05/31/19

I imagine everyone thinks their state
is the most beautiful in the nation. But,
after our three-day mini-vay, I have to
say, I'm beginning to think Colorado
has them all beat. The Idaho Springs,
Gilpin, Rollinsville, Nederland trek,
must be one of God's fave vacationing
places. The snow-covered mountains
are majestic, the green pines luscious,
the newly budding aspens wait in
abeyance and the skies are beyond the
pale, each and every hour of the day!
One forgets that such beauty exists
midst the sorrow and calamities of our
current world. I am beyond thankful;
I am undone!

am brought to my knees
tears flowing bow in wonder
mama nature rocks

05/30/19

We just had our first RV Campground
experience, and what an experience!
The place is beautiful, neat and tidy,
as well as a tad expensive. We were
told the place offered electric, water
and a dump station. Curiously enough,
the water was frozen and the dump
station was surrounded by cars, hence
unable to use. This place is so nice;
they wouldn't have needed to be shady
with us! Still we'll enjoy another night
of it and plan to sight-see today. Some
retirees enjoy Europe and other exotic
places, but we're having a hell of a lot
of fun with my new Lady Salem . . .
and for those of you who don't name
your vehicles, that would be travel
trailer to you!

retired at last
fun a la dave copperfield
few shekels suffice

05/29/19

I know we're all vastly concerned about
our students and the incrementing violence
schools are facing. Having taught in Mexico
for 17 years and Colorado for 23, I have
observed different schools and distinct
approaches to our mutual problem. The
last school I taught in, hired resource
officers, virtually a new concept when put
into effect. I watches as the students came
to respect and even to love these officers.
In addition to greater safety in schools, the
resource officers provided a very positive
experience within many of the pre-conceived
notions of police and all this means to a
community. a viable solution, a positive
impact.

new thoughts and new ways
im thinking outside the box
pray open my mind

05/28/19

Throughout the entirety of our lives,
we have all known grief. Still, as we
grow older, the losses of family and
friends rise exponentially. I wonder,
if life ever prepares us to accept loss.
I do find that losing loved ones impels
thought to just how precious life is. We
tend to cast our minds over our own
lives, the things we've accomplished,
those we didn't. Perhaps, even with
fear and trembling, we gird up our loins,
sally forth and conquer, taking inventory
of our personal growth. Truly frightening
to look the beast straight in the eyes!
Maybe, it's actually age that gives us the
courage to delve deep. Know that my
heart is with you; grief does indeed take
it's toll. And maybe just maybe, I'll be
granted the courage to do my own soul
searching.

old me and new me
pray shine the light in my dark
still seeking my place

05/27/19

It's so funny it might be hilarious, if it
weren't so sad . . . nigh onto 70 years
old and I over indulged last night. I so
love to party; don't do it very often. But,
I always draw the line . . . or so I thought.
I think others may be able to forgive me,
but I seem to have a hard time forgiving
myself. Sooooo, the question is, "When
am I going to friggin' grow up?"

cant forgive myself
am searching for perfection
never to be found

05/26/19

I love DIFFERENT! In a world that strives
for cookie cutter, those who refuse to color
within the lines are priceless! How's that
for a mixed metaphor?! Nonetheless, the
topic bears thinking about. We should ask
ourselves, "Am I truly content to just be
like everyone else? Am I brave enough to
try and find ME? Is it really so important
we all look alike? Think alike? Act alike?"
One of the things I've found most difficult
is find, and finding oneself once again
throughout the different eras of one's life.
I suppose the initial search begins in middle
school, only to change somewhat in high
school. Adult years, tinted and/or tainted
with education, jobs, job loss, spouses,
children . . . may be some of the most
curious years in self search. What I never
expected, was that it would begin all over
again in my elder years. Never say it
coming; thought I'd been there, done that!
Not sure I should raise a glass or hand out
alka seltzer to those of us on our quests!
When in doubt do both?! Courage . . .

i ask who i am
pondering these many years
am i really me

05/25/19

I've had a thought! Good deal every
once in a while; ha! I've been quite
negative about the weather and it
occurs to me that I've forgotten that
gratitude can counteract negativity.
So, 'mongst my rants, I remind myself . . .
I am eternally grateful for my children,
for family and friends, for learning and
students, for books and technology, for
hearth and home . . . and at this point,
I am eternally grateful I am still alive!

