Dance

Sorry I've been absent.  My computer crashed and is beyond repair, so I'm waiting to get a new one.  My son loaned me his this evening, so I could check my email, blog, etc.

Life has been crazy.  Between traveling, family stuff, getting one son registered for college last week, and our other son registering for his college this week, I haven't had the energy to think about writing.  For the NaBloPoMo Prompt, I'm using the following poem.  I originally wrote it for a Sunday Scribblings challenge.  I love watching dancers, and dream of dancing, but am content to still be able to walk.  I hope you enjoy this:

In dreams I dance,
spinning effortlessly across the flour,
my soft dress fluently swirling
around me to the rhythm of the music.
Moving gracefully, lightly,
unencumbered by age and circumstance.
In dreams, I still dance.

© 07MAR2010 ajjahner

Violets & Kittens...

For dad... who left us on a Friday, 22 years ago today.  He loved animals and flowers.  My violets bloomed this spring, for the first time in several years, and this forgotten image came to mind...

nose pressed to flower
soft kitten breath on purple
the violets dance

I hope this verse conveys the curiosity of kittens, exploring a world new to them.  Treasure your loved ones, your days, the beautiful world all around you.  Enjoy life.  Breathe it all in.  Rejoice in the simple moments.

© 20APR2012 ajjahner

Some thoughts and a short poem...

I have not lived up to my bargain to post every day this month.  It's been a crazy, sad, busy time for my family.  Dealing with the loss of a loved one takes a lot out of you.  My husband and I just returned from a trip to his father's home.  We met his sister and her friend there, and we spent a hectic weekend sorting through years of accumulation.  There was, and still is, a lot of stuff.  The one nice thing is, it was very organized.  We donated and recycled what we could, but two pick-up loads still went to the landfill.  Some precious treasures went home with my sister-in-law and with us.  There is still a lot to do, but it's mostly cleaning, small repairs, and painting in preparation to possibly sell the home one day.  There is no rush on that.

Every room in the house was filled with memories, as was the yard and the garden.  It was like whispers, too quiet to hear, but definitely all around.  Poignant, palpable, precious....

Silent rooms and
walls with dusty photographs
Paintings created, hung with loving hands

A chair, a throw,
favorite jacket in the hall
Symbols of the life they once enveloped

Quiet whispers
of voices no longer heard
but hanging in the air, just beyond reach

Memories linking
hearts to hearts, throughout time
Unbroken chain of life continues on

© 17APR2012 ajjahner

Poetry Memories...

I've always loved poetry.  As a child, my mother bought us a set of Childcraft Encyclopedias that I loved to read.  Book #1 was Poems and Rhymes.  I spent hours thumbing through it.  Continuing with poetry month, I'll post a couple that bring back memories of those days.

For, lo, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth;

The time of the singing of birds is come,

And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

~ The Song of Solomon

~~~

Morning

Will there really be a morning?

Is there such a thing as day?

Could I see it from the mountains

If I were as tall as they?

Has it feet like water lilies?

Has it feathers like a bird?

Is it brought from famous countries

Of which I've never heard?

Oh, some scholar!  Oh, some sailor!

Oh, some wise man from the skies!

Please to tell a little pilgrim

Where the place called morning lies!

~ Emily Dickinson

~~~

Afternoon on a Hill

I will be the gladdest thing

Under the sun!

I will touch a hundred flowers

And not pick one.

I will look at cliffs and clouds

With quiet eyes,

Watch the wind bow down the grass,

And the grass rise.

And when lights begin to show

Up from the town,

I will mark which must be mine,

And then start down!

~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

I hope these brightened your day, as much as they have mine.  I may be absent from posting for a few days, but I'll "see" you all again soon!

A Surprise in the Mail...

To begin, I want to wish each of you a Happy Easter!  It looks like a beautiful day here in Idaho.  My plans are simple, to spend the day with my husband and sons. 

I received the most beautiful package in the mail last week!  I won the giveaway from Michelle Palmer, and here is what I saw when I opened the package...

 This is what was inside...

