This morning I was mesmerized by a spider web constructed very much like this one. Photo by Alexy Demidov from Pexels.
Spider’s Psychedelic Masterpiece
Suspended in space,
densely coiled gossamer disk,
buoyant in the breeze.
Pulsating neon colors
iridescent in sunshine.
In the morning sunshine, each damp strand of the spider’s web became a tiny prism, shimmering in the breeze. The colors of the web were vivid like those in this soap bubble. As the web dried, the colors slowly faded. I wish I could have captured the moment in a photo. Maybe one of the photographers out there has such a photo. I found only pastel-colored webs online.
Photo by Sophie Dale from UnsplashPhoto by Kenny Krosky from Unsplash
Quoting Mom
So often these days,
I find myself quoting Mom…
proverbs, quips, sayings…
Mom had a real treasure trove
of wisdom she shared with me.
“Treat other people
as you want to be treated.”
That one is golden!
It was Mom who taught me that
reliable guide to life.
Mom was unfailing
in her caring and concern.
She gave great advice,
but, in matters of romance,
was a woman of her time.
Mom’s take on romance
was antiquated sexist
nonsense, best ignored.
Mom’s true advice to follow
was, “Think for yourself, Honey!”
After thirty years,
Dad found a younger woman.
Mom kissed a few frogs;
Prince Charming never came, but
Mom found her inner Princess!
My mother, Marian Nicholson, on her ninetieth birthday!
Antiquated Sexist Nonsense
“It’s a man’s world,” was the mid-twentieth-century consensus.
My mother passed several of the following outdated gems along to me:
Always let boys win if you want them to like you.
Act helpless. Let a boy be your hero and lift heavy objects for you.
Play “dumb.” Laugh at all of his jokes. Always agree with him.
Pretend to enjoy doing all the things he likes to do.
Don’t chase after boys. Make them chase after you!
Play hard to get. Never be the first to say, “I love you.”
Hide your passions. You don’t want him to think you’re “easy.”
If you “give in” to a boy, he’ll “dump” you and “kiss and tell.”
Go to college to find a husband, even though you know
you will be a homemaker after you marry.
A woman must never make more money than her husband…
His delicate pride can’t handle it.
Let a man think he’s boss…
Use “feminine wiles” to get what you want.
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach…
Cook all of his favorite dishes.
Men are like little boys…They like to be told
how handsome, strong, and smart they are.
Make a habit of paying exaggerated compliments to men…
It builds their fragile egos.
Men are unable to control their impulses.
Women must be the guardians of morality.
If a woman wears a short skirt and gets assaulted, it’s her fault.
Sex is something a wife must endure for the sake of her husband.
Fortunately, I never fell for any of this antiquated sexist nonsense!
Sorry, Mom, but I don’t believe in playing games.
I was paying attention when you taught me to be honest and to
“Do unto others as I would have them do unto me.”
With respect to this poem’s dubious advice, I quote Mom,
“You might as well laugh as cry!”
Photo by Jason Briscoe from Unsplash
*Cautionary note: Some of the antiquated advice in this poem may appear to work in the short term, but some of it could come back to bite you later! Authentic relationships tend to be based on honesty and mutual respect. How long would you be willing to pretend you are enjoying a food you actually detest? How would you feel if you found out that someone was playing you? Better to be real!
Photo by Dustan Woodhouse from Unsplash.Photo by Annie Spratt from Unsplash.Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur from Unsplash.
Environmental Gems
Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle!
Choose organic foods.
Use green energy sources.
Protect wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Stop pollution of the land, air, and water.
Manage forests to control fires and prevent floods.
Maintain public lands and nature preserves.
Use plant-based plastic substitutes.
Develop green energy sources.
Practice organic farming.
Plant trees.
Vote.
Photo by Joanne Francis from Unsplash.Photo by John Middecoop from Unsplash.
Green Haiku
Create; don’t destroy!
Clean up the messes we’ve made.
Make peace with nature.
Ruins of war, Syria. Photo by Mahmood Sulaiman from Unsplash.If we don’t work now to save the environment, we may all become as extinct as the dodo! Photo, McGill Library from Unsplash.
I just purchased a new email with Word to use on some writing projects. I will share those projects on this post at some point in the future. For the moment, I am struggling with a learning curve and technical issues. I will try to be present on WordPress as much as possible!
My favorite yellow orchid has three stems covered with buds, but no blooms yet. Pink and crimson orchids are beginning to bloom.
Allergies limit our gardening and prevent us from having indoor plants, but orchids love being on the shady lanai and bring lots of joy. Orchids require very little care, bloom a couple of times a year, and blooms last for many weeks. In cold climates, they can be grown indoors.
Painting of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper from a mural by Leonardo DaVinci. Photo from Pixabay.Holy communion bread and wine. Photo by James Coleman. The holy grail is the communion cup used during the last supper. Many adventurers have searched for this holy relic, but it has never been found.
“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Alexander Pope
Some adventurers engage in one one risky venture after the other, unprepared, trusting in luck, giving up too soon.
