Sonnet Saturday (#3)-- Forgiveness

So, because of travelling for work and just life in general, I didn't write a sonnet for last week, but I did for this week, so here it is.  Once I have the Elizabethan Sonnet down, I think I want to try some of the other sonnet forms.  One step at a time, though!

Forgiveness (Sonnet #3)

Egg shells, apple cores, coffee grinds, and more

In a heap, smelling vaguely like old socks.

Time to turn this pile gardeners adore:

Discards and trash morphed into seeds' toy box.

Not everything belongs in this treasure.

No matter the size, rocks will not crumble

Through heat, bacteria, and time's measure:

Nature's intransigence makes one humble.

They go elsewhere to confine, to create--

A seat, a bridge, or simple stepping stone.

They may not foster growth, but fascinate

The eye, the heart, the vista when not thrown.

Like compost, we forgive to readjust

And nourish the soil that grows mutual trust.

We had bins like this for compost near the greenhouses for my Horticulture class in High School. Too bad I have a black thumb of death!

Spending time with the Philosopher

So, the Philosopher came to visit for the weekend the Thursday before last, and I had a really good time...So good that I'm going to visit him in a few weeks for the weekend. We've been e-mailing and Skyping pretty regularly since we first started talking, and there is a lot of joy in getting to know another person.

I stole this from the Philosopher's Facebook page. I really like this picture of him!

So, after 5 weeks (to the day), of talking via Skype and text and e-mail, he flew in.  I made him dinner (chicken curry over spaghetti squash--a really good recipe!!!), and we watched Blazing Saddles.  My niece joined us for both, and it was really nice.  Then, we went for a walk.  Poor Ginger took a while to warm up to him, but she did finally quit barking at him, even if she wasn't sure what to make of this person in her house.

Friday didn't go quite like I planned, as I started the day by locking my keys in my house...Thankfully, my niece had gone to the gym that morning, so I was able to get back in without making her late for work, but it was kind of embarrassing to have to text the Philosopher that I would be later than planned because I did something that boneheaded.

We spent the morning at White Sands.

It was a perfect day to be at White Sands...not too hot, and partially cloudy most of the morning. 

The clouds look a little bit like cotton candy.

My favorite picture of him from the weekend.

Attempting to surf the sand dunes. I got a few good runs: the Philosopher, not so much.

Falling off the sled.

Finally to the bottom of the hill!

Then, we had a picnic in Alamogordo at one of the city parks there.  It was fun to sit and talk and learn more about one another.  

Next, a trip to Coas--no trip to this part of the country is complete if one is a bibliophile!  Then, back home in order to get ready for the evening: Dinner theater!

This was the play we saw: I liked it, anyway.

I specifically asked the Philosopher to dress nice for the dinner theater, and he obliged. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of the both of us together.  I did have my niece take my picture, though.

All dressed up and ready to go!

I probably should have taken off my fitbit, though...

Then, a quick trip up Scenic Drive to the lookout near the top of the mountain.  I was surprised at how busy it was--there was no parking, and a couple of food trucks at the lookout, but the view was gorgeous.

Saturday, we went to Adoration at the Monastery downtown, but, unbeknownst to me, there was a group meeting there for communal prayer at the same time we were there.  I was expecting the usual quiet time with God, and instead we sort of participated in an all Spanish prayer group for most of our time.  I believe Robbie Burns says it best:

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,  

In proving foresight may be vain;  

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men  

Gang aft agley, (from http://www.robertburns.org/works/75.shtml)

And, our plans went "agley" quite a bit on Saturday, for the afternoon was supposed to be for going on the tram, and it was shut down due to lightning.  Then, we were rained in for close to an hour as a gully washer rolled through town and shut off electricity at my house until almost 11pm that night.  

At least the rain was over by the time for the baseball game, and we were able to eat at L&J's for dinner.

My dinner: Chicken Enchiladas with a side of Guacamole.

Enjoying dinner. 

Mom and Dad were sitting right in front of us.  It was nice to enjoy the game together.

