tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19339288138670072572024-03-19T00:39:59.006-04:00B e e d a n c e • C a l e n d a r smy beedance pre-blog since 2000Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-775988642490006932024-03-19T00:39:00.000-04:002024-03-19T00:39:26.746-04:00Spring 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhN-b9QZDlFzrBNFy8NIuf00kiDJOb_VeTZtYiiWI7V8o2c8BVSmopsQTYr7NKhj1z10-Si_sUdNMKsHyy0ud7EVS7J2wdF5GyTEpqO1pf66y0S438JNWU33uOfuywXzUDdJtDP79ycbSpADz2PYZyXGe4MuImKyN33SW_rVWSQpRq_fUCbEvOkZ8nxCwp/s600/24-03-Henge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhN-b9QZDlFzrBNFy8NIuf00kiDJOb_VeTZtYiiWI7V8o2c8BVSmopsQTYr7NKhj1z10-Si_sUdNMKsHyy0ud7EVS7J2wdF5GyTEpqO1pf66y0S438JNWU33uOfuywXzUDdJtDP79ycbSpADz2PYZyXGe4MuImKyN33SW_rVWSQpRq_fUCbEvOkZ8nxCwp/w400-h225/24-03-Henge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><h1><strong style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;">Spring! Spring! Spring! Sang the animals...</span></span></strong><br type="_moz" /></h1><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">When Kate was wee<br />She loved the Little Golden Book,<br /><em>Home for a Bunny</em><br />By Margaret Wise Brown…<br />Whose name should have been<br />Margaret Wise Green.<br />I read the book to Little Kate<br />Several times every night<br />For what<br />Seems like years<br />And years.<br /><em><strong><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wea3cSd4qEU" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wea3cSd4qEU" target="_blank">I can still recite<br />Much of it.</a></strong></em><br /><br />As an astrologer<br />Each spring I find myself<br />Entranced anew.<br />I revel in the combination<br />Scientific reality<br />Of the equality of<br />Light and dark…<br />And of the ushering<br />Of the Sun<br />Into the sign of Aries.<br />The Sun holds sway<br />Over our personal egos,<br />Our focus and attention,<br />And our will to self-actualize.<br />The sign of Aries<br />Is the first sign of the Zodiac<br />Leading the way<br />Into a fresh new year.<br />Aires, then, places our focus<br />On action, initiative, and vitality.<br />It’s a time when the earth<br />Pushes up its long-protected<br />Seedlings and sends<br />Them forth with renewed<br />Determination.<br /><br />From our beginnings<br />Humans have sought<br />Understanding<br />Of Life itself<br />Through observing<br />How Nature<br />Repeats herself<br />In endless cycles.<br />All cultures<br />Have sought<br />Ways to observe<br />And even predict<br />Nature’s cycles.<br />Peter recently visited<br />Stonehenge,<br />One culture’s evidence<br />Of such seeking<br />And understanding.<br /><br />Today I celebrate<br />This Equinox…<br />It came early<br />This year partly because<br />Of Feb’s leap day.<br />I hereby send<br />This, my own seedling<br />Into the ethers<br />Where you might<br />Join my praise<br />Of the eternal<br />Quest for awareness.<br /><br />I invite you...<br />Seek out your own<br />Hosannas<br />And traditions.<br />Here are some ideas:<br />Get outside.<br />Plant some seeds.<br />Host or attend a bonfire.<br />Bring spring buds into your home.<br />Get creative!<br />Sunset Magazine offers more ideas<strong> <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.sunset.com/lifestyle/wellness/spring-equinox-rituals" href="https://www.sunset.com/lifestyle/wellness/spring-equinox-rituals" target="_blank">here</a></strong>.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 19px;"><strong><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;">...</span></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Be sure to listen to me read the Bunny book.<br /><strong><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wea3cSd4qEU" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wea3cSd4qEU" target="_blank"><i>Here's the link again.</i></a></strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 19px;"><strong><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: trebuchet ms, lucida grande, lucida sans unicode, lucida sans, tahoma, sans-serif;">...</span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /><em>If this isn't nice, what is?</em></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size: 17px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span> <br /><p></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-29259837387808258422024-03-01T14:49:00.000-05:002024-03-01T14:49:08.269-05:00Mar 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjW60R8ALyg4MSxfcbebke-R5GuNSaHzTfwMJErzXCMnqemrRAVYQFhuYUQ9FeHh68txKGP1MrDi7jmD8o7Zsp2Mtof3TWElWELR95w7hPdbgmnvnWnnGBC8GWAzj8xIYrVrmirWzBQr-fsd5QvhyR0-nhtrHBfY9kb1pZyALMtaDQzj7Lm0SaK_YG22C/s600/24-03-Mar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjW60R8ALyg4MSxfcbebke-R5GuNSaHzTfwMJErzXCMnqemrRAVYQFhuYUQ9FeHh68txKGP1MrDi7jmD8o7Zsp2Mtof3TWElWELR95w7hPdbgmnvnWnnGBC8GWAzj8xIYrVrmirWzBQr-fsd5QvhyR0-nhtrHBfY9kb1pZyALMtaDQzj7Lm0SaK_YG22C/w400-h225/24-03-Mar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif;">My Balcony Buddha ponders the eternal play of Lions and Lambs</span></span></b><br type="_moz" /></div><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif;">Blue is merely the milieu<br />Not the mood.<br />Yesterday was definitely<br />A day of the Lion<br />Here in Toronto…<br />And today’s totally<br />Lamby-pie.<br />Laced with a<br />Sunny and sweet<br />Demeanour, today is<br />Like Shari Lewis’s<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXua5ZH7-Dg" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXua5ZH7-Dg" target="_blank">Lambchop</a>.<br /><br />So... Leap Day was a Lion<br />Which gave <br />The First of March<br />The opportunity<br />To be a Lamb.<br />Thank you, Science,<br />For bringing in our new month<br />Brimming with hope<br />And eagerness…<br />No matter that<br />Environment Canada<br />Says there will be<br />A plethora of both lions<br />And lambs in store<br />This month.<br />Let’s all simply<br />Bask in the<br />Time of the Lamb<br />While it lasts.<br /><br />Pondering is optional.<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: 12px;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /></span><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course<br /></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-20149209623677313312024-02-01T10:18:00.002-05:002024-02-02T15:21:55.575-05:00Feb 24<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9T2Lpejx8J_SfRw0w67tT5glL_EtE8SQ1pZVbthjorgdRQ6iDwfNdWGMeqQLQb3NELGShnSh4z6sM70XGBUdPWPxDqRkHhujOdVMSpSrNFoW21LZDFrOL1MTb6fY6iVm1AxERmveJoXg7QQWfsrKJoWcF9GdkEzngv7V3gnUW8iQ658DCFecF4l603xlw/s600/24-02-Feb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9T2Lpejx8J_SfRw0w67tT5glL_EtE8SQ1pZVbthjorgdRQ6iDwfNdWGMeqQLQb3NELGShnSh4z6sM70XGBUdPWPxDqRkHhujOdVMSpSrNFoW21LZDFrOL1MTb6fY6iVm1AxERmveJoXg7QQWfsrKJoWcF9GdkEzngv7V3gnUW8iQ658DCFecF4l603xlw/w400-h225/24-02-Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 20px;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Everything old is new again...</span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;">A few weeks ago, Kate and David<br />Joined friends in the Riviera Maya,<br />Just south of Cancun in Mexico…<br />For lots of sun, sand, tacos, tequila,<br />Tzereques, pisotes, iguanas,<br />Howler monkeys, peacocks, and<br />One very friendly cat.<br /><br />Then…<br />A trip to the ruins of <a data-cke-saved-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum" target="_blank">Tulum</a>…<br />The fort that the Mayans<br />Built as their coastal defence<br />Sometime before the 13th century…<br />And abandoned<br />At the end of the 16th century.<br />Yup she’s old,<br />But with the tourist development<br />In Cancun, Tulum is now back<br />On the beaten track…<br />Indeed she’s now her own destination.<br />Her splendour renewed<br />By all the attention, she sprawls aglow<br />In her own wonder.<br /><br />Like Tulum, I, too, have become old…<br />OK less old in years, but still officially<br />People-y old.<br />And a few weeks before<br />My November b’day<br />I undertook an adventure<br />To renew my own splendour…<br />And now after lots<br />Of generous attention<br />From dentist Dr. Divya Patel<br />And the whole delightful staff<br />At Dr. Teodoro Happy Tsang’s<br />Main Street offices, I am<br />Proud to announce:<br />As of this past Monday<br />I have nine new teeth!!!<br />Here’s a pic.<br /><br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/d4c02a21-9900-1e25-4e12-f1a1a2e421cf.jpg" data-file-id="6680078" height="266" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/d4c02a21-9900-1e25-4e12-f1a1a2e421cf.jpg" style="border-image: none; height: 266px; margin: 0px; width: 200px;" width="200" /><br /><br />The good news is<br />You can’t tell the diff…<br />But I certainly can.<br />Now I’m learning to eat again…<br />And<br />I’m learning to talk again, too.<br />I have quite a lisp<br />Which Dr. Patel says will<br />Gradually disappear.<br />In the meantime, remembering<br />Last month’s alliterative poem,<br />I’ve read the first stanza<br />Of <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r3v7f2xdbw1qckey4j3ze/Green-Knight.png?rlkey=0p4rtusms9z5hi318ennkehk7&dl=0" target="_blank"><i>Sir Gawain and the Green Knight</i></a>,<br />Both before and after<br />Installing the new teeth.<br />As benchmark, I’ll re-read<br />That same stanza each week…<br />Plus…<br />Throughout each day<br />I have little sessions where I say<br />RED LEATHER. YELLOW LEATHER.<br />Over and over and over again<br />Just like an eager actor warming up<br />For a big show.<br />Yes, I’m practising sprawling aglow, too,<br />In my own renewed wonder.<br /><br />Me and Tulum.<br />There’s a lot to be said for simply<br />Lasting.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 18px;">As usual this month’s calendar in higher-resolution form, lives <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h60fkuclprkijbo/AAC0C1sDxoMu7pG1FJA-QRnla?dl=0" href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h60fkuclprkijbo/AAC0C1sDxoMu7pG1FJA-QRnla?