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Snow on the porch Wet boots on the floor Greetings and hugs by the screen Tables are set The places are claimed Choices of beverage abound Turkey’s been carved The prayers are all prayed Relatives each have been served Coins have been tossed Tall tales are retold Loved ones not present are missed Laughter and tears Some secrets revealed Bonds tighten that once were frayed Time whizzes by Devoid of the world Antics of children take stage Boots now are dry Coats are all cozy Cheeks rosey bright with good cheer Farewells and h...
What is an iron lion? He or she is a warrior who doesn’t quit. Or rather doesn’t know when to quit. I guess quit is a big no-no word when it comes to lions, especially the human kind. Last night I watched the Mike Tyson- Jake Paul fight. I’m not a boxing fan, so I didn’t understand some of the subtleties of the match. However, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that match. Jake Paul, a twenty-seven year old boxer in his prime realized a life-long dream of fighting one of the greatest boxers of all time, Mike Tyson, ag...
I have a penchant for early awakening each morning, long before my husband greets the morning. As a result, I strive to leave our bed with as little noise or movement as possible. This means, my wardrobe for the day is by my bed, handy to be grabbed and put on, without aid of any lights. Usually my efforts proceed without difficulty. However, on occasion, there are unforeseen consequences. An especially busy week, or distracted bedtime, and the pile of potential clothes can proliferate unconsciously. So there I am, in the...
Who was she and why is she acting to weird? First impressions are important, and she makes an indelible one. The clothes are astonishing. She is not one to wear subdued hues, no gray, pastels or beiges for her. And she didn’t tiptoe around. No, she went everywhere taking giant strides as though she was heading to the finish line of a race, and coming in first, of course. In the same way, she greeted every day with gusto and curiosity, jumping out of bed and into whatever colorful costume brought her joy that day. For some p...
Venus Bratsveen The sound of chatter, laughter and friends calling to friends could be heard across the theater. It seemed every age group was represented to see the first showing of Haunted Reverie, the latest horror film by Paul and Patrice Platypus. Halloween is just around the corner. The theaters, semi-vacant for the past month were now filling up daily with horror fans, waiting for a good scare. Some would say that this is their favorite season- not autumn, but Halloween. A different scarey movie played each week of Oct...
September is one of my favorite months. Life begins to slow down, and there’s a crispness to the air in the early morning- a whisper of what’s to come. Time to start winding down, time to harvest and process the so called fruits of my labor. I cover the tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and basil in the late afternoon while the sun still kisses them. I want to hold in that warmth to help my babies stay warm through the night. In late morning, I uncover my sleeping beauties and joyfully watch as they stretch towards the sun. Sum...
Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot, whether the weather be wet or whether the weather be not; Whatever the weather, we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not! A chant to sing as kids. It’s true too. We are at the mercy of the weather around us. We adapt as we can, and muddle on through. WE try to avoid the lightning strikes, find cover from hailstorms, if we can, and go outside to enjoy the summer days that are sunny and not too warm. Being at the mercy of conditions was brought home to me wh...
Richard Nault As with most changes in life, moving from the Free Press to the Cheney Community Center engenders mixed feelings. There were good times at the Free Press. Memories of great writing by all, the joy of seeing everyone’s writing styles develop, great moments of shared humor, memorable conversations, and warm fellowship will resonate for years to come. On a more somber note, there are memories of those who have left us. I imagine the ghost of Stan, a talented teacher, writer, and playwright who was part of our group...
To write a book about my life. Where to begin? If one believes in the theory of evolution, one might consider going back to when the spark of life present in me began. If it truly was passed down through mutations from past organisms, one should go back pretty far. To the beginning. Simple living cells began around 3.5 billion years in the past. The oldest actual fossil record of them found on earth were in stromatolithic rock in Greenland which dated to 3.8 billion years ago. Three billion years ago photosynthesis begins,...
Lilac Festival was in Spokane a couple weeks ago. The lilacs are blooming with their sweet smell. The first weekend in May is the Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee. When the orchards are in full bloom in Wenatchee with the fruit blossoms, the landscape looks like a blanket of lace has been thrown over the orchards. I grew up in Olympia and at Easter, the Capitol Grounds are adorned with cherry blossom trees. They are just ornamental cherry blossoms, but they are beautiful. Growing up, my dad loved flowers and ornamental...
At the top of Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom of Worship” is this phrase inscribed in the illustration: “Each according to the dictates of his conscience.” Light and shadow play across the faces in profile, as each looks prayerful, or contemplative, at peace, even. Nary an angel or a devil perches on their shoulders- symbolic notions depicting competing perspectives of good and evil. In petition to Jesus, or Yaweh, Allah or the Buddha, or in prayer to the Great Spirit, the Universe, or meditation of nature, each person has choic...
I will always enjoy being called a girl. There are some who f ind the term girl, as referred to a woman, demeaning. When I think about it, however; I was never as free as I was when just a girl. I don’t find the term insulting. It is inclusive of all the generations of femalehood. (I may have just made that word up, but you get my meaning.) We go from playing with Barbies to side-eye ing boys to obsessing over men to caring for children and finally to enjoying our independence again. That’s not to say an adult woman doe...
One early spring morning, two springs ago, I looked out my back window and noticed a red flower in my garden, peeking above a boulder, trying to get my attention. Now how did that get there? I know that I didn’t plant a red plant anywhere. I put on my shoes and strolled to the middle of my yard. Out by the blooming Dogwood I discovered a lone, red tulip, dipping and swaying in the gentle breeze, waltzing in a juvenile dance of joy, nodding to the early morning sun, delighted just to be in this world. “Well, good mornin...
