Listen for the music of the night sounds

Listen for the music of the night sounds.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
The moon, our conductress of a late evening orchestra
Last customers leaving a late night bistro.  Hugs and waves and good night kisses. 
The clink of plates and glasses being cleared away.  The chatter of the credit card machine.
Purple pulsing music blaring out of a zebra striped gin mill,
  accompanied by the thick raspy voice of cigarette smoke.
A black cat scampers across the street.  Listen.  Can you hear her?
Cars with solitary drivers, headed home....... or somewhere.
Sprinklers shower rain songs in the park.
Stars twinkling, a light show in perfect time with the music.
The trees having tea, visiting, while us humans head into our beds
Their leaves and branches catch up on the news of the day.

Thursday Dance Moon
Our Conductress

The breeze brings news from far away lands, adding 3-part-harmony.
Soft breathing of a beloved, not quite snoring
Cats' Purr
Freeway Lullaby
Pen scratching on this page

Listen for the music of the night sounds.

Let the moon coax you into sleep.

Firsts and Lasts

Last tea bag from Empress Hotel, a gift from a dear friend the cup drained to the last drop, leaving only tea stains on the porcelain.
First taking back our darling girl to dorm after the long holiday break.  Does she have enough supplies to last until we see her again?
First 2012 trip to the farmer's market.  Coho salmon, brussel sprouts, kale (lots and lots of kale), oranges that weigh a pound and a half, sweet and juicy and the first of the Paige tangerines. 
Last of the holiday sweets.  Is it a waste to just toss them?  They will most likely be found at the work coffee station tomorrow.

First breath of day, inhale the hope this sunny day brings  families together in harmony. 

Michey's Canon

In lieu of New Year's Resolutions, I am creating a canon to follow my whole life long.

 
• Be appropriately perfumed and costumed at all times in case the the opportunity to dance appears out of thin air.
• Be so comfortable with yourself that you never worry if other people think you are absurd.
• Be open to see the truth that those that surround you offer. 
• Laugh in the presence of absolute impossibility and take action in spite of your fears.
• Nothing is too sacred to laugh at.
• Laugh more than socially acceptable.
• Live in light and sunshine.
• Work can be play if you let it.
• Let kindness be foremost in intention when living, working and playing with others.
• Eat the food your body craves to be healthy and happy.
• Listen for your Spirit Guides and the wisdom they provide.

What do you have working in your life?


Solstice Poetry

"LATE lies the wintry sun a-bed,  

A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;  

Blinks but an hour or two; and then,  

A blood-red orange, sets again.  

  

Before the stars have left the skies,        

At morning in the dark I rise;  

And shivering in my nakedness,  

By the cold candle, bathe and dress.  

  

Close by the jolly fire I sit  

To warm my frozen bones a bit;  

Or with a reindeer-sled, explore  

The colder countries round the door.  

  

When to go out, my nurse doth wrap  

Me in my comforter and cap;  

The cold wind burns my face, and blows  

Its frosty pepper up my nose.  

  

Black are my steps on silver sod;  

Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;  

And tree and house, and hill and lake,  

Are frosted like a wedding-cake."  

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

My December 2011 Star Chart

A crazy day after a crazy day after a crazy day after crazy day after crazy day.
Grumpy and cranky,
Shook off the Mercury-retrograde crazies.
Headed to the party of the year in a cape.
Rocking a side pony-tail and my owl totem.
Brought my heart home.
Sharp wasabi, tang of tonic water
A cat purring madly ontop of art and poetry
Books from a haunted house
A mystery man in ray-bans and top-coat
A Rock, a crystal, and my phone in my bra
Soft Sweetness between lady fingers, ladies' fingers
Celebrating Generations of Love and the Light the Solstice will soon bring
Cats co-conspiring to tear open the cat-food-bag,
  even though there is food in the dish.
Macaroni & Cheese midnight-snack
Grumpy and cranky on the inside, sweet and smiling on the outside.
Agridulce like the dark chocolate covered pretzels.
What day is it anyway?

Thanksgiving 2011: Gratitude 101

Grateful for the inbreath.  Grateful for the pause at the end of the outbreath.   Grateful I have a home, not just brick and mortar.  Grateful for family, near and far, grateful for friends, wherever they are.  Greatful for this heart, full of sparkly light.  Greatful for God's handiwork, full blown autumn's colors. Grateful for the generations before me that planted those trees. Grateful for tradition, food and drink.    Greateful for every sorrow I've ever endured.  Grateful for today.  This moment. Here.  Now.  Stillness of 11:47 pm. Not even cats purring. Grateful for crisp clean sheets.  Grateful for Sleep.

Casilada Way Estate Sale

Hunky hubby and I just got home from an estate sale from the neighbor down the block. The husband and wife couldn’t keep up the big house and yard anymore and moved to smaller quarters.  It was sad to see a lifetime's accumulation, reduced to left-over pieces of clutter. We brought home pieces of their lives to clutter our own.  Some were practical items, a 1/3 stainless steel measuring cup and sugar and creamer set.  I don’t know why but I can’t stop myself from buying sugar and creamer sets, especially if I see the creamer on her own, or the sugar without the lid.  Like a widow lost without her mate.  I was happy to see them together, some sugar, like life, still clinging to the inside.  An ancient rock collection, carefully cataloged in egg cartons, an owl statue and matchbook from a wedding back in 1985.  I wonder if Lorrie and Russ are still together, like the sugar and creamer set?  I found a La Boulangerie trivet, a well loved set of jacks and an anthology of poetry.  How easily I can get lost in poetry.  As we were leaving, I went digging through fabric scraps for inspiration and fabric for my collage installations; I came across some original batik prints in florals, dragons, crane and abstracts.  The homeowner, a local Sacramento artist, practiced her prints on old sheets before printing.  So I added those to my pile, and brought them home to include in the clutter as well.    

It is getting chilly and the air growing dark.  I ignored my housework for awhile, to jot down a couple words here.  I wanted to share the sadness of lives changing, as the autumn season grows to winter.  Honor those that came before us, lite a candle in their honor.   And make their clutter mine.