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>. In the same folder there is also a version without the RED LEATHER-YELLOW LEATHER line at the bottom, in case, like me, you’d rather spend this month with just Tulum’s unadulterated beauty on your desktop. In that same folder I’ve included the animals Kate and David encountered around their hotel... a couple of them are little movies!</span></i></span><br /><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><p> </p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-27782627355380590072023-12-31T14:04:00.002-05:002024-01-01T05:26:27.986-05:00Jan 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKl1krQqZIjh9VVpFEU35JUl95KXH7BNs0QUKSvtxFRSlkz4JUS4qJ2q-0fR6b1pr05Bq7fese71gjJ9VxY9nH-w0YGFnHwHlU9NyTMPn8ERxx58IcTjX98DQHL_YQKrgXDUIr5qyxz1XQjH_QBYVcjOer1KPcV3txWVDmdtvojhTOUuZ_9rTeZLNMLHU/s600/24-01-Jan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKl1krQqZIjh9VVpFEU35JUl95KXH7BNs0QUKSvtxFRSlkz4JUS4qJ2q-0fR6b1pr05Bq7fese71gjJ9VxY9nH-w0YGFnHwHlU9NyTMPn8ERxx58IcTjX98DQHL_YQKrgXDUIr5qyxz1XQjH_QBYVcjOer1KPcV3txWVDmdtvojhTOUuZ_9rTeZLNMLHU/w400-h225/24-01-Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana; font-size: 19px;">A Hasty and Heartfelt Hosanna <br /> to Halliteration...</span><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;">Today’s missive<br />Is brought to you by<br />The letter <b><span style="color: red;">H...</span></b><br /> With appreciation<br /> To <a href="https://craigmod.com/" target="_blank">Craig Mod</a><br /> Via his newsletter,<br /> <i>Roden: Issue 088</i>.<br /><br />Of all the lessons learned<br />From my Texas public school<br />English lexicons,<br />Those about alliteration<br />Captured my imagination<br />With the most immediate<br />And ever-lasting glue.<br /><br />Just think:<br />Here is a form of writing<br />That we best observe,<br />Understand,<br />And even enjoy<br />When we read it aloud.<br /><br />Its history goes back<br />To Old English epic poetry<br />Like <i>Beowulf</i><br />And Middle English ones<br />Like <i>Sir Gawain and the Green Knight</i>…<br /> Which Robin Sloan…<br /> As has often been his<br /> New Year’s Day wont…<br /> Will again read aloud to us all<br /> <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If83cF6foI4" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If83cF6foI4" target="_blank">Live today at 1:00 pm ET.</a><br /><br />Alliteration was first identified<br />By Giovanni Potano<br />In the 15th century,<br />The word comes from<br />The Latin word <i>littera</i>,<br />Which translates as<br /><i>Letter of the alphabet</i>.<br /><br />The form found its foothold<br />In Old High German,<br />Old Saxon and Old Irish…<br />Not to mention it apparently<br />Had roots in classical Latin,<br />Greek, and Sanskrit poetry.<br /><br />Today, so Wikipedia says,<br />Alliteration is used poetically<br />In many languages<br />Including English, Arabic, Irish,<br />German, Mongolian, Hungarian,<br />Somali, Finnish, Icelandic,<br />And…<br />American Sign Language!!!<br /><br />Just think:<br />A form of writing<br />That we best observe,<br />Understand,<br />And even enjoy<br />When we read it aloud…<br />Being observed,<br />Understood,<br />And even enjoyed<br />By people who<br />Cannot hear it.<br /><br />I am<br />Astonished,<br />Awed, and even<br />Amused..<br />And I do adore<br />And appreciate<br />The letter <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>…<br />Therefore, I hereby <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>ppoint<br />The letter <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span> <br />As host of<br />The <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>dvent of<br />A year of <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>lliteration.<br />I invite you to <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>ctivate<br />Your own <span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>lleritations list.<br />One letter to sponsor<br />Each fortnight:<br />I suggest<br />At least three words:<br /> One noun<br /> Modified by<br /> Two adjectives<br />Like beautiful blue bubbles.<br />But you can decide which<br />Three words…<br />Just make a list of<br />As many words<br />As you want<br />For each letter<br />Starting today <br />And proceeding every-other<br />Monday throughout this year.<br /><br />I’ve made <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/akc80rbtuns76kxbt68ut/Bette-2024-Alliterations.pdf?rlkey=xzpz2z1noljsr6yqi1gnmpchd&dl=0" href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/akc80rbtuns76kxbt68ut/Bette-2024-Alliterations.pdf?rlkey=xzpz2z1noljsr6yqi1gnmpchd&dl=0" target="_blank">a little PDF list</a><br />Just to make it easier<br />For us all to be<br /> On the same page…<br /> In the same position…<br /> With the same paddle.<br />At this time next year,<br />If you’re so inclined,<br />I invite you to initial your page<br />And scan it and send it back to me…<br /><br />I promise to read your words aloud.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">...</span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><br /><i>Today’s image is from my grandson Jackson, taken on his recent trip to Portugal. He reports: this is Lagos, early morning... absolutely gorgeous beaches with a lovely boardwalk that takes you along the coast… crystal clear water that was perfect for floating in.</i></span><br /><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> </span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-18423648258019721332023-11-30T21:55:00.002-05:002023-12-01T07:09:52.174-05:00Dec 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq69ihZW65EwFA-GrkjoolFXV_h1wpjoYEBake-k7u3z6hoTng6Mts-5EoxamSldnS9NN243sOuoa2IWd5GL2chVx5aRYaiTIq38Uj6itus_t4Vnamn7Kp8teEnYwyJIx0Ls1jnYUGHb0-ZL9m9sHWAOTderVR23dB6vctFysLR0dEB1FLc1ZqXR5me5h/s600/23-12-DEC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq69ihZW65EwFA-GrkjoolFXV_h1wpjoYEBake-k7u3z6hoTng6Mts-5EoxamSldnS9NN243sOuoa2IWd5GL2chVx5aRYaiTIq38Uj6itus_t4Vnamn7Kp8teEnYwyJIx0Ls1jnYUGHb0-ZL9m9sHWAOTderVR23dB6vctFysLR0dEB1FLc1ZqXR5me5h/w400-h225/23-12-DEC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face="verdana,geneva,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">In memory of a dear friend...</span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span face="verdana,geneva,sans-serif">Teresita Patricia Gonzalez Magnon<br />Was born in Mexico City.<br />An Aries, about six years after<br />My own Sag birth in Seattle.<br />We both went to high school<br />And university in San Antonio, Texas.<br />But we didn’t meet until<br />We both worked for <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.eqao.com/" href="https://www.eqao.com/" target="_blank">EQAO</a>,<br />In Toronto 1997.<br />She was director of assessments<br />And I was a temp typist…<br />Actually working as a graphic designer<br />And copyeditor.<br />We bonded over the work…<br />And the love of Mexican Food.<br /><br />We both moved on,<br />Me to actually learn digital design<br />And she to work with UNICEF<br />With consulting educational assignments<br />All over the world,<br />Including Nairobi, Moldova, and two years in Vanuatu!<br />We always kept in touch<br />And when she moved back to Canada<br />She lived just a few blocks from me.<br /><br />Continuing her advocacy<br />For children everywhere,<br />I was privileged to copyedit<br />Teresa’s UNICEF reports.<br />I learned so much about<br />Truly important issues about education<br />In places like Montenegro, Turkmenistan, and Albania.<br /><br />We regularly met for brunch at our local diner<br />Or for our fave Mexican street food<br />At Broadview’s own El Charro—<br />Now moved to a bigger spot<br />On the Danforth.<br />A few years ago, Teresa went on<br />A long-dreamed-of African safari.<br />The pix, which I’ve shared here,<br />Were amazing… and I loved<br />Hearing of all of her adventures.<br />This past year she made a big trip<br />To visit with her family in Mexico<br />And she travelled to many of her favourite<br />Parts of her home country.<br />Teresa passed before she could tell me all,<br />But she did send some pix.<br />This month’s calendar is one of my faves.<br />I miss her… but I’m happy with<br />All the delightful memories<br />Of my friend Teresa.<br /> </span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-81817675585074179662023-10-30T12:28:00.003-04:002023-10-31T08:48:19.146-04:00Nov 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9RRvh9VRfrN72_7JbAYMjLG_Urdwi_abBjLPPoZHRa4NsbkUcgVXG3lMmfQKdSSJGiQab-tNuxOyT649sif_6-WA47zktBbr1Da5LpKgfWGcGLAsajHoM7fFHlx-LfnA6ML2rKymjSnVuK0Am2W6T4aXe8gjBz-hKlo_Kanj6PyGGeOl8EaWQxMYcYMZ/s600/23-11-NOV-Cats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9RRvh9VRfrN72_7JbAYMjLG_Urdwi_abBjLPPoZHRa4NsbkUcgVXG3lMmfQKdSSJGiQab-tNuxOyT649sif_6-WA47zktBbr1Da5LpKgfWGcGLAsajHoM7fFHlx-LfnA6ML2rKymjSnVuK0Am2W6T4aXe8gjBz-hKlo_Kanj6PyGGeOl8EaWQxMYcYMZ/w400-h225/23-11-NOV-Cats.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Tis the season of cottages and black cats...</span></span><br type="_moz" /></h1><p><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A couple of weeks ago,<br />Peter came up and<br />We drove to London together<br />To see Lucas’s doc,<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S45WdHQ4QI" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S45WdHQ4QI" target="_blank">Homelessness in London</a>,<br />At the Forest City Film Festival.<br /><br />We got to have a delish lunch<br />With the filmmaker himself…<br />Then to see his film<br />Along with five other films<br />That addressed issues<br />Involving mental health.<br />We were touched and<br />Sooooo proud,<br />Even posing for<br />A red carpet pic together.</span><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6J7556EtQSPNDJmdKGCCAAxPs5hyGkqkfbnXMbm21NRK4fSGOsw_d0_ANUXs3hp5PD9fgo2snquCqWSALVMq4irNL7wfwDfn2LOyaPZRQQSZ85HRtx3utpvcXjwvWCkWQIrjd8P_mVhE87p0ZrbdZAhW_XmSuhPbu4c7I8LJXBfX2Aq5-WfzwFEDF6-M/s825/Red%20Carpet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6J7556EtQSPNDJmdKGCCAAxPs5hyGkqkfbnXMbm21NRK4fSGOsw_d0_ANUXs3hp5PD9fgo2snquCqWSALVMq4irNL7wfwDfn2LOyaPZRQQSZ85HRtx3utpvcXjwvWCkWQIrjd8P_mVhE87p0ZrbdZAhW_XmSuhPbu4c7I8LJXBfX2Aq5-WfzwFEDF6-M/w291-h400/Red%20Carpet.jpg" width="291" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Twas a wonderful—even if overcast—day.