Quest for the Holy Grail
Upon our worthy quest, the fates will smile.
We venture forth in faith and confidence.
Our fervent zeal inspires each lonely mile,
and hearts sing gratitude to providence.
With compass and a map, we chart our course.
At night we have the stars to guide us there.
We endure for better or for worse,
through rough terrain and weather foul or fair.
We tire of questing for the holy grail.
Our hopes are dead, our dreams all turned to dust.
Robert’s cataract surgery went well yesterday, and he has started to see improvements in his vision. Thank you to my fellow bloggers for their encouragement and good wishes. It means a lot to me. ❤
I wrote this poem to distract me and pass the time while I was waiting for Robert’s surgery to be completed. The form is a ZIGGERAUT: two lines of two words each, three lines of three words each, four lines of four words each, and five lines of five words each. The rhyme pattern is aa, bbb, cccc, ddddd.
Cultivated desert roses in a garden. Photo by Meggie from Pixabay.
A Desert Rose
Our little world envelops us in love,
transcending chaos that surrounds us now,
safe haven from earth’s dark duplicity,
a green oasis, peace in desert heat.
Affection in your eyes, my hand in yours,
a gentle word, a loving touch…encouragement
along our earthly path’s uncertainties.
Your inner strength sustains my fainting heart.
When threats of war surround on every side…
vile pestilence, pollution, and unrest,
ambition fades, possessions matter less,
but love endures and blooms, a desert rose.
This poem is dedicated to Robert, who fills my everyday life with happiness and joy.Robert in a park on the Myakka River. Photo by Cheryl Batavia.Desert rose in the African Sahel. Photo by bory67 from Pixabay.
Like the Shakespearean sonnet, BLANK VERSE is a sixteenth century form of poetry written in iambic pentameter. Unlike a sonnet, blank verse is unrhymed. It was used extensively by Shakespeare in his plays and is found in the work of John Milton and other poets of that time.
Robert’s cataract surgery is scheduled for February 1st, and the hectic schedule of appointments begins. I may be very erratic on WordPress in February. Thank you to all who sent good wishes to Robert.
Astronauts walking on the moon in 1969, Planet Earth is in the sky. Photo by Joe Han from Unsplash.
Beyond Earth
Hidden by the moon
are stars brighter than the moon…
our earth-perspective.
Beyond the boundaries of earth,
we explore wider vistas.
This morning I woke with a poem I wrote when I was about sixteen years old running through my mind. I wrote the tanka poem above, paraphrasing the poem I remembered from nearly sixty years ago, an update for today. I don’t have a copy of that old poem,”Stars,” but I have reconstructed it from memory and posted it below.
Full moon and stars. Photo by Josh Miller from Unsplash.
Stars
Hidden by the moon
are millions of stars
brighter than the moon.
Because we are small,
it is so.
Because we are wise,
we understand.
Space suit worn by a Russian Cosmonaut, Moscow museum. Photo by iman_os from Unsplash.
When I was eight years old, Russia launched Sputnik, the first satellite, and the “space race” began. Antique relics from early space exploration are on display now in museums. In 1969, when I was twenty, Americans landed on the moon. For the first time, there were photos of the whole earth taken from space.
Planet Earth from space. Photo by NASA from Unsplash.International Space Station. Photo by NASA from Unsplash.Space Shuttle. Photo taken in Mexico by Ivan Diaz from Unsplash.
Now, in 2022, fifty-two years after astronauts landed on the moon, unmanned spacecraft routinely photograph distant planets and send the images back to earth. Satellites are used for spy missions and international communication. They show us hurricanes from above, and help to predict weather. Commercial Space travel is in its infancy. Drones are used in warfare and by amateur photographers. Many dead satellites and other “space junk” orbit the earth.
Andromeda Galaxy seen from Russia. Photo by Tengyart from Unsplash.
Humans have much bigger dreams for future travel in space. Before us lie some important lessons about restoring and protecting this beautiful Planet Earth and living in peace with our neighbors. If, in the future, we settle in new worlds, we need to remember those lessons, respect and preserve those new environments, and live in harmony with any civilizations we discover. Star treks, yes…star wars, no!
Sunset in Goa, India, one of the beautiful places on Planet Earth. Photo by Ashutosh Saraswat from Unsplash.
After two failed root canals, a tooth extraction, and extensive testing of his eyes with different eye drop prescriptions, Robert has finally been cleared for cataract surgery. Numerous appointments have been scheduled for February. I may sometimes be absent from WordPress in the weeks to come. We look forward to Robert’s pre-cataract vision being restored. Many thanks to all of you who have expressed concern for Robert.
It’s time to pause, to reflect, to write, to make New Year’s Resolutions (or not). I will focus on these objectives from now until 2022, and may not be as active on the blog as usual.
Stonehenge. Photo by Jonathan Ridley from Unsplash.
Stonehenge is a Neolithic monument on the Salisbury Plain near Wiltshire, England. Human remains and evidence of prior construction at this site date back to about 8,000 BC. The monument, whose ruins we see today, is believed to have been built from about 3,000 BC to 2,000 BC.
