It's January in Pennsylvania

GREY, GREY, GREY, GREY

is the day--

morning, afternoon, and night.

Yet, straight up and out of sight

above miles-thick cloud canopy 

is the sun we cannot see.

***

The Time is Now

Perhaps there's no better time than now to remember Rev., Dr. King...

"...only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars..."

"I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop...Like anybody, I would like to live – a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." 

            --excerpts from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last speech, April 4, 1968, the day before he was assassinated

 

 

JM: Whaddaya think, Toby Wan?
TWK: Is it a sunrise or a sunset?

Retirement?

Toby lounged on my footstool and my shins.

"What/s on your mind?" I asked him.

"This retirement can get boring!

It sends my brain cells soaring."

"While yours were taking flight

my mind was in a state of fight."

"What were you fighting?" he asked.

"Those black squiggles that took me to task."

"You used the past tense," he said.

"All praises, they've left my head--

though my brain is still recoiling,

it's at a simmer instead of boiling."

"what will cool you and give direction?"

he asked with sudden attention.

"I think a sketch a day

will keep the shrink away."

2023-12-5_Fritter_B'fast_in_Art_Class - Sketch I

"Toby, I see you're suddenly alert.

What does your brain-waving now assert?"

It's begone! retirement blahs, and frailty.

I've shape-shifted to Toby-Wan Kenobi!

2023-12-6 Toby-Wan Kenobi - Sketch II

***

Indian Valley Public Library. Doorway to children's section.

***

T’Day Counting Down

JM:

Good morning, Toby!

It’s almost Thanksgiving Day

What thanks do you have?

Toby:

Those cans of cat food

Make a blissful retirement 

What about your thanks?

JM:

Hmmmm, where do I start?

Family, friends, food, and shelter 

Are atop my list

Toby:

Let me see…oh yes

Fish, chicken, turkey, liver

Also mice and rats

JM:

Arrgh, oh dear, oh dear

I forgot your hunting days

At the Bolding farm…

Toby:

…I ran wild with dogs

While you and society

Dealt with worldly cracks

JM:

Ah, those worldly days

Now you are a retiree

Do I hear purring?

Toby:

I am thankful for

rescues atop that farm tree

two times, happily 

JM:

Me too, my old friend

for the wintertime kindness

those arborists gave

Toby:

Kindness wins the day

loner me or social you

feels its warm blessings

JM & Toby:

Thank you!

***

***

Five Cents Worth

Toby:

Jumpy and crabby...

What is the matter with you?

Are you unhappy?

JM:

I search through my brain

My quest for calm is in vain

Black squiggles haunt me

Toby:

What happened to you?

Have you lost your brain somewhere?

Tell me about it

JM:

Big mess for four weeks

Apartment renovating 

On and on and on...

Toby:

Hmmm, interesting

You are upset by messes

Do you have a goal?

JM:

Normal is the goal

But still I can't find normal

Normal! Where are you?

Boohoo

Toby:

Normal that you chase

Is a wash machine setting

My advice is: Stop!

That will be 5¢

***

Do you see what I see?
Yup!
Let's put 

behind us and do Halloween!
I'm in.

***

Goddess of Chaos

goddess of chaos

you think you have come to stay

time to think again 

your whirlwind i'll meet

to order your disorder

get ready to leave!

***

Toby: I'm fed and housed, now what?

JM: Renovation. 

Toby: What's that?

JM: Our whole apartment building is being renovated. Renewed. Roofed. Painted. Carpeted. New kitchens. New windows. Fire sprinkler system. Lots. New. New. New.

Toby: So that's why you piled everything you own into the middle of our space?

JM: Yup.

Toby: Is that why all the noise?

JM: Yup.

Toby: You know the barn was lots more peaceful, don't you?

JM: Yup.

Toby: I thought this was a senior living place. You're moving stuff around like a stevedore!

JM: An old stevedore. Be strong, Toby! We'll get through this together.

Toby: I'm going back under the bed.

***

Maybe if I enter something for the Art Part, Toby will come back out from under the bed. Aidan recently shared this beautiful piece from his orchestra at CCM...

Janacek, "The Cunning Little Vixen" Suite

Thank you, Aidan!

________

Don't forget to visit Paula and for her latest installments on Paula Borchardt - Visual Storyteller as she celebrates a year of her Perpetual Journal.

________

Susie continues her watercolors...

Thank you, Susie.

***

Summer has said goodbye. This was the first real day of fall to be experienced here in PA. Special. And, special to experience it with Valerie, Elijah, Wendy, John, and, of course the denizens of the farm, the farm itself.
What's not to love.

***