A January Update

I have not had a chance to write much since the beginning of the year. The flu took hold of me just after the New Year and decided to settle in for a long visit. I am still a little stuffy, but feel much better than I did earlier this month.

The weather here is very unusual. We usually have a good amount of snow and cold at a steady pace starting in December that lasts throughout until the middle of March. However, the temperatures in December and during most of January never reached much below 30⁰ F with only one good snowfall. In fact, the overall temperatures were in the 40⁰’s – 50⁰’s with some high 60⁰ F days thrown in for good measure. This past weekend it was near 50⁰ F and today we are in the single digits at 8⁰ F. It is no wonder that the flu season has hit so hard.

I am thinking about taking a photography class sometime this year, as photography is more or less one of my hobbies. I don’t know how well I will be at this, but I feel the need to explore the possibilities. Also, I am lately writing more poetry and I feel I should submit some of my work to a few poetry contests this year. Of course, this means I will have to refrain from posting all of my work to my blogs. I want to mention here that I have started posting my poetry to a new blog here: http://bookendings.wordpress.com/. I am using that blog specifically for poetry, but I will still maintain my poetry heading here as well. I am posting one or two poems per week over at http://wordpress.com as I don’t want to overwhelm new followers with 35-40 posts (or more) all at once. 

Well, that’s all I have to say for today. I hope everyone is well and keeping warm in these winter months. Until next time, Thanks for stopping by… Yvonne  

Deer Tracks

On a walk in the woods,

 In the early morning mist,

I stopped to rest

Beneath a thin white birch.

I heard her approach,

Moving slow to the clearing.

Her hooves touched lightly

Yet solid on frozen ground

She stopped at once

Her head held high,

Searching my presence

Statue frozen, staring, still.

Her eyes met mine.

I did not move.

There was no sound

Save the song of birds.

In that moment,

We seemed connected.

For I felt her courage,

And I knew her power.

 Then she turned away,

Her head bent low.

She walked into the woods.

And the moment was gone.

Winter’s Snow

Sometimes it comes in silence

Drifting slowly like single,

White feathers floating on air

That vanish to liquid

Upon touching ground.

Sometimes it comes in turbulence

Swirling in swarms

To create white walls

That blinds our view and

Builds to drifts that block our path.

Once settled, the world brightens

For in its whiteness it is unequaled,

Only surviving within the sharp,

Biting frost of winter air.

It’s only voice comes as a crunch

Beneath our boot-clad feet;  

Yet it brings cries of joy from youthful play

As we slip and slide along its surface

And mold it amid our hands to shapes

Sparked within our enchanted dreams.

Weapons are not a Path to Peace and Harmony

There is much controversy in America these days over the Second Amendment that concerns our rights as citizens to own and carry weapons.  While I understand the need for the Second Amendment, I do believe that we need to have restrictions to that right. The violence in this country involving firearms and the acquisition of firearms by anyone having the money or means to acquire a firearm is completely out of control. It is fast becoming the belief by the average American citizen that they should own and carry a firearm when they leave their home for whatever reason whether to go to a shopping mall, a theater, school, or place of employment. There is no doubt that we are living in dangerous times, however I can imagine more dangerous times on the horizon as more of our average citizens feel the need to arm themselves.

With the increase of violence involving armed predators, there comes an increased sense of terror within the psyche of the average citizen and the sense that they must have the means to defend their homes, families, friends, and themselves.  Over the past few years, I have thought long and hard about my personal feelings on the subject of violence and the need to carry a weapon as it is my right as an American citizen. While I am aware that many will disagree with my view (and have every right to disagree), my opinion is that I do not believe that weapons are a path to peace and harmony.

Yes, people do use weapons for the purpose of sport and hunting, but weapons such as handguns and assault weapons are not used for this purpose. The purpose of these types of weapons is to kill or seriously injure human beings. These types of weapons need regulations as to their acquirement, intention of usage, and the reason for their need.

As mass murders and homicides continue to rise, we are seeing an escalated purchase of firearms by the average citizen. However, while the average citizen may have training in target shooting, they do not have training to respond in a panic situation with the use of a weapon. While a person may believe they know how to react, reality and fantasy have very different results.  I do not believe that more people owning and carrying weapons is an answer to stopping violent crimes. Weapons are not a path to peace and harmony.

If the acquirement of weapons continues, I can only imagine more killing. I feel we are taking a backwards step or even a long stride from freedom and safety not only in our cities, but in our towns and small communities as well. I prefer not to have to own or carry a weapon with the intention or fear that if a situation arises that I will have to take another person’s life. Nor do I want to live in trepidation that a situation will arise where I fear for my own life. This is not a psychologically healthy way to live. We should not go back to living life as it was in the days of the ‘wild west’ or have to live as though we are in a war zone.

Yes, unfortunately, people will always find ways to kill or harm one another; however, without laws and regulations imposed on the sale of weapons, it is too easy for anyone to carry out these types of crimes particularly on a mass scale. We need to find a way to get weapons off the street and away from those who wish to harm others. We need strong laws imposed on the sale of firearms. We need to feel safe on our streets, public areas, and our own homes. Increasing the amount of people who own and carry guns is not the answer…

Weapons are not a path to peace and harmony.

Thanks for stopping by. ~Yvonne~

It’s a New Year…

"Go out into the world and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the people you meet." ~Mother Theresa~

Happy New Year and welcome to my New Year’s Day blog post.

As I step into a new year, I feel a sense of anticipation and excitement in facing the unknown.  Years ago, I gave up on making resolutions that I never could keep mostly because life’s adventures came along to prevent me from sticking to an unlikely schedule of exercise, or writing, or even the breaking of a habit.  Instead of resolutions, I prefer to set some realistic goals, and then let life take its course. I work towards my goals and if I am able to accomplish a few its good and even if I can only accomplish one or two, then that’s okay, too. If I hit a roadblock or two, I work around either try to work around them, or I set my goal aside and focus on whatever comes along. It is true that I get frustrated sometimes, but I continue to keep my original goal in mind and steam full ahead once the roadblock is past.

Last year, was a year of roadblocks for my goals of taking a couple of classes.  My car took over my finances and so prevented me from saving the money to take a class in Grant Writing and a Photography class.  Without a car, I had to focus on other activities that kept me close to home, such as writing and creating the “Ode to the Quilt” series. My writing adventures are not near complete, but I did come up with some great ideas and I accomplished more than I thought I would. I also started writing this blog last year and find that I really enjoy it. With blogging and through social networking, I met many interesting people from all over the world and hope to meet many more in the coming year.  People keep me thinking and inspire me with their postings, comments, blog posts, and their books. I can only hope that I do the same for others.

So, as I step into this new year of the unknown, my goals are simple: move forward with what I am doing and catch hold of whatever comes my way and in the process seek to inspire and encourage others that cross my path while graciously and thankfully accepting others inspiration and encouragement in turn. In other words, brighten the world with light wherever I can.

Thanks for stopping by. ~Yvonne~