forgot gratitude
negativity prevails
pray do forgive me

05/24/19

Ayer, el 23 de Mayo, celebramos el Día del
Estudiante. Como profesora de más de 40
años, he celebrado esta fecha muchísimas
veces. Muy sin embargo, me puse a pensar.
No necesariamente, es el alumno él que se
siente en las bancas en un salón de clase.
Todos tenemos el derecho y el deber de
aprender todos los días. Cosas sencillas
como el manejo del carro, el uso del corta
zacate, leer libretos de instrucciones, el
uso de máquinas en la cocina. Y claro, hay
aprendizaje más complejo como clases
nocturnas o volver al colegio tiempo completo.
El chiste es seguir estudiando toda la vida,
sea lo que sea el área de interés. Se supone
que mantener la mente activa y alerta, nos
mantendrá bien despiertos el resto de la vida.

quiero aprender
demasiadas cosas
la vida larga

05/23/19

"Colorado snowpack is five times bigger
than it was a year ago at this time."
I swear, I'm moving back to Mexico! It's
May 23 and it's been snowing for four days.
Me thinks SADS is moving in permanently;
I pray I have the wherewithal to withstand!

the gods of weather
are wreaking havoc on us
praying i survive

05/22/19

It must be December . . . snowing for
three days now . . . think I'll build a fire,
put up my Christmas tree and stockings
and get out the carols. Not sure about
the pressies though; it's too cold to go
shopping! ~!@#$%^&*()_+

christmas in july
finally understanding
moved to the south pole

05/21/19

NOOOOO!!! NOT AGAIN!!! Will it never end?!
I swear, this is the longest winter in the history of
mankind! I'm so tired of it; can't cope; dying on
the vine here! Message to the gods: H E L P !!!
MAKE IT STOP!!!!!

five inches of hell
pray amend my attitude
will it never end

05/20/19

Honey, I'm home! I don't know about you,
but waking up in your own bed after a fun
weekend with family is like the two sides of
the same coin. Coming home is always great,
but missing the kids and the break is part of
the equation as well. Me thinks 'tis called
re-entering . . . not necessarily the easiest
process in the world. So, I raise my morning
water glass in toast to the family for a great
weekend and end with a shudder thinking of
all the housework I need to do! Here's me
thinking I rather wish we'd stayed on . . .

a trip to the plains
different kind of beauty
wish we were still there

05/19/19

Alas, 'tis time to depart . . . it never ceases
to amaze me how one so looks forward to
different given outings and yet at the same
time, equally look forward to returning
home. It's probably a good thing to embrace
both. Obviously, there are those who would
rather die that return home. Different is
truly what makes the world go 'round. Still,
such a grand time . . .

we are on our way
the old homestead is lonely
cant wait for next time

05/18/19

Birthdays, family and friends ahoy . . .

Our son-in-law is birthday-ing this weekend
at their property in Kingdom Come. It's ever
so exciting; people from every walk of life
will be gathering to celebrate. Now, this may
look a bit different from other celebrations.
There will be some sitting around the fire,
communal cooking and sharing, a few bottles
of something, along with bike riding
and maybe even some shooting. Trust me,
these guys know how to celebrate. This thing
I like best is that the entire family from five
to fifty (o.k. 69 and holding) are included.
Something for everyone! I so love and respect
that our family isn't 'cookie-cutter'!

so looking forward
creation of memories
different is best

05/17/19

Today, I find myself remembering family . . .
all my family, but especially the elders gone
from this realm. Their lives gave birth to ours,
created many facets in us, touched us, and
gave us a precious framework of reference.
Some of the memories are glorious beyond
belief and others bring sorrow to the soul.
In this kaleidoscope dancing in my mind, I
find the joys far outweigh the sorrows. If I'm
not careful, I feel a storytelling coming on.
But, at this point, I simply wish to recognize
my family, all my family. Never forgotten
will be said joys and sorrows, the laughter
and the tears, the breakdowns and the lifting
up, the remembering and forgetting. What a
gift the gods gave us when they created family!

la familia
never willing to forget
don de los dones

05/16/19

16 de Mayo del 2019.- Don Luis Ferreira

No puede llegar el 16 de Mayo sin que recuerde
al padre de mis hijos. Un gran hombre, Don Luis!
Me acuerdo la primera vez que lo vi en el colegio
en el cual yo estaba estudiando. era secretario
del colegio y el profesor de Matemáticas y
Lengua y Literatura. Tuve la dicha de trabajar
a su lado como secretaria y tomé sus clases.
Francamente, fue el mejor maestro que jamás
tuve en esas áreas. Apenas soportaba a los
matebrúticas, como lo llamaba en aquel entonces.
Pero, creó en mí, una amor eterno para nuestra
lengua y literatura. Obviamente, no hay mejor
regalo en el mundo que mis hijos; no podría vivir
sin ellos! Pero también le agradezco las horas
felices escondida en los libros clásicos del idioma.
El idioma reina eterno en mi alma, los autores
caminan a mi lado; felicidades Don Luis Ferreira!

