It’s the little things… The moments… The sighs… The smiles… The cries.
The times unforgotten… Laughing at yourself… A lover’s sigh… Smiles from a stranger…A baby’s first cry…
Kitty Kallen (born May 25, 1922) is an American popular singer who performed with a number of big bands in the 1940s, and scored her biggest success, a number #1 hit in 1954, with the song “Little Things Mean a Lot“.
The visual inspiration (photography) for this writing comes by way of Vate @Consonancias y Disonancias o el Eco del Murciélago de Abril Estados de Alma y Espíritu frente a la época actual de nuestra Humanidad
With the help of our friend, Google, translation at its best is Consonance & Dissonance States of Soul and Spirit against the current era of our Humanity. Unfortunately, there were some parts that did not translate sensibly and my Spanish is low, very low, on the totem pole. That, by no means, takes anything away from Vate’s site. I encourage you to visit and read more HERE!
I first saw the photograph last evening and immediately wrote…
Aged with Time
The chair
so empty and bare
What good are you
just sitting there?
Aged with time
paint chipped and peeling
Who would want you
discolored, unappealing?
Your back’s not straight
Resembling a sick tree
What’s with those legs?
Much too short I see
There’s a hint of beauty
beneath your scarred skin
Why were you abandoned
in the shape you’re in?
Eying you closer
I ponder and ponder
A little love and care?
I wonder, I wonder
I’ll take you home
make you mine
Where will I find
time, time, time?
Time to repair
Time to mend
Time together
When, when, when?
©2014 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
What inspiration did you gather when you first saw the photograph?
How many times do you stop to ponder “Where will I find the time?” If you could recapture those moments and add them all together, you might be surprised at how much time you’d have on your hands!
“I had found a kind of serenity, a new maturity… I didn’t feel better or stronger than anyone else but it seemed no longer important whether everyone loved me or not–more important now was for me to love them. Feeling that way turns your whole life around; living becomes the act of giving.” ~Beverly Sills
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Find Serenity
Serenity has not one color
One place nor one time
It’s sunrise and sunset
Blue waters of storm or calm…
Cloudy and cloudless
Tina ripples upon a lake
Silence within when tossed about
Breaking waves amid a wake…
Distant as the farthest mountain
Atop the highest peak
Closest as the sweetest kiss
Nearby a rocky creek…
Velvet touch of the crimson rose
Touchless like the thorny vine
Happily ending love story
Tingling goosebumps up the spine…
Find serenity
Within your heart, mind and soul
Easily seen on the outside
It’s the inner beauty to behold
©2014 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond
For some of you, the name Norma Jeane may not ring a bell but once I mention Marilyn Monroe its tone will surely be loud and clear.
Marilyn was born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. She endured a difficult childhood that was anything but glamorous, instead filled with insecurity and instability. She spent her adolescence in and out of foster care and an orphanage. In spite of her immense vulnerability and extreme odds being cast against her, Norma Jean went on to become one of the world’s biggest and most enduring sex symbols, Marilyn Monroe.
“Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.” –– Marilyn Monroe
See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com
January seems to be on the speed track with the month already at its halfway mark. Time is moving right along at a pace much faster that we probably all prefer. Yet, with the passing of time lies the anticipation of the natural elements of early spring. Glory in the springtime initiates countless visions: greening hills, warming sun, tulips, pansies and wildflowers popping!
But, WAIT!! Am I being somewhat premature? The presence of ol’ man winter is still felt, chilling to the bone. That is, of course, unless you are relaxing on the beaches of sunny California, along Florida’s Emerald Coast, in the Florida Keys or perhaps cruising the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Ah-h-h-h! Sandy beaches, lounging chairs, suntan oil, basking in warm sunbeams, diving into cool waters—pleasure within an oasis of calm & relaxation!
Okay! Okay! Okay! Back to reality. . .
Before even splashing our mental coloring books with the hues of springtime, we must endure winter’s final chill or last blanket of pure white. As Terri Guillemets once quoted, “The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.“
So, put your imagination to work with some enduring visions of Ol’ Man Winter leading to the new birth of spring. Visual images featured today come by way of Marilyn Armstrong @Serendipity. Marilyn is an awesome blogger enlightening her visitors and followers with her unique, often humorous writing along with her own awesome photography. She is also a published author. Check out her book The 12-Foot Teepee: A Survivor’s Tale @amazon.