Michelle does such beautiful sketches and painting.  You can see more of her work in her Etsy Shop,
Michelle Palmer Art.  She drew the acorns, placing them randomly in the squares of this vintage piece of linen.  She left the buttons separate, so I can place them where I wish or leave them off altogether.  I love this!  The acorns take me back to my childhood, and the giant oak tree in our yard.  I spent hours in the shade of that oak, reading my Nancy Drew mysteries, looking for 4-leaf clovers, making dandelion chains, and collecting acorns.  Precious memories of simple times.  I will treasure this!

Today's Sunday Scribblings Prompt is Treat.  The word is implied, rather than being inserted in this post.  The treat was winning the Michelle Palmer piece!  Continuing with my April poetry theme, I wrote the following:

In the shade of ancient oak,

branches stretched upwards and out,

solitude is not lonely.

In the wonder of cool shelter,

a bumpy floor of grass

and acorns so abundant. 

I choose a spot and stretch out, 

favorite book in hand,
under comfort of green arms.

© 08APR2012 ajjahner

Those of you who are readers, will recognize the treat in this piece.  There's nothing quite like finding a place you love to enjoy a great book.

Taking Flight

Here's another earlier poem of mine, that really takes me back.  Isn't memory an amazing thing?  If I close my eyes, I am on that swing, going higher and higher.

Taking Flight

My feet push against the earth

Higher, higher

The swing takes me up

To blue sky and then back again

Toes striking the soft, dusty brown earth

Pushing, pushing

Reaching for the sky

Imagination taking flight with the seagulls,

The robins, the wild geese

Grandma calls, “Dinner”

Releasing the chains I fly through

The air for an instant

Then feet connect firmly with the ground and

I go running back to reality and the mundane

© 11JAN2010 ajjahner

As with all my writing, journaling, photos and art, please do not reproduce or copy without express written permission.  Thank you for respecting my copyright.  I hope you're enjoying this month of poems for the NaBloPoMo prompt "Poem" and to celebrate National Poetry Month. 

Change...

It comes, and then goes
like breezes on a summer's day,
or ice melting in the sun.
When the water runs,
then trickles away
til the stones are
dry again, and warm,
and no trace remains
of what once was.
Life changes
and moves on.

 © 06APR2012 ajjahner

Another Selection for Poetry Month

Just a little poem, on this cold spring day.  Even with the wind, and the chill in the air, the birds have been singing outside my door...

Sweet bird, thy bower is ever green,

Thy sky is ever clear:

Thou hast no sorrow in thy song,

No winter in thy year.

Oh, could I fly, I'd fly with thee!

We'd make, with joyful wing,

Our annual visit o'er the globe,

Companions of the spring.

~ John Logan ~

This free image was shared by Dawn of The Feathered Nest.

Poem, Art

I decided to go with a short poem, lighter poem today.  This was written for a Sunday Scribblings prompt in 2009.  I've been thinking about art, and some projects I started but never returned to.  Springtime makes me think of painting, creating, renewal... 

Art
Pencils, pens
Paint, charcoals, watercolors
Brushes, palettes, canvas, paper
Putting imagination to work
Bringing the unseen to life
Recreating what is seen
Visual, visceral, vague
Yet defined
Art


copyright February 2009 - ajj

#313 Sunday Scribblings - Reflect

In preparation for National Poetry Month, I've been going through some of my old poems.  I'm participating in NaBloPoMo (see sidebar link), and also Sunday Scribblings.  The prompt is Reflect.  The word doesn't appear in this piece, but I feel like it ties in with the theme.  It was written during a time of reflection and healing in my life.   I hope you enjoy reading it.

The Long, Dark Hour

A. J. Jahner

Did you know

When you slipped into her room, in the heavy darkness

That weighed down like an old, stale wool blanket,

Till a breath could not be taken.

Did you know

When your hands crept in to touch the secret places,

Terrified eyes pooled with tears,

And silent screams filled the throat.

Did you know

When mocking voice, while telling lies, shattered and

Scattered round the room, her thin, glass sheet of confidence in pieces,

And sweeping them, they disappeared.

Did you know

That over time, the shifting boards revealed the shards

Long buried; and though broken, and undefined,

Created a picture in her mind.

Did you know

It rises to the surface in raging waves of anger, exposing the heart

Of who she was, or might have been, before the darkness

And the fear betrayed her.

Did you know

She walked in shadow life, appearances deceitful, a smiling face

With vacant eyes, and now the gaping scars reveal

A wounded child, no longer hiding.