<br />Bonus was seeing<br />All the autumnal colours,<br />Particularly as we<br />Started out heading north<br />Along the Don Valley Parkway.<br />I didn’t try to take any pix<br />From our moving car,<br />But Marje sent me this one<br />From her family cottage,<br />On this remarkable little lake<br />North of Toronto.<br />Like in my Nov 2018 precedent,<br />I’ve hidden some black cats here…<br />Five of them for you to find.<br />Here’s a black cat for you<br />In case you’d like<br />To add one—or more—to your own<br />Creations.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQnQjyHx_3ODG-ls-rI28qQHeaXunOchuL19ol5C1frGPrNdagkAa4Di7dPPlo6b-YspfdGEHDUVRxFaWY4EnkY31lLmF9pnNuGW53tzQVQclOfIjI2ro7eW3XupSK-R4nVUFRtJXA3lHwQM-3d91gbpRxkfUW4orFkvlHqhMtXIuqXn2GJQYkCw4cncO/s600/Cat%20Face.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="600" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQnQjyHx_3ODG-ls-rI28qQHeaXunOchuL19ol5C1frGPrNdagkAa4Di7dPPlo6b-YspfdGEHDUVRxFaWY4EnkY31lLmF9pnNuGW53tzQVQclOfIjI2ro7eW3XupSK-R4nVUFRtJXA3lHwQM-3d91gbpRxkfUW4orFkvlHqhMtXIuqXn2GJQYkCw4cncO/w200-h178/Cat%20Face.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> ...</span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">November marks the time<br />To write your own story.<br />Why not get started on yours?<br /><a href="https://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNaWriMo. </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> ...</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Have a great <a data-cke-saved-href="https://ca.movember.com/" href="https://ca.movember.com/" target="_blank">Mo/November</a><br />And<br />Be sure to remember<br />While you're remembering<br />On the eleventh:<br />Vonnegut<br />Et al.<br />His birthday<br />And pleas<br />For humanity.</span></span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;"> ...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-79900618455634463502023-09-30T15:06:00.001-04:002023-09-30T18:39:49.077-04:00Oct 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwh0-CoWM9tYd4iejYrDepYYTIDFbk9Gtreabq7_2gxGydmqouMzDukR4buNxC7dVDAvrBYgDgKYhozd4f7fd5Vs9dRRpOZk6lcZPNtmSh7ITMocFmlGxvntGoggp4M8Heou_MMGPA8YnGhjMAs4xdw-8QMlHAqTSdK2ei5KnVEoO9zgMHSReUq7XUSlC/s600/23-10-OCT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwh0-CoWM9tYd4iejYrDepYYTIDFbk9Gtreabq7_2gxGydmqouMzDukR4buNxC7dVDAvrBYgDgKYhozd4f7fd5Vs9dRRpOZk6lcZPNtmSh7ITMocFmlGxvntGoggp4M8Heou_MMGPA8YnGhjMAs4xdw-8QMlHAqTSdK2ei5KnVEoO9zgMHSReUq7XUSlC/w400-h225/23-10-OCT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1><span face="trebuchet ms, lucida grande, lucida sans unicode, lucida sans, tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">A time for choices...</span></span><br type="_moz" /></h1><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span face="lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif">Once upon a time<br />Peter’s dad and I<br />Discovered that we<br />Shared a long-time yen…<br />It wasn’t a prolonged discussion…<br />Just a random admission<br />That we each had always<br />Harboured the yen<br />To live in Australia.<br /><br />The planning did take<br />A long time.<br />First were the formal applications<br />And the waiting for approvals…<br />Then the divesting<br />Of all our Texas stuff.<br /><br />Then the decision to travel<br />To Sydney via six months<br />In Mexico…<br />Because... maybe we’d<br />Never be able to return<br />To see stuff we’d always<br />Saved for “next time.”<br /><br />Oz presented us with<br />Choices of the<br />Starting-over variety…<br />The chance to<br />Reinvent ourselves<br />Each with our own tools<br />From our pasts.<br /><br />Many more choices<br />Ensued…<br />Most with the awareness<br />That timing within<br />My lifespan can<br />Give breadth to<br />New hopes and aspirations...<br />To expand my options<br />For my future self<br />To relish.<br /><br />Of course, some choices<br />Grabbed me by the nape<br />Of my neck and<br />Forced me to reconsider.<br /><br />Decisions are like that, eh?<br />Neither good nor bad…<br />Just creating a fork in the road<br />That can change everything.<br /><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">~</span></b><br />At the budding starts<br />Of their careers,<br />Lucas and Lauren have chosen<br />The magic of <a data-cke-saved-href="https://discoverhalifaxns.com/" href="https://discoverhalifaxns.com/" target="_blank">Halifax</a><br />To be their first home together.<br />This month's offering is another pic<br />Showing us yet another reason<br />For their choice:<br />Sunrise from <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/attractions/point-pleasant-park/1461" href="https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/attractions/point-pleasant-park/1461" target="_blank">Point Pleasant Park</a>.<br /><br />Early last month<br />Peter and Lisl visited them<br />And saw for themselves…<br />The nature and the food and the culture.</span><br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/88f3d857-17c8-e984-c591-c4cca0ddcfab.jpg" data-file-id="6658437" height="225" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/88f3d857-17c8-e984-c591-c4cca0ddcfab.jpg" style="border-image: none; height: 225px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br /><span face="lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif">and the food <br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/cd6ed2fe-e6c5-73f3-fe78-1657bb87d24b.jpg" data-file-id="6658445" height="400" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/cd6ed2fe-e6c5-73f3-fe78-1657bb87d24b.jpg" style="border-image: none; height: 400px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br />and the culture.<br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/000814c4-d1ef-9935-7a5d-1443e02e9c33.jpg" data-file-id="6658449" height="214" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/000814c4-d1ef-9935-7a5d-1443e02e9c33.jpg" style="border-image: none; height: 214px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br />From the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://beedancer.blogspot.com/2020/11/dec-2020.html" href="http://beedancer.blogspot.com/2020/11/dec-2020.html" target="_blank">Maud Lewis</a> exhibit<br />At the <a data-cke-saved-href="https://agns.ca/exhibition/maud-lewis-0/" href="https://agns.ca/exhibition/maud-lewis-0/" target="_blank">Art Gallery of Nova Scotia</a><br />To the rooftop reading room<br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/0678b21f-2201-138a-be0c-6e8a16638b83.jpg" data-file-id="6658433" height="225" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/0678b21f-2201-138a-be0c-6e8a16638b83.jpg" style="border-image: none; height: 225px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br />At the glorious <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.archdaily.com/577039/new-halifax-central-library-schmidt-hammer-lassen" href="https://www.archdaily.com/577039/new-halifax-central-library-schmidt-hammer-lassen" target="_blank">Halifax Central Library</a>…<br />All just short hops<br />From their delightful new digs.<br /> <br />I applaud.</span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-85510268328048687662023-08-31T19:40:00.003-04:002023-09-01T08:58:03.966-04:00Sept 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vBhiyiU7sr12MZbiZm1Jetdf520ATDtd1J9YhnYj2QqS6vPeIhNmYITjxFlc3_h1rEwxl3mYIv0hhR710FDxKqFxmQUaBbzQUasbSNLQRZCgkM_D_T4l__M1KT8XHnRWjMV-Z7dS2FH5GWPxqUJ-BC-wXPMXSriQgKEOucgGylv5sf52-37dMFNB7ZK5/s600/23-09-Sep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vBhiyiU7sr12MZbiZm1Jetdf520ATDtd1J9YhnYj2QqS6vPeIhNmYITjxFlc3_h1rEwxl3mYIv0hhR710FDxKqFxmQUaBbzQUasbSNLQRZCgkM_D_T4l__M1KT8XHnRWjMV-Z7dS2FH5GWPxqUJ-BC-wXPMXSriQgKEOucgGylv5sf52-37dMFNB7ZK5/w400-h225/23-09-Sep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h1><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sunrise... Moonset... <br />One season following another...</span></span></span><br type="_moz" /></h1><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Thursday morn greets both<br />Rise and set…<br />And my westward view <br />Is multiplied<br />In heaven’s splendour.<br type="_moz" /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;">As you know by now,<br />I always see the sunrise<br />Reflected back to me<br />On the buildings<br />Across the Don River<br />From my 18th-floor aerie.<br />But Thursday's sunrise<br />Underlines this moon's<br />Setting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">This moon is <br />Both blue and super.<br />With my continuing obsession <br />With the colour blue,<br />I’d like it to be actually blue, <br />But, alas, a blue moon<br />Is not at all blue… <br />In hue.<br />You know the expression,<br />“Once in a blue moon?”<br />This is simply the olde timey<br />Designation for <br />Any second full moon<br />Within any given month.<br type="_moz" /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">But this blue moon<br />Is also super.<br />That part refers to<br />The distance of the moon<br />From the earth.<br />Because the moon’s orbit<br />Is an oval, which means that<br />The earth-to-moon distance varies<br />And because of that the moon<br />Appears to us as changing size<br />We simply see the moon<br />As hugely bigger.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br type="_moz" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Scientists apparently<br />Don’t all agree<br />On what the distance<br />Must be to qualify as super,<br />But this blue moon qualifies<br />To everybody.<br type="_moz" /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The next time the moon<br />Will be this close to the earth<br />Will be on 5 Nov 2025…<br />And this will be the last<br />Super blue moon until 2037.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br type="_moz" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">I can hardly wait!