Photo by Joel Henry from Unsplash
Photo by SGR from Unsplash
Photo by Maurito Nixon from Unsplash
Photo by Maurits Bausenhart
Photo by Ian Dooley from Unsplash
Blessings…
Celestial,
Earthly, Oceanic,
Terrestrial, and Personal…
Blessings!
Copyright© 2924 by Cheryl Batavia
May nature’s blessings fill our hearts with joy.
May we live in harmony with nature.
May we cherish and preserve nature’s gifts.
Yesterday, I heard a loud commotion outside the window. I arrived just in time to see, silhouetted against the sunny sky, screaming birds pursuing slightly larger birds as they rose high in the sky. Then I noticed the mangled nest!
Sadly, I had witnessed a similar scenario before. A dozen years ago, I saw two angry mockingbirds repeatedly attacking a much larger osprey who was carrying their chick to its nest on a pole high above the parking lot. It was a hopeless situation for the mockingbirds, but they continued to attack.
Though I didn’t get a clear view of the birds yesterday, I am pretty sure the nest raider was a blue jay, known for preying on cardinal chicks.
Soon all was quiet. I saw the male cardinal pausing at the edge of the woods, silent now, and looking back toward the ruined nest as if to say goodbye. Cardinal family, you are in my thoughts. I share your sorrow, and I will always remember being privileged to witness your loving family life for an all-too-brief period.
I was too distraught to write about these devastating events yesterday, but this morning, it occurred to me that, even among humans, this is nature’s way. Many human children are victims of accidents, cruel diseases, famines, and wars not of their making. Many children die too soon. Today, I grieve for all the lost children, both animal and human.
Joys and sorrows shared.
Births and deaths both nature’s way;
we mourn our losses.
Love makes us vulnerable…
both animals and humans.
Photo by Onur Binay from Unsplash.
So cool, so clear, so deep your streams of thought,
unsullied reason flowing through your mind.
So warm, so pure, so true your heart is wrought,
like tender sunshine, glowing soft and kind.
Between us, conversation ebbs and flows,
engaging both enlightened mind and heart.
So like the sun is love, the warm heart knows
thoughts come from cooling springs where rivers start.
While you and I may differ on some points,
the heart does not demand that minds agree.
Our discourse always blesses and anoints.
Our hearts remain conjoined; our minds are free.
Long may our hearts pulsate in synchrony,
between us cool streams flow unceasingly!
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
This poem was written for Robert for Valentine’s Day and published in New Lyricist magazine, Issue 01, EIF Publishing, Ingrid Wilson.
Photo by Patrice Bouchard from Unslpash
The Palm Palace is a busy place this week. The Queen’s weeks of keeping the eggs warm are over; the eggs hatched on Sunday. The King has appeared, feeding insects to the tiny hatchlings. More news to come about the Cardinal Royal family.
Photo of male cardinal by Patrice Boucher from Unsplash
Photo of female cardinal by Joshua Cotten from Unsplash
Three small eggs,
pale blue flecked with brown
in a nest
made with love,
so exquisitely woven,
softly lined with grass.
Like a queen
in your palm palace,
self-assured
on your throne,
faithful cardinal mother
keeping your eggs warm.
We watched you
weaving your fine nest,
discovered
your blue eggs.
Pretty Mama, we share your
anticipation!
Very soon
your handsome husband
will help you
feed hatchlings…
King and Queen in your green realm,
reigning together.
We will watch
as hatchlings become
fledgelings, sprout
new feathers…
wobbly, but growing stronger,
flapping tiny wings.
Sometime soon,
comes the day they fly.
Under the
watchful eyes
of their parents, they’ll practice.
Soon, they’ll fly away!
We will watch
flapping tiny wings,
self-assured.
Someday soon,
King and Queen in your green realm…
Soon, they’ll fly away!
The cardinals’ nest, the “Palm Palace” is located among the fronds in the back of the tree on the left. We have a clear view of the nest from the window.
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
Northern cardinals live in North America. They are the predominate bird in our neighborhood. A pair of cardinals have a nest in our little palm tree that is clearly visible from our window. The mother bird is sitting on three eggs.
From my research, I learned that they raise two families a year. I think this is the second nest. We have not seen the father yet. He is probably at the first nest feeding the hatchlings while his wife is sitting on eggs in the second nest. When the eggs hatch, he should be here to help feed the hatchlings their diet of insects.
Robert and I made a feeder, hung it on a shepherd’s crook, and filled it with black oil sunflower seeds, supposedly the favorite treat of cardinals. We also put out water on a stand. So far, there is no evidence that the birds are using it. Thank you, Joanna of naturetails, for your advice on providing both food and water.
