Most people are bi-cultural or multicultural…let’s face it. In North America we are are blended in that huge melting pot. What IS interesting is how one identifies himself. I sometimes envy French Québecois who feel so sure of their identity. My mother always presented herself as a bilingual Canadian. I guess that is the only way I can see myself too. I cherish both languages/cultures that have woven the tapestry of who I am today.
lonely soapbox, sometimes my views get lost in translation * on the fence each side tears me apart
Respect everybody. Bow with folded hands before all. Do not talk in a loud voice before elders and venerable persons. Look at the toes while you walk. See the Lord in all and feel that you are His servant and so the servant of all. Consider none as inferior to you.
Humility … not easy I think. As I use to say while I am reading comments and compliments is that I am just your humble host and I am proud to be your host. Together we stand in our love for haiku … I am an addict to haiku and I am just glad that I may share all I know about haiku.
Humility … a very strong ity … one we have to cherish and promote …
snowdrops standing tall, but rooted bow their head
OurGhost Writer at Carpe Diem today is Gary Gay and our inspiration is October as the first full autumn month. I love that that photo chosen with vibrant colours is in Québec and near the Richelieu River where I raised my family.
Gary asks us to “Think outside the Box” when you use Halloween topics. It can be a good source of humour as well. Here is his example of thinking outside the box or misdirection.
Now for a the Halloween theme. Every Halloween I would dress up with my children so neighbours would NOT recognize me. Part of it was the fun of dressing up and walking around incognito and the other reason, I did not want neighbours to favour my children with extra treats. But I DID get treats as well…no one knew if I was man or women…they would talk to me in English to see if I was ME and I’d shrug my shoulders; they would try in French to see if I was the children’s father, and I would shrug again.
One year I dressed up as Count Dracula., with black dye in my short hair slicked back wearing a red lined long black cape. I had the pointy teeth and everything and traces of blood dripping from my lips in each side. As we arrived at the crescent there was a mom with very young children. One little girl looked up at me and started crying. I felt so bad but hugging her would surely have traumatized her more. I never wore scary outfits thereafter and dressed as a hobo the remaining years.
blood stained chin black cloak blows in autumn wind, little girl wails
I love sipping tea in porcelain tea cups. My great aunt bequeathed her collections to my father and I now have them in the same curio my Auntie Mae O’Donnell had. Although the tradition is on my Father’s side, my aunt being Irish, my mother taught me how to brew my tea as young as five. She would let me drink it in espresso cups which was just right for my tiny fingers.
My grandson loved to drink tea as well and would choose his tea cup whenever it was tea time. One day I invited my friend and her daughter who was grandson`s playdate. Well! I set up their tea cups with the tea pot brewing their tea. Ah, the cute things they do at five. I doubt he would want to even admit doing this now that he is 10.
Such a lovely prompt today at Carpe Diemto complete a Tan Renga. Our host shares his heart warming delight that Carpe Diem has become an engaged and loving family. Here are two completions by our host.
river stones caressed by flowing water pale moon shines (Becca Givens)
the sound of a waterfall makes the night more silent (Chèvrefeuille)
river stones caressed by flowing water pale moon shines (Becca Givens)
behind a thin veil of clouds she, the one I love, smiles at me (Chèvrefeuille)
Indeed, I am a late comer, more like the half-sister or step-sister whichever seems the nicest {grins}. A family that creates an art painters do, a mood great writers do and encouragement and guidance a caring parent or older sibling do. In that vein I have written this. I am starting with the completion that suits the mood of this prompt best.
The Time Glass prompt today at Carpe Diem Valley Stream, is to use the haiku composed by your host AND the photo of a waterfall. It was tempting to complete this into a tan renga but he did mention a “solo” renga or a tanka. I could not help but notice the waterfall was a photo in Maui, Hawaii. When I saw the last line of our host, “the silence” I thought of birds singing being masked by the sounds of gurgling streams OR the roar of the waterfalls.
I wanted to include birds from Hawaii and liked the sounds of the honeycreepers such as ‘l’iwi , hearing several examples on Youtube. I wanted to add the name of a tree that these birds inhabit and fell upon the Ohia lehua tree. Well, that brought me to a legend and Carpe Diem is keen on legends and stories.
Our host has posted music to inspire us. I don’t know about you but fairies, leprechauns and angels keep fluttering in my mind’s eye. Perhaps it is the Irish in me for I do love Celtic music and this piece brings me close to my Irish roots on Ballybunion. I am not much of a fairy tale writer as you may have noticed in my other blog I wrote for the Lavender Lady at MLMM prompt. My children told me while they were growing up all the bedtime stories, I invented when tucking them in, were not subtle enough…all had a morale to the tale and they quickly figured it out. . Well, what do you want with a mom who is a counsellor and family life educator? But I do remember one tale of the rabbit with those long droopy ears and that extra tall giraffe who were…
Maui Hawaii 
Tournesol dans un Jardin 