</span></span><br type="_moz" /></p><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-69346197440699724142023-08-01T03:37:00.002-04:002023-08-01T03:37:39.500-04:00Aug 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjkEYrtf-TW8nztKGP38LwAtt-sDC_Bs6piFHLw9jVZ7-BafHNafpKRRF0o1xfxvu2bOu6z5QH1Dr-NqjMySn9oPiwcPpt4duEnFxAn-Acvn3coAldMwuMjh5VhV3EywRaiaHEf6kHwmu5TpOn5VAh_ikpKwbebSCl_pdEWKwqao2LM3LvNxSPtLC6Q97/s600/23-08-Aug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjkEYrtf-TW8nztKGP38LwAtt-sDC_Bs6piFHLw9jVZ7-BafHNafpKRRF0o1xfxvu2bOu6z5QH1Dr-NqjMySn9oPiwcPpt4duEnFxAn-Acvn3coAldMwuMjh5VhV3EywRaiaHEf6kHwmu5TpOn5VAh_ikpKwbebSCl_pdEWKwqao2LM3LvNxSPtLC6Q97/w400-h225/23-08-Aug.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><em style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Lush... A richness in so many ways...</span></span></em><p></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;">Grandson Lucas and his sweetie Lauren<br />Both graduated from university<br />This just-past spring.<br />After a trip to Halifax<br />They decided that’s where they<br />Wanted to make their first home<br />Together.<br />They are now each employed<br />At their first grown-up jobs…<br />Lucas writes remotely<br />For <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.readthepeak.com/" href="https://www.readthepeak.com/" target="_blank"><em>The Peak</em></a>, a daily newsletter<br />That focusses on Canadian business<br />And the international news that affects<br />It—and therefore—us.<br />Lauren has found work in Halifax<br />And come September they move<br />From temporary summer digs<br />Into an amazing apartment<br />That’s part of a house built in 1870!<br /><br />The day in this pic,<br />Lucas and Lauren strolled<br />Among these rich greens of<br />Cape Breton National Park…<br />Where they found this gushy waterfall.<br /><br />Theirs is a life filled with<br />The lushness of nature<br />And of youth and of the promises<br />Their lives hold<br />For them…<br />And for the rest of us.<br />Because as family…<br />And friends…<br />And even<br />As friends of friends.<br />We can all rejoice<br />In our own reflections<br />Of their lush experiences.<br /><br />I say,<br />Hooray!<br />I am such a lucky<br />Nana Bee!</span></span><br /><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: trebuchet ms, lucida grande, lucida sans unicode, lucida sans, tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><em> FYI, my still-new post-cataract eyes<br /> That continue to be amazed<br /> By all things blue…<br /> Also relish wallowing<br /> In the copious greens<br /> That keep viing for my attention…<br /> Just in case you haven’t noticed<br /> In many of my recent calendars.</em></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 17px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-37748975800342303532023-06-30T23:54:00.000-04:002023-06-30T23:54:40.461-04:00july 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAFwbNdQYYikmCLUZe5yB4L4ZFKkDehSIZec5gAY3FJLv-6dt1-0Ssn99_OeOxUerksE7sOzcmSRy8rMxIoaB7AsGctMFZeeIoWCmZbptcZXch4dXp409lFEFUa4nIdExiOS1CWp19gVheYIvZDzLAvPwthSlKnGXkfOcMCn8Psq_uQo9nmcAQrCqWB3W/s600/23-07-JULY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAFwbNdQYYikmCLUZe5yB4L4ZFKkDehSIZec5gAY3FJLv-6dt1-0Ssn99_OeOxUerksE7sOzcmSRy8rMxIoaB7AsGctMFZeeIoWCmZbptcZXch4dXp409lFEFUa4nIdExiOS1CWp19gVheYIvZDzLAvPwthSlKnGXkfOcMCn8Psq_uQo9nmcAQrCqWB3W/w400-h225/23-07-JULY.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: trebuchet ms, lucida grande, lucida sans unicode, lucida sans, tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Crookneck Squash Grows in Texas...</span></span><br type="_moz" /></h1><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica neue,helvetica,sans-serif;">I’ve been in Toronto<br />Since 1976<br />And I no longer<br />Live without tacos<br />Or okra.<br />For about 10 years<br />I could even get<br />Gebhardt’s Chili Quik<br />At Kensington Market…<br />But since that ended<br />The internet provided me<br />With a recipe I can make<br />For myself.<br />I even have places to get<br />Mexican chorizo<br />And real corn tortillas…<br />Even masa harina<br />Should I want to make my own<br />Using my cute red tortilla press.<br />And I can even get Texas-style BBQ<br />Delivered to my door!<br /><br />But one of the things I<br />Continue to miss is<br />Yellow crookneck squash.<br />Like these that Phoebe’s sister Sally<br />Still grows at her<br />East Texas home.<br />These blossoms will very soon<br />Erupt into buttery yellow goodness<br />Like this<br /><br /> <img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/e6573c08-0e0c-8b1e-ea76-4eed1ab9deb0.png" data-file-id="6639730" height="299" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/e6573c08-0e0c-8b1e-ea76-4eed1ab9deb0.png" style="border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; height: 299px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br /><br />My mum used to slice them<br />And steam them<br />And serve them with a bit<br />Of freshly squeezed lime juice.<br /><br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/730baf92-2b77-823f-4a69-ebbc7e34e128.png" data-file-id="6639734" height="263" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/730baf92-2b77-823f-4a69-ebbc7e34e128.png" style="border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; height: 263px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br /><br />One day in 1962<br />I played with my food…<br />Sketching what became<br />This cast sterling silver pendant.<br /><br /><img data-cke-saved-src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/a270d85d-5523-59e0-587e-d1a549d051f1.png" data-file-id="6639738" height="283" src="https://mcusercontent.com/25fe77ee1d882a41c7ef4bdbf/images/a270d85d-5523-59e0-587e-d1a549d051f1.png" style="border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; height: 283px; margin: 0px; width: 300px;" width="300" /><br /><br />Oh, Toronto…<br />Please tell me where I can get<br />Me some yellow crookneck squash.</span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-91168934844283452732023-06-27T06:50:00.013-04:002023-07-06T07:04:02.706-04:00For Teresa<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTmDpJXIAH8tQQnL9fx7IPIDNgOcEgZFEvEhHxitF7iMEUMQvBff2TT1KPkNu1NgpdJ0ggtPBzU3HE12LSwuCE7HxJuEPxBQvNI1jq6uExpqUrabfO0RPory-vAvtRSW_whHVH3phv5qcltBqfUPxcvxmeoecFEncEUgLUyGKuAaj3Gt_3YEn-tpaXwY0/s600/Teresa-Irises.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTmDpJXIAH8tQQnL9fx7IPIDNgOcEgZFEvEhHxitF7iMEUMQvBff2TT1KPkNu1NgpdJ0ggtPBzU3HE12LSwuCE7HxJuEPxBQvNI1jq6uExpqUrabfO0RPory-vAvtRSW_whHVH3phv5qcltBqfUPxcvxmeoecFEncEUgLUyGKuAaj3Gt_3YEn-tpaXwY0/w400-h293/Teresa-Irises.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Teresita Patricia Gonzalez Magnon</span></b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>March 17, 1949 ~ June 27, 2023</i><br /><br />Noren: indigo </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Split curtains from Japan, <br />Hang in doorway. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Custom dictates that </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">We bow as we pass through... <br />Show respect for </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Place left behind…<br />And place entered. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">In response </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Noren sway in breeze... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Give visual evidence</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> Of our journey. <br /><br />Teresita, you have been </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The warm breeze</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> To the noren of my life. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Each time we met</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> I was refreshed and renewed... <br />I was nurtured and ennobled... <br />I was affirmed and valued. <br /><br />With you I found </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Inspiration and joy.<br />We shared our interests<br />In books, movies, and TV shows.<br />Through you I learned<br />Of the plight of those<br />You were committed to helping<br />All over the world.<br /><br />Teresita, you personified<br />Hope and confidence <br />In life’s infinite capacity <br />To renew itself... <br />And not always to take <br />Itself just too, too seriously. <br /><br />Thank you, my dear, dear amiga. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">We are all humbled by your <br />Passing breeze. </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">~</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Bette Forester </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Toronto, 1 July 2023</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i>~ <br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Image: Summer Delight</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">by Teresa Gonzalez</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Acrylic on Canvas</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i>2019<br /></i></span></div><div style="margin-left: 480px; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="margin-left: 400px; text-align: left;"><i> </i><br /></div><br /><p></p></div>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-92056418405825932252023-05-30T23:58:00.005-04:002023-06-01T22:34:17.008-04:00June 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3ipvjaBR54XOVFWOnoKUpKOpKoiO439bZmFi1LzZjftnMgFk0C3P4Yyu4lzrBnRxXhS4bdVc7VcVFwxn8GCsVKFtWG96YhjcQT3Xw_qdlhhE1vl6YpyGSQwl5rOQgDJucriwoGLwNkBw20YPhXOQO5KqS4e7ofc6sBTjBQfcqilnxBL1vHXBbMac2Q/s600/23-06-June-v2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3ipvjaBR54XOVFWOnoKUpKOpKoiO439bZmFi1LzZjftnMgFk0C3P4Yyu4lzrBnRxXhS4bdVc7VcVFwxn8GCsVKFtWG96YhjcQT3Xw_qdlhhE1vl6YpyGSQwl5rOQgDJucriwoGLwNkBw20YPhXOQO5KqS4e7ofc6sBTjBQfcqilnxBL1vHXBbMac2Q/w400-h225/23-06-June-v2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1><b style="color: #ffd966;"><i><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif">Lush paradises invite... lure...</span></span></i></b><br /></h1><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18px;">To celebrate a major milestone<br />Peter and Lisl journeyed first<br />To Windsor to attend,<br />Not a coronation, but a wedding...<br />And thence onward<br />To a fortnight in Mallorca...