Stonehenge is a popular tourist destination, and every year, thousands of visitors celebrate the summer and winter solstices here. Stonehenge has religious significance to modern Pagans and Neo Druids. It is one of the most important historical sites in Europe.
Source: Wikipedia. There is an excellent article on Stonehenge in Wikipedia, if you are interested in reading more about it.
Katey and Ellen visit their brother, Joe, and his dog, BABY, on their way home from my house.
Visits Then and Now
A couple of years ago,
when my daughters visited me,
we were on our way to swim with manatees…
All tours were cancelled!
On the road, we found
restaurants serving only carry-out.
Two hours before we arrived at our hotel,
the dining room closed…
The museum we had planned to visit
had closed the day before.
We walked around the city
for two days, eating carry-out.
Beaches had closed near my house.
My daughters caught
one of the last flights home to Texas…
Covid had arrived!
This year my daughters visited…
vaccinated, masks ready, restaurants serving,
beaches open, manatees waiting…
Happy Thanksgiving!
A Thanksgiving sunset at Blind Pass Beach. Photo by Ellen.From my beach chair, I watched Katey build this sand castle with a moat connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Ellen, meanwhile, was swimming enthusiastically in the cool water. She came out just in time to photograph the sunset and Katey’s sand castle.
A Tribute to My Daughters
My daughters, Ellen and Katey, visited a very elaborate Pumpkin Patch near their home in Texas.
A Tribute to My Daughters
Ellen and Katey volunteered at their church to help with Vacation Bible School, online this year because of Covid 19. They are standing in front of one of the sets they helped to build. Ellen was also involved in writing and other aspects of the project. Church members wrote the script, composed and performed original music, and videotaped the episodes with great skill! It’s a big church with a lot of talented volunteers.
Eve Ellen
makes her mother proud…
ambitious,
creative,
dedicated. Her life is
a labor of love.
Katey and Ellen frequently help out at a friend’s horse barn and enjoy riding the horses. All types of animals gravitate toward both of my daughters.
Katey Marie
makes her mother proud.
Her joy is
contagious!
Horses, dogs, friends, family…
life shared in photos.
Ellen and Katey enjoyed the sights and the rides at the fair.
Emails, calls…
My daughters have their
far-away
lives to live.
Times spent together, precious…
cherished memories!
Rez and Vibe love to cuddle. Vibe, in the foreground, is on his way to becoming a huge dog! Vibe and Ellen. Vibe loves the pool…Rez, not so much! Vibe also enjoys kayak rides, but I am afraid he may already be too big for that.Katey, Cheryl, & Ellen in front of “The Greatest Show on Earth,” a mural at the Ringling Circus Museum. The museum visit is one of the wonderful memories of our trip.
This is the final post about my daughters’ visit during Thanksgiving week!
The second poem is my attempt at writing sharadomas, a form of poetry featured on David’s blog, “The skeptic’s kaddish of a son.” The poem, “Warm love or: Glowing memories” was posted on December 7, 2021. Sharadoma stanzas have a syllable count of 3/5/3/3/7/5. I didn’t attempt a cleave poem, although David’s was lovely!
My daughters, Katey and Ellen in front of Pippa, the Hippo’s, cage. Pippa is the only exotic animal at Homosassa Wildlife State Park. The beloved sixty-one-year-old hippo was granted official Florida citizenship by the governor of Florida when the zoo transitioned to a wildlife park for Florida animals many years ago.
The majority of the animals at Homosassa Wildlife State Park are rescued animals that are unable to survive in the wild: manatees injured by boat propellers being rehabilitated in the manatee rescue center, animals who were hit by cars, birds unable to fly because of impaired vision or injuries to their wings, endangered squirrels and other rare animals raised illegally in captivity and confiscated from their owners.
The whooping cranes were from a program to reestablish these endangered birds in Florida. The female whooping crane has impaired vision and cannot fly. The male found her at Homosassa Wildlife State Park and joined her in her enclosure. He could fly away, but he stays. Whooping cranes mate for life, and this is a very touching pair!
The tropical bird enclosure, like most of the enclosures, is open at the top. It has a stream running through it and is shaded by lovely trees. I saw egrets, once hunted almost to extinction for their mating plumage, flying into and out of the enclosure. They are free to visit, or maybe they are choosing to live there.
The marine fish seen from the underwater observatory under the main spring migrate seasonally, as do the manatees in the Homosassa River near the hot springs. Public boat travel is restricted in this area to protect these migratory animals.
American flamingos, extinct in Florida for over 100 years, were discovered about ten years ago living in the Florida Everglades. No one knows for sure how they got there, but they probably came from Central or South America. We are thrilled to have them living in the wild in Florida once again. I don’t know if the flamingos in the tropical bird enclosure are rescues or are part of an effort to reintroduce them to their former range.