Did you know

She searches for the answers still, for innocence breached, betrayed

By trusted hands, who held the power, but by choice

Redefined a life, in that long, dark hour.

© 10MAY2008 ajjahner

Life takes us through many experiences, along many journeys.  not all are sweet.  Some define who we become, but we can choose how it will define us.  It's what we make of it, that makes all the difference. 

April is Poetry Month

I am tired and uninspired, so I'll just share a poem I love...

 

Forgotten Language

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . .
How did it go?
How did it go?

Shel Silverstein

Whether To... Or Not...

I made an uncomfortable choice yesterday, which I completely regret.  Watching my morning news program, I heard a very loud "boom" that rattled my front door.  Making my front door, or even my house rattle, is a thing even a loud car stereo can do.  I assumed it was kids hitting the front of my house with something.  That is an occasional occurrence, since the bus stop is on our corner.  I'd forgotten it was spring break.

I went to the front door, opened it, and looked out.  Nothing.  Oh well.  I walked into the front room and began opening my curtains, that's when I saw them.  I could see two Police vehicles blocking my street and two further north.  Then I realized all the activity was just south of my home, across the street.  I could see at least three more cars, and men in Police vests on a neighbors front porch.  I phoned a neighbor directly across the street from me and asked if she knew what had happened, and if she'd heard the "boom".  She had.  She thought it had been a sonic boom until she spotted the police.  She had trouble getting her little dog calmed down, so we could talk.

Some time passed, the mail came and they were still out there.  The street was no longer blocked and it didn't look threatening, so I went out to get my mail.  My neighbor came out and chatted a minute.  Worry and curiosity were probably the main things we were feeling.  Not knowing if someone was hurt inside or what the noise had been.   About that time, I decided to contact a family member, who works for a local news station, to see if he had heard anything.  He hadn't.  Before long, I was asked if I would send a photo.  I waited a bit, then reluctantly walked out and snapped two photos.  I can tell you I felt like some kind of snoop, a Mrs. Kravitz.  I never did send the photos.

As I walked back up my drive, the news van pulled around the corner and waved me down.  They wanted an interview and I declined.  I used conflict of interest... family member employed with you... they jokingly offered to fire him and laughed.  They asked again, and I reluctantly agreed.  When asked what my worst concern about this event was, I stated "That one of my neighbors is hurt or worse."  That didn't make it on air, just a brief statement about the noise, which was fine except for this terrible feeling I can't shake.  My neighbors were having, perhaps, one of their worst days.  I was chatting to a news anchor about it.  It just felt wrong.

I believe in the value of news coverage, but I'm thinking if I had to do it again, I would probably just close the curtains and check with my neighbors after the fact.  I am definitely not cut out for a job in news or as any kind of detective, no matter how much I enjoy a good mystery novel.  The reality is, no matter what was happening, it was happening to people, to my neighbors.  Neighbors I don't know well, but who I care about because they are part of my little community, my world. 


© 30MAR2012 aj

Happy Birthday Mom...

Dad & Mom. A bit worn, but a favorite of hers.

Another "whether" or not decision (see the NaBloPoMo link on my sidebar).  Today is my mom's birthday.  She would have been 74 this year, but passed away at 65.  In June, she will have been gone 9 years.  That's so hard to believe.  It took a long time for me to come to terms with her loss.  Longer than some thought was healthy, but my processing of change tends to be slow.  I've talked a lot about how her life and her loss impacted me, so the decision was whether to talk about it again.

Obviously, I decided to do it.  Those of you who have lost a parent will understand.  They remain imprinted into our psyche, whether they are present in this life or have moved on into the next.  Lessons learned, laughter shared, a look, a touch, just their "being" is missed.  It doesn't mean I don't have faith in where she is at.  My beliefs tell me she is in heaven, with those who traveled there before she arrived and since, but my heart wishes I could call her on the phone for a chat, or go to a yard sale with her.  Here's an earlier post I wanted to share with you today.  In it, I explain why I began writing my blog.

 Two Years Of Blogging

I wrote it on my two-year anniversary of blogging.  Tomorrow I will celebrate four years!  Blogging has been a wonderful experience for me.  A place to share my laughter and my tears.  A community of like-minded folks, as well as some who are so very different from me, and I've loved it all.  I look forward to continuing this interesting journey with each of you.

