― Carolyn McVickar Edwards, The Return of the Light

—

image credit: kyras.com

Sep9

“life itself is the best (and the only) timekeeper.” ― rasheed ogunlaru

Posted on September 9, 2014 by beth

Standard

as i head into

day 5

still

off the

power grid

the pace of life

has

slowed

days

spent

walking

writing

reading

thinking

bathing by candlelight

catching up with friends

in the coffee shop

on the street

with

neighbors

there is a natural rhythm to it all

waking with the return of the light

sleeping when the dark returns once more

it’s a peaceful and quiet existence

until

monday comes

and

i have to

wake up

in the pitch black

to go to school

there’s an art

to applying

makeup

flashlight

and

with

only

two hands

luckily

my loyal

carpool partner

has

promised

to alert me

my clothes are on backwards

anything looks dramatically amiss

and

i find

that

while

look

forward to the light

enjoying the calm

of the dark

—

wisely, and slow. they stumble that run fast.
William Shakespeare

—

image credit: maggielissel.com

Sep7

are the lights back on yet?

Posted on September 7, 2014 by beth

Standard

little one

not today

not tomorrow

may be a while

run and play

—

many thanks to aussie artist extraordinaire, jenni gray of art candy, for sharing this baby

and to the power company warriors who are working so hard to bring back the light.

Sep6

“you have to jump into disaster with both feet.” ― chuck palahniuk

Posted on September 6, 2014 by beth

Standard

worst walk ever

yesterday

on a very, very hot

late summer’s eve

humid as hell

headed out

on a

forced death march

downtown

all in the name

of being healthy

and

enjoying the city

at eye level

when i

noticed the signs

that i was headed

right

looked up

into a black cloudy sky

the air began to swirl

rain blew sideways

into my eyes

i had happened

into

wizard of oz

storm

somehow

and

made a decision

to head on back

lightning flashed

a mile to go

put my phone

in my shorts

to save my connection

to the world

i-pod

deep in my pocket

to save the music

people running

kind of scary

as i

quickly

transformed

into

unwitting

wet t-shirt contestant

cut through the park

ran into wall

of construction

turned around

shortcut down street

closed off

for resurfacing

finally made it

home to the cottage

nacho the cat not the food

was outside and missing

flipped on light

to put key in door

no light

opened door

pitch black

only light

came from my eyes

power out

fumbled for flashlight

apparently it is a 1910 model

didn’t have much effect

on the darkness

so, so sweaty

and

rain sodden

no hot shower

cell phone

powering off

internet gone

decided

only thing to do

was go to bed

stumbled up the dark stairs

still no cat

still no light

room was 157 degrees

or so

no fan

no air

heard sirens

fire department

on my street

buzzing

flashes of electric light

couldn’t just lay

on the bed

naked

and

fall asleep

in all my glory

trying

to cool things down a bit

had to be on high alert

kept the teva’s on

shorts, shirt

ready to flee

at a

moment’s notice

drifted off

dreaming of a better day to come..

woke up this morning

bright and cool

nacho the cat not the food

came home

to the cottage

police tape

decorated

the town

transformers blown

power lines down

mighty trees

toppled

car

in garage

at mercy

of electric opener

walked

back downtown

to a

friendly coffee shop

read

and

wrote

and

talked to other

blackout neighbors

and

had

very, very, very

large

coffee

power company

estimates

i will

have power

restored

wednesday

night

at 11:30

or so

—

“the major difference between a thing that might go wrong

and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong

is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong

it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair”

– douglas adams

—

credits: planetcurioso.com, new line cinema

Sep5

one child’s teddy bear is another’s stuffed virus.

Posted on September 5, 2014 by beth

Standard

by far the most unique cuddly toy brought in by one of our kindergarteners today

Pneumonia (Streptococcus pneumonia) Educational Plush Toy

‘Those big cute eyes betray a deadly virus – pneumonia kills a lot of people each year.

Ask your doc about it.’

yikes

—

and the company’s sales’s pitch:

‘Giant Microbes And Viruses Plush Toys Make Great Stuffed Animals Gifts

Just in time for flu season… Or in time to educate people about other nasty viruses and microbes…
Do you ever think about what those viruses and bacteria look like? They may make us sick every now and then – and hopefully not too sick (or too often). Whether you have a case of the sniffles or a bout of the “stomach flu” – there’s usually a bug behind it.’

‘And as it turns out, some of them are awfully cute, at least in their stuffed animal plush toy versions! The folks from Giant Microbes have created a whole line-up of the tiny guys – blew them up to about 1 Million times their “normal” size, and turned them into some of the cutest plush animals around.
Whether you want giant plush viruses or bacteria, or whether you want any one of a whole bunch of other micro-organisms, they’ve got you covered.’

—-

“remember when you used to sleep with all of your stuffed animals as a child

so none of them would be jealous?”

– unknown author

—

credits: squidoo.com, giant microbes and viruses plush toys