Thursday, June 25, 2015

graduating 4th grade

Graduating from 4th grade; is it a big deal? Well if you're a 4th grader, it probably is. Perhaps not, but I remember "moving up" to fifth grade. Miss Murphy was my 4th grade teacher at Washington school, and I liked her. I was torn; I wanted to stay in her class but I wanted to go into 5th grade because it meant another move toward growing up. On the other hand, miss Murphy was a plump, warm, caring, giving lady, while the 5th grade teacher was a grumpy, frumpy old lady w...ith bad breath. (I've forgotten her name.). She did, however, feed my hunger for reading and language; giving me books to read, way above the average reading level. I didn't have a choice, of course, but it was the first Time I remember weighing, in my thoughts, the processing of moving on. So yes, I think moving up from 4th to 5th grade is a big deal, especially for a 9/10 year old.

Friday, June 19, 2015

That's a novel idea

Two years or so ago, my daughter-in-law, Kristy Chapman LaRock and her husband, my son Jacob, presented to me a journal and pen.
Until this morning I had failed to find a subject suitable enough to sully the pristine pages. But this morning the opening for my endeavor to pen a novel comparing my war time experience with my great grandfather's Civil war service came to me and the process begins!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Hello..... HELLO!

image by Sarolta Ban 
 
 
Disconnected
by time, by space, by death.
memories
fade, erode, shape-shift.
evaporate
distill, condense, reborn.
repeat;
Number please? number please.
click

Sunday, June 14, 2015

old friends, new projects

"This was a real a real nice clam bake,
we're mighty glad we came."
Lady Di and I traveled to Clayton, NY this weekend for our second annual luncheon get-together with my childhood chum, Marc Humbert , and his wife Carla.
"The vittles we et were good,you bet!
The company was the same."
Our 3 1/2 hour repast was served to us by the friendly wait staff at the new Harbor hotel. As the adage goes; time sure flies when you're having a good time. We had engaging conversation covering topics from the past, present and future.
"Our hearts are warm, our bellies are full, and we are feelin' prime."
One of the topics we shared was our novels. Marc has written two, as yet unfinished, unpublished, novels. I am in the process of beginning a second novel, while my first languishes, unfinished, in my desk drawer.
We agreed, if reluctantly, to each bring a finished novel to exchange at next year's meeting. Nothing like a little pressure to get us motivated.
"We said it afore
And we'll say it agen,
We all he'd a real good time."
Looking forward to next year Marc!

Monday, June 08, 2015

Sundial/birdbath

We affix ourselves
to things,
trying to stop; no,
extend time
in an attempt
to expand the present,
include the
past,
foretell the future.
 
The Sun
carries us from
moment
 to
 moment.
Where are we?
Here,
Always here.

Monday, June 01, 2015

Cyberspace illusion; Magpie 272

photo by Toni Frissell


She wasn't
Real
or
Was she a
filament
Of his imagination
Floating
Rhythmic breathing;
mine
or Hers.
A screenshot
Wounded
Mind, Heart
Unreal
Mythological sorrow
escape
to The Sea of Tranquillity