Early Spring Haiku
rain pellets winter
hard earth, relentless echoes
softening the ground.
I'm certain that I'm not alone in feeling a bit caged of late, with the torrents of snow changing to rain, which despite being very needed, also tend to inflict cabin fever. Chronic illness and pain put a unique spin on the solitude, magnifying somehow, the distance between home and community. Except, of course, for my magnificent, brilliant and amazing friends in blogland!
This past Saturday was a brilliantly sunny, breezy day, and I decided enough! The sounds of the parade floats lining up along Midland Avenue, less than half a mile from our house, were more than I could bear. I mean, who doesn't love a good parade?! My favorite part is hanging out where they prepare to launch, not yet unwavering in character. So, Jim and I put the leashes on - the dogs - and walked down to Triangle Park for a great view.
Up behind the wall, the sheep were practicing for their St. Patrick's Day gig. Aside from watching Babe, I'd never witnessed such totally cool scattering and herding!
No St. Patrick's Day parade is complete without all things Scottish, which must make perfect sense... I suppose the proximity to Ireland does lends a more universal distinction to the bagpipes. I thoroughly enjoyed watching one group practice...
and another tuned up and ready to march.
Speaking of tuned up, the folks on the McCarthy's Irish Bar float were in full swing.
Along with a covey of Corvettes, heaps of Harleys and a bevy other bikers there were tractors. OK. This was our definite fave... in place of a John Deere logo, it said 'home made.' I love it.
Irish dancers performed before they headed up toward the middle of town and they were as colorful as they were brilliant. My, I'm sounding a bit like a travel guide, not my intent, but the dearth of art lately leaves me with little else to blog about.
My son (on the right) and his friend joined us and I snapped a few interesting shots on the walk home (including the photo at the top, the shell of a bug stuck to the wire on the side of the building that houses our local newspaper).
I admit I'm more than a little bummed that I don't have a prolific outflow of creative work to post. I have a couple of submitted-so-I-can't-post pieces, a wedding book to finish, several projects in various stages of completion and my altered fabric book awaits binding. One of the few to-do's I'm actually completing are embellishing a different St. Patrick's Day envelope every week or so; I recently joined Pass the Altered Envelope via the extremely creative and talented Kathy McElroy.
The need to paint, create backgrounds - even if I don't have a vision for them - remains overwhelming; I grabbed some small rectangular canvases at Michael's and had great time playing with color and texture. I have pondered a number of concepts and have come close to settling on the series but it sure hasn't been easy. Clutter and the need for spring clearing? An evolution in process? Who knows, but I think I'll get to work!
rain pellets winter
hard earth, relentless echoes
softening the ground.
I'm certain that I'm not alone in feeling a bit caged of late, with the torrents of snow changing to rain, which despite being very needed, also tend to inflict cabin fever. Chronic illness and pain put a unique spin on the solitude, magnifying somehow, the distance between home and community. Except, of course, for my magnificent, brilliant and amazing friends in blogland!
This past Saturday was a brilliantly sunny, breezy day, and I decided enough! The sounds of the parade floats lining up along Midland Avenue, less than half a mile from our house, were more than I could bear. I mean, who doesn't love a good parade?! My favorite part is hanging out where they prepare to launch, not yet unwavering in character. So, Jim and I put the leashes on - the dogs - and walked down to Triangle Park for a great view.
Up behind the wall, the sheep were practicing for their St. Patrick's Day gig. Aside from watching Babe, I'd never witnessed such totally cool scattering and herding!
No St. Patrick's Day parade is complete without all things Scottish, which must make perfect sense... I suppose the proximity to Ireland does lends a more universal distinction to the bagpipes. I thoroughly enjoyed watching one group practice...
and another tuned up and ready to march.
Speaking of tuned up, the folks on the McCarthy's Irish Bar float were in full swing.
Along with a covey of Corvettes, heaps of Harleys and a bevy other bikers there were tractors. OK. This was our definite fave... in place of a John Deere logo, it said 'home made.' I love it.
Irish dancers performed before they headed up toward the middle of town and they were as colorful as they were brilliant. My, I'm sounding a bit like a travel guide, not my intent, but the dearth of art lately leaves me with little else to blog about.
My son (on the right) and his friend joined us and I snapped a few interesting shots on the walk home (including the photo at the top, the shell of a bug stuck to the wire on the side of the building that houses our local newspaper).
I admit I'm more than a little bummed that I don't have a prolific outflow of creative work to post. I have a couple of submitted-so-I-can't-post pieces, a wedding book to finish, several projects in various stages of completion and my altered fabric book awaits binding. One of the few to-do's I'm actually completing are embellishing a different St. Patrick's Day envelope every week or so; I recently joined Pass the Altered Envelope via the extremely creative and talented Kathy McElroy.
The need to paint, create backgrounds - even if I don't have a vision for them - remains overwhelming; I grabbed some small rectangular canvases at Michael's and had great time playing with color and texture. I have pondered a number of concepts and have come close to settling on the series but it sure hasn't been easy. Clutter and the need for spring clearing? An evolution in process? Who knows, but I think I'll get to work!
Comments
So glad to read you have been out and about...feeling better of sorts. I, too, have many projects started and not finished. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Sharon
Thanking of you and sending hugs, xoxox k