1. morning calm

    quiet stillness
    except for a l’il birdsong
    dog’s tags jingle
    children sleeping in
    my breakfast gone
    one cup o’coffee left
    Saturday morning

    P.S. All I have to do is say or think, “Ahhh, quiet” and it disappears in less than two seconds. Next thing I knew Blue was wild woofing out the front window. Silly dog doesn’t understand that on Saturday his boys get to sleep in because there is no school today. Once the woofing stopped he started racing around like Rodeo Dog going for first prize in the Barrel Racing Competition. Now?! Well, I shouldn’t admit it, but I let him curl up next to me on the other half of the love seat. We’d done such a good job keeping the dog on the floor until recently when he sort of snuck up onto the couch to try it out. I shoo him down again…eventually. Amazingly enough, my two sweet boys are still sleeping, tuckered out from the last five day school week, with just a few more days to go before Summer Vacation arrives. That last cup o’coffee is nearly gone.

    May 18, 2013

  2. just talkin’ about the weather

    Hope the storm fronts, steer clear of you. Hope the wind still whispers sometimes and makes you smile. May rain be a soothing balm, bringing nourishment and life after summer’s drought. Wishin’ sunny skies, balmy breezes and smooth sailin’ for you. Always. ~ Me

  3. I have turquoise toes adorned with sparkly flowers a gift from my mother pedicures for the three of us my mom, my sister and I Girl Time The Best Kind with smiles, laughter filled conversation and love all around the pampering was nice too mmmmmm, needed that more than I knew I don’t recognize these feet as mine for my toe nails were naked all summer no time to paint ‘em let alone time to be still and have them done a mother’s love a woman who knows her daughters better than we know ourselves so thankful for them both my mother and my sister both big pieces of my heart September 13, 2012

    I have turquoise toes
    adorned with sparkly flowers
    a gift from my mother
    pedicures for the three of us
    my mom, my sister and I
    Girl Time
    The Best Kind
    with smiles, laughter filled conversation and love all around
    the pampering was nice too
    mmmmmm, needed that
    more than I knew
    I don’t recognize these feet as mine
    for my toe nails were naked all summer
    no time to paint ‘em
    let alone time to be still
    and have them done
    a mother’s love
    a woman who knows her daughters better than we know ourselves
    so thankful for them both
    my mother and my sister
    both big pieces
    of my heart

    September 13, 2012

  4. The car I think it’s time to let her go I/we need a safe newer vehicle that we trust outside the city limits on the highway The air is broken and it’s been hot this summer Power locks busted long ago and it’s not worth repair costs Even if we fixed her and parked her until My oldest son was 15 or 16, in three more years I’d worry about her safety And his The air bag light is blinking It’s time It’s just not easy To let her go She’s been my car for 13 1/2 years That’s a long damn time to drive a car She’s been A Good One One of the best My fifth car since I turned sixteen Twenty four and a half years ago Now it’s time to figure out What’s next?! ~ Janean August 6, 2012

    The car
    I think it’s time to let her go
    I/we need a safe newer vehicle that we trust outside the city limits on the highway
    The air is broken and it’s been hot this summer
    Power locks busted long ago and it’s not worth repair costs
    Even if we fixed her and parked her until My oldest son was 15 or 16, in three more years I’d worry about her safety
    And his
    The air bag light is blinking
    It’s time
    It’s just not easy
    To let her go
    She’s been my car for 13 1/2 years
    That’s a long damn time to drive a car
    She’s been A Good One
    One of the best
    My fifth car since I turned sixteen
    Twenty four and a half years ago
    Now it’s time to figure out
    What’s next?!
    ~ Janean

    August 6, 2012

  5. We had some more rain this evening followed by the biggest, brightest, most beautiful rainbow I’ve ever seen stretch across several houses that face my own backyard. I looked for a rainbow such as this all last summer. A sign from God that He keeps His promises. The significance of seeing a rainbow today, tonight, after a brief rainstorm, is that the printed copies of my oldest son’s book arrived today. The one he wrote for 4-H. The one that honors his father and the fight he’s been fighting for over a year now. The title is, “On May 25”. It’s a beaut of a little book that also honors the Lord as my twelve year old shares his heart, faith, belief in the power of prayer and the comfort that comes from the prayers of many for our family during this difficult time. My heart was already dancing, soaring and flying. This rainbow, a double rainbow, was an unexpected gift. SO BIG! SO BEAUTIFUL! Praying this new type of chemotherapy works. Praying for complete healing from stage four cancer. Praying to weather this storm with my family of four intact for many years to come. Thank you, God, for the reminder that You are there. Always. From the dark of night to the glow of sunrise, until the sun sets once more, and sometimes, the most special of times, You are in the translucent glow of a rainbow in a perfectly formed half circle. ~ Janean July 26, 2012

