Twelve April Musings -- A Penny for Your Thoughts

I simply cannot focus on one big thought this morning, (I don't know why but I'm in, not a mental fog, but a mental collage) so here are lots of little thoughts....

1) In answer to the questions: Where is spring? Why is April coming in like a lion, when that is supposed to happen in March? How long till I can plant tomatoes? When will it stop snowing/storming/threatening to pick my house up and whip it into the nearest field? Midwest/Great Lakes U.S. Weather forcast for April from the Farmer's Almanac 4th-7th. Rain across the Great Lakes, then fair. 8th-11th. Squally weather for Ohio River and Great Lakes. 12th-15th. Clearing along Mississippi River. 16th-19th. Turning colder and unsettled. 20th-23rd. Heavy thunderstorms and squalls for Wisconsin, Illinois, and western Kentucky. 24th-27th. Big thunderstorms march east through Ohio River as well as the central and eastern Great Lakes. 28th-30th. Unsettled weather sweeps in from west.

2) I continue to join the community in mourning the death by murder of Summer Inman and am thinking about capital punishment.... I am also thinking about Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd, a book I chose to publish last fall and which is about a woman who escapes her abusive husband. In the book, the woman has kept a diary musing on what is going on in her life. This past weekend the Columbus Dispatch printed an excerpt from Summer Inman's diary. I felt a bit sick to my stomach... Community Mourns Summer Inman

3) US Air. won't be running commercials on CNN anytime soon. CNN morning guy (6:20 a.m.) slams US Airways. Ouch! I usually fly US Airways and they've safely and promptly brought my son to visit me for 10 years now.

4) While I was waiting for the coffee to brew this morning, I looked over at the old water pitcher we throw our change in and noticed two very shiny pennies. I picked them up, looked at the back, and discovered that in 2010 a new penny was unvieled. How did I miss this? Lincoln Cent Unveiling

While this year’s cents were issued to celebrate the bicentennial birth of Abraham Lincoln and are minted for 2009 only, next year’s penny design has no specific end date. It could be seen by generations yet to come. Congress would have to marshal through new legislation for ANY change to occur. From: CoinNews.net

5) Kindle apps are everywhere. Various ebook apps from Kindle (iPhone, WindowsPC, Mac, BlackBerry, iPad, Android, Windows Phone

6) This is interesting to me professionally and personally... my husband's hardcover book The Prophet of Sorrow (Mark Van Aken Williams) is now available in paperback and ebook format, and it has been cool to see, practically in real time, the downloads for it. And, it's a finalist in Foreword magazine's Book of the Year Awards (stay tuned for May squeeing!)

7) I have CCN on (until 7:00 then I switch to ABC until 7:25, then I switch to BBC America while I read news)... Anyway, banner at CNN notes: "Gbagbo reportedly set to cede power: Standoff in the Ivory Coast ." I am struggling to remember who Gbagbo is, because to me it sounds like the name of a children's book character, but obviously it is not. "He's nuts." says announer, quoting source (I think). But here is what is frustrating to me, the mutitasker who is also purusing the web while CNN is on...I look up at the screen, start listening and for FIVE minutes there is nothing in the words or huge banner to tell me what country this is, though I know it's a "big exporter"...but they keep calling it "this country"... people "are suffering" and "for the US this is critical.." OK, what country is it?! Jeepers, am I supposed to know the countries of the Ivory Coast and the spellings and pronounciations of their leaders? Is "Gbagbo" the word she's pronouncing "gij zha bay"?

8) But don't worry, dear reader. I am going to be come more geographically/geo-politically literate. Thanks to the great discussion I had at book club last night with wonderful Sandy and Kathi, I've subscribed to The Wall Street Journal -- which I've always enjoyed in hotels, but did not realize I could get same day delivery here to our home. How can they pay someone to bring me the newspaper for $2.69 per week? Well, I'll let them worry about that, and just enjoy something with more substantial news that the Columbus Dispatch, which is boring me and not covering Lucky Press books ever anyway and our local paid newspaper which is so slight and still leaves me feeling uninformed about Athens (the free paper is more informative).

9) Apparently the US Government is about to shut down. Will the Post Office be open on Friday? I sent a commissioned piece of artwork to someone this week. It went 1,986 miles in 3 days for just under $11, and was insured and tracked. Now that's a deal. Dear Postmaster General: I would pay $15 for this service, so if you need to raise the rates, go ahead. I love the post office (well, except for the long lines because there are only two employees and they ask me too many questions...).

10) "India Graduates Millions but Few are Fit to Hire" (see, I'm already enjoying the WSJ!) The chances I will be able to easily understand the next tech support person I encounter has increased, I think...

11) Kate and William are big news (so I won't bother with a link). The press release will be sent out at a specific time noting the design of her dress; like when she emerges from the carriage, or something (I wasn't listening that closely.) Okay, I'm thinking Kate and William should start a publishing company and get their people on it because the PR for authors would be incredible. On a sidenote, my son Bryce loves Princess Diana (for a few years he had a huge collage of photos of her on his wall). I bought him a pack of five VHS tapes in anticipation of the Big Event. But he can't get the tapes to record in anything but the slowest mode and this is causing anxiety and once again I realize this mom was not technologically savvy enough for this kid... (Don't ask my children about the time I tossed the VCR under the couch. "I can build a website and produce a book but I can't hook up the VCR (fast forward) DVD (fast forward) program your mp3 player with Pee Wee Herman videos!")