Sunday comprised of Mass, eating lunch with my sister, an then going to Chili's to enjoy the final for the World Cup before the Philosopher had to fly home.  I'm glad he came and I look forward to seeing him again.

Since then, we have continued to Skype and talk, and that has been good, although I'm finding that the perpetually turned on world that we live in is quite the temptation.  The Philosopher works from home, so I'm sure that I'm a bit of a distraction at times with the occasional text or message via Facebook--I'm trying to be circumspect about how often I say hi when I see him online, but I'm not sure that I'm succeeding. I'm also coming to realize that working from home can be both a blessing and a curse--it gives insane amounts of flexibility, but it also means that work and leisure can easily bleed over into one another, for there are no clear contextual clues to mark the end of the work-day. I suspect that is why the Philosopher will usually go to the local coffee shop to work rather than do so from home. Of course, that was also true when I taught, since grading takes over your life at certain times of the semester.  

And, I count the days until I will hop a plane to go see him in his natural habitat.  I had a lot of fun planning our time while he was here, and look forward to seeing what he will plan for us while I'm there.  

Sonnet Saturday (sonnet #2)

I'm really liking working within the framework of a Sonnet, so I'm going to try to write a sonnet a week for a while, and will post them on Saturdays.  It just seemed appropriate. :-)

There is a story behind this particular sonnet, and it all began with a discussion about the lenten reflection by Father Barron on Rose windows.  As we were talking about it, both my sister and I were talking about how God seems to be in the process of rearranging us and our priorities.  As I reflected on it that night as I was trying to sleep, the last line of the poem came to me, and I just had to finish it out.

The Rose Window (Sonnet #2)

He searches the debris with studied care

A little red here, that small shard of blue

And snatches each fraction with Love's bright flare.

Others He passes, darkened hues untrue.

Shattered, I survey the scattered ruins

Even as He picks through colored scraps.

My pride seeks full redress in illusion,

Not aware jilted flaws will cause relapse.

He smiles at my folly, still searching through

The fragments of my plans, hopes, wishes, dreams.

His hands never waver--His stance shifts the view--

And points to the specimen he redeems.

The partial rose window hold me en masse:

We shall be God's masterpiece in stained glass.

One of the main Rose windows in the Cathedral in Leon, Spain.

My First attempt at a Sonnet

The Bard's great sonnets have intrigued me since I was introduced to them in my high school English class, but I was never brave enough to attempt one...until now.  That being said, I'm not sure what to title this, and I'm sure it could use some work.  If you have any suggestions for a title or better word choice, I'm all ears.

Love lost, like Winter's bitter waxing fruit
Chills the heart, breathing frost to all corners.
Its rind shatters, a pernicious sharp brute
With edges pricking quick-fingered mourners.

Ev'ry waxing must wane in tired coats
Of fallen leaves and musty mothball bins.
The detritus swept within handheld totes
And carted out with empty Christmas tins.

What compost may transform such toxic shards:
Brittle Bastions to healthy fertile soil?
Which words of wisdom grip sleeping bards and
Mend long fallow tracts with frivolous toil?

Like all perennials, the fronds of hope
Unfurl to absorb, revamp, heal and cope.

Some of the beautiful flowers to be seen on campus

My Day In Pictures

A friend of mine has been posting a picture daily of ordinary things in her life that bring her joy, and has tagged them #100OrdinaryDays on her Facebook page.  I really like the idea of doing something like this, but often forget to take a picture a day after about the 15th or 20th day.  I have also been talking online with someone I met through CatholicMatch.com  for the last 2 weeks.  Since he has an M.A. in philosophy, I will call him the Philosopher for any future posts that include him.  Anyway, because I was trying to think about ways to get a better idea of his day to day life (he lives near Dallas), I asked him to chronicle a day of his life in pictures, then promised to do the same for him.  It seems like a more doable option than the picture a day my friend is doing on her Facebook feed, anyway.

Beyond this, I'm going to try to keep my captioning to a minimum and let my pictures speak for themselves...