Alligators, hunted almost to extinction for their hides, are now protected and are once again plentiful in Florida. Programs now collect a few young alligators from their nests, raise them to a size where they can defend themselves from predators, and release them to ensure their continued success in the wild.
The black vultures, handsome lively birds, live at the park by choice, but they are a welcome clean-up crew. We saw them stealing what appeared to be fresh-cut grain from the hippo after they ate the insects from his back. We saw them visiting the black bear and perched in the trees.
The red wolves are endangered and are part of a captive breeding program to reintroduce them into Florida.
Florida Panthers, proud symbol of Florida, are endangered and seriously inbred. Panthers from Texas were brought in a few years ago to refresh the gene pool. Along Route 75, “Alligator Alley,” that runs from east to west through the Florida Everglades, high fences have recently been erected to protect panthers from traffic.
The aging dike at Lake Okeechobe has undergone extensive renovations this year. Nutrient-rich water released from the lake has caused red tides in the Gulf of Mexico and blue-green algae overgrowth in our rivers, sickening people, killing fish, dolphins, endangered manatees and endangered sea turtles. From now on, water will be released from the lake into bodies of water in much smaller amounts. The water from Lake Okeechobe will once again flow into the Florida Everglades as it was intended to do. I think Wildlife numbers will increase there due to this restoration.
I hesitated to provide detailed background information in this post. After all, I only spent half a day walking around the park and reading signs. That is the source of most of the information given about the park. I am not a biologist or expert on the environment, just a retired elementary school teacher and amateur poet who loves animals and cares about wildlife and the environment. I have done some research on wildlife to write my enviromnent-themed book series about Florida animals, Hanging Out with Wild Animals. You can read more about the books on my website.
It is tragic that so many animals have been injured and driven to extinction by human settlement and human activities, but the animals who live at Homosassa Wildlife State Park, though disabled, help to raise public awareness of wildlife and environmental issues. As the sign says, they are “ambassadors of wildlife.”
Animals at Homosassa Springs
Wildlife State Park
Endangered whooping crane. Photo by Amber Langeloni from Pixabay.
Love Birds
Male whooping crane joined
flightless female whooping crane
in her enclosure.
He could choose to fly away,
but he loves her, so he stays.
River otter. Photo by Jack Bulmer from Pixabay.
River Otters
You’ve got to be quick
to capture river otters
with your camera.
Appearing, disappearing
through plants on water’s surface.
Bald eagles. Photo by Jonathan Cooper from Unsplash.
Bald Eagle, National Bird
It’s been a long time
since these two injured eagles
soared Florida’s skies
American flag above ,
they watch as life passes by.
A school of snook viewed from the underwater observatory at the main spring of Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Migrating Marine Fish
In the wintertime,
marine fish, like manatees,
migrate to hot springs.
Manatees and marine fish
thrive in seas and fresh water.
Florida bobcat. Photo by Meg Jerrard from Unsplash.
Bobcats & Florida Panthers
Florida bobcats
now coexist with humans
in suburbia.
Florida panthers, pride of
Florida, are endangered.
Flamingos in the tropical bird area. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Egret and roseate spoonbills. Photo by Kurt Anderson from Pexels.
Tropical Birds
Sparkling waters flow
through green paradise,
home of tropical birds.
Pink flamingos and spoonbills,
night herons, and sleeping swans.
Red wolf. Photo by Lucie Sa Vi from Unsplash.
Red Wolves
Endangered red wolves
roam a spacious enclosure,
delighting humans.
Procreation their purpose…
red wolf repopulation.
American alligator. Photo by Katey Batavia.
Alligators
Alligators live
in a pond that’s metal fenced…
Visitors are safe.
Prehistoric predators…
fearsome reptiles captivate.
Black vultures. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Black Vulture Family
Handsome black vultures
choose to live at the preserve…
welcome scavengers!
Perching on the hippo’s back,
they eat insects, then share his food.
Pippa, the hippo at Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Photo by Katey Batavia.
Pippa, the Hippopotamus,
Age Sixty-One
Grandfathered from days
when exotic animals
were in residence.
Citizen of Florida,
world’s oldest captive hippo.
American black bear. Photo by Katey Batavia.
Ambassadors
of Florida Wildlife
Most animals here
are unable to survive
living on their own.
Protected, they now serve
as ambassadors of wildlife.
Rare, endangered squirrel now unable to live in the wild because it was illegally raised in captivity. Photo by Ellen Maher.
My daughters, Ellen and Katey, on the bayfront terrace of Ca’D’Zan, the 1920s Venetian-style mansion of John and Mable Ringling. They lived and entertained in this home for 90 days a year during the winter. Sarasota was the winter home of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus for many years. A luxury private railway car, The Wisconsin, was John and Mable Ringling’s home for much of the year as they traveled around booking acts for the circus. The car, complete with stained glass, can be toured in the Circus Museum.
The mansion features stained glass windows, hand-carved, hand-decorated ceilings, and antique furnishings. My favorite room is the ballroom with its beautiful wide plank floors and gorgeous ceiling depicting dancing couples from different eras. The main room of the mansion is several stories high and has a view of Sarasota Bay through pastel-colored stained glass windows. The room has an ornate grand piano and a pipe organ that cost $25,000 in the 1920s.