<br />For promised languishing<br />In a lush paradise.<br />Of course their home in Barbados<br />Is its own brand of lush paradise.<br />This pic shows us new definitions<br />Of lush and paradise...<br />It’s all lush… and all paradise…<br />Just with its own delights<br />And history spread out<br />For fresh discoveries<br />Each day.<br /><br />I challenged OpenAI<br />To write me something<br />About this courtyard<br />In Peter’s and Lisl’s<br />Air-BnB home in <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.barcelo.com/guia-turismo/en/spain/mallorca/things-to-do/what-to-see-in-soller/" href="https://www.barcelo.com/guia-turismo/en/spain/mallorca/things-to-do/what-to-see-in-soller/" target="_blank">Sóller</a> <br />Where they sipped morning coffees<br />Near their own pool.<br />Lush paradise, indeed.<br /><br />OpenAI spewed out reams<br />But I’m particularly<br />Entranced with these lines:<br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /><i><b> In Mallorca's sun-kissed embrace,<br /> Lies a realm of beauty and grace,<br /> Where courtyards bloom in vibrant hues,<br /> Amidst lemon trees and terra cotta views.</b></i></span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>...</b><br /><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-8502534056359228812023-04-29T19:53:00.003-04:002023-04-29T19:53:43.275-04:00May 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMAXiX1JH7Vf_eDyrpwBrSDjsrWntBZk4XgUYYfuTnpWNXQ5wn2ywtqvP3BQqVCkPaQuVhcemlS3MLkgBBCs2kKKyehJj-1XqtvFoQ4RP64h0BZrxMtI1MpGTU33Y0veC2F9UPNmxmgifGrzqQMQXSWp9KQKti1bCc3R6Hr7uDsy3ZFP2c38iq934IA/s600/23-05-May.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMAXiX1JH7Vf_eDyrpwBrSDjsrWntBZk4XgUYYfuTnpWNXQ5wn2ywtqvP3BQqVCkPaQuVhcemlS3MLkgBBCs2kKKyehJj-1XqtvFoQ4RP64h0BZrxMtI1MpGTU33Y0veC2F9UPNmxmgifGrzqQMQXSWp9KQKti1bCc3R6Hr7uDsy3ZFP2c38iq934IA/w400-h225/23-05-May.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">My dad, an apprentice in Puebla...</span></span><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></h1><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometime around 1970<br />My father discovered gemstones.<br />His job involved lots of<br />Road travel in Texas and<br />He rejoiced in all his finds,<br />Whether roadside or<br />Local rockhound shops<br />That he found dotted around<br />His wide-ranging territory.<br />He built himself<br />A little backyard shed<br />Under a big pecan tree,<br />But he added air-conditioning, of course…<br />This was San Antonio, after all.<br /><br />He equipped his shed<br />With polishing equipment<br />And cutting equipment<br />And produced mounds<br />Of beautiful shiny ovals<br />Ready to be mounted<br />In pendants, or rings,<br />Or belt buckles, or bolo ties.<br />He learned a lot from asking others<br />And from the library…<br />Eventually, he decided<br />He wanted to learn how to set<br />His own stones. He wanted<br />To learn silversmithing.<br /><br />Now, Mexico has oodles<br />Of talented silversmiths,<br />And Puebla is perhaps<br />The largest concentration of them.<br />So my mum, who spoke fluent Spanish,<br />Found a silversmithing place<br />In Puebla who agreed to take<br />My dad on as an unofficial apprentice.<br />Did I mention that this dad of mine<br />Spoke almost no Spanish???<br />Anyhow off my parents went<br />For two weeks in Puebla,<br />Where my mum would drop<br />My dad off each morning, then<br />Return at lunchtime, and again<br />At end of day.<br />During the day my dad would<br />Follow example instructions<br />And when my mum came<br />She would translate for<br />Both my dad and his teachers.<br />Seems the Puebla guys<br />Loved my dad…<br />Not a surprise, he was<br />Infinitely lovable.<br /><br />He learned loads and returned<br />Back home and work.<br />On the weekends at home, he loved<br />His time in his shed.<br />The next year they did<br />Another fortnight in Puebla.<br />This time he learned<br />About casting and added<br />A centrifugal casting machine<br />To his shed’s equipment.<br />Seems dentists use the same machines.<br />He loved casting and he started<br />Branching out into some<br />More designer-type options…<br />Some which I still wear<br />With joy and pride.<br /><br />When my dad passed<br />My mum sold most of his<br />Remaining gemstones<br />And gave me a cool collection<br />Of what was left.<br />You see some of them here,<br />In an African stone bowl<br />With a carved turtle that guards<br />The bright shiny treasures…<br />He’s always happy<br />When I stop by and<br />Run my fingers through them…<br />And remember my daddy.<br /><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-22100550214606292132023-03-31T19:14:00.001-04:002023-03-31T19:14:58.271-04:00April 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiZq-KpgThWUaN5awo3oDchDgK9ujabpYzkteSC5auV12eB3FvqwgUrsIVTn-WiuH4ccSgDMOZi5epIM9mdXkL-z3GhfaSnpu18hEC_N9FM2G5cWqHRGTrPNaVppaf5PFjb4BgD6Gobc28mwodWE0OPLkZd9RJjvaN836KdthRMxGojU5FXNiO2jFEA/s600/23-04.-APR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiZq-KpgThWUaN5awo3oDchDgK9ujabpYzkteSC5auV12eB3FvqwgUrsIVTn-WiuH4ccSgDMOZi5epIM9mdXkL-z3GhfaSnpu18hEC_N9FM2G5cWqHRGTrPNaVppaf5PFjb4BgD6Gobc28mwodWE0OPLkZd9RJjvaN836KdthRMxGojU5FXNiO2jFEA/w400-h225/23-04.-APR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><h1><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: trebuchet ms, lucida grande, lucida sans unicode, lucida sans, tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">March just seemed to ooze away...</span></span><br /></h1><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No lions.<br />No lambs.<br />But the month this year<br />Was filled with lotsa <br />Rampaging lions…<br />And some <br />Gently portending lambs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />My balcony Buddha,<br />Has watched with<br />Shivering determination<br />And hopeful delight.<br />Now backed by netting<br />Installed to protect him…<br />And my table…<br />And my rocking chair…<br />From pigeons.<br />The interstices seem<br />To invite some bullet journalling<br />Above the rail<br />And some graphed diagramming<br />Below the rail.<br /><br />Maybe my balcony Buddha<br />Wants us all to notice<br />More about our daily worlds<br />And to jot down our observations<br />To give voice to our eyes.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span><p></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-82135199170367265502023-02-28T12:21:00.003-05:002023-03-01T09:21:43.548-05:00March 2023<p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: 20px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: 20px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9whs7jeDSiFD7lAUzS0sHyBatbEmRxQ1XDLYNnVrcrTAnsJb36N8rZ4-1QlKbvxxY-naqpT8Y1LDcU9hMHxkbF1UO4T7xrm4_FqnbpED7OIN5_ZbJFohDpebbvTvWQs9EaOv9B8SCGmY0XmCRkbgZH3r2TRXtvho3L6KSj8RDf1dx1GpfsufiIQFKg/s600/23-03-Mar-LR3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9whs7jeDSiFD7lAUzS0sHyBatbEmRxQ1XDLYNnVrcrTAnsJb36N8rZ4-1QlKbvxxY-naqpT8Y1LDcU9hMHxkbF1UO4T7xrm4_FqnbpED7OIN5_ZbJFohDpebbvTvWQs9EaOv9B8SCGmY0XmCRkbgZH3r2TRXtvho3L6KSj8RDf1dx1GpfsufiIQFKg/w400-h225/23-03-Mar-LR3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: 20px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"> For our fresh new year...</span></span></b><p></p><p></p><p><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">We’re all just<br />Too, too familiar<br />With aspirations<br />For our fresh<br />New year.<br />We have our<br />Hopes…<br />Wishes…<br />Resolutions.<br /><br />But Mother Nature<br />Shows us the way:<br />No matter what,<br />We must all<br />Proceed with firm<br />Determination.<br />Indeed,<br />In the face of<br />Winter’s freezing howls,<br />Spring asserts her<br />Firm determinations<br />In the form of pulsating<br />Buds<br />That push through<br />A frozen crust<br />To show us all<br />How it’s done.<br /></span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">In October last,<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="http://linktr.ee/thecharmedoracle" href="http://linktr.ee/thecharmedoracle" target="_blank">Fiona Beth Phillips</a><br />Moved with her family<br />To new digs in<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherstone" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherstone" target="_blank">Atherstone</a> in England.<br />She reports they<br />Wintered in place<br />And are now greeted<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">With this early emanation<br />Of flowering quince.<br />I like that <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.thespruce.com/flowering-quince-shrubs-2131888" href="https://www.thespruce.com/flowering-quince-shrubs-2131888" target="_blank">The Spruce</a><br />Reports that this is a shrub<br />“With a somewhat<br />Messy growth habit!”</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><br />I invite you all<br />To join me in a<br />Fresh determination<br />To indulge in our own<br />Messy growth...<br />Nothing tentative...<br />Messy is always<br />Good.</span></span><br /><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 20px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /></span><i><span style="font-size: 18px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></i><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-61431256191870218882023-01-31T22:02:00.005-05:002023-01-31T23:29:52.737-05:00Feb 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlWt3jFszXFPQ6JH9kPuDv4Ggjkz2E90c5CKr302EhVoQ-Z--lHZOmUVCOUIwloL_WDIfOrxj_yTYcZioD4AmldwsocA9EWS8XLpXSgPOI1QoE8ybN_VQLWf-vSOiWEqmJVWYNKgDhwOsX4TFsBMNQ60XSgenr44qUfxKFQ6VOeyNJv4UYruCUQkdyQ/s600/23-02-Feb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlWt3jFszXFPQ6JH9kPuDv4Ggjkz2E90c5CKr302EhVoQ-Z--lHZOmUVCOUIwloL_WDIfOrxj_yTYcZioD4AmldwsocA9EWS8XLpXSgPOI1QoE8ybN_VQLWf-vSOiWEqmJVWYNKgDhwOsX4TFsBMNQ60XSgenr44qUfxKFQ6VOeyNJv4UYruCUQkdyQ/w400-h225/23-02-Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span>Many happy returns... always...</span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">If you are born in Toronto</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">At 9:15 am today, this is what your</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Astrological natal chart will look like.