 © 22MAR2012 aj

Real Life or Dreams...

I haven't been using the NaBloPoMo daily prompts this week.  I just didn't have the time, or the focus, to keep at it.  I decided to go back and try a couple that I'd missed.  Today I've chosen the prompt for Thursday.  Would you rather have a video copy of your dreams or a datebook that contains the events of every day of your life?

This is a difficult choice.  I find my memory is not what it used to be, so the idea of a datebook filled with all the events of my life is a tempting one.  Family, holidays, friends, so many wonderful things, but to be honest, a whole lot of boring.  Day after day, getting up, getting dressed, going to school, to work, wherever, doing dishes or laundry, filling the car with gas, balancing the checkbook.  You see where this is going. 

My dreams, on the other hand, have been filled with adventure, premonitions, family, friends, strangers.  I've traveled to unknown cities, and I've been in the mountains.  Swam underwater, something I'd never do in real life.  Faced monsters and fears, been in terrible accidents, been killed, but lived to tell about it, because it was a dream.  I generally dream in full technicolor, though a couple of times in black and white when I was young. 

For me, the choice is easy.  I'd choose the video of my dreams.  That would provide hours of entertainment and adventure, and I'd love to see those forgotten details.  You know, the ones you can't quite remember when you wake up, no matter how hard you try.  Yes, for me, it's the dreams!

© 10MAR2012 aj

This, That, and The Other

Why I've been absent...
My writing for NaBloPoMo is lagging this month.  It's not for lack of desire, but due to family circumstances.  My dad-in-law is still in serious condition, and our hearts and minds are consumed with it all.  The uncertainly of it falls into the category Whether, as decisions are made regarding his care.  I appreciate those of you who continue to remember him in your prayers.

Now on to the writing... 
I just read a post about the love of writing, and how to get started.
Here is my new favorite quote... 

"It begins with words." 

Christy Woolum

Christy writes about how she gets her students started writing.  I'm not going to share her secrets.  I am just going to encourage you to read her post at Learning By Heart.

On to other things...

I recently blogged about an amazing giveaway, hosted by Debra at Common Ground.  It was for a gift certificate to the Etsy Shop English Transferware.  This shop is run by Nancy of Nancy's Daily Dish.  I won the giveaway!  If you're not familiar with transferware, here is a photo with some examples:

This image is owned by Nancy, of Nancy's Daily Dish.

There are so many beautiful pieces of transferware, that I'm having a difficult time making a decision.  If you haven't visited Debra or Nancy, take a few minutes to have a look at their beautiful blogs.  You won't be sorry.

And Other Stuff...

Earlier this month, I was given a blog award by Andrea of From the Sol.  I had decided to make my blog Award Free recently, but I'm making an exception because I thought the questions and random facts were fun!  Andrea is a new blogger, and I am really enjoying From The Sol.  I want to encourage all of my friends to visit her!  She has some beautiful photography and is such a warm, friendly person.  Here is the award information:

 The Rules:
1. Thank & link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Answer the form questions below.
3. Share ten random facts / thoughts about yourself.
4. Nominate (at least) 7 other blogs for the Kreativ Blogger Award.


I want to sincerely thank Andrea of From the Sol for honoring me with this award.  Andrea, it is a joy getting to know you, and I'm so happy you have become one of my blogging friends!


My Answers to the Questions...

1. Favorite Song: I can't say I have one favorite. I love all kinds of music. A few favorites... Amazing Grace, Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy), Dream (Priscilla Ahn), Both Sides Now, Forever Young... there are just too many to list.
2. Favorite Dessert: Gooseberry Pie... followed very closely by Rhubarb Pie and Cheesecake!
3. What Ticks Me Off: Liars! I hate deceit.
4. If I am upset: I find it best to retreat to a quiet place until I feel calm... I did say that was best, sometimes I just cry all over the place. I do try to keep the crying and moaning to a minimum. Lol!
5. Favorite Pet: I have loved many, but my favorite cat was Tomasina, a beautiful Calico I had while growing up. She was so gentle. She let me dress her in doll clothes and carry her around. She brought me field mice she'd caught... ewwwie! She “talked” to me, and I loved her!
6. Black or White: If referring to clothing, I generally lean more toward black. In décor, I like a bit of both, with lots of other accent colors.
7. Biggest Fear: That my husband or my boys will be hurt. That my MS disability will get so bad, that I become only a burden to my family.
8. Everyday Attitude: It changes like the weather. I do have the ability to bounce back from hard times, and I have faith that things happen for a reason. I believe that all people have some good in them, even when it isn't always visible.
9. What is perfection: Life, with all it's uncertainty.
10. Guilty Pleasures: Chocolate, Coffee, A good book, or movie, Pinterest, FaceBook's Words with Friends, and blogging... when I should be cleaning.