Visions of Ol’ Man Winter
January brings ice palaces and snow
With plants lying dormant underneath
February stirs the depths of winter
Echoing sounds of chattering teeth
Cold sun amid afternoon shadows
Heralds colder temps at night
Warm blankets, cozy fires
Beckon cuddling up oh-so tight
Winter time glistens
Adding its own personal glow
Pulsating with magic in the air
Creating mosaics in the snow
Attuned to the winter cold
Hibernation’s a natural affair
With shorter days, longer nights
Sleeping resembles that of a bear
Sentiments of the winter season
Affirm human nature’s lassitude
Reflections echo the past and present
Offering a melancholy mood
Nature in its own pristine beauty
Soon flourishes after winter’s thaw
Prickly, bristly thorns and spiny things
Will emerge cloaked in springtime’s awe
©2014 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
Most visions of a mermaid are those of beauty—mystical, mythical and magical. There are numerous legends surrounding mermaids and dozens upon dozens of books written about their lives and times. Of course, there are also accounts of the Sirens who were both dangerous and beautiful. They were known to bewitch sailors with enchanting music luring them into the ocean depths.
Mermaids are a timeless curiosity. There is and probably will be endless questions without definitive answers concerning the facts vs. fantasy surrounding the mermaid. Their mystical nature continues to inspire, awe and fascinate the human psyche. Legends surrounding mythical mermaids date as far back as 1000BC and will more than likely continue until oceans no longer exist. Mermaids, along with the butterfly dragons, may change over time in appearance within story telling but will always maintain a magical quality unsurpassed in mysticism.
What inspiration do you gather from the mermaid?
Did you know someone in our history actually thought he saw mermaids swimming in the water, documented such in his journal, and even made the statement “the mermaids were not as pretty as imagined?” Yep, it really happened…January 9, 1493! Go to Awakenings to learn more about this sighting, who was at the helm and how such a mis-sighting could have happened. What sea creature do you think might be misunderstood as a mermaid? Of course, how can this be when a mermaid is no where near 12ft long nor weighs in at 1200 lbs? Here’s a hint…
Awakenings: Manatees vs. Mermaids
Related Article:
Photo Credit: Marilyn Armstrong @Serendipity
How do you greet Winter—
Bitter, drab and dreary
Frosty sights and sounds
Anything but cheery…
A silent ghostly presence
Chilling to the bone
Outwardly uninviting
Wishing it ‘Be gone!’?
Br-r-r-r-r is the sound
Silvery is the sight
From dawn to dusk
Bitterness through the night
This hoary side to Winter
Is that all there is to see—
A shroud of dreariness
Heaviness of heart to be?
Solace in Winter
Restores warmth to the very soul
Lifting up heavy hearts
As magical moments unfold
©2014 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults
Yes, indeed, Winter brings chills to the bone but with it comes extraordinary beauty, grace and even a sense of magic. For those encountering snow, early, early morning reveals a new dusting of silvery white from Nature’s paintbrush swishing over, under, around and through everything in sight. Ice-glazed water glistens in the daylight as tiny birds peck away for a single droplet. The gracefulness of snowflakes whirl and twirl around and around floating effortlessly, landing softly one atop another. Person after person stroll in the midst, bundled up like Eskimos, giggling as the cold bites each nose and resemble the main characters within a magical snow globe scene.
Of course, we know there is a flip side to the coin depicting this scene. Whipping winds, fast-falling stinging snow, blizzard warnings, subzero wind chills do not seem so inviting. Shoveling snow, scrapping windshields, steering away from snow banks, donning three to four layers of clothing are commonplace when treks outdoors must be made.
Regardless of the coin’s side, there is solace in Winter that touches the soul even in its coldest moments…
Where do you find solace in Winter?
All too often life demands planning. Schedules must be outlined, then followed. Events have to be arranged whereby timing is critical, every ‘i’ dotted, every ‘t’ crossed. The planning relies on hope that the pendulum will swing in the right direction so everything falls right into place. It is impossible to meet the demands of daily life without the need for prior planning at some point in time. In laying those plans, it is also wise to remain mindful that the best laid plans can crumble as easily as a flaky biscuit.
Plans are made to be broken, by you or someone else. Plans may not happen, especially when you want them the most. Plans could easily swing in the opposite direction than intended. Yet, often enough for something to work out, it has to be planned.
How many times have you made plans to never see them materialize? For me, it seems if I plan it, I am extending an open invitation for it NOT to happen. Inevitably something is going to intervene. Timing is just not right. Gray skies appear across the horizon. Someone does not feel well. There is an unexpected knock on the door. The telephone rings…
Is it necessary to plan everything, live by a stringent schedule every day, plan from one moment to the next? All that time busying oneself trying to plan right down to the minute might possibly be put to better use. Depends upon the situation, of course. Remember, the key is to sometimes plan. Couldn’t the schedules be set aside, an event postponed, thus causing the pendulum to swing in a different direction? A direction totally unplanned…in other words, don’t always plan, sometimes just…
Combine spontaneity with imagination… Embrace the creative possibilities!
2013 presented itself with many ups and downs. Yet, we survived! Hubby and I are enjoying a quiet evening in celebration of all the blessings received, especially during his illness. Thank you to my virtual family for being here thoughtfully and prayerfully supporting both of us. The visits, especially the comments, have been entertaining and inspirational.
Looking forward to moving ahead in 2014! Blessings to all and Happy New Year!
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 21,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
catnipoflife 