Recipe for a rough morning

Take one dark and dreary day,

with the preceding poor night’s sleep full of
Dreams that upset and confuse.
Sore eyes wanting to close,
Shoulders tense with unease.
Pick up a soft and sweet rabbit asking for a hug. Snuggle and pet.
Find lumbar pillow. Insert behind lower back in recliner.
Reach for a flavored coffee: half caffeinated, so as not to over stimulate.
Add a layer of cozy blanket throws.
Take a deep breath.
Close eyes.
Empty mind of confusion and worries.
Take another deep breath.
Rest.

Shy Violet

Shy Violet was quiet,

more thoughtful than active.
Pale in appearance, her colorful side hidden to most,
The morning sun would show her loveliness
To those privileged to be allowed near.
Shy Violet had
Rainbows on the walls of her small room.
Only those who woke early enough
could enjoy an acquaintance with the inner beauty of
Shy Violet.
When I moved into my final dorm room my senior year in college, I found a small handwritten note in the desk that said “This room painted in Shy Violet.” The walls appeared white except in the day time sun, when the violet shade would deepen. This was strongest around noon in winter when the sun would shine through the leafless branches of the trees on the riverbank outside my window. Midday was the only time that my hanging crystal would get enough sun to make rainbows on the light purple walls.

Beauty in simplicity

My garden isn’t lovely
in the conventional sense.
It is home to vegetables, not flowers.

Shades of green
With an occasional spot of color:
Golden squash blossom, yellow bean, orange and red tomatoes

But the real beauty
Among the deep green of the spinach or the deep rich brown of the composted soil
Is hearing my kids call out, with complete honesty,

“Mom’s playing in the dirt again!”

Intersection

Blooming Field Drive has neither
Fields
nor blooms.

Foxglove Lane is a lane,
maybe
If a lane leads to a strip of condominiums
where the closest thing to a foxglove
is the digitalis in a medicine cabinet.

Who had the brilliant idea
to replace a Blooming Field,
a thriving prairie
of diverse and beautiful grasses and flowers
with large boxy houses painted gray
and name it after the previous tenant –
the Field,
with its lovely, now deceased,
Blooms.

Thanksgiving in Haiku

Turkey, stuffing, rice
Wine and coffee to wash it down
Then it’s time for pie.

Preparation means
Several days of cooking
Cleaning and and the rest.

When we’re done eating,
The leftovers in the fridge,
The coffee beckons.

Stinky HTML.

That HTML
Keeps on running my Haiku
Series together.
I put paragraph
Breaks in between each stanza
But they still stay stuck!
So, HTML,
When will you let me do this
Right without cursing?

Spring Break R & R

Relaxation is
The true meaning of spring break
Sit down and relax.
Renewal can be
The other part of this time
So get to work now!
I cleared the garden soil,
Moved the cages and trellis’
Enough for today.
Back to relaxing.
Reading blogs, Plurk, and Twitter;
Laptop is my friend.

Battle

The invader is armed with
Viral strength
Gripping power
Knowledge of my vulnerabilities and
my stress-weakened immune system.

My defenses are limited.
Waterbottle mixed with Airborne.
Neti pot.
Extra vitamin C.
A nap.
Determination.

Heating pad for my aches,
Anti-inflammatories to lessen the fever and soreness
Apple cider with cinnamon stick for comfort and hope —
Hope for a good night’s rest to re-energize and fight the invader again tomorrow.