Morning, Sleepy Head!

Now that you're awake...Breakfast?

Did you say "WALK???"

You did! You did say  Walk!!!

Pretty as a picture

Prayer while Commuting

The paths around the construction

Beautiful Summer Morning

My Building Straight ahead!

Finally to work!

Breakfast and my current favorite tea.

Back to my Car via the parking Garage

Now to look at the other foot...

Waiting for the Doctor

View from the bridge between my parking lot and the parking garage.

Lunch!

My view of the Lab I work in.

Keeping from burning myself on the steering wheel.

You can see Juarez from here!

Looks like Monsoon season is starting early!

A lazy dinner

Typical Rush Hour Traffic a few hours late

Hi, Aunt Ruth. Take my picture!

Do I have to get my picture taken???

Who's There?

Welcome HOME!!!!

Chores before Bedtime!

Icing the site of injection.

Lighting the Candle on the Family Altar...and Lucy. Time to go to Bed!  'Night all!

Possibilities

One of my pictures from the Camino. I called this the Pom Pom tree because it has little green balls that look like pom-poms.

I smile
Just to myself
As I think about
The path before me.

Right now
The dappled ground
Soaks the bright sunshine
Beneath leafy boughs

The warmth
Bathes my heart in
Anticipation
For treks yet to come.

The chill
May mark my time:
The metronome in
Rain, snow, leaves and dust.

And yet,
I am immersed
In wonder, in awe
At right now, at Grace.

For Grace
Has lead me to
Stumble upon this
Path in giddy shock.

It leads...
I know not where.
Only God knows and
He's not telling me.

The Run is Dead. Long Live the Run.

Me on the last day that I (semi)successfully ran.  I've made attempts since then, but none got past about a mile

I love running.  I love the euphoria from working my muscles hard, the sweat as it cools from a self-made breeze, and the way I can eat because I've burned over 500 calories that day.  I love the way it clears out the cobwebs in my cranium, and how it helps me to untie the knots in my thinking and feelings.  I love the ability to call myself a runner...something that I never thought I could say about myself!

And, because I'm just a little too stubborn and a little too competitive, I have not been able to run since the beginning of March (I pushed myself too hard at the half-marathon in Feb. because I wanted to beat my time from my half-maration in January--which re-injured my tendons).  After resting for close to 8 weeks, I finally realized that I wasn't getting better.  So, I went to the Orthopedic Surgeon, and then scheduled an MRI.  The diagnosis: partial thickness tears in the Peroneal tendons of both feet.

What I have...

It means that I will not be running any time soon, and I will probably need surgery to fix it.  My appointment with the foot specialist is on June 10th, and we will see what happens from there.  I'm really missing running, and am having a hard time finding exercises that don't use these particular tendons, but I'm also willing to do whatever it takes to work up to being able to run again.  At the same time, I realize that I will likely never be able to run a full marathon, and I'm actually ok with that.  I'd rather be able to be a middle distance runner than not a runner at all.

If I can't run, at least I can spend time with friends at Chihuahuas baseball games!

In the process, God is teaching me patience and, while I don't like the lesson, I'm pretty sure that I need it.  I've always known that I am not the most patient of people, and I even prayed for patience for most of my high school years.  Then I realized that "tribulation worketh patience" and stopped at the first real lesson God gave me....not because I suddenly became a paragon of patience, but because the lesson was just too painful.  Either someone is praying that I acquire a little more of this virtue, or God has decided to answer the prayers I prayed way back in high school.  Either way, learning to wait and to dial back my exercise has required that I develop a measure of grace for myself, whether I want to or not.  Now that my body has gotten accustomed to moving on a regular basis, this enforced inactivity makes me feel antsy and out of sorts.  I've found that bicycling doesn't hurt as long as I rest a sufficient number of days between exercise, but it isn't the same thing.  All I have to say is that, the Lord willing, I will be back pounding the pavement someday.  I'm willing to put in the work if it means that I can run another half marathon.  Until then, I wait and I pray.  And that is a blessing all its own.