uncovered dreams

we uncovered a dream today
for my granddaughter

and at the same time
I shared how we had
uncovered my dream
a hard one

every night in my new house
and in my next new house
I had a dream

in it there was always a big furniture truck
with the tarps swinging from the back of it
it would careen down the driveway
chasing me
it would be able to fly
over the roof of our house
and always two very angry men 
would get out and chase me
I would run but my legs would become rubber
and wouldn't hold me
and just as I would get to my door
and hold the doorknob
they would reach for me

and I would wake
_______________________

It was at ladies' tea
visiting with Gwen
we were in our 64th year
the each of us

we were colouring and chatting
just reminiscing
when I remembered and laughed
______________________

I was six

we had a beautiful  
Chevrolet 1957 Bel Air
with pointed tail lights
turquoise and white
I rode in it proud 

my mom would take us shopping
I would sit in the back with my brothers

but one day
it was just 

me and mom
I was in the front seat

she parked outside a store 
on a steep city street
she said she would be just a moment
don't touch anything

she pointed to the steering wheel with her eyes
I looked at it and nodded

my mom was beautiful
she dressed French
with lines down the back of her dark stockings
and soft leather shoes
with a lovely hole in the toes
where her toes
would show through

she was slender and had on her
tailored suit
her dark hair curled and held back like a crown
her bright red lipstick painted perfectly
her nails polished

she was perfect

I could see her in the store
with the large storefront window
between her and me

I looked at the steering wheel
and pushed something

the car rolled down past my mom as she looked at me from the window

there was a furniture truck parked at the next store down
I saw two men holding a chesterfield
on the ramp of the truck

they saw me coming
fast 

the beautiful turquoise Chevrolet
went up the truck ramp
I don't remember what the men did
but I remember being 
in the back of their truck
I saw their faces 
and heard their shouting

the cloth that hung from the back of the truck
stayed clear in my mind

and I guess the screaming men
stayed clear in my mind too

that is all I remembered
that and hearing my dad ask my mom
that evening when he came home from work
 
what was she thinking

leaving me in the car alone

he never gave me heck
I didn't get a spanking
but our beautiful turquoise car 
never came home again
_______________

and I had a dream every night
in each new home we moved to
the truck could still fly

my legs always turned to rubber
I was always afraid

and now I laugh

I remember how it must have been
them screaming to know if I was alright
this little skinny girl of six
pretty blonde hair
and frightened blue eyes
and no words
stuck in a car
in the back of their truck

memories
and smiling now

uncovered dreams

my favourite things

my favourite things/a rainbow straight up

all day God painted the sky different

a pallet of black and white

then blue grey deep on the horizon

and then came the rain
the wind bowed the trees

then all was still

playing round rummy with dad
I watched the 3:30 sun
lower itself on the horizon
and knew I must run to the other windows
to see the sunset's reflection

rewarded I was
with this quickness of thought

it has happened before
the surprise of God's palette
and today
January 2 
hosted 
a pure delight

a rainbow
triple thickness
shot straight up

the storm
gone ahead
leaving us with the light
and the promise
it is well

I had to call Shoshi
to look
even if her trees were in the way
the promise
was 
still
there

God's promises
faithful and true

my favourite things

my favourite things/ God's circle of love

January 1, 2021

always nice
this walking home with dad

long steps

arms linked

looking up together  to find the moon
safe in a soft ring of life
a circle of life
extended
reaching to the trees in the East
and over to the trees in the West

sealed
never ending
a soft haze but certain
bathing the moon
in the new year
2021

it was midnight
Dad went in
Shoshi and the kids already asleep

head down I gave the hay
spilled water in all the bowls
for the goats
slid the dogs away
for the night

then looked up

cotton balls filled where the ring had been
an entire ocean of cotton balls
circling the moon
clothing it for the new year
bright and cheery
cotton puffs
floating where the bare ring had once been
its soft glow no longer naked

a moment earlier
the sky was boldly bare
but for the moon within the ring

now brightly adorned with
puffs of the Heavenly
clothed in a certain
Humility
bathed in a lovely Grace
bright with Hope

