It is a lovely, rainy Friday…and as has been true, friends have blessed us with their haiku.  Always a gift to see what others create.  Eight weeks and counting…who would have thought we are finishing our second month of the year and our second month of the 365 challenge.  Hope it is a restful and joyful day.  It is another good day for a cup of tea, a good book, and a fireplace here.

I was listening to one of my mentors speak last night on a recording of a session that she gave at NICABM in December.  She reminded all of us that we are “only unloved in our heads” and that “our existence proves we are loved”.  So many of us walk around believing we are not loved or that we are unloveable, that what we did in our lives, doesn’t deem us worthy of love, but the truth is we were born in Love, forgiven in Love, and are love and loved as a result, we need to accept that and believe…and start living.  Hope you are living knowing you are loved today.

By the way, this photo was taken at 5:30 AM off the coast of Bermuda, coming into the harbor…

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The award was started to in order to be given to excellent bloggers, with fewer than 200 followers recognition for their efforts and promotion to a larger audience.

There are some simple rules for the recipient of a Liebster Blog Award:

The rules:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog 2. Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you (for some great poetry and creative writing, check out http://thoughtofvg.wordpress.com/) 3. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog 4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed (see below) 5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog

I would like to give the Liebster Blog Award to the following blogs, for they not only inspire me with creativity, but they also invite me into deeper thought.  I recognize them as quality, outstanding blogs, and I hope you do too.

1.  Poems From Oostburg, Wisconsin http://wp.me/Kh0S - Ellen Olinger is an inspiration to me.  I appreciate her poetry and emphases.

2. The Right Mood http://wp.me/1xJYg - There is so much inspiration for me through this site; the haikus and photos…I honor Laura’s gifts.

3. Have a Dream http://wp.me/ruK1 - Michael, is a genuine soul, and it comes forth in his blog.  I love to read Michael’s ponderings.

4. ClownRhymes http://wp.me/1VMfl - Cory makes me laugh.  I love the gift of humor and poetry…it seems like it comes so naturally.

5. Maze A Day http://wp.me/1EfEZ - Warren has fantastic talent.  I wait every day to receive his maze and maze puzzles.  I also appreciate how he has thought integrated into each maze.

I hope you take time to check out all of these blogs.  There is so much talent in the blog-world…and these folks are definitely a part of that fold.  Thanks again, thoughtofvg…back at you in admiration.

I watched this morning on television the beautiful Aurora Borealis in Norway.  They are claiming that the colors and frequency of activity are grand this year.  I was dreaming of being there, and so I wrote this haibun:

We stand on the dock.  Iced mountains surround us.  Our anoraks creating air tunnels.  I wait, we wait, people come to visit to wait; all risking the bite of frost on our noses.  The day light sets quickly, as there is little.  The boats, and chains, and ice, clamber in the night gales, and we gaze skyward, waiting…

The night sky lights up

Drama unfolds before us,

A mystical moment

When I was little I drew rainbows of color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.  ROYGBIV they taught me.  Today younger folks have apps. bringing these colors into life, dance, movement – not just crayons and paper anymore.  Creativity accelerated…

A colorful dance

Powerful magnetism -

Aurora beauty

No crayons and paper, no electronic devices as we await the glorious dance.  A snowman perhaps, or jogging in place, bides time until the show begins.  The portiere parts, the skies open up, and we are invited to the greatest show on earth…

Flickering curtains

Magic unfolds before us

A grand spectacle

I included a YouTube video of the Aurora lights from VisitFinland…because it shows the magnificence and beauty…enjoy.

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The photo is of Blue Marsh Lake in Berks County, Pennsylvania on a late afternoon with the setting sun.  I come here often to write, sit, think…and to kayak and snowshoe.  I hope you get a chance to look around you today and find scenes that kindle peace within.

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Isn’t it wonderful when you walk through the woods in the browns and grays of winter and come upon a “stand-out” bush of green.  Not only did the beautiful green stand out among the color, but as well, this is a domestic bush, found on a trail in the woods.  It is fun to wonder how it began to grow there; was it planted, was it seeded, was it from a previous use of the land…lots to think about…

Regardless, it was a pleasing discovery – like a warm, glowing heart in a crowd.  Blessings today!

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Translucent mayflies

Flit in the rays of the sun

- My heart joins the dance

I drew this a little while ago and then added the haiku-formatted poetry…it is all about creativity, beauty, and joy.  If you haven’t ever tried creating with this type of art, it is addictive and fun.  It is known by many names: zentangle, zendazzle, zendrawings.  There are many sites and YouTube videos of instruction to stimulate your creativity…so check them out.  I find creating in this way totally relaxing…it is kind of like coloring.

Another beautiful, sunny day here…hope it is a wonderful day for you.

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(I think there is a little determination in this cat.  What do you think?)