I meant to post this before Easter, but WordPress problems have slowed me down. Anyway, I hope everyone had a happy Easter and a lovely weekend! I am getting the computer problems worked out, but I still may not be able to “like” for a while. I appreciate your patience.
In October, from Russia, Katey and Joe,
came to Florida twenty-five years ago.
Friends and relatives sent gifts of welcome.
Hanukkah and Christmas gifts filled our home!
That January, when Katey turned five,
we agreed that a book was the best gift to give.
On Katey’s birthday, when Papa came home,
the birthday plans all came undone!
When Papa came in, Katey was overjoyed.
Between Papa’s feet was a Barney toy.
From the wheelchair, Barney saw his new place.
A gigantic grin spread over Papa’s face.
Katey kissed Barney’s purple cheek,
and the talking dinosaur began to speak.
In his goofy voice, Barney said, “I love you.”
It was unmistakable, Katey loved him too!
We lost Papa six years later in January,
weeks before Katey’s eleventh birthday.
Barney lived with Katey for twenty-three years.
His demise last year left Katey in tears.
This year, I found on Amazon,
Katey’s Christmas present, a Barney clone!
Barney now lives in Texas, where he’ll say,
“I love you,” to Katey every day.
Recently, I recovered over a thousand photos and found these. They gave me a chuckle, and I hope you also enjoy the old photos.
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
My late husband, Drew, and I adopted Katey and Joe from Russia in October, 1995. We lived in Miami Beach, and Drew, AKA “Papa,” was a very devoted father until his death in January, 2003. Katey now lives near Dallas, Texas with her older sister Ellen, a cat, a dog, and two other roommates. The new Barney, the Purple Dinosaur, joined the household in 2o19.
Teamwork. Photo by Shane Rounce from Unsplash
Both man and woman
free to fulfill potential…
Mutual respect.
Choosing roles that suit us best,
regardless of our gender.
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
to all the men and women of the world
working together to make Earth a better place to live!
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
Balroop Singh is a former teacher, mother, and grandmother, writer, and poet. I found eleven of her books on Amazon! Fusion: Poems of Life is the latest one. I read and thoroughly enjoyed this book of lovely poetry, and I enthusiastically recommend it! A huge thank you to Balroop for the very kind review of my book, Earthly Days, below. It was a wonderful surprise!
Earthly Days <https://a.co/51DGEok>
Warm, sunny day.
Oak tassels sway
in the spring breeze…
It’s enough to make you sneeze!
Soon palms in bloom
will spread sweet perfume.
My Florida pride…
Sentiment leaves me teary-eyed!
Pollen is in the air,
love is everywhere.
Cupid is at play…
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
To My Fellow Bloggers:
I have missed you. First, my 2013 computer died. I bought a new computer and got data transferred from the old computer. Two days later, our internet went off and stayed off for 10 days! No grocery deliveries, no TV, no computer, no house phone…When the internet came back on, I had 695 Emails. We are in the middle of many medical appointments, both for Robert and for me. I am also involved in a project that has been delayed by having no internet. I don’t think I will be up to speed for some time, but I will do my best!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Smitha’s novel has inspired many glowing reviews
both on Amazon and on Good Reads.
I couldn’t put it down!
“Misty woods…”
“Tracks of a lone wayfarer…”
A chill is in the air,
misty woods foreshadowing
winter’s first snowfall.
A dusting of snow…
tracks of a lone wayfarer
on forest byway.
A dusting of snow
lies softly on fallen leaves,
touches trees with white.
Melting snow streaks windowpanes…
We watch winter’s first snow fall.
“A dusting of snow…”
“Melting snow streaks windowpanes…” Photos used by permission of the photographer.
Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia
Books by Cheryl Batavia. Art from Mainspring Books, publisher of Earthly Days.
Earthly Days
Photo by Nathan Jennings from Unsplash
We experience life,
soaring
to heights of ecstacy,
plunging
into depths of despair.
Mostly,
we live the humdrum days…
all the in-between days.
Days laughing, days crying.
Most days,
sighing, as life goes by.
Days pass,
whether or not we are
mindful,
like the blink of an eye,
the twinkle of a star.
Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia
Thank you to all of my WordPress friends for the wonderful posts you have shared this year. Reading what you have written and enjoying what you have created has enhanced my life. Thank you for reading and commenting on my work this year. Your support means so much to me!
A special thank-you to those who wrote interviews and reviews of Earthly Days and those who bought my books. I am grateful for the WordPress community, a place where we encourage and support each other.
May peace and harmony come to our troubled world. May brotherhood replace anger and conflict. Where there is destruction, may people work together to rebuild. May we find the will to heal and restore the Earth, our home.
I wish all of my WordPress friends love, health, happiness, and success in 2024. May all of your dreams come true!
Warm Wishes,
Cheryl
❤ ❤ ❤
Gulf Coast Poet 