Mable Ringling’s wagon wheel-shaped rose garden has approximately 1,250 antique roses, many from the 17th and 18th centuries, and is surrounded by statues of courting couples.
The sixty-six-acre estate has numerous other gardens and several museums. We spent about half a day exploring the mansion and the Circus Museum on this trip. Multiple galleries feature priceless circus memorabilia. There are elaborately hand-carved and painted antique circus wagons, calliopes, gorgeous vintage costumes made of silk and embroidered with faux gems, old circus photos, and informative and entertaining videos.
There is a 31-gallery art museum famous for its world class collection of old masters. Besides its permanent collections, the art museum hosts various exhibits. I have visited the art museum several times in the past. You could easily spend a day there. There is also an historic theater which hosts live performances.
Katey takes a selfie in front of one of the fourteen banyan trees on the estate, a gift from Thomas Edison, who raised several types of banyan trees at his winter estate in Fort Myers, Florida. In the photo: Katey, Cheryl, and Ellen.
Unless stated otherwise, photos in this post were taken by Katey Batavia and Ellen Maher.
Sculpture above the entrance to the Circus Museum.
A scene from the Howard Brothers Model Circus, which recreates an early 20th century circus. Howard Tibbals, a retired circus performer, created the 44,000-piece display by hand over a fifty-year period. The display occupies 3,800 square feet in the museum.
Multiple acts took place simultaneously under the big top.
Animal acts and the menagerie allowed many people to see exotic animals for the first time.
The menagerie.
A circus parking lot filled with beautifully-crafted vintage cars. Schools and businesses shut down on circus day so that people for miles around could attend the circus.
There were side shows where people could entertain themselves with novelty acts as they waited for the circus to start under the big top. The circus train carried the circus from town to town. When set up, the circus was like a small city. It took over a thousand workers to set up the circus and take it down. They could set the circus up in four hours for the day’s performance. Then they would tear it down and set up again in the next town. Most performances lasted only one day.
Young boys and girls all across the country loved the glamour and excitement of the circus. Many had big dreams of joining the circus someday.
A Young Boy’s Circus Dreams
Photo by Jeremiah Lawrence from Unsplash.
A Young Boy’s Circus Dreams
I’ll join the circus!
A ringmaster in top hat
and tails, I will say…
“Ladies and gentlemen! Children
of all ages! Welcome!”
I’ll join the circus,
ride an elephant bareback,
and teach bears to dance.
Lions and tigers will purr
when I crack my whip and grin!
I’ll join the circus,
a goofy clown…folks laughing,
watching me fall down.
I’ll honk my red nose, driving
crazy in my tiny car!
I’ll join the circus!
Wearing flashy spangled tights,
I’ll walk the high wire,
and catch flying girls from my
high trapeze…Crowds will go wild!
I’ll join the circus
and see the world from a train…
each day, a new town!
I’ll come home for vacation…
fish all day…eat Mom’s peach pie.
Ellen in a tiny car in the interactive exhibit.Katey, trick rider, interactive exhibit.
Upcoming posts will feature more adventures from our travels during Thanksgiving week. It was so good to see my daughters again, and we had a fabulous time!
For more information about The Ringling Museum, visit their website, ringling.org
A Poem about Hanukkah, a Jewish Holiday beginning this year on November 28
Jews celebrate the eighth night of Hanukkah. Eight candles burn in a menorah. The ninth candle in the center is used to light the other candles. Photo by Rodnae Productions from Pexels.
“A Great Miracle Happened Here!”
Hanukkah menorah lights burn bright.
Just one candle is lit on the first night,
two on the second, three on the third…
On the last night, all eight are burned!
A woman gambling for Hanukkah gelt, spinning a dreidel. The letters inscribed on dreidels stand for, “A great miracle happened here!” Photo by Rodnae Productions from Pexels.
Spin the dreidels…Their message is clear:
“A great miracle happened here!”
Tell the Hanukkah story, please,
of Jerusalem reclaimed by the Maccabees.
Drawing the Star of David. Photo by Cottonbro from Pexels.
In Jerusalem, the temple’s rededication
was cause for joyous celebration.
They had enough oil to burn for only one day…
but for eight days, the temple lamps blazed!
Photo of a violinist by Cottonbro from Pexels.
Bring out the latkes, sing the songs.
Hanukkah celebrations are eight days long!
Love of religious freedom is heartfelt,
holiday memories as sweet as Hanukkah gelt!
Hanukkah gelt, chocolate coins covered in foil. Photo by Rodnae Productions from Pexels.
The events commemorated by Hanukkah occurred about 167 BCE. The history of the period is very complex, but well worth learning more about. I especially like the story of Judith, a spy who helped win the war to reclaim Jerusalem. Hanukkah is generally viewed today as a celebration of religious freedom.