Here are my 10 Random Facts... and they are really random...

1. I love my family. My husband is my best friend. My sons are amazing, kind human beings. I am very blessed!
2. I'm a writer. That's not an easy thing for me to say. I've often put too many rules and/or restrictions on myself... not good enough, not educated enough, not published. I write because it's part of who I am. I need to write, whether anyone else ever reads it or not. I am a writer.
3. Music is part of me. I can't imagine a world without beautiful music.
4. I am a very spiritual person, and I believe in premonitions, intuition, second sight... whatever you want to call it.
5. I both love and fear animals.
6. I'm funny when I don't mean to be, and if I try to tell a joke, it falls flat.
7. An organized house is my dream, but I seem to lack the necessary skills or concentration to make it happen.
8. I'm fascinated by family history.
9. I worry about offending people... maybe that stems from a need to be liked.
10. Making a list like this is hard, because I worry that I've put the wrong answers, left something out, said too much, offended someone, sounded lame/stupid/delusional/or any of a million other things that are just wrong. Oh, did I mention, I obsess too much?

I had a difficult time deciding who to give this award to.  There are so many blogs I love and read on a regular basis.  Here are 7 that I know you will enjoy visiting.  I will just say, I won't be hurt... not even a tiny bit, if any of you choose not to participate.  I know many blogs have chosen to be award free, as I have... with this exception.  So, that said, I would love to pass this award on to... in alphabetical order:

Carol at Silver Valley Stories
Christy at Learning by Heart
Donna at Cottage Days and Journeys
Donna at Made in Heaven
Gail at Shabby Cottage Studio
Lana at Honeysuckle Lane
Mary at Scottish Nanna








I want to wish each of you a beautiful day!

Searching...

Below is a short piece of fiction for this weeks Sunday Scribblings prompt, Search.  It also falls under the March NaBloPoMo theme of Whether, and Friday's prompt, Uncertainty.


Her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for his face.  The uncertainty clutched at her heart.  Ten years was such a long time.  Would it feel ok, would it be anything like before?

She struggled to remember what had broken in their relationship.  It was a lot of little things that chipped away at the foundation, until it all crumbled.  Walking away had been easy.  Living without him had been hard.  The day she was online, and received his "friend" request, her heart had jumped inside her.  It had been hard to breath.  He lived clear across the country now, but as they began to reconnect over the net, it felt like the magic was still alive.  It had been a year.  Now the face to face they had planned was here, and doubts were making her head spin.

Passengers were streaming through the security gates, then she saw him.  Eyes locked, then smiles.  They moved toward each other, side stepping everyone in between.  Arms wide, they embraced, locked together for a moment.  Then he held her at arms length, just looking, eyes smiling.  She didn't know how this would end, but she did know that her heart hadn't felt this light in a very long time.


© 04MAR2012 aj

A Leap Day Post...

It's a rare opportunity to post on Leap Day.  This is also the last day of the NaBloPoMo Challenge, Relative.  I want to take this moment to say how fortunate and blessed I am.  My family is everything to me!  It's filled with imperfect people, but people with tremendous love and faith. 

A favorite of mine... My boys fishing with Grandpa Pete - May of 2000

For the past three weeks, our hearts have been on a roller coaster.  My father-in-law was found in his home unconscious.  He'd apparently been very ill.  When I'd last talked with him, he had a bit of a cough but was getting over it.  We made a quick trip to his hometown and spent the week.  PJ and his sister spent hours at the hospital.  He seemed to be recovering.  We decided to come home so my husband (PJ) could get back to work.  PJ has been back twice, and is there today.  After a great improvement, where dad was talking and even joking, PJ had returned home. The next day his dad's heart stopped.  They revived him, but he has not been well since.  It is such a difficult and heartbreaking time for my husband and my sister-in-law.  We have not given up hope for his recovery, but it looks like a long and difficult road. 