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The sun is associated with</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Your best expression of yourself.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">In your chart the sun’s in Aquarius,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The sign associated with</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The forming of community,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Of developing a path</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">To inclusion and universality…</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">In other words: common ground.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Plus, in your chart Aquarius</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Occupies the second house,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The parts of your life</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Concerned with your</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Personal resources...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Whatever you need</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">For your own sustenance…</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Like food, money,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">And a rock solid</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Sense of values.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Every year on your birthday…</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> Give or take a day or two</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> Because: leap year…</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The sun shows up</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">In the same place.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">That’s what the ancients,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Like those famous</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Three wise men,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Called your solar return.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">That’s the real reason</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">People will wish you</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Many happy returns.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The sun’s position is easy to know</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Because the earth orbits</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Around the sun every 365 days...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> Sort of… remember</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> Leap year catches us up</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> For those extra</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> 5 hours,</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> 59 minutes, and</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><i> 16 seconds each year.</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The moon, of course, </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">And all the planets</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Also have returns,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">But their orbits around the sun</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Take different amounts of time</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">So you’ll need to look it up</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Or ask an astrologer,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">The scientists of yore</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">Still plying our trade</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif">In 2023.</span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Want to know what those symbols are on this month’s calendar? I have a keywords chart for you<a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h60fkuclprkijbo/AAC0C1sDxoMu7pG1FJA-QRnla?dl=0" href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h60fkuclprkijbo/AAC0C1sDxoMu7pG1FJA-QRnla?dl=0" target="_blank"> in this folder</a>. You’ll see the sun and the moon are listed as planets. That’s just tradition talking. We know they’re not really planets. While you’re there, why not pick up the higher resolution version of my calendar and try it out as wallpaper on your computer desktop? That’s what I do </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">every<span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"> month. <i>(background photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@cosmictimetraveler?modal=%5B%22SendMessage%22%2C%7B%22userId%22%3A%223iQrFoCMWzs%22%2C%22subject%22%3A%22default%22%7D%5D" target="_blank">Cosmic Timetraveler on Unsplash</a>)</i></span></span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span face="tahoma,verdana,segoe,sans-serif"><span>Please enjoy this glorious and short month... hearts included. <br />xo</span></span></i></span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></span></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-77763980076167986582022-12-31T15:07:00.002-05:002022-12-31T16:33:09.589-05:00Jan 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3guqJ_dq8IP0Fnw0lwbgEzJrtor_tVa_BxrD6IModuNmW88nT3b0L3ya1Hm7O4WaSmdWCwAsBsQ-sPrcP98sTJKTTq_S3S8CEYddG9QPEBOiM66YAkptAqMbKR0eBZA97XcUWFiL9idA5bgWx3CJ06vo2uzzgMtCl-HOteivNzFcbKUdTQqIfKCgBig/s600/23-01-Jan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3guqJ_dq8IP0Fnw0lwbgEzJrtor_tVa_BxrD6IModuNmW88nT3b0L3ya1Hm7O4WaSmdWCwAsBsQ-sPrcP98sTJKTTq_S3S8CEYddG9QPEBOiM66YAkptAqMbKR0eBZA97XcUWFiL9idA5bgWx3CJ06vo2uzzgMtCl-HOteivNzFcbKUdTQqIfKCgBig/w400-h225/23-01-Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">As they say... No mud. No lotus...</span></b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>The lotus flowers and seeds<br />Simultaneously<br />But can do nothing<br />Without having its roots<br />Stuck firmly into<br />Some thick, gooey,<br />And messy mud.<br /><br />The mud’s invisible,<br />Of course,<br />But the lotus<br />Knows its job…<br />And bloom, it must,<br />So it sinks its tendrils<br />Ever deeper<br />And draws up<br />The light<br />That is the essence<br />Of all life.<br /><br />As humans we also bloom<br />When our feet are planted firmly.<br />Our mud is the stuff of daily life.<br />And there’s a lot of it...<br />Mostly daily grind stuff…<br />Often obstacles that<br />Must be overcome<br />For our path to even appear…<br />Then require further<br />Vanquishment to keep on<br />Keeping on.<br /><br />Sometimes our mud<br />Is our own choosing…<br />The quality defined<br />By the nature of our aspirations.<br />This year I am choosing<br />The mud of learning<br />Some new things…<br />All which I’m showing to you<br />Here, in this month’s calendar.<br /><br />My determination this year<br />Is to learn Affinity<br />Designer, Photo, and Publisher…<br />Affordable alternatives to my<br />Long-time faves from Adobe:<br />Illustrator and Photoshop.<br />I’m retired now<br />So don’t need to keep paying<br />For a costly professional subscription…<br />But I want to be able<br />To continue making<br />Calendars—and more…<br />As is my wont.<br />So I bought the Affinity apps<br />(One-time fee, no subscription)<br />And I produced<br />This month’s calendar<br />In its entirety<br />Using Affinity.<br />What would have taken<br />Thirty minutes in Illustrator<br />Took three days.<br />Ha! Not because<br />Affinity is slow or difficult,<br />But because I had<br />To learn lotsa new stuff:<br />New vocabulary.<br />New menus.<br />New controls.<br />All so the result<br />Can look like<br />A seamless continuation<br />Of my monthly offerings.</span><br /><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b><span>...</span></b></span></span></span><br /><span>Thank you again, Susan,<br />For taking this glorious image<br />On your travels…<br />And for letting me use it… again.<br /><br />And why does my calendar say<br /><i>Nam myoho renge kyo</i><br />Across the bottom???<br />That’s the title<br />Of the historical Buddha’s<br />Last teaching,<br />The Lotus Sutra.<br /><u><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvfrqh4dw5he3ha/Nicherin%20Buddhism%20Intro-v2.pdf?dl=0" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvfrqh4dw5he3ha/Nicherin%20Buddhism%20Intro-v2.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">That’s what I chant<br />Every day…</a></u><br />Morning and evening…<br />Like breathing out<br />And breathing in…<br />To awaken my own<br />Buddha nature<br />And rejoice in the happiness<br />Of my everyday life…<br />Mud and all.<br /><br />I must admit<br />The mud of these<br />Past few years<br />Made me think I might<br />Be blooming as a dandelion<br />Instead of the<br />Hoped-for-rose.<br />But I continue<br />To bloom<br />In my solitude…<br />Toes happily squishing<br />In each day’s mud.</span><br /><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b><span>...</span></b></span></span></span><br /><span>Any new mud<br />For you this year?</span></span></span><br /><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span>...</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span><span></span></span></span></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-79568205433164937292022-11-26T16:47:00.001-05:002022-11-26T16:47:37.727-05:00Dec 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRFkVGbcgJvarM2l2TZQeQnx_DTv9V9OHmb_n2btTg9nf2P8gK1-1-yCWeXYojlc2MPxFxJsl-elwqYVl06cvLS3YWsmTRgbsTgo-Tu8wwpVCRTw-ECHhiaY5BN7c84eJ6o0Jhm_dadweOV5WiePgEySngdCxGpFP-Kvhdt12Rxr7UuP7nMLXG715YQ/s600/22-12-Dec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRFkVGbcgJvarM2l2TZQeQnx_DTv9V9OHmb_n2btTg9nf2P8gK1-1-yCWeXYojlc2MPxFxJsl-elwqYVl06cvLS3YWsmTRgbsTgo-Tu8wwpVCRTw-ECHhiaY5BN7c84eJ6o0Jhm_dadweOV5WiePgEySngdCxGpFP-Kvhdt12Rxr7UuP7nMLXG715YQ/w400-h225/22-12-Dec.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Drama every day...</span></span></span><br /></span></h1><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span>I’m not new to daily drama.