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The Final Path

cuba cemetry for poem

Slowly, slowly,
advancing with tender steps,
emitting clouds of scarlet
with each tremulous breath,
the golden child
humbly crept

Brazenly her locks tumbled,
shrouding her shoulders
in a champagne veil
and the dusky angels
turned their heads In envy
as even the spiders silk seemed coarse

Heavy shadows blurred
the silvered path she trod,
where startled dandelions
puffed their clocks,
though time stood still
and sunrise never came

In the placid grove
where soft grasses
solemnly bowed,
the lilac air filled
with the songs of souls stirred
by an unfamiliar beat

And as they watched
that unknown child,
her iridescence faded,
turned to pearl translucence
as, with grace, she slid
into their ethereal embrace

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A Ghost of Christmas

Every year I buy myself a Poinsettia at Christmas. The shelves of pot plants with their brilliant red bracts (see all you doubters…I knew they weren’t proper flowers) in all of the supermarkets is a sure sign that Christmas is nearly here.  Lets face it though, within a week of purchase, most of those poor plants are languishing and wilting in our overheated, too dark, living rooms.  Mine are really no exception.  Normally I can barely manage to keep them alive until Christmas day.

However, this year I bought a hardy little blighter.  Believe it or not, It still looks as good as the day as I bought it and…yes, we’re halfway through February!! It is a first, so I thought I’d share this little reminder of the festivities with you. 🙂

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The first signs….

Despite the downpours and the freezing gale force wind today (that really, really, hasn’t been helpful while I was outside with my camera), there is evidence in my garden that the plants are waking up and that it’s not too long until spring.

As the ancient Chinese proverb says:

‘Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men.’   It certainly seems so today!

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Shadowed

In response to the weekly photo challenge – this weeks theme ‘shadowed’

A couple of photos for you here. First is a nice sensible one of my daughter shaded from the bright sun by the fall of her hair, and the second is a daft snap of me modelling the hat that I wore when we were lucky enough to be invited by the Queen to a garden party at Buckingham Palace a few years ago.  On the invitation it stated that headwear was compulsory for ladies, so I took the opportunity to get the biggest, pinkest hat I could find and it certainly kept the sun off my face!  To be honest, I was more excited about wearing the hat than going to the party I think.  Still we had a fab time and felt very posh indeed.

I might do something a bit more arty farty for you if and when there is any light – it’s really gloomy and grey this morning, hope it’s better where you are! 🙂DSC_0022

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New Horizons

In response to this weeks photo challenge ‘New’.

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This is a photo of my beautiful mum that I took a couple of days ago, over the Christmas break. Ok, she’s not exactly ‘New’, in fact, (I’m sure she won’t mind me telling you), she’s in her 90’s.  However, she is off on a new adventure.

She’s lived in the same town all of her life, and been in the same flat for about 40 years. She’s been happy and comfortable there, but now she has come round to the idea that it might be nice to have a bit more support and company, and we’re in the process of helping her find some sheltered accommodation.  Somewhere that she can still be fairly independent, and have her own front door, but where she can have a little bit more help when she needs it.  Also, somewhere a bit closer to family – she will still be a couple of hundred miles away from me, but nearer my sister and her family, so for the first time in her life, it’ll be a move away from her home town.   She’s both excited and a bit nervous – as you should be with all new adventures in my opinion! It’s a big leap of faith and we’ve all got our fingers crossed that it’s a good one.

Of course, she’s only willing to go if they have broadband so she can still use her ipad!

I’m very proud of her for facing change so stoically. I hope I never get too old for new challenges either!

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Varanasi Ochre

Posted as part of the weekly photo challenge – this weeks theme ‘Yellow’

This photograph was taken during our trip to Northern India last year. It was about 4:30 in the morning on one of the ghats lining the banks of the Ganges.  We were waiting to board a little boat so that we could view the amazing sunrise from the river.  However, there was a very heavy mist which made everything soft and unfocused, it also had the effect of washing out all colour and making the small scene under the lights appear in this delicious yellow ochre glaze.

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