me imagino
don quijote y don luis
en gran plática

05/15/19 - Día del Maestro

A veces creo que nos son dados estos días
especiales para que recordemos lo que es
importante en esta vida. Toda profesión
tiene su lugar y su importancia, sin lugar a
duda. Muy sin embargo, tiendo a respetar
el magisterio por encima de todos porque
tanto adoro a la enseñanza. sé que no todo
el mundo tiene la suerte de estar en la
profesión de su preferencia, y tal vez por eso
estoy tan agradecida para co Dios que me
ha tocado tal dicha. Gocé demasiado todos
mis años como estudiante. Gracias a Dios,
pude estudiar toda la vida. Pero, estar en el
salón de clases como profesora, compartiendo
ideas, conocimiento, destellos de luz . . . no
hay nada en el mundo que se le compare.
Quiero agradecerles a mis alumnos por el gozo
que me hayan dado en aquellos 40 años de
pura gloria. Simplemente, me quedo atónita!

magisterio
la felicidad sin par
bendito sea

05/14/19

She storm the earth with the zeal
needed to break through and blossom.

She pauses to breathe in the courage to
continue with the life that was given her.

She weeps as the last of her beauty fades
and fails; the summers of her life are over.

she is birthing me
she is who i want to be
she is who i am

05/13/19

Sooooo, wondrous Mother's Days,
US and Mexico . . .  but what about
the kids? They are the ones that
make us mothers, after all! In Mexico
we have, Día del Niño on April 30th,
but I'm thinking US doesn't have such
a day. Do tell. So, as Mother's Day has
just passed, let's honor the kids. And
I bet that moms the world over, tend
to think of their children, even those
fifty years and older, as kids. So, here
is to my dearests and bests . . . mine
own, my steps, my grands, my gods,
my adopts, my students . . . I thank
the gods for them all. Happy, happy
to those who have made us mothers!

keep protect and serve
hold them ever in our hearts
how we love our kids

05/12/19 - Mother's Day

Thinking of you on Mother's Day . . .

My mother was beyond amazing;
make no mistake. My brother was
born to her just over a year and a
half after me. I can't even imagine
what it must have been like for her
working full time with two  small
children . . . and then to find that he
was not only special, but handicapped
as well. I'm sure mom must have
broken down from time to time,
maybe even more often than not.
But, she chose to do so privately and
soldier on with a courage I have not
seen equaled to this day. Although we
were a tight knit family, my parents
did a bit of the divide and conquer,
daddy taking me over and mom mostly
fending for my brother. She orchestrated
pre-school day care, sat on Special
Education boards, befriended other
struggling families, was a sounding board
for heart broken mothers, an unending list!
Mom and I didn't see eye to eye, don't
think we ever got each other. Having said
that, she's one of the most phenomenal
sheros I've ever encountered. Me thinks
I'd like to be just like her when I grow up.
Ok, as long as I still get to be me!

Happy mother's day, mom!

mother of mothers
not certain i ever knew
am i growing up

05/11/19

Finding my way back . . .

I don't know if it's retirement, caring
for my mom in-home for three and a
half years, growing older, or just what,
but I've been feeling erased. Somehow,
I've lost ME and not quite sure how to
find my way back. I miss teaching like
one misses a severed limb . . . I find it
difficult to cope without it. Perhaps, it
has something to do with the fact that
more than two thirds of my life was
spent teaching and the other third, a
student. i do know that I have to find
ME soon or things are not going to end
well. I'd put up a reward, but not sure
just how to word a poster at this point.

searching for myself
pray where is the lost and found
am i there perhaps

Diez de Mayo . . . Día de las Madres!

Una de las cosas que extraño tanto de
México . . . sus bellas madres. Todo el
mundo tiene madres fabulosas . . . o no
tanto. Mu sin embargo, no creo haber
visto madre alguna como las que hay en
mi México lindo y querido. El término es
una especie de sombrilla, si se me permite
la ilusión, bajo la cual se unen dotes de . . .
ama de casa, sirvienta, chef de alta cocina,
enfermera, doctora, revolucionaria . . . me
imagino que ya tienen la idea. De hecho, si
se quiere saber algo, se le pregunta a una
madre . . . no a Dios, ni a sus angelitos. Son
heroinas de primera monta; me arrodillo
a sus pies.

migas del alma
madres de la vecindad
felicidades

madres eternas
benditas entre todas
recordandolas

la mas dichosa
mari madre de jesus
rezo a ella

05/09/19

The sorrows of this world . . .
have left me bereft . . .
sans paroles . . .