My daughters, Ellen Maher and Katey Batavia will be visiting over the Thanksgiving week, November 21-27. I am so excited to see them for the first time in almost two years! I will be off WordPress to spend some time with them. A swim with the manatees at Crystal River is planned. It was canceled last time because of Covid 19. We are eagerly looking forward to the trip.
The poem above was written by Ellen. She is an ordained Baptist chaplain and a teacher and administrator in a recovery program that deals with issues such as grief, addiction, and illness. She also volunteers for many special projects at her church. This year she helped to produce a video for a virtual Vacation Bible School during the pandemic. Ellen writes religious poems on her blog, Echoes of the Lion’s Roar.
HappyThanksgiving!
West Indian Manatee. Photo by Maegan Luckleish from Unsplash.
One Saturday about forty years ago, when my husband was at work, my young daughter, Ellen, and I watched fire and smoke moving down the mountainside toward our house. We packed our car with something irreplaceable…our photo albums. My fifty-two-year-old daughter still has those albums, memories of her childhood.
An Album of Childhood
Photo by Joice Kelly from Unsplash.Photo by Romina Veliz from Unsplash Photo by Josh Applegate from Unsplash.Photo by NeonBrand from Unsplash.
Photo by Deb Dowd from Unsplash.
Photo by Prince Abid from Unsplash.Photo by Robert Collins from Unsplash.
Many people are wondering whether it is too late to restore the environment to health. I don’t know the answer, but I HOPE that it is not too late! The poem below is the last of my three environment-themed Halloween Sonnets.
I Remember Rainbows
I live today on earth, a shabby place,
in dreary post-apocalyptic haze,
but I remember glowing rainbow hues,
and sunny skies above, quite clear and blue,
and even if my skies are grey today,
lush rainbow colors flood my dreams always!
No fish are swimming in polluted streams;
in dreams, clear rivers flow to shining seas.
No birds are singing in the leafless trees,
but dream-birds nest in trees of verdant green!
Though even weeds can’t bloom in sterile clay,
I dream of vivid flowers every day
where dream-bees feed in joyous, playful scenes,
and I remember rainbows in my dreams.
Photo by Angelo Casto from Unsplash.Photo by Nuno Antunos from Unsplash.
Satan, Beelzebub, the Fiend, the Devil, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness…There are numerous names for the personification of evil. Many classic myths and stories portray a character who promises to serve the Devil in exchange for granting them a favor. In this case, the character sells his soul to live on after all other human beings become extinct. The poem also tells a tale of the destruction and regeneration of the earth.
At approximately age five, I remember marching in a Halloween parade wearing a Devil costume, red with horns and a tail, and carrying a pitchfork! My siblings subsequently grew into the costume.
Burned-out boat on display at Bombay Beach, a ghost town by the Salton Sea in California. The Salton Sea is a dead body of water that is slowly drying up, and the town is now a sort of art museum. Photo by Design Class on Unsplash.
Ingrid’s Halloween Sonnet Festival inspired me to learn to write sonnets. Few things scare me more than the impending doom of global warming, climate change, deforestation, species extinction, and pollution. We need to change our ways NOW if we hope to prevent the ubiquitous doomsday predictions from coming true.
Check out the Halloween Sonnet Festival on Ingrid’s blog, experimentsinfiction.com!
This is my attempt at a Halloween Sonnet suggested by Ingrid at experimentsinfiction. Ingrid is sponsoring a Halloween Sonnet Festival. Sonnets are not my forte, but I thought it would be fun to participate. Thank you, Ingrid, for a bit of Halloween fun. 🙂
Thank you to all of those who kindly responded to that test post from WordPress! ❤ It was intended to track down an email of a post that WordPress sent me. The test post was not supposed to be visible. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
A Vintage Conestoga wagon with a water barrel on the side. Photo by Larry Costales from Unsplash.Map of US Territorial Growth. Photo from flickr.
Timeline: 1783-1869
1783
The Thirteen Colonies won their independence from England. The United States of America at this time consisted of thirteen states which extended to the Mississippi River on the west. Territories to the south and west were controlled by Spain, France, and Russia. Canadian borders were being established to the north. Of course, Native Americans already lived in the Americas when Europeans arrived, a fact Europeans often chose to ignore.
Mountain men were fur traders and trappers who explored the American West. They lived among the Native Americans, learned tribal languages, and often married Native American wives.
1803
The Louisiana Purchase. The US bought the Louisiana Territory from France. President Thomas Jefferson sent the Lewis & Clark Expedition to explore the West. Their journals recorded the topography, Native American tribes they visited, and plants and animals they found.
Sacagawea, a sixteen-year-old Native American guide and translator, joined the expedition with her French Canadian explorer husband and infant son. She was invaluable to the expedition, and in 1794, a one dollar coin was first minted in her honor. On the coin is an image of Sacagawea carrying her baby on her back.
1803-1841
The Western Expansion. Settlers moved to land West of the Mississippi River, traveling on foot, on horseback, and by canoes, river rafts, and Conestoga wagons.
