Stain-glass Eyes

Sometimes my whole being wants to be a child again.  This morning, I was walking downhill, on Liberty Street, in Ann Arbor, heading for the Y to swim.  A woman had a young toddler by the hand and they were walking uphill, my way. She had her coat open (notable on this terribly cold, windy day) and her hat was crooked on her head.  She was no more than two feet taller than him.  He had on a waist-length jacket, brown with buttons, bulging from his darling, fat, little belly.  I saw his shirt and t-shirt and his too-tight jeans clearly, because by holding her hand, he had his arm straight up in the air, making his jacket pull up from his waist. He was no older than eighteen months, had a wide smile on his chubby, baby face and was looking in every direction at once.  It was apparently difficult for him to climb this hill with his arm straight up, holding her hand. “You’re going to have to learn how to walk straight pretty soon.” sh...

In Center of Kiev (See the Snow!) I turned on the radio yesterday, and heard frustrating news coming from Ukraine.  Kiev is in turmoil and it haunts me to think it is in trouble and the people are suffering from unrest. Cemetery in Lviv (This picture reminds me of the current deaths in Ukraine) A young, Olympic athlete was interviewed and was shaken by the events taking place in her country.   She told the reporter about her ending her competition in the olympics and about her  her departure for her homeland.  Her father is her coach and they both are returning as soon as they can, to be with family.  The link below will give one account of this incredible young woman. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1967319-ukraine-violence-spurs-olympian-to-give-up-games-return-to-homeland Beautiful Old Buildings Cathedral Of St. Sophia, Kiev, Ukraine I've been to Ukraine.  The events happening now, seem real to me....

Gulls Following Ferry, For Bread, on Bosphorous You’re flying!   Remember! Breathe!   Glide with your body  feel the ease. Balance, blend  amid the flow.  Feet will propel you  as you go. One arm, next,  as smooth as cream.  Your mind not thinking,  like a dream.                               Up and down, with dolphin soar. My heart truly sings, swimming more. Orange, yellow, Shore Off Connemarra, Ireland align the way.                   Buoyant reminders, not to stray. Control tower, with watchful eyes. Scoping the jets, Sweep, dive. You push, shove, You plunge once more. Feeling the impulse, “Come ashore!” Off to the shower,  a dripping fish. Leaving the water, One last wish. Mary Jean on Dock (Brevort Lake, Michigan) You su...

The morning air was white with the glow of frost.  Like a fog.  I looked over the city of Ann Arbor and saw what looked like mountains, in the distance.  All the trees were covered with frost.  They gave the feeling of a continuous mountain horizon.   I told myself,  “Get going before the sun comes up completely.  It’s a perfect time to take pictures of this beautiful scenery.”  I didn't answer myself right away.  I was mesmerized by the sparkly look on all the trees I saw by my window. Then I thought, “It’s not possible.  I'll never capture this cold morning."  With spirals of smoke coming straight up through the neighbor's chimney stacks, in the frigid air.  The image of mountains in the distance, when there weren’t any.  I could take my time with my first cup of coffee and enjoy nature’s slowly, disappearing artwork.   Later when I walked to the Robot Store, on Liberty, I saw diamonds on the snow....

Wise Old Owl On Wall in Berlin I try to be open-minded, observe with my five senses, and be mindful of what happens around me.  I do well.  I know part of my success is from being retired.  Having the time. My schedule is usually my own.  I can take more time to make a judgement.  I don’t mean a negative tag on what I observe.  I mean taking things in and deciding what to make of the details. I titled this post “Not What It Seems”, because I decided most of what I come across, isn’t what it seems.  I believe most all conflict in the world comes from “Thinking” we are able to calculate situations, people, settings, time and emotional climates correctly.  We judge too hastily.  We don't get the chance to look back on our judgements until it's too late.  The choices are made and we lose the ability to see the gray areas.  Homes, In Walls of Hills, in Ukraine My latest example is from a concert I went to last ni...

I’m working on my own “Laws”.   “Rules” to live by.  It isn’t easy.  There’s a lot of muck to sift through.  The muck is thick and has been settling during my lifetime.  I don’t know how to sift through it.  I think a sieve would help.  Important rules will stay in the sieve and the others will fall through the holes.  I think a scale would help.  I could set a minimum and a maximum size and ditch any laws that don’t fit in-between. Or, a “Throw-it-in-the-deep-water” test.  If it sinks, it’s gone.  If it floats, it’s worth considering as a law to keep as my own. I like the idea of measuring the laws I’m weighted down by.  It could be a scale of reality.  After I list the laws I’ve learned over my life-time, I could set them down on the scale and see the weight of reality they measure.  If they’re too heavy for me,  If they weigh me down, immobilize me from being content, adventuro...

Gaylord-Ann Arbor Snow! I can look out two of my windows and see sheets of fluffy, white, feathers coming down from the sky.  It must be the sticky kind of snow, because the branches already have what looks like an inch of snow, standing up like a little wall on each and every branch.  To the tiniest, insignificant extended branch. to the crotch in the trunk's dividing place. Against my windows, even at the 3rd floor, have a snow-fort-wall of snow, coming up 6-8 inches. (on the North side windows)  I feel like I'm in Ann Arbor, but I live in Gaylord, still.  It's an Ann Arbor-Gaylord winter here. Snow Gathering on the Window Ledges  I don't have to worry about shoveling.  That is definitely a plus.  I don't have to worry about driving to Atlanta, Michigan, to teach first graders, when I should stay off the roads!  Or, wearing tundra weather clothing so I am prepared to take them out for recesses during the day.  I don't ...