For my sweet Claire, Caedon, Colton, and Scarlett
This for you is a promise ring –
let me tell you what it means.
A reminder that you are always loved –
no matter how hard life may seem.
That I love you, and so do others –
that your love that your best and your worst.
And you love to love just as much as I do –
but please promise to love yourselves first!
These rings that I made mean forever –
(forever) have your own space in my heart.
And forever I'll always be with you –
Yes, that's even when we're far apart.
Now lastly I give you this symbol [Vegvisir] –
(which is) a promise all in its own.
No matter how lost you may find yourself –
That you will always find your way home!
I love you SO much! Never ever forget! Love, Mommy
(And Aunt Chelsea)
Contest: In The Stars
Sponsor: Robert James Liguori
For all we try to be and do;
For all we try to say or not say;
For all the time given in life to us;
For all our choices to go or stay.
Indeed, it matters much about us;
About all we contribute to the journey;
About all our sucesses and failures.
But there's far more to it than us alone.
Call it the Stars, Fate, or Happenstance.
Call it the Universe if we so choose.
Credit ourselves when we win;
And blame others when we lose.
The Stars said, "Neither strolls,voices,
Nor visions dwell with me".
Fate said, "When in time you come
My way, remember that I have neither
Say nor influence".
Happenstance said, "I have neither
Consciousness, control, nor creativity".
And lastly, Universe said, "Although I
Appear to be an ever seeing eye, an
Overseer I am not".
From where will the final answer come?
To whom then may we turn for appeals?
Who will be the ultimate judge of us all?
Stars? Fate? Happenstance? Or Universe?
Or, will we hear the voice of God saying,
"Come unto me"?
an elk rib rack frenched
pinot noir
garlic
slab bacon
pearl onions
tomato paste
mushrooms
celery
red bell pepper
cayeene pepper
thyme bay leaves
carrots
brown all edges of the elk in olive oil
allow to cool
add wine and salt
Mccormick seasoning
all to marinade for three hours
in a dutch oven
add oilve oil 5 T.
cook bacon !/2done
(1/2 raw add lastly)
sautee carrots, celery,
red bell pepper
add mushrooms and
remove from heat
and add the rib roast
pour in wine
add one cup of water
pearl onions
thyme and bay leaves
add tomato paste
season with more McCormick's
cook for 3 hours at 350.
make a gravy and mash potato's
-----------------------------------------
serve with a grilled veggie salad with goat cheese
and garlic bread
Four days ago, my youngest turned 45.
Presently, we live some 500 miles apart,
But have great conversations by phone.
Several months ago, he said, "Pop, how
Does it feel to be 76"? My reply went
Something like this:
I can see and hear very well. I feel good,
And my sleep is great. My memory is a
Cut above. I've lost a few, but my teeth
Are real. My weight is in good order,
And I'm a firm believer in vitamins.
I have had a pacemaker for my heart
Since 2015. I have more than enough
Energy. Each day, I take a heart pill,
An aspirin, multiple vitamins, and extra
Vitamin C.
And lastly, I said to my son who calls me
Pop, "I can walk a lot but please don't
Make me run."
There is love,
Synonymous to life.
reflections may tatter and erode upon mirrors
Seasons may break and pass,
Years may come and go.
However,
Upon life that love has not changed.
For its likeness maintained what the world breaks.
A child is only found in children,
or in one whom has been preserved by a love of this fashion
Conclusively,
my childish soul is to remain.
And only upon a grave will it lastly reside,
As assured by the immutable love i hold for you.
It's All In
The Resistance
To The Resistance
To Change That
Has Changed...
(Slow Down.)
It Might Get AWAY!
That Resistance To
CHANGE!!!
It Might Go Wild (Hooray! HOORAY!)
And Be Hilarious
Ironically...
(LASTLY)
Because You'll Be
Laughing AT
You, (Whatever THAT Is.)
Contentedly (!)
(You Tried So Hard...)
-Gray Squirrel
05-08-2026
There once was a hyena
Whose name was Katrina
She laughed a lot
And gave the lions much rot
Of late we just haven’t seen her.
Her best friend was Deborah
A fleet of foot zebra
Who looked like a horse
But wasn’t of course
Her star sign was said to be Libra.
Then there was Mark
A burrowing aardvark
Who came out at night
And easily took fright
Because he was scared of the dark.
And lastly there’s Peter
The overweight cheetah
Who couldn’t catch prey
But just sat there all day
Curled up in front of the heater.
