Month: January 2013

Angry Grace ~ Mindful Writing Challenge #31

~ awoodlandrose ~ 2 Comments

Angry Grace

How can that be your name?
Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Angry Grace hears that a lot.
It’s the one thing that does not make her angry
anymore.

Angry Grace took a lifetime
to recognize her own value.
She was so afraid of her power
that she willingly sacrificed herself 
to Depression and got ulcers.

Depression used Anger
without Grace to bully her.
Anger without Grace 
turned in on herself
and buried her self-worth.

She lost the ability to see clearly
and unemotionally her role as a friend.
It took Pain, another buddy with an identity problem
to acknowledge that even though
Angry Grace is not pretty or popular
she partners with Truth.

And everyone claims to love Truth.
Angry Grace covers for Truth.
Truth is able to show his vulnerable side
through her.
Truth is simple and modest
Angry Grace is not.

She comes in flashes.
She comes in cycles.
She comes through wounds.
She comes through love.
She is hot and cold at the same time.
It’s no wonder that Angry Grace is a hard beauty
to appreciate.

ag ~ 2013

Quiet Thoughts ~ Mindful Writing Challenge #26

~ awoodlandrose ~ 5 Comments

A dusting of snow as light as powdered sugar sprinkled on a bundt cake was the setting this morning. Early Saturday in winter is slower paced. There was no road noise, and the snow coating was perfectly timed for the fresh tracks of critters on their way to work. No day off for the animals. It was fun to see the circles that the fox travelled and the exact spot where he/she scoured for field mice. Apparently my car hood was warm enough to entice a cat’s curiosity, but not to stay or snuggle. It amazes me the amount of nocturnal and early morning wildlife that lives, hunts and plays nearby. It’s only when we have such a light snow that I recognize the extent of the comings and goings of my furry friends.

This haiku was first published in Modern Haiku a few years ago:

just enough snow
to track the cat –
quiet thoughts

ag

Going With the Flow ~ Mindful Writing Challenge #25

~ awoodlandrose ~ 6 Comments

Yesterday morning I planned an early start to cleaning and clearing clutter. Until a phone call came in from a friend who called me intuitively just as I had been thinking of her and conversing with her in my head as I am want to do. Followed by an email from a new friend who touches my heart, and so I sat down and wrote back to her while I had a cup of tea. Afterward, I felt a pull to connect and call another friend who was experiencing grief and heartache. I left a message for her. Next was a call to another friend to see how she was faring through some recent trauma and after-the-flu news. By the time I was finished with this last call, it was lunch time and after feeding and walking the dog, I ate. At last, I squeezed in vacuuming and cleaning one bathroom before I got out to do an errand and later in the afternoon meet another friend for coffee and quiche. Our conversation flowed for over two hours into darkening dusk and light snow. By that time, I treated myself to take-out vegan Asian food and finished the evening reading. A day committed to sweet conversation and connecting with creative and sensitive women committed to giving life all their best. I’m so glad I gave into the urge to call and connect. Actually, these conversations went along much further to clearing the clutter than moving around boxes of stuff that will patiently wait for a more convenient time.

Frost Forest ~ Mindful Writing Challege #23

~ awoodlandrose ~ 1 Comment

IMG_6616

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6617

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6611

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been taking photos of the landscape lately in order to paint scenes in acrylics and pastels.  The study of light and shadow, color and value is what makes a painted piece appealing whether or not it is realistic, impressionistic or abstract.  I tend toward impressionism and abstraction, but have humbly learned that I need to “learn the rules in order to break the rules” in order to paint an abstract naturescape with fullness and beauty.  Therefore, any chance I get to take photo studies helps me toward this goal.  When I awoke this morning and saw these frost scenes etched on my window – I was amazed once again at nature’s creative hand.  These etchings depict real forest woodlands in friezes on my window.  Nature took and developed the photos for me and placed them where I would not miss seeing them!  Who could ask for more?  Spirit is gently egging me on and lending opportunities to notice, observe more closely and  enjoy her beauty in all forms.  I love these and will share my depiction of them, hopefully in the near future.

ag

 

 

Winter blues ~ Mindful Writing Challenge #22

~ awoodlandrose ~ 2 Comments

Just as the Eskimos have multiple names for snow – I believe that we in the colder areas of the US and Canada should have more than one name for winter. There is the deep of winter, the heart of winter, mild winter, sucky winter, winter blues, winter beauty etc. I love winter because it is a time for introspection, and the winter sky is as blue and clear as any I’ve ever seen. I much prefer the cold to the high heat and humidity of our east coast summers. However, there are days in winter when I seem to get sucked into a hopeless dirty-snow gray. Today was one of those days even without the graying snow. It was a moody gray that no amount of soup could dispel. Only the pines could soften my view.

another goodbye on the horizon coyotes howl

ag ~ 2013