<br />When we lived in Vancouver’s <a data-cke-saved-href="https://vancouversbestplaces.com/north-shore/north-vancouver/deep-cove/" href="https://vancouversbestplaces.com/north-shore/north-vancouver/deep-cove/" target="_blank">Deep Cove</a><br />My studio overlooked<br />Trees, water, and islands and hills beyond.<br />And so many clouds!!!<br />And fogs and mists!!<br /><br />More studios have each offered<br />Different views and<br />Different dramas.<br /><br />Yes… and you know how<br />I’m watching my new<br />City dramas unfold from today’s<br />Aerie studio. That skyline<br />I’ve shown you so many ways.<br />This one is from a couple of weeks ago.<br />From my perch<br />I see it all punctuated by<br />My <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.ekkomobiles.com/gallery" href="http://www.ekkomobiles.com/gallery" target="_blank">EKKO mobile</a>. It hangs<br />Gently indoors from curtain rod<br />In front of the window views<br />You know so well.<br />In the summer,<br />Breezes from the windows<br />Keep it moving… and in the winter,<br />The heat rises from the rads below<br />To keep it wafting…<br />Always giving motion<br />To my view.<br />The drama is often simple<br />And always profound.<br />I am moved as it moves.<br />I love how we humans<br />Can both stand in awe<br />Of Mother Nature’s<br />Dramatic displays…<br />And rejoice in adding<br />Our own creativity<br />To her ever-changing vistas.<br /><br />I love that I can notice<br />Better now<br />With my new eyes…<br />Eyes that pretend<br />To see like the old ones.<br />The pretense is excellent<br />And only registers as pretense<br />Because of the years I spent<br />Watching my world become<br />Darker and greyer<br />With each passing day.<br />Was that darkness<br />Another reality?<br />I do know that<br />I prefer the brightness<br />Of my world today…<br />With all it’s subleties.<br />After all, how do we even know<br />What is real???<br /><br />No matter, it’s all part of<br />Our daily drama…<br />It’s all fun…<br />And I’m happy to watch<br />It unfold in front<br />Of these newly-minted eyes…<br />These very eyes…<br />Pretentious or not!<span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><span>...</span></strong><br /><span><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-45711211385574366162022-10-31T23:32:00.005-04:002022-11-01T00:23:58.558-04:00Nov 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLOlHiOWGLsMalWmoosMFGdpeB_wegdUpDttixR9jfEsYt4bUrhuA4_7vmk-HfZ2VK3ULgEp3Im6eNp9TTgyl79d4rHVtY5TNb3avCj0hmUcJrZV4b4Xm6TVaQqhhg91dDymYEh0Ikyrh8_efUMbELH10bCjIO8RbZnFrWHSwvTibMY-vSp152e2agA/s600/22-11-Nov.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLOlHiOWGLsMalWmoosMFGdpeB_wegdUpDttixR9jfEsYt4bUrhuA4_7vmk-HfZ2VK3ULgEp3Im6eNp9TTgyl79d4rHVtY5TNb3avCj0hmUcJrZV4b4Xm6TVaQqhhg91dDymYEh0Ikyrh8_efUMbELH10bCjIO8RbZnFrWHSwvTibMY-vSp152e2agA/w400-h225/22-11-Nov.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Hands across the sands of time...</span></span></span><br /></h1><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Hands across the sands of time…<br />And the borders of states, <br />Or even nations.<br />The sweet memories persist<br />Along with new ones<br />Being forged<br />By a new generation…<br />Together in the sun<br />And the sand.<br />Annie Stange lives in Portland, Oregon.<br />Her girlhood friend lives in Bellingham, Washington.<br />Now the daughters of both friends<br />Continue the bonding.<br />Here Annie’s daughter Claire<br />Holds the evidence<br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;">The daughters of the two friends<br />Are themselves two peas in a pod…<br /> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here along with Annie’s youngest, Evelyn<br />And Annie’s own hand…<br />All together in the sun<br />And the sand<br />At Cannon Beach, Oregon.</span><br /><br />And who among us,<br />My friends,<br />Can fail to drift in our own<br />Sweet memories…<br />Of childhood friendships…<br />Of walks in the sun…<br />And maybe even the sand?</span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">November marks the time<br />To write your own story.<br />Why not get started on yours?<br /><a href="https://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNaWriMo. </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Have a great <a data-cke-saved-href="https://ca.movember.com/" href="https://ca.movember.com/" target="_blank">Mo/November</a><br />And<br />Be sure to remember<br />While you're remembering<br />On the eleventh:<br />Vonnegut<br />Et al.<br />His birthday<br />And pleas<br />For humanity.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></p><p> </p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-85997081906852034942022-09-30T23:30:00.008-04:002022-10-01T09:07:39.403-04:00Oct 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx3uzPi2I6RK5AChMiJDXa6EHRVGMuB4s-gflieE7ZQR33w6fGfwJkDImW3AcUGVrZiQXGHa7vYbda3_j5YiLt1B7WSbq4J1u59lAI2GOv0hCL3t5xSGFLVNPJ2Ojztv-yu-Rqx_6I0oF55eeGazvVJ3IvauvRqXRz-_Oo98TF9BisU8Wdx257bi9vQ/s600/22-10-Oct-Cat-LR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx3uzPi2I6RK5AChMiJDXa6EHRVGMuB4s-gflieE7ZQR33w6fGfwJkDImW3AcUGVrZiQXGHa7vYbda3_j5YiLt1B7WSbq4J1u59lAI2GOv0hCL3t5xSGFLVNPJ2Ojztv-yu-Rqx_6I0oF55eeGazvVJ3IvauvRqXRz-_Oo98TF9BisU8Wdx257bi9vQ/w400-h225/22-10-Oct-Cat-LR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Celebrating black cats all month long...</span></span></span><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">8 years ago<br />Kate met Hoochie and<br />Was immediately captivated<br />By those eyes!!!<br />She snapped this pic<br />To show us all.<br />I used to look after Hoochie<br />When her mommies,<br />Nancy and Katherine, travelled.<br />Hoochie has since moved on<br />To another plane and we all smile<br />As we remember<br />Her incredible softness...<br />And those eyes.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br />Of course,<br />Kate has Batman.<br />Marje has Peewee and Toffle.<br />Kelley has Domino and Moneypenny and Oliver!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px;">Many years ago<br />Our family had Cocoa…<br />Except for the occasional fleeting<br />Deep chocolate Siamese highlight,<br />She looked black.<br />And that counts.<br />All black cats count...<br />Especially this month.</span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 17px;"><i>If this isn't nice, what is?</i></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-73839211555060594532022-08-31T11:27:00.003-04:002022-08-31T23:44:32.651-04:00Sept 2022<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bO3dOCSoanzfQkCMS6_O94wpiGJ8GYYvnTKOK86yHM0_naLDExyPe0pcnwsS6ctWbFjzLS1x_zTkUYci6XGpVU-axBZs5caZPpOFOU6ExltMiKGKh_N3mZ0MHXAXhpCOMPk8cSb1eZ3bFJ8Nt8Za9KtJsN7-GLGj6JZHAmeg8wI6U0A6g_UO_RVqZQ/s600/22-09-Sep-1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bO3dOCSoanzfQkCMS6_O94wpiGJ8GYYvnTKOK86yHM0_naLDExyPe0pcnwsS6ctWbFjzLS1x_zTkUYci6XGpVU-axBZs5caZPpOFOU6ExltMiKGKh_N3mZ0MHXAXhpCOMPk8cSb1eZ3bFJ8Nt8Za9KtJsN7-GLGj6JZHAmeg8wI6U0A6g_UO_RVqZQ/w400-h225/22-09-Sep-1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Easy like a lion a-lollin'...</span></span></b><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ok I made that one up.<br />But I couldn’t resist<br />After last month’s frog.<br /><br />And with this lion’s one eye open<br />Maybe she’s a-lurkin’…<br /><br />Probably both<br />A-lollin’ and a-lurkin’<br />Doncha think?<br />After all, she can’t<br />Tell us about either,<br />But we might assume<br />That hunting is<br />A key part<br />Of her day dreams…<br />And, as <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49xMAUkViGQ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49xMAUkViGQ" target="_blank">K’naan tells us</a><br />Until the lion learns to speak,<br />The tale of the hunt<br />Will be weak.<br /><br />My friend Teresa<br />Recently made a momentous<br />Trek to East Africa<br />And this is one of the pictures<br />She posted.<br />Only one.<br />There were many.<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ryb7sps82bo4zqd/Africa-Teresa.pdf?dl=0" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ryb7sps82bo4zqd/Africa-Teresa.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Looky at the PDF here</a>.<br />And while you do,<br />Play <i>The Lion Sleeps Tonight</i><br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlByoPdG6c" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlByoPdG6c" target="_blank">By the Tokens</a><br />Or the earlier version<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77VUYPVMtWY" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77VUYPVMtWY" target="_blank">By the Weavers</a><br />Or especially the<br />Original 1939 version<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrQT4WkbNE" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrQT4WkbNE" target="_blank">By Solomon Linda & The Evening</a>.<br />~<br />Why so many versions?<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4llIwk0BK8A" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4llIwk0BK8A" target="_blank">Here’s the story</a>.<br />~<br />Teresa has travelled<br />Lots and lots over the years…<br />And she always connects<br />With people and places<br />In profound and heartfelt ways.<br />She says she saw this lioness<br />Resting in Uganda.<br />Teresa’s words:<br /><i> Observer, survivor,<br /> Predator, and hunted.<br /> ~<br /> Actually I really have no words<br /> That can describe how<br /> Awake my senses were in Africa.<br /> In an almost dreamlike state<br /> I sensed, saw, felt, and touched<br /> The magic of my surroundings.</i><br /><br />And with that music still playing<br />In my own background<br />I know that<br />I’m going to love<br />Having this lion<br />On my desktop<br />This whole month.<br />And…<br />At any given time…<br />The urge to sing<br />Will be just a whim away…<br />A whim away…<br />A whim away.</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>...