will this never end
this that we do to ourselves
and to each other

05/08/19

Once again, we awaken to heartbreak . . .
even the heavens are copiously weeping.
When will this demented madness end?
Truly, how can we be of actual help?!
Me thinks we must give serious thought
to our actual beliefs . . . and within the
confines of said beliefs, zero in on what
can actually be done to actually help. We
are well beyond the boundaries of thinking,
theorizing, pontificating and hiding behind
our disgust; action must be taken, NOW!
I pray we can come together and ACT!
I am telling NO ONE what to believe,
to carry or not to carry . . . but no more
children must die. We must act . . . NOW!

so many babes lost
supplications heaven bound
pray feel our sorrow

05/07/19

My father used to say, "Another day, another
dollar." Alas, I don't see any additional dollars
freely adding themselves to my purse, but it
is another day . . . and I swear, I am going to
adjust my attitude and NOT spend any of those
non-existent dollars . . . and then, I notice my
guy walking rather carefully around me. I ask
him what's up and he retorts, I'm not sure
whether to warn you or not, but the 's-word' is
expected." I explode! "It's only supposed to rain!
Don't even be THINKING the s-word!" God,
Winter never end?! ~@#$%^&*()_+

p.s. Spring had better truly come soon as I notice
I'm doing a lot of  `!@#$%^&*()_+

oh love of my life
mr sun how i miss you
pray you soon return

05/06/17

Me thinks human emotions are something
like the old clothes lines of yesteryear. On
wash day, you could see piece after piece
of fresh laundry hung with carved wooden
pins, flailing in the wind, almost against
their will. Describes perfectly a day such
as today. The LIST . . . one must bear up
and be slave to the list. Drive her, pay there,
eat quickly, remember what was forgotten,
pray you get home without killing anyone!
Can I please go to bed early and pretend
today never happened? ~!@#$%^&*()_+

all errands ahoy
dancing as fast as I can
off to bed early

05/05/19 - Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo . . . means so much
and so many different things to
different people. I can't even imagine
the celebrations in Mexico today and
we make a fab effort here as well. But,
for me, it's all about the birth of the
most amazing woman I've ever known.
She spans the bridge between her two
countries with honor and decorum. A
phenomenal wife, mother without par,
and understands friendship in a manner
which few do. For me, she exemplifies
daughter, so much so, I wish I'd taken
lessons from her. I salute her; I honor
her; I want to be just like her when I
grow up! Happiest of all birthdays,
dear heart!

hija sublime
mas alla de sus años
maestra sin par

05/04/19

A day of solitude, thoughts racing down the
byways of my mind, moments of clarity . . .
I pray I will be able to hold ever in my heart!

We all know and appreciate the value of solitude.
Still, I find it a wonder we don't seek it out more.
Why is it, we often hold the answers in the quiet
of our souls, yet seek the cacophony in our brains
to drown out the answers waiting to be brought
to light. Clarity, understanding, wisdom await . . .
yet, we often treat them as uninvited strangers,
asking them to leave through the inaction of our
indifference.

Pray, bring on the quiet, those precious silent
moments . . . Oh wisdom, I am waiting . . .
teach me, heal me . . . I so need you . . .

my soul is longing
yearning for the sage within
pray sate my hunger

05/03/19

I haven't decided yet . . . Is it being under
the influence of old friends or being memory
laden?! I find it rather wondrous to be of an
age and era where reminiscing is actually a
glorious activity. I imagine most elders wish
they had been blest with such acuity long
before their present day status . . . Now, if
I could only hold onto that tad of wisdom . . .

gods grant me wisdom
find myself sorely lacking
when will i grow up

05/02/19

WOW! I'm not sure what to say . . .
Me thinks I'll be feeling Beltane
all day today and maybe even
tomorrow! How old did we say
I am?  ~!@#$%^&*()_+

a three day beltane
a day to be remembered
naughty naughty miss

There was a titch too much coffee
in my whiskey at the gig last night
methinks. ~James Speiser

May 1st - May Day, Beltane, Día del Trabajo

I can remember loving MAY DAY as a child!
Construction paper baskets filled with sweet,
yellow flowers and it was off to the neighbors
to deliver each a May Day basket. Sounds to
me like early days of celebrating Beltane, for
me, the most fun of all Pagan holidays. Still,
it wasn't until I lived in Mexico for 20 years
that I truly came to appreciate Día del Trabajo,
Mexico's Labor Day. Growing up, we went to
school from Labor Day to Memorial Day. So,
you can appreciate my childhood context for
Labor Day. Día del Trabajo, on the other hand,
supports fiestas, marching bands, parades and
speeches. And speaking of fiestas, I bow to the
whole May Day basket of Beltane . . . the
anticipation, preparations, celebrations and any
other 'tions' you can think of. Here's wishing
you and yours the best May Day ever . . .

you call it may day
i call it beltania
celebs awaiting