Thrice the ached to lose child.
Tight-grasped of, and as soft
A hand. The true key of
Home; and its love!
Leading on, more beguiled
Mother, motherly wife
Lastly, whilst Earth farewell
Myself, angel.
In January
With Mother Mary
We wed down at the chapel
In February
Cold and airy
Your cheeks as red as apple
And in mid March
Under a golden arch
You said we would have a daughter
But then come April
A spring too fatal
For we had quickly lost her
In late May
I heard you say
We would be forever
Although in June
It came to soon
We were not together
At the end of July
I saw you cry
Through your open window
Then in August
You never saw this
I threw away your pillow
In September
I still remember
I got the call I dread
And in October
No longer sober
They found you cold and dead
In November
To control my temper
I enjoyed the end of fall
Lastly in December
Your darkened dying ember
I could not picture you at all
oh tell me what's this ruse my little friend?
proud petals spread and reaching for the sun
did you not think that you might be undone
by all the winter white the heavens send?
I wonder can you wriggle rooty toes
dug deep beneath the frozen permafrost?
and what will your proud exhibition cost
when that chill winter mistral lastly blows?
I think perhaps you're quite a bit like me
not satisfied with summer's briefer tides
how quickly all that magic came and died
not ready yet to set those passions free
so know our meeting isn't just by chance
‘twas no mistake you blossom in the cold
you've given me a message - rich as gold
to make the most of ev’ry circumstance
for life's the grandest miracle indeed -
and you are far too charmed to go to seed.
~ 1st Place ~ in the “Snow Fantasy or Christmas Nostalgia Poetry Contest”, Constance La France, Judge & Sponsor
I entered the game…
And was confronted with Wraith
It was my job to avoid the Death Shriek
Which I did
But next came the Gargoyle
Which was elemental
I slid from his tactics
An undead Ghoul approached me
Must look out for his bites and claws
Then with an attack of +7
Came the Rat Swarm
I fought for the experience points
Oh no vermin! Spider
The web is the worst
Can you even believe an undead Zombie
Armor class is 11
Reptile; Kobold Skirmisher
Damage only one
My greatest fear…
The Blazing Skeleton
But my dice tops well
The skeleton only though
Has scimitar and slice
Yielding two experience points!
And lastly is the wolf
With bite or pounce
It’s okay. I’ll defeat him too.
And win this game.
If poverty were human,
What would they be like?
Would he be stout and tall,
Unyielding in his ruthlessness?
Or a frail young woman,
Weary in her helplessness?
Would he stink of broken hopes,
And those of starved deaths?
Or would she smell of a long day,
And hard-earned pennies?
Would he have calloused fingers,
From years of crawling the dirt?
Or would she have frayed long lines,
Engraving her palm and destiny with silent endurance?
How would he look like when he smiled?
Sinister in his biased cruelty?
Or compassionate and patient,
In the face of unwarranted sufferings?
Lastly, how would the eyes be?
The windows to the soul, they say.
Would they be hard and grey,
With sadistic pleasure for the fallen?
Or would they be hopeful for what's to come,
And grateful for the little that they have?
Everyone was fine until they ate the last slice.
Before the sugar was poured twice.
Lastly, it’s horrible like general sweating.
Waiting and regretting.
Everyone had fur, like a werewolf.
I had nothing except a hat from golf.
Cranky portraits on the wall.
I somehow used to be tall.
Until the shrink ray passed through.
And everything turned blue.
Everyone was fine before the rubber bands got pulled.
The shrink ray got sold.
The hour glass sand got taller than me.
Yet, I can still see.
Everyone was fine until they tore the last slice.
When they tore off my layers twice.
I wrote a documentary
that would have won a BAFTA
But nobody would fund it
It was not what they were afta
I pitched the plot to Netflix
cuz they have a lot of money
They sent me packing, laughing
“Don’t call us, we’ll call you, Sonny”
I lastly pitched to Paramount
hoping they’d save the day
They took one look at me
shook their head and said, “No way!”
It’s such a shame that no one knows
your worth unless you’re famous
I always seek some solace from
those cookies made by Amos …
Famous (yummy) Amos (yummy)
“Makes your eyes light up (and)
Your tummy say ‘Howdy.’”
Life is like a leaf
Staying in high
Staying in the middle
Slowly by seasons
It changes it colors
Then, shows its beauty
Lastly, when the time comes
Well done, well drop.
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