We do believe in miracles, and we also have the belief that things work out the way they are intended to.  It's all in the hands of our Heavenly Father.  We are hoping and praying for the best...

Speaking of miracles, before I stop for today, I have to share this blog link.  I think it will bless you!

The Four of Us: Happy Six Month Birthday Gabriel!

Just click on the highlighted blog name to read all about little Gabe.  He is my 4th cousin, if I remember how those "cousin" things work.  That doesn't really matter, he is family, he is a miracle, and so loved!

As I wrap up this final post for the month,
Remember to treasure your family and hold them close,
in your arms if you can, and if not... in your heart...

Modern Girl

The Sunday Scribbling Prompt for yesterday was modern, so I combined that with my NaBloPoMo Theme of relative, and came up with a little poem.  It's loosely based on moms and grandmas, and those ladies I have known who continue to embrace life at any age.  To me, that is the true definition of a modern girl.

A Modern Girl

 

She was a modern girl

Circle skirt, sweater set

Bright red lips 

Poodle pet

Jitterbug made her swirl

Saddle shoes on her feet

Swinging hips

Just so sweet

In her chair feet still twirl

Graying hair, laughing eyes

Bright pink lips

It's no surprise

A modern girl she remains

She'll never settle for plain Jane

 © 27FEB2012 ajj

Another Give-away...

This giveaway is hosted by Debra at Common Ground.  The giveaway is for a $50.00 gift certificate to use at the Etsy Shop, English Transferware.  This shop is Nancy's of Nancy's Daily Dish.

Nancy has some beautiful items for sale.  I have a fondness for transferware, which is something Nancy is very knowledgeable about and also sells.  I have a few pieces that belonged to my mom.  I took a peek at Nancy's Etsy shop and already spotted a couple of items I'd love to have.

When I look at Nancy's blog, I think about how much my mom would have loved it.  She liked to "fancy" things up, "dress" the table, and just make things beautiful.  The style is formal without being too fussy.  I'm much more casual in my style... way too casual usually, but still love a bit of "fancy" here and there!

Favorite Things Photo Challenge

Tomorrow is the deadline for the Brenda Photo Challenge, A Few of My Favorite Things.  You can see my photography attempts for this challenge Right Here.  

It is really the tiniest sampling of my favorite things.  One thing I noticed as I thought about it, things from my childhood were making the strongest connection for this challenge.  My Grandma Martha loved rocks.  I don't know why she did, but I know I've loved rocks from the time I was a little girl.  I used to make little villages of rock people.  They were complete with dwellings, roads, etc.  I also remember looking into rivers, and I always noticed the shiny rocks along the bottom.  They had beautiful textures and colors.

While out in my front garden, taking photos for the Challenge, I found a rock with a beautiful leaf imprint. 

It's just so beautiful.

I love artwork, so I also took a photograph of one of my favorite paintings.   This is one that was painted by my Grandma Ruth.  She passed away when I was only a year old, but I think we would have had so much fun sharing our love of art.

This is a cropped view of her original painting.  It's also been altered with the "Ink Sketch" application in Paint.

There are common bonds, threads that link the generations in a family.  You find they are there, even when they couldn't have been learned by knowing a person.  Family stories often reveal these little traits.  Who inspired your tastes, your favorites?  Do you know?  Or is it a long ago ancestor you never even met? 

Speaking of favorites, tonight is one of my favorite programs... "Who Do You Think You Are?"  It's the program that spurred me to start my ancestry search.  Along the way, I have discovered some fun things about my family history.  I still have many more mysteries to uncover.

Please take a moment to visit the Brenda Photo Challenge Blog and check out all the entries, my attempts at Nita Jo's Photos, and check out NaBloPoMo February Blogroll at Blogher... I'm still participating in the February writing challenge on Relatives.  There are a lot of writers participating.

Oh, and don't forget about the Give-away over at Junk Exchange.  You still have time to leave a comment and be entered for a subscription to Folk Magazine!   Plus, I know you will really enjoy the wonderful things Troy has to offer. 

As you head into your weekend, I hope it's a beautiful one!

© 24FEB2012 ajj