The US continued to purchase territories. A doctrine called “Manifest Destiny” stated that it was ordained by God that the US should occupy all the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Native Americans resisted the takeover of their land. There were many conflicts and wars between the Settlers, US soldiers, and the Native Americans. US soldiers manned numerous forts along the trail to protect the wagon trains and the settlers who now lived on the Great Plains.
1841-1869
The Great Migration. During this time, 350,000 settlers traveled to California and the Oregon Territories. Steam-powered riverboats and eventually stage coaches became available. Telegraph lines soon linked East and West. The US now stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Many new states had been admitted to the Union as settlers moved west, some where slavery was legal, and some where slavery was illegal. This was a tumultuous time in American history which culminated in a bloody civil war.
1849
Gold was discovered in California, and the California Gold Rush began. “Forty-niners” went to California in search of gold. A few of them did “strike it rich.” Many more did not.
Towns sprang up where gold and silver were discovered. When the mines played out, the towns were abandoned. Ghost Towns still exist in the American West.
1861-1865
The American Civil War was fought between the Union (Northern States) and the Confederacy (Southern States.) It was a devastating and bloody conflict that centered around issues of slavery.
1869
The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed, joining East and West. This marked the end of the Era known as the Great Migration.
A creek in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Michael Hirsch on Unsplash.
Mountain Men
Mountain men roamed the wilderness
and lived among the tribes,
learning tribal languages
and taking native wives.
They knew the animals and seasons
and walked the forest ways,
trapping beaver along the rivers
in long, solitary days.
Gentlemen in London and Paris
wanted to make the right impression.
American beavers died for the sake
of fashion’s beaver hat obsession.
Mountain men gathered
when the season was through
to trade their furs and celebrate
their yearly Rendezvous.
Black Foot, Standing Bear, and Big Eagle, three members of the Sioux tribe. A Sioux village with tipis, 1898 photo from the Boston Public Library on Unsplash.
Native Americans
Native Americans, on many occasions,
helped European settlers survive,
but goodwill soon evaporated
when the multitudes arrived.
An endless stream of intruders
settled on ancestral lands.
Smallpox and measles took a toll.
Others died by White men’s hands.
Native Americans were pushed
further westward for years and years.
Their lands were seized, and they were
forced to walk the “Trail of Tears.”
Treaties dishonored, promises broken.
Natives were confined to reservations.
Their children were sent to far-off schools
for White man’s education.
Modern-day campers and a replica Conestoga wagon. Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash.
Wagon Trains Go West
Carrying the settlers’ worldly goods,
Conestoga wagons crossed the plains.
For protection against Native American
attacks, they traveled in wagon trains.
A wagon master led the wagon train
and guided settlers on their way.
He knew where to ford the rivers and
where to camp at the end of the day.
Many settlers walked along the trail
to spare the oxen and lighten the load.
At night they circled the wagons and
cooked their suppers beside the road.
Babies were born along the trail.
Settlers played music and danced.
Couples were married on the journey
after a wagon train romance.
Dreams were big, and hopes were high,
but there were hardships every day.
The trail was littered with broken wagons,
and graves were left along the way.
Vintage steam engine. Narrow gauge railroad. Photo by Adrienne Merritt on Unsplash.
The Great Migration
The US army manned a series of forts
to defend the wagon trains
and protect the settlements springing up
across the western plains.
Gold was discovered in California.
Settlers traveled the Oregon Trail.
Stage coaches soon headed west,
carrying passengers and mail.
New states were joining the Union,
some slave, and some free.
It was a dark and turbulent era
in American History.
Five years of civil war
brought widespread devastation.
The Transcontinental Railroad
ended the era of Great Migration.
There has always been a special bond between a cowboy and his horse. Photo by Rodnae Productions on Pexels.
Cowboy Life
Cowboys riding the open range
under a wide blue sky,
we keep an eye out for rustlers,
loaded guns by our sides.
Many more miles to ride,
many new calves to brand.
We sit around the campfire,
eating beans from a can.
Singing sad songs, swapping
tall tales, just hanging around.
We unpack our bedrolls
and fall asleep on the ground.
Morning comes early. Drink your
coffee and saddle your horse.
Looks like good weather today…
I’ve seen a whole lot worse!
New horses to be broken
out in the corral.
Getting ready for round-up
and a big cattle drive in the fall.
Cookie’s got provisions.
The chuck wagon’s ready to go.
Our last night in the bunkhouse…
Telling jokes and playing dominoes.
This cattle drive is endless,
riding hard and swallowing dust,
eating biscuits and gravy
until we’re ready to bust!
Tomorrow, we’ll drive the herd
to town, and head for the saloon.
We’ll play some cards, drink some
beer, and listen to some tunes.
A modern-day riverboat on the Mississippi River near New Orleans. Photo by Bernard Sprague from flickr.
Scoundrels of the Old West
Scoundrels were irresistibly drawn
to the riches of the West.
Card sharks prowled the riverboats,
putting amatures to the test.