was 
God's
circle of love

my favourite things

night moons with rainbows/my favourite things

I am back
to my
night
watches

or perhaps
they have never ended

the moon has danced
with me
last night a rainbow circled it
and set the mood merry
the clouds swept lazily
along
with us
and the owls came back
to whooo whoo

my smile is still with me today
and I had to say
I have
just
too many
favourite things
everyday
waiting to be told
and I don't think
that anything
should
keep me
from
saying it

so busyness
aside
and storm threats away
I will let the rainbows in
with their smiles
and brightness
on my path
to lead me
along
my
way

by day
it is snowman building
with precious
grand kids

and
soon
goat kids
are coming

night watches
night moons
with rainbows

my favourite things

my favourite things/ my goats call me

my goats call me
from the moment they hear me
come out of the house
until I squeak my bicycle's brakes
at the garden gate

they call me
they wait at the gate
for their goatherder

this old goat lady

three carloads of kids and adults
unpacked themselves as I came to do afternoon chores

instead I let out all the mamas and babas
from their stalls into the running area
and we all played

the children had no questions
they simply picked up day old babas and week old ones
and snuggled and cooed sweet babblings
that the beastlies immediately understood
to be love and joy and peace

the adults asked questions
and more and more
questions
but never once stooped to feel their softness
or smell their newness
or listen to their sweet murmurings

they missed the dancing on goat wings
the little ones sucking
they missed
the soft breeze come in
to refresh
and
renew

they missed the sighs
from children
and kids

I don't think they heard the laughter

It took a long time before anyone noticed
the quiet joy
of each child
mesmerized
rallying in their own little world
of peace and bliss
a kid
with a kid

and then they saw it
and were drawn in
and became part of the fun
and laughed with the children
and stooped to know
the precious babas

this old goat lady
watched with joy
quiet splendor
as the families
became playmates
and laughter was the bond
and love the strong chord
that joined them

this is how God works in the hearts of his children

all around are His signs and wonders

the bird song and new Spring life

and though we busy ourselves with our own
understandings and misunderstandings
at last
we do see the sunrise
or the sunset
or the child He has lent us for a season

and we will play in the beauty of this gift
He has sent us
our laughter
becomes praise
to Him

like this old goat lady
He looks on with joy
that they noticed
His love
gift

He is already planning their tomorrow

and He smiles

...............
my favourite things

my favourite things/ Mr Snowman

                                             Photos by Beth Lynn

the packages arrived
today
over the mountains
across the prairies
to Springtime
springing
water runoff perfect for a five year old
to ride bikes through
a trampoline perfect to count rocks on
for a wee girl

snow giving way
to green grass
and puddles
treasures
that lay hidden
a whole
entire
winter

today
Mr Snowman
arrived in the mail

you build him and then he melts
you build him again
and watch him
melt
all over again

it is Spring after all

and the giggles
and happiness
of mama hearts
watching little ones find simple joys
is enough

Mr Snowman

my favourite things

my favourite things/ trusting

this majestic puppy

visited a porcupine today
I'm certain she was surprised

perhaps it was the first time
something ever turned on her

this friendly

still puppyish hound
always
greeting the world around her 

with great 

enthusiasm

she
surely 

had no

enthusiasm 

when she 

returned home 

this morning

Eddie was fine
perhaps he saw what had happened to Willow
and decided a distance between him and the prickly friend was a fine thing
or perhaps
he is just 

a wee bit
wiser

in life

having been around 

loads of years 

more

never once did Willow try to bite me

I pulled the needles out one by one
and after two hours
I finally thought to calf tie her legs
and put a horse blanket over her
I held her firmly but gently

while I sat on her
and with encouraging words

took only seconds more

to remove the last needles 

stuck deeply 

in her 

chin

all out at last

there was no
biting me

just kisses and puppy romping

puppy slobber
and more 

kisses

This was my gift for hurting her with each needle out

she let me do it

I wish I could be such malleable clay in the Master's hands
His gentle gracious hands
He knows best

I know He loves me
I want to trust Him
like Willow trusted me

He knows best

trusting

my favourite things