winter interlude (haibun – daily moments)

© Clr ’16

Consistency breeds comfort. It feels familiar when repeated at the same time over and over, like a mother’s lullaby soothing her baby.   After the first snowstorm of the season, nature seems to produce a steady snowfall every other day…sometimes  a heavy flurry that often tapers to a slow constant flutter.

She hears a humming in the middle of the night a drone that calms her back to sleep.  Bu,t this morning she awakens just before sunrise and watches the snow fall gently.   It’s a light snow at first …just enough to veil the outlines of the droning machinery outside her window.

She looks at the trees, fitted with sweaters of pure white and the cedars hide bashfully under stoles of pure fresh powder.

It’s Sunday morning and the sun is rising somewhere in the east far above snow clouds.  The sky is a pearly grey, not threatening in the least but rather like a dome hovering over her home.  It feels like a shower of white poppies…nature suggesting Sabbath’s day of rest.

She hears another snowplough clearing a shopping centre’s lot across the street; those eager patrons will be checking the last day of Boxing Day week hoping to find another deal, the right size, and right colour… the real deal!  If not, they’ll just sit in the mall with a Laura Secord ice cream cone and watch the tired faces of adults being pulled by their offspring s chanting, “Just one more, just one more!”  Comfortable armchairs are strategically placed in the centre hallway of the mall where tired fathers and husbands wait patiently and people watch.

A smug smile forms on her lips as she relishes the warmth and calm of her home, not inclined in the least to go out unless she needs something.  She sighs, relieved at the thought of not having to brush half a foot of snow off the hood of a car and  scrape the windows of melted snow turned to ice and sits back relishing the sound of  her furry friend purr.

arresting snow – falls,
manmade humming stills,
settles on a branch

© Tournesol ’16/01/03

Daily Moments of January 3, 2016

Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille at MLMM

first light (troiku – daily moments)

© Clr '16
© Clr ’16

first light
golden glow awakens
birth of a day

first light
morning feed starts the day,
newborn cries

golden glow awakens
icicles spark wanting hearts
hope’s desires

birth of a day
filled with promise
new beginnings

© Tournesol ’16/01/02

Daily Moments 

Carpe Diem #888 Hatsuhikari (first light of the sun

au fond du coeur (haiku- daily moments)

au fond,
dans le gousset de mon cœur
tu es toujours là

in the depth,
in the pocket of my heart
you are always there

(c) Tournesol’16

Daily Moments Jan 1, 2016

Happy New Year (haibun – daily moments – haiga)

© Clr '16
© Clr ’16

Happy New Year !  I sit here, thinking of the possibilities of this year and hope I can fill at least a tiny part of these inspired opportunities I do have.

We are well into three hours of 2016 and I am high on life, my beliefs and my hopes.  I just finished watching Patch Adams and Robin Williams made me laugh out loud and weep with happiness at the compassion he shows to patients.  The only bad words in the entire movie for me was “transference” and “class above patients”.  Yes, well, this movie just confirmed what I have felt, lived and believed most of my career in the helping profession.  Oh, I know I am not a medical expert but the message in this film goes beyond that.   I am not an expert, people who come  for support are the experts and I simply try to help them recognize that.

This film renewed my faith in my goal in life. To strive for compassion even when things look bleak for me, to not judge, and to expect nothing more than a will to try to to remember the times I have been low on life and simply show empathy.  We’ve all been there.    Sometimes the only thing we can say is, “Man that sucks! I’m sorry you are going through that.”

I don’t believe in making a list of resolutions for the New Year because that just leads to causing stress and fear of not succeeding. The only resolve I do want to carry over every year is to strive to be the best person I can be, forgive myself when I slip up and keep my heart open at all times even if it hurts sometimes.  The benefits are worth the pain.

This past year was a year of healing and I don’t think I would have managed as well (with my sanity) without your support and encouragement. Bless you and thank you.

Writing here in this amazing community at WordPress has enabled me to grow in my writing…I have learned through your comments and through your creative gems you have shared here.

Onward to 2016 with as much inspiration and soulful promise in writing and sharing.

image

a brand new year
fresh snow glistens
snowflake on my cheek

© Tournesol ’16/01/01

Cold winter night (haiku – daily moment)

© Clr ’15/12/31

cold snowy night
keeps the snow snowploughs busy
sits by the window

© Tournesol ’15/12/31

Daily Moments – Narrowing Focus Carpe Diem

how time flies (haibun – daily moments 15/12/30)

Such weakness of body pulled her down throughout the day; she tried to read to no avail; writing a line or two would have been a paramount success but with feeble mind the words were lost in a fog;  she completely lost track of time.

cruising in sleep
around the clock and then some,
sailing through time

(c) Tournesol ’15

Daily Moments – December 30 2015

flawless (haibun)

Looking out the window, she takes note at this part of winter she enjoys so much. Sitting comfortably in the warmth of her home, her furry friend sits by her side, content her mistress is home today.

She sees a car drive by covered in snow and only a small circle in the windshield brushed off to see. She sighs. She had strict rules about driving in winter and always took extra time to scrap the snow off all the windows of her car. “One less thing to worry about, now” she thought to herself, since she no longer had a car. No more stressing to get anywhere that public transit or a taxi couldn`t do just as well and safely.

white downy snow
flawless –
adorns the land

© Tournesol ’15/12/29

The Secret Keeper Prompt: PART | STONE | FLAW | STRICT | NOTE |

snow angels (haibun – daily moments)

Sits by the window looking at the white blanket covering Mother Earth. Snow banks form hills tempting eager children. Cars hidden under mounds of whiteness; their owners deciding to forgo driving today and dig out their vehicles later…tomorrow is another day.

bemused and rapt
looks out at sheer whiteness
dreams of snow angels

© Tournesol’15/12/29

Daily Moments shared

solitude (troiku)

(c) Clr’15

winter breeze
whispering solitude
chills the soul

winter breeze
depths of emptiness
echoes

whispering solitude
moonbeams catching
muted cries

chills the soul
without shame
bitter cold snaps

© Tournesol’15/12/28

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

heartbeat (haiku)

ocean, San Francisco, boat
(c)Clr’16 Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco

Carpe Diem Haiku Writing Technique – Movement (undou)

j’inspire l’aire salé
le bruit des vagues sur la grève
le battement de mon cœur

inhaling salt air
waves crash on the shore
my heartbeat

(c) Tournesol ’16