Traveling medicine shows
sold worthless potions and elixers
to an unsuspecting populace.
What a shameless bunch of tricksters!
Claim jumpers lurked in the gold fields
to seize somebody else’s claim.
Crooks in preacher’s collars robbed
congregations in God’s name.
A few crooked agents on reservations
sold cattle the government sent,
growing rich on the profits, while native
families ate the bread of discontent.
Unscrupulous prostitutes robbed
customers who fell into their hands.
Rustlers stole cattle on the range,
altering the original brands.
And then there were armed outlaws
committing robberies with guns,
holding up stages, trains, and banks,
living their lives on the run.
Vintage western schoolhouse/church. Photo by Dan Myers from Unsplash.
Into the West, a six-part series from executive producer, Steven Spielberg. Available on YouTube.
Two families, one Native American and the other White, live through the events of the American westward movement.
Little House on the Prairie, TV series based on the Little House series of books by Laura Ingals Wilder. Story of a family growing up on a farm near a small prairie town.
Michael Landon, Mellissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson.
Bonanza, TV Series. A rancher and his sons are involved in many issues of the day.
Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker.
Oklahoma, a movie musical about a girl coming of age on an Oklahoma farm.
Shirley Jones, Gordon McRae.
Paint Your Wagon, a movie musical comedy set in a Gold Rush mining town. A Mormon woman marries two men.
Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, Jean Seberg.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, a hilarious movie musical with critically-acclaimed dance sequences.
Howard Keel, Jane Powell.
Jeremiah Johnson, a movie that tells the story of a mountain man and his encounters with grizzly bears.
Robert Redford, Will Geer.
Dances with Wolves, a movie about a Civil War hero who is eager to see the old West and is assigned to a fort. Arriving at an abandoned fort, he gets to know a local tribe of Native Americans. He spends time in their camp, going on a buffalo hunt and falling in love with a white woman who lives with them.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner.
River of No Return, a movie about danger, romance, and redemption on a river raft headed west.
Robert Mitchum, Marilyn Monroe.
Sarah Plain and Tall, movie. A mail order bride from New England becomes part of a farm family in the West.
Glenn Close, Christopher Walken.
McClintock, a hilarious western comedy movie reminiscent of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew.”
John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara.
Westerns on this List
The majority of the westerns on this list were chosen for authenticity. They allow the viewer to experience the American westward movement and life on the American frontier. Many of the westerns listed feature iconic actors and gorgeous western scenery.
Excellent documentaries about the old West have been made. Though they are not listed here, I like watching them.
The classic westerns listed are widely available on television, cable movie channels, Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and similar venues.
I hope you find something you enjoy!
For further information, try Wikipedia, a helpful source of information used for this post.
We are in a holding pattern at our house. Robert’s cataract surgery has been postponed because of an infection in a root canal. The infection, which didn’t show up in dental x-rays, was finally discovered with a 3-D scan. After the root canal is redone, antibiotics, and no infection for several weeks, cataract surgery can be rescheduled. Thank you for understanding if I am a little erratic on WordPress for a while.
I continue fighting very slow, unresponsive emails even after updating my computer with Apple, and still need to check out the problem with our internet provider as well as WordPress. Our TV reception, on the same system, is also having problems. I am reading a few emails when I can between doctor and dentist appointments. Also, I am now the designated driver for both of us. I look forward to being back full-time on WordPress soon after Robert’s cataract surgery is completed in September. I hope life is treating you well.
This poem was written about why I decided to take a break! It may be a while before everything settles down and I am fully back on WordPress. When I get the computer up to speed, I look forward to reading and responding to more posts.
The new lawn guy is great!
Robert installed new shower doors a couple of weeks ago. I am still finding an occasional piece of broken glass.
The electrician was here most of today, and the lanai kitchen, where most of our food is cooked, is fully operational.
Robert has an appointment with a cataract surgeon at the end of the month. We don’t have a date for surgery yet.
The roofers will be here next week. I hope we don’t get another tropical storm before they finish the repair!
We have invited family groups to visit in the fall and early winter when Florida weather is nicest.
United Nations Building, Geneva Switzerland. Photo by Mathias P. R. Reading from Unsplash
Happy Birthday, USA!
July 4, 1776 was the day delegates from the thirteen colonies signed the Declaration of Independence from England. Those who signed the document did so at great personal risk. The bloody American Revolution followed under the leadership of General George Washington, who later became the first president of the United States.
To celebrate Independence Day, Americans will fly flags, watch fireworks shows, sing patriotic songs, and tell the stories of our history. Cookouts and picnics are also traditional.
Today, though we are celebrating our country’s birthday, the Global Community is uppermost in my mind. We are suffering from a worldwide pandemic, wars, and widespread racism and violence. Environmental problems threaten all of us.
Today I would like to share song lyrics that express my thoughts about our Global Community.
It has been very busy here. Nothing we can’t handle, but fatigue has set in, and a busy agenda still stretches in front of us. I am taking a break from WordPress and will miss all of you. ❤
Gulf Coast Poet 