    We had some more rain this evening followed by the biggest, brightest, most beautiful rainbow I’ve ever seen stretch across several houses that face my own backyard. I looked for a rainbow such as this all last summer. A sign from God that He keeps His promises. The significance of seeing a rainbow today, tonight, after a brief rainstorm, is that the printed copies of my oldest son’s book arrived today. The one he wrote for 4-H. The one that honors his father and the fight he’s been fighting for over a year now. The title is, “On May 25”. It’s a beaut of a little book that also honors the Lord as my twelve year old shares his heart, faith, belief in the power of prayer and the comfort that comes from the prayers of many for our family during this difficult time. My heart was already dancing, soaring and flying. This rainbow, a double rainbow, was an unexpected gift. SO BIG! SO BEAUTIFUL! Praying this new type of chemotherapy works. Praying for complete healing from stage four cancer. Praying to weather this storm with my family of four intact for many years to come. Thank you, God, for the reminder that You are there. Always. From the dark of night to the glow of sunrise, until the sun sets once more, and sometimes, the most special of times, You are in the translucent glow of a rainbow in a perfectly formed half circle.
    ~ Janean

    July 26, 2012

  6. today for sure

    the dog and I
    are deck sittin’
    as thunder is growlin’
    lightening is flashin’
    brightenin’ the sky
    momentarily
    on the horizon
    crickets are chirpin’
    singin’
    rain is comin’
    today for sure
    hallelujah

    July 26, 2012
    5:12a.m.

  7. today I am thankful for volunteer sunflowers and the first colorful bloom amidst the varying shades of green in my former garden gone to weed this year for if it weren’t for these marvelous sunflowers offering the first bloom of summer like a gift to soothe my aching heart it’d just be a jumble of weeds forevermore July 14, 2012

    today I am thankful
    for volunteer sunflowers
    and the first colorful bloom
    amidst the varying shades of green
    in my former garden
    gone to weed this year
    for if it weren’t for these marvelous sunflowers
    offering the first bloom of summer
    like a gift
    to soothe my aching heart
    it’d just be a jumble of weeds
    forevermore

    July 14, 2012

  8. I find it fascinating that the sky can be bright blue with puffy clouds behind me, and pale blue with wisps of clouds, including some gray ones ahead. I’m facing East toward the sunrise. My sweet pup was up at 4:30 a.m. I wanted the rest if my family to sleep a little longer. We’ve been enjoying a variety of birdsong in the backyard. It’s 6:00 a.m. now. Blue’s had his breakfast. I’m ready for mine. Coffee is a necessity today. May 25, 2012 is the first day of Summer Vacation, my niece’s second birthday and one year to the day since my husband’s diagnosis. The day life changed. ~ Janean

    I find it fascinating that the sky can be bright blue with puffy clouds behind me, and pale blue with wisps of clouds, including some gray ones ahead. I’m facing East toward the sunrise. My sweet pup was up at 4:30 a.m. I wanted the rest if my family to sleep a little longer. We’ve been enjoying a variety of birdsong in the backyard. It’s 6:00 a.m. now. Blue’s had his breakfast. I’m ready for mine. Coffee is a necessity today. May 25, 2012 is the first day of Summer Vacation, my niece’s second birthday and one year to the day since my husband’s diagnosis. The day life changed. ~ Janean

  9. This morning I drank my first mug o’coffee in the backyard with my sweet pup, Blue. Just a few more weeks of school day morning rush before summer vacation begins. Once it does, I can lollygag in the morning to my heart’s content. Not today though. Children to wake. Breakfast to eat. Lunches to make. Notebooks to sign. A drive to make. I’m almost ready for that second mug o’coffee. Though it might have to be To Go. ~ Janean

    This morning I drank my first mug o’coffee in the backyard with my sweet pup, Blue. Just a few more weeks of school day morning rush before summer vacation begins. Once it does, I can lollygag in the morning to my heart’s content. Not today though. Children to wake. Breakfast to eat. Lunches to make. Notebooks to sign. A drive to make. I’m almost ready for that second mug o’coffee. Though it might have to be To Go. ~ Janean

  10. May 2, 2012

    the stars are bright in the night sky
    I could see the craters on the not quite full moon
    the breeze was but a whisper
    temperatures are balmy
    the air is still heavy with humidity from sequential days of rain
    feels like a summer night
    tank top
    flip flops
    and all
    soon
    for the school year
    is nearly done