12) The 12th muse is you, Dear Reader. I take a moment to give thanks for you. Have a great day, a great week, and a greater weekend!

Janice

Grace's Lament: A Poem by a Fellow Blogger

February Grace posted the poem below on a Facebook poetry group page during the recent Snowpocalyps. I loved it and asked permission to share it here with you. Accompanying the poem is a wonderful winterscape painting, also by February Grace.

Visit February's blog, Pitch Slapped, and you'll find more creativity, written and visual, as well as a wonderful community of writers who comment on 'Bru's blog about writing, and more.

(Please note: I will be posting Pain, Part 3: Creativity and Pain here at http://www.appalachianmorning.blogspot.com/ this coming Saturday, February 12.)

Grace's Lament (...or Frigid Temps, High Whinge Advisory)

February Grace

Thirty-nine winters of snowy 'bliss'
you’d think that I'd get used to this
or that I'd finally move, but no
dark Janus rules, and I am owned

February, ordinary
contrary, I feel statuary
frozen, stone-thrown, pottery
my joints all stiff and doddery

First sweater, coat, next scarf then hat
the gloves and boots come after that
hands too cold to grip my keys
I’m deafened by my chattering teeth

My feet too wet, my hair too dry
static shocks send locks awry
can't change the fact my skin is cracked
despite the gloss my lips stay chapped

I could scratch spin on the street
though I’ve lost sensation in both feet
as I chip at ice that's seized the car
I envy the high temp on Mars

I wish all this would finally end
for my mitten-shaped, fair-weather friend
they say our trees will bloom come spring
at this point plants seem fictitious things

I start to think that Sol's a myth
or simply has ceased to exist
death by terminal case of 'blahs'
...'til I see he's citizen of Oz

Dear friends who email such sweet notes:
pictures tanning, beaches, boats
"the weather's fine, wish you were here!"
...no Christmas card for you next year!

I'm kidding--please do send those shots
--'vicarious' is all I got
at least I know there's someone who
is warmer now, than is Ms. 'Bru

There's only one advantage clear
I see to ever living here
so I tell myself as I bundle, snug
"...no poisonous snakes and no big bugs!"


© 2011 by February Grace. All rights reserved.

From our hilltop...

It has been quite a week. Quite a month, actually. Everything in me sighs with the release that comes from "too much." But much of the too much has been good, so finding balance and prioritizing the choices I do have has been challenging. With this stress I've found the changing of the trees on our property to be comforting. Dependable. Steadfast.

Like a child who longs for stability, I know that no matter how much there is to do or what business or personal problems or joys will pop up, the trees are going to turn their vibrant golden hues, then let go and fall to earth to disintegrate into next year's topsoil. The land will rest soon, and all of its potential will lie hidden to me, wrapped in snow and covered in a light-gray winter's sky. The growth of spring will only be a hope, and my being here to see it a desire, never a given. Nothing in life is.

I feel the cool air and hear the crackle of leaves under my sturdy shoes, now lined with wool socks. Our dogs seem to want to sniff every leaf--the squirrels who teased them, jumping in the treetops this summer, have left their scent. Carried on maple, oak, walnut, and buckeye leaves like magic carpets made just for this, the squirrelly smell has trickled down to the worn-out grass and given the four-legged detectives something to investigate.

Tyler stands peering over the edge of our hill to the steep leaf-covered slope where chipmunks scurry along the dead trees that fell two winters ago. He wants to run after them. His eyes are getting older and, while he knows something is moving, he can't quite see what it is and he's trained to be obedient and stay.

I feel the same. Something is shifting, but I am not sure what it is or what it means. This seems to be the time of year for it, this time right before the season of forced festivity. I am always ready to set my dreams for next year in November, and they are not the giving up kind but the saying yes kind. What will I say yes to next year? And to say yes, then to what will I say no? And then, I think, how lucky to have the luxury of these sort of choices.

A chipmunk crosses the leaf-strewn patio and Tyler sees it from his post by the window. He knows what it is now, and plans to follow it one day.

November already? 7 songs for the season

It seems the holidays have arrived in 7 quick steps with accompanying music.

1) Ohio U. students returned to town and held big Halloween bash. (They did the mash, they did the MONster mash. It was a smash. It was a GRAVEyard smash.)

2) The leaves are a beautiful golden color, with light filtering through them each morning as we were forced to drive a new route, through the hills, due to road construction. (This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land, from Ca-li-forn-ia to the NewYork Is-lands...)

3) The construction came, came, came, then went. Sort of. (Ya take 16 tons and whatdaya get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't ya call me cause I don' wanna go, I owe my soul to the company store...)

4) The leaves fell. All 83,432,075 according to Tyler (the Pekingese's) count. (I'm faaaaaa-lling, yes I'm faaaaaa-aa-lling, I'm faaaaaa-lling, in love with you.) cue cute Pekingese face.

5) We watched baseball. Our team lost. (Take me out to the ball game... Take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks. I don't care if I never get back...)

6) Much sadness at death and injury of brave folks at Ft. Hood. (Did I ever tell you you're my hero? You're everything I would like to be? You can fly higher than an eagle...you are the wind beneath my wings.)

6) We noticed it was November. (Let us break bread together on our knees. Let us break bread together on our knees. When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun. Oh, Lord have mercy on me.)

7) I wore a scarf. (Button up your overcoat, when the wind is free. Take good care of yourself, you belong to me.)

And that about sums it up. I have no plans to replicate this with Christmas music next month, don't worry!