Lenten Monday meditation #5

"After Her Death"

I am trying to find the lesson
for tomorrow. Matthew something.
Which lectionary? I have not
forgotten the Way, but, a little,
the way to the Way. The trees keep whispering
peace, peace, and the birds
in the shallows are full of the
bodies of small fish and are
content. They open their wings
so easily, and fly. So. It is still
possible.

I open the book
which the strange, difficult, beautiful church
has given me. To Matthew. Anywhere.

Mary Oliver

The angle of the setting sun

At this time of year the setting sun is at just the right angle to be shining through our west facing stained glass windows during Evening Prayer. On days when the sun is bright (no snide remarks, here...things really are getting better and brighter!) our prayer is overseen by seven beautiful jewel-like windows and their exact reflections on the ceramic tiles. The windows are set in quite a bit, much like shadow boxes, so the reflective area is quite large.

I'm trying to capture the beauty of the windows and their reflections. I don't have it right yet, but you can get the idea here. Stay tuned as I work on my camera setting to try and show them to you in their full glory.

Lenten Monday meditation #4

"Broken, Unbroken"

The lonely
stand in the dark corners
of their hearts.

I have seen them
in cities,
and in my own neighborhood,

nor could I touch them
with the magic
that they crave

to be unbroken.
Then, I myself,
lonely,

said hello to
good fortune.
Someone

came along
and lingered
and little by little

became everything
that makes the difference.
Oh, I wish such good luck

to everyone.
How beautiful it is
to be unbroken.

Mary Oliver

My friend, Judy, from whom I learned everything I know about photography, tells me I'm not helping the coming of spring process by continuing to post winter pictures (beautiful though they may be)! So this one's for you, Judy---as we live in hope.

Schizophrenia sets in

I'm caught in a vortex of winter schizophrenia. Half of me is still mesmerized by the beauty that is in late winter snowstorms such as we experienced one day this weekend. (12" of a heavy, wet beautiful whitewashing-type storm...the world went totally white). Absolutely beautiful. Two or three of us went rushing outside with cameras as soon as morning prayer was over, to catch the scenes. Here's one from the east end of the library courtyard.

And yet, I am longing (and I'm not the only one!) for spring: daffodils, blossoming trees, new grass, warm breezes, robins and everything that says s-p-r-i-n-g, new life is here again. My friend Audrey, who has three wood pieces in our annual art show that opens Sunday, gave me this blue bird house that she fashioned in her wood shop. We have one already, store-bought, and the blue birds have stayed all winter. Is that normal? Hopefully this one will bring a new family of these Pepsi-blue birds to our backyard. I love how natural and unfinished it is.

Lenten Monday meditation #3

"To Begin with, the Sweet Grass" part 4

Someday I am going to ask my friend Paulus,
the dancer, potter,
to make me a begging bowl
which I believe
my soul needs.

And if I come to you,
to the door of your comfortable house
with unwashed clothes and unclean fingernails,
will you put something into it?

I would like to take this chance.
I would like to give you this chance.

Mary Oliver

Extra-just for you who have snowless winters!

Enjoy!

The adventure known as "Winter 2017-18" continues!

Friday morning, March 2, 2018, Erie, PA

OMG

Oh my God! What are these that are making an appearance throughout our gardens this last week of February? Could it be another sign of spring? Yes, the little squirrels and chipmunks have started to appear; some birds we haven't seen for 4 months are back; we can drive to work and home without our car lights on---so what are these? Could they be daffodil leaves and other first greenery of a new season? Yes...they are.

Now, can they survive the March wintry days that are sure to come? We'll see. If we can survive another 4-5 weeks, so shall they!