<br />If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></span><p><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-20750427646318195272022-07-31T23:09:00.003-04:002022-07-31T23:33:01.073-04:00Aug 2022<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj3UkI2dtUP0MQXqGstT3AwkNVeY6OvHxkZhqOO9uzdQ7sw0_SKKRDgttzoAMh36lwayKCeCMqUaPjucfYFk4G1dI6dxUbAplMuLA7efAS6HQ54yMuwsSJbe5cDHbRkt2NYooFs5kKKWHiS84HSUooRAr-KZo4vZsdkZagEphsTJWKQyUIU8XSv2XzQ/s600/22-08-Aug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj3UkI2dtUP0MQXqGstT3AwkNVeY6OvHxkZhqOO9uzdQ7sw0_SKKRDgttzoAMh36lwayKCeCMqUaPjucfYFk4G1dI6dxUbAplMuLA7efAS6HQ54yMuwsSJbe5cDHbRkt2NYooFs5kKKWHiS84HSUooRAr-KZo4vZsdkZagEphsTJWKQyUIU8XSv2XzQ/w400-h225/22-08-Aug.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span>Easy like a frog a-walkin'..</span></span></span></b></span><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>If you’ve been following<br />My FB feed lately<br />You might have noticed a whole slew<br />Of frog images.<br />That’s because I love frogs<br />AND I knew<br />This wondrous image<br />From Mike Lush<br />(Yes, Kathy’s bro)<br />Was coming up this month.<br />Seems FB conspired<br />To help me prime the pump, eh?<br /><br />FB had fed this pic<br />To Mike as a memory<br />From 10 years ago…<br />And he still had the original…<br />And he knew exactly<br />Where to find it.<br /><br />Twas fast and easy.<br />Which brings us to<br />Today’s title line:<br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><i> Easy like a frog a-walkin’</i></b></span><br />Peter’s dad, LB, used to say this<br />When we might today say<br />Piece of cake or<br />Easy as falling off a log or<br />Easy as shooting fish in a barrel or<br />My personal fave:<br />Easy-peasy. Lemon-squeezy.<br /><br />I never knew where<br />LB’s version came from<br />And a quick poll of<br />Some of my fellow Texans<br />Didn’t shed any light.<br />YouTube does talk about<br /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFzVqVbpjSg" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFzVqVbpjSg" target="_blank">Frogs that walk instead of hop</a>.<br />They can still hop and swim<br />But they mostly just prefer to walk.<br />And it looks easy for them, eh?<br /><br />Several weeks ago<br />Mike sent me this delightful pic<br />And I immediately prepaed<br />This month’s calendar with it.<br />But I kept putting off<br />Writing these words for you until<br />This Sunday night that is<br />Almost August.<br />It’s been a quick write.<br />We might even say<br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b> Easy like a frog a-walkin’</b></span><br />Eh?</span></span></span><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-72703970064230898172022-07-01T09:28:00.002-04:002022-07-01T09:28:50.871-04:00July 2022<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sLffkVpe8iY46L8R7yrpyP6mL9p7YkbwwOpub4X0QdxRjPns4YwVgE2xYS2c7tvwyjoliVt_4kSSg_dZikjI1ou6K_cD_hwY6xkeFMO5jZK8I0Oz1pbin89uhgOAynNQoxzEtG8QVUFKPbxogfPRRN4Di2dqpmPvBRa2Y4m8H_zo_2OvSpa_5OXDvA/s600/22-07-July.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sLffkVpe8iY46L8R7yrpyP6mL9p7YkbwwOpub4X0QdxRjPns4YwVgE2xYS2c7tvwyjoliVt_4kSSg_dZikjI1ou6K_cD_hwY6xkeFMO5jZK8I0Oz1pbin89uhgOAynNQoxzEtG8QVUFKPbxogfPRRN4Di2dqpmPvBRa2Y4m8H_zo_2OvSpa_5OXDvA/w400-h225/22-07-July.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">A Dappled Canada Day for You...</span></span></span><br /></h1><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This Canada Day<br />I’m indeed showing you a maple tree…<br />But this Southern Red Maple tree<br />Lives in <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/texas/eastern-western-differences-tx/" href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/texas/eastern-western-differences-tx/" target="_blank">East Texas</a>…<br />Proving that peace and love<br />Have no boundaries.<br /><br />Remember Phoebe,<br />My university bestie?<br />Well a few years ago<br />She and I went to our 50th reunion<br />In San Antonio, Texas.<br />While there I got to meet<br />Phoebe’s sibs for the first time:<br />Allen, Sally, and Lolly.<br />Of course they are joys to know…<br />After all they spring<br />From the same parents<br />From whom Peter’s dad and I<br />Bought a 1956 Chrysler<br />With air conditioning, power windows,<br />And a <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.allpar.com/threads/%C2%A0%E2%80%9Csemi-hemi%E2%80%9D%C2%A0polyspherical-head-v8-engines-241-259-270-301-315-325-331-354.229880/" href="https://www.allpar.com/threads/%C2%A0%E2%80%9Csemi-hemi%E2%80%9D%C2%A0polyspherical-head-v8-engines-241-259-270-301-315-325-331-354.229880/" target="_blank">semi-hemi </a>V8 engine.<br />But that’s another story.<br /><br />Today I want to talk<br />To you about Sally<br />And about this dappled light<br />That she sent me.<br />I’ve always been drawn<br />To the insistent summer<br />Expressions of dapple.<br />I even wrote an <a data-cke-saved-href="https://beedazz.blogspot.com/2008/07/two-but-not-two.html" href="https://beedazz.blogspot.com/2008/07/two-but-not-two.html" target="_blank">early poem</a><br />That features some dappling.<br />In the summertime we can rejoice<br />In the longer days<br />Even when we swelter.<br />Winter dappling is<br />Also another story.<br /><br />Summertime heat<br />Pulls us to shaded respite…<br />And if we’re lucky enough<br />To have a shaded path<br />We can even wander and<br />Wonder at the delights of light…<br />How it plays and moves<br />With the breezes.<br />Light wafts, too,<br />Don’t you know.<br /><br />Such a path leads Sally<br />To her mailbox each day.<br />About 5 years ago<br />Sally began posting images<br />To remind herself…<br />And, by extension, the rest of us…<br />Just how fortunate we are<br />To have so many examples<br />Of cheerful good things<br />That can lighten our hearts<br />And bring us peace and calm…<br />If we’re only willing to look.<br />And Sally looks each and every day.<br />These Maple leaves mark<br />Sally’s Peace Day 1750.<br />Sally also makes peace cranes…<br />A habit since 1989.<br />I am the lucky recipient<br />Of a set of these<br />Origami offerings for hope.<br />They hang in front of a mirror<br />That rejoices in multiplying<br />Their colourful intent<br />As my daily reminder<br />For my own peace<br />And calm<br />And love.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: green;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">...</span><br /></span></strong></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a Canada Day version, just fo fun—with fond memories of <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.thestar.com/news/obituaries/2010/01/09/don_watt_73_designer_made_name_with_no_name.html" href="https://www.thestar.com/news/obituaries/2010/01/09/don_watt_73_designer_made_name_with_no_name.html" target="_blank">Don Watt:</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhLRQVUjosRDX1skWTsU_UduGIMZdnywrT_VkD2XyqP32yDUeG_SD_SfunE8pL_lKnpjJcZihsHhE0V6594Bl85XUrDCJ9JfmO1wC0g5c8Mq4K7CE9XnujbjpTNDb2bx7wK2LUxzImV2SoR_Kn1m4Smz8wQgvtGTdloxObKQ2j3aYexq0YEI2dtQdUw/s600/22-07-July-Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhLRQVUjosRDX1skWTsU_UduGIMZdnywrT_VkD2XyqP32yDUeG_SD_SfunE8pL_lKnpjJcZihsHhE0V6594Bl85XUrDCJ9JfmO1wC0g5c8Mq4K7CE9XnujbjpTNDb2bx7wK2LUxzImV2SoR_Kn1m4Smz8wQgvtGTdloxObKQ2j3aYexq0YEI2dtQdUw/w400-h225/22-07-July-Flag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span></span><p></p>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-61650912688787678172022-06-01T09:44:00.000-04:002022-06-01T09:44:10.492-04:00June 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtn0BgYlzLz9zx9B8Qm60SgeusEAA8uJz7EMu3sgUJhGVYEPYWjUHQmW-wvRFnkdygvixOhDMTnAXRe_ftsx7bgGOpHwF3kwTIBFcDjdrpegbR_jfXJ7IuXhptdNz-63MQ5gg9xEZgAu7ZGZZ2xo3Q_7slvJnYQL56n1FM8IUZavR4_Rv7YzbPxqKdWw/s600/22-06-Jun2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtn0BgYlzLz9zx9B8Qm60SgeusEAA8uJz7EMu3sgUJhGVYEPYWjUHQmW-wvRFnkdygvixOhDMTnAXRe_ftsx7bgGOpHwF3kwTIBFcDjdrpegbR_jfXJ7IuXhptdNz-63MQ5gg9xEZgAu7ZGZZ2xo3Q_7slvJnYQL56n1FM8IUZavR4_Rv7YzbPxqKdWw/w400-h225/22-06-Jun2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px;">First one in a looooong time!</span></span></span><br /></h1><span face="trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Peter brought me these flowers for Easter... <br />And I took this pic when they were just starting to bloom. <br />Yes, this is the first Bette-taken pic <br />You've seen for absolute yonks, my friends. <br />It's decently steady and focussed and the colours <br />Are vibrant with almost no retouching. <br />That's all because my new (cataract-free) eyes <br />Just plain work better.<br /><br />I love how these freshly opened flowers <br />Grab the light and filter it through their eager petals... <br />While the patient buds gather their power <br />With a resolve to out-dazzle their forerunners<br />And join in the glory that is Spring.<br /><br />Seems the worlds of Light and Colour<br />Are mine again.<br />I'll endeavour to show you more<br />As Summer unfolds.<br /><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i><b>If this isn't nice, what is?</b></i></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1933928813867007257.post-49382178389918425182022-05-03T14:10:00.007-04:002022-05-03T14:10:56.308-04:00Happy Luke Skywalker Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p29GqbZKU27Cxcyf1WNlCm_Zu_gUX7Kle7_VJ2Q2S88V5Vx_Sc4BkgOhj1E9ufg17qUfSiogZAs9W8CrOVMb_QtsNMK40RkqK85inR2ZbqBU-_vdlOh5cupTjdgBIijVJ1PbiplOX6yL6XgfSZG-psTnZQtNbRV4kSpbK3KeaeFRW8Jo4ZD2nal75A/s600/22-05-May.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p29GqbZKU27Cxcyf1WNlCm_Zu_gUX7Kle7_VJ2Q2S88V5Vx_Sc4BkgOhj1E9ufg17qUfSiogZAs9W8CrOVMb_QtsNMK40RkqK85inR2ZbqBU-_vdlOh5cupTjdgBIijVJ1PbiplOX6yL6XgfSZG-psTnZQtNbRV4kSpbK3KeaeFRW8Jo4ZD2nal75A/w400-h225/22-05-May.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">I think this says it all!</span></span><br /></span></h1><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,lucida grande,lucida sans unicode,lucida sans,tahoma,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">...</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><em><strong>If this isn't nice, what is?</strong></em></span></span><br /> ~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course</span></span>Bette Foresterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09765396403769724486noreply@blogger.com