Lantana: FOTD Dec 23, 2021

 

From my sister’s backyard. One sparse winter bloom.

For Cee’s FOTD

“Why Don’t You Let Me Iron That for You?”


“Why Don’t You Let Me Iron That for You?”

When there is a wrinkle, she works fast to smooth it out.
She loves to plug the iron in and move it all about.
Steam wafting all around her, she executes arm action.
She finds it scintillating dealing with each new infraction
of the rule that each garment should hang seamless and true,
without a single furrow dividing it from you.
She feels no reluctance in relieving clothes of wrinkles—
no puckers and no creases. No scrunches and no crinkles.
Because of her I’m faultless. My wardrobe is sublime,
for in Yolanda’s view, a wrinkled garment is a crime!

 

Yolanda has been my housekeeper, accomplice and friend for twenty years now. She rearranges my belongings, leaving little jokes, removes dust and fingerprints and generally rules the roost when it comes to the state of my house. In addition, neither I nor any houseguest can leave the house without meeting with her discerning eye. and if she spots a wrinkle, you can be sure she’ll whip the iron out and insist that it be dealt with. I’ve never yet won an argument to the contrary.

Prompt words today are scintillate, smooth, waft, reluctant and fast.

Desert Bougainvillea: FOTD Dec 22, 2021

When all other flowers fade away, there are always bougainvillea.

For Cee’s FOTD

Family Christmas Visit

Family Christmas Visit

“Halleluiah” she cried when I walked through the door.
It was clear I’m the sister she tends to adore.
My mercurial rise to the top of her list
began on the day that I chose to exist.
In particular, days when she finds her life taxing,
she finds me essential to aid her relaxing.
It’s tempting to say it’s because I’m so cool,
but I don’t think it’s that as a general rule.
I think that my charm is that I’m so familiar.
The power of my presence is merely familial.

After 24 hours with no sleep and a crazy two and a half hour trip through Guadalajara airport and still nearly missing my plane, it was a blessing to finally arrive in Phoenix and to eventually
sink into a bed for a four-hour sleep. It took another hour or so to get online, where these prompts awaited me. Now it is 7:23 at night—twelve hours after I arrived—and I’m finally getting my prompt poem written. I showed my sister the five prompt words and asked her to give me the first line, which I changed a bit and used as the first line of this poem. Blame her, partially, for prompting the rest.

Prompt words today are hallelujah, mercurial, essential, relax, tempting.

Forgottenman suggested I add a few photos of Patti and me from the past and I always mind, so here they are. Click on photos to enlarge.

Desert Bloom: FOTD Dec 21, 2021

 


 

Not much blooming in Peoria, Arizona. This tiny flower in my sister’s back yard was the best I could do. What is it, Cee? I think a variety of aloe vera but my sister thinks otherwise.

For Cee’s FOTD

Help Decorating

 

Irresistible Red.

Help Decorating

Rendered breathless by the product of my hours of decoration,
Roo and Kukla must approve my gorgeous presentation.
How can it be a hindrance if they rearrange a few
of the lower ornaments? Perhaps just one or two?
Christmas is a family time and there should be a law
that the positioning of ornaments may be by hand or paw!

 

Prompt words today are decorate, hindrance, presentation, breathless, product.

Agave? FOTD. Dec 20, 2021

Sometimes hard to distinguish between agaves, cacti and aloe. After a long search, I’ve settled on agave, but I’m willing to be persuaded. An interesting fact. All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

For Cee’s FOTD

“Out of the Whirl” Wordle 532, The Sunday Whirl

 

Out of the Whirl

As you linger, drifting, regardless of the fray,
flow along and follow the currents of the day,
do other rasher travelers pass you in a hurry,
trembling that they may be late, foreheads  furled in worry?

Those who are part of the chase create a draft in passing.
Some mumble their apologies while others pass by sassing.
Do you stand as in a spell, marveling at the chase?
Do you linger at the turnstiles, craving a slower pace?

When was it that our time became a thing we cannot waste?
What edict declared  lives must be endeavors of such haste?
Was there a sign from heaven that said there was a need
for lives to be conducted at such a breakneck speed?

“Slow down and live” the roadsigns say—advice that’s good for all.
“Take time to smell the roses” is also a good call.
What we gain with all this speed won’t make up for the cost.
For every second gained in speed, in fact, a second’s lost.

In your life the getting there should be half of the fun.
If time is only something you are hoping will be done,
you’re missing out on half the point, and it is a crime.
Some of the greatest joys in life may come while wasting time!

 

 

Prompt words are spell, fray, drifting, sign, chase, trembling, rashpass, how, flow, linger. Image of subway by Victor Rodriguez on Unsplash. Image in hammock by me.

For the Sunday Whirl

Christmas Cookies

Click on photos to read the tale and increase photo size.

An Innovative Approach to Weed Control

Click on photos to enlarge.

An Innovative Approach to Weed Control

My former spouse seems not to feel a similar elation
to what I have been feeling ever since our separation.

He feels invested in the gardening and wants to poke and sow.
Every other day he comes and says he has to mow.

It’s a bit of an enigma, for this farming bent is new,
and I can’t corroborate what’s causing him to do

all these acts of digging and furrowing and tilling.
If he wants me to reciprocate, I fear am not willing.

But my garden sure has flourished since I asked my spouse to go,
which goes to show I really should have done it long ago!

 

Prompt words today are enigma, corroborate, poke, reciprocal and separation.