…that is what life is…taking the old and turning it, through process and assimilation, into new…we compost experience, creating fertile ground for new experience

This photo was taken near a local labyrinth.  A few friends and I went to this cemetery and labyrinth to take photos, and I was more fascinated by the plants and the trees.  I did get a few photos of Civil War tombstones, some fallen, some washed smooth, but I think the best photos were of some white birch trees – trees in this area that are starting to dwindle.

It is a somewhat gloomy day here in Pennsylvania, but I hope there is sunshine in your heart wherever you are.

I love serendipity.  My serendipitous story is this: I was picking photos the other day to stimulate haiku and I picked out this photo I took in Vermont last year.  We went to a farm where they made cheese at the top of this long lane…and there were these chickens, and I had fun taking photos.  So, I brought this photo up on my computer, as well as a few others, and then I left to go to Second Sunday at the Goggleworks, a wonderful community of artists and cultural organizations.  One of the main exhibits presenting was titled, The Big Draw, and featured full-sized drawings as art.  One of the featured pieces was drawings of hens with lines from the tale of Henny Penny.  I wish I could acknowledge the artist, because it was one of my favorite pieces in the collection, but I don’t know who it was.  So I returned home to write, and still had this photo on my computer, and it all came together, photo, piece of art, Henny Penny…hmmmm, how fun.

Perhaps you don’t know the tale of Henny Penny, I didn’t really either.  All that I was ever familiar with is the off-shut idiom, “the sky is falling, the sky is falling.”  It is an age-old folk tale about a hen and her followings.  I have included the tale below for your reading – for those of you who have a few minutes.  I hope for all of us, that today is a day of courage and little worry.

One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the cornyard when–whack!–something hit her upon the head. “Goodness gracious me!” said Henny-penny; “the sky’s a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king.”

So she went along and she went along and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. “Where are you going, Henny-penny?” says Cocky-locky.“Oh! I’m going to tell the king the sky’s a-falling,” says Henny-penny. “May I come with you?” says Cocky-locky. “Certainly,” says Henny-penny. So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell-the king the sky was falling.

They went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Ducky-daddles. “Where are you going to, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?” says Ducky-daddles. “Oh! we’re going to tell the king the sky’s a-falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. “May I come with you?” says Ducky-daddles. “Certainly,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Goosey-poosey, “Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles?” said Goosey-poosey. “Oh! we’re going to tell the king the sky’s a-falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles. “May I come with you,” said Goosey-poosey.“Certainly,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Turkey-lurkey. “Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?” says Turkey-lurkey. “Oh! we’re going to tell the king the sky’s a-falling,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey. “May I come with you? Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey?” said Turkey-lurkey. “Why, certainly, Turkey-lurkey,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey: “Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?” And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey said to Foxy-woxy: “We’re going to tell the king the sky’s a-falling.” “Oh! but this is not the way to the king, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey,” says Foxy-woxy; “I know the proper way; shall I show it you?” “Why certainly, Foxy-woxy,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling. So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy’s cave. But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: “This is the short way to the king’s palace you’ll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.”“Why of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?” said Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn’t go very far but turned round to wait for Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey. So at last at first Turkey-lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn’t got far when “Hrumph,” Foxy-woxy snapped off Turkey-lurkey’s head and threw his body over his left shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and “Hrumph,” off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles waddled down, and “Hrumph,” snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles’ head was off and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey- lurkey and Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave and he hadn’t gone far when “Snap, Hrumph!” went Foxy-woxy and Cocky-locky was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey and Ducky-daddles.

But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn’t kill him, he called out to Henny-penny. So she turned tail and ran back home, so she never told the king the sky was a-falling.

An English Fairytale, by Joseph Jacobs

I post with appreciation to: http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-23.html

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I hope today is a day of finding hearts, Light, and Love wherever you go and with whom you are with…celebrate life and friends both near and far…

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One of my favorite things to do in snow, besides snowshoeing, is build snow creatures.  Since this year is “void” of snow where I live, I recollected this photo to reminisce.  I think the haiku and the photo speak for themselves, so I will say no more…

If it is a day of snow for you, get out and create…it is so much fun!

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I don’t have a fancy camera, so the light was not filtered, but I liked the way it came through…this is an old abandoned shed on the property of Blue Marsh Lake…it must have been a farmer’s shed on a property that was taken over by the state.  It was a fun day taking photos with friends.  I hope you find rest today in the beauty of who you are, and of those close to you.

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Was out with friends the other day taking photos at the county grounds near the prison and took this shot…I thought it was fun.  Little glimpses of snow today, but not much…was hoping to wake up to a blanket of snow…maybe next time.  It is a good day to cherish the home front here in Pennsylvania…

Hope you are out playing life today.  Have a great one…

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