a poem
God Particles
jibber jabber
Sorrow has come to my door this morning and what could I do, but allow it inside. To live here with me until it decides to leave. The mighty oaks are being pruned today. My neighbors are tired of them hanging perilously above their roof. I don’t blame them at all, but I mourn the loss of the shaggy arching branches. There’ve been a few of those over the last year I’m still recovering from as I map my way forward. Trying to see ahead through the trees.
Giant china rabbits, and dolls, and plastic bears, and warm toy kittens. There they were at a recent estate sale cascading over baskets and tables and resting on tiny chairs. And me slamming on brakes in my chariot to find a resting place on a busy thoroughfare so I could investigate. I won’t go so far as to say I was careful when throwing open the door with cars and buses speeding past, but I was quick.
I returned home with a pink cookie jar with a cat head lid. I stared and communed with the toys for much longer than necessary. I may have been in a trance. And ever since then I’ve noticed a gentle nudge to paint hares and other mammals. Thusly I carry on with my clumsy renditions of the animal kingdom.
The trip to France draws near. I feel a sense of urgency to do some things that need doing before I go, and maybe I will. In the meantime my pride of Madeira is pushing out towers of purple. The bees are drunk and spinning through the garden. White petals float down from the elderflower tree. The bougainvillea’s pink skirts grow longer and more robust by the hour. I’m walking and wandering and communing with the flora and fauna. The parrots visit often and keep me company. It’s day 321 of my retirement. 7,704 hours since I last reported for duty in the classroom.
Dottie sent me some photos of our people. I can’t keep them straight, but they’ve got me pegged. I’m planning to paint them, but I’m afraid they won’t look nearly as dignified as they did in life.
That’s the round up for April friends, you’ll inform me of your whereabouts and whatabouts. A rabbit painter in the city of angels wants to know how you be and what you do.
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It’s quite warm in Florida now but the breezes through the tall trees and blue skies keep me company while my love is literally halfway around the world for work. It’s an exact 12 hour time difference. It’s enjoyable to have the house to myself for a while but I look forward to my drive to the airport this coming Tuesday night. Talking on the phone for 10 or 20 minutes each day is not enough, not when you’ve spent 46 years together.
Tomorrow, my good friend is heading back to Maine and I will miss her terribly. This happens every year so I am used to it by now I guess, but it’s just not the same as doing fun things together in person. One of our last outings together was to spend time with Capybaras, baby goats, a gorgeous tortoise with vibrant markings and other such animals. What would life be like without nature and animals? It would be empty and sad to not be able to see all the beauty that the earth and its creatures bring to life.
It’s a quiet day today and I’m enjoying it since I was out and about a lot yesterday with my oldest sister. She is 17 years older than I am and is now getting close to her mid 80’s. We walked around quite a bit as much as she could and her her gait is now quite slow. I am lucky to have my two sisters living so close by. My other sister is 13 years older than I am and then I came along.
I am going upstairs to work in my sketchbook and listen to some music while I paint. Our two pugs wish I would stay with them downstairs, but for some reason they are not brave enough to come up the stairs to be with me, even though it is only a half flight up to get there. I’ll try to carry them up but Dolly, our black pug will run right back down (but not run up- not sure I understand the logic). The other one, Toonie, will stay for a while but is afraid to go down the stairs, so I’ll carry her down.
Love the photos that you shared. Your bookcase with the rabbit painting and the two cute mice (??) is wonderful. I’ll have to share some photos with you at some point of my bookshelves and other things I have collected over the years. Hope the coming week is good to you.