Love....

Loc's. Love. Curl's. Love. Braids. Love. 

Afro's. Love. Fades. Love. Dreads. 

Love. Twist. Love. Coils. Love. 
Exciting Amazing Beauty!! 

                                                         I

Love
all natural beauty!

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Confidence

C

onfidence is a funny thing. It often comes and goes like the sun and the rain. It's not seasonal, but it sure feels like a quick change in the weather. The way it comes and goes without notice or reason. Some times there is a burst of it, like the sunshine. Sometimes it just fades away. Often times it takes work, nurturing and care. But all that hard work is o' so worth it in the end. Because what you end up with is an amazing feeling of self pride, love and admiration for who you are inside and out. Love it, hold on to it and embrace it. Confidence.   

~ Author: Karen @ Naturally Beautiful Hair Blog

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{show and tell}

I got lots of reading done yesterday !! I read THIS one in it's entirety. Started THIS one but it wasn't that great. Glad I only paid $5 for it ! I also started reading another book but that is a topic for another post ...

I had grand plans this morning to write a long post but in the end have spent most of the morning helping Jono do his show and tell that we ALMOST ALWAYS forget is on Tuesdays !! Sheesh ...

This week, he has to present poems. One written by him, one written by someone else. The theme is gardens. He decided to write an Acrostic Poem and I found the coolest website that led him through the process of writing the poem ... I found it because I didn't know what an acrostic poem was !! (don't tell my Dad !) :) I now know !

And can I just ask ... what did parents do before GOOGLE !?!?! Seriously !!!

Here's Jono's Poem

Gardens
Always Growing
Right Up To The Sky
Dirt Is Needed
Excellent Plants
New Growth
Sweet Strawberries

I searched for poems by other people but my goodness ...everything was so depressing ! So ... his poem by someone else is written by me !! Get ready people ... you're in for a treat !!

My Garden - A Rhyming Poem
By Jono’s Mom


How I love my garden
and all the plants that grow.
To give us lovely dinners,
that are healthy too, you know.

Strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants,
beans and even peas.
And pretty flowers planted round
because they bring the bees.

How I love my garden
and all the joy it brings.
So much satisfaction found
in growing such amazing things.

I have to tell you about today's photo and then I need to go. I have been looking at these flowers, when they are in bloom, every year for about THREE years !! They are so beautiful and they call to me ! I can hear them as I drive past "Bonnie ... take photos of us." They are in a place that is tricky to stop, trickier to park, not to mention in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ! A busy road. I have never had my camera in the car, and not the kids ... when the traffic has been slow and I don't have anywhere to be. UNTIL YESTERDAY !! Finally, everything worked in my favor. Ok ... maybe one driver was a little cranky when I decided at the last minute to change lanes, slow down and pull over. But the flowers ... they were calling me ... True Story.

Anyway ... this isn't the best one but it's the one I got formatted before we remembered about show and tell !!! The others will have to wait.

If I forget through out the week, remind me to tell you about the book I'm reading. The parenting one. And also about our night time routine that is working really well. I've got some garden photos to show you. And I've started taking photos of the house and am FINALLY going to give you a tour !! So, remind me.

Oh ... and one last thing. Do any of you have great freezer meals ? I'm trying to cook one a week, a double recipe and freeze meals so we always have meals on hand for those nights that have been days that spun out of control and I'm looking at a recipe that takes an hour to prepare and an hour to cook and it's already 7:00 pm !! You can leave me your freezer link here or you can leave it on my MENU PLAN for this week over at my cooking blog where others have already started leaving links ! I can't wait to go check them out ! You might like to as well ...

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I See It All - by Dwayne P. Carter

I See It All

I see it in your eyes
You can't hide what they speak
I see it in your smile
Happiness at every sight of me
I see it in your walk
A slow smooth seductive stride
I see it in your emotions
Sometimes you try to control or hide
I see it in your prescence
Unflinching beautiful with soul
I see it in your passion
Staying strong in a world so cold
I see it in your life
Dealing with joy, oppression, and pain
I see you as an undeniable Queen
Who in this world keep me sane

By: Dwayne P. Carter
Unique Existence

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Poetry by Dwayne P. Carter

The Woman

Your smile is earth’s sunshine
Your laughter is my favorite song
Your voice is the greatest instrument
Your words have calmed raging storms
Your heartbeat plays a perfect rhythm
Your love will remain immeasurable
Your eyes speak an Angel’s truth
Your mind strengthens a weary soul
Your body is the most beautiful statue
Your walk carries a mesmerizing stride
Your presence is my light by day & moon by night
You are the spirit that gives life its will to survive

Dwayne P. Carter
Unique Existence

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Spoken Word - Alicia Keys

Thank you Sergio, from Runway Wonderland for sharing this. It is a spoken word piece from Ms. Alica Keys
called "Prisoner of Words."

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Poetry from Als Simmons

Thank you Als for submitting your poetry and for this peaceful photo. Look below her photo, to read her poem - Stripped down like Nature

Me
Stripped down like nature
To the naked depths
And makeup-less core
Imperfections revealed
Scars of Life
Birth and Death
Celebrated

My roots have been planted
Deep within every crevice
Of the Earth’s floor
My Life has become
Part of Life’s Lore
I’ve been
Stripped down like nature

My Self-consciousness
Exposed
Only to realise
My doubts make me human
Rough edges and random quirks
Transforms to uniqueness
Stripped down like nature
Silence is revealing

I am me
Only one
Stripped down like nature
Changing like the seasons
By the many actions and externalities
Transformed but not lost
Aged yet still youthful
Moulded to the will of the transparent

Fate I believe
Altered and shaken
Renewed never crushed
Stripped down like nature
My Identity
Where I’ve come from
Where I’m going
Strengthened by will not might
Secure

Stripped down like nature
Uncovered
By the wisdom of living
Contained by the traditions
Of unknown mysteries and
Acknowledged belief
Cloaked by a thousand prayers
And endless whisperings

My nakedness touching
Pressing on bare earth
My arms
Stroked by subtle trees
And the delicate branches
Of conviction
My essence is caressed by the
Eternal wind of Faith
Stripped down like nature
I am me and me is One

14th April, 2009

- from Als Simmons
Her blog: Theories of Anything

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Early Happy Mothers Day

I know most moms will be busy this weekend, so I wanted to send out an early Happy Mothers day wish. Here is a note that a dear friend sent to me and a few other moms. So I thought I would share it with you.

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.!
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

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Visiting friends

In spite of scarce time, I make it a point to visit my favorite friends' (blogs) every week to see what gifts they may have found along their way. This morning I stumbled upon the comments on Susan's blog and some of the poetry some of her friends had contributed:

I woke from a dream

warm open lyrics

rising gently

flowinglike music’s breath

a precious poet’s sweet grasping voice

howls tender joys

miles timeless clouds

like blessed kisses

on cheeks and faces

held in delicate hopes

until sweet night

and empty darkness

meets yellow light

and morning calm

Roberta

Catherine's Romeo and Juliet Collage for the Altered Art Challenge

and Susan's Haiku? sort of

his heart

wondrous

rare as red sea glass

and mine

the maiden soft

with shadows in her midst

replenishes her stream of Hope

with subtle gifts

of burnished threads

and folded treasured cloths

outcasting all her woes

on us

the kindred ghosts

rustling beside her

written to Cathy Cullis about a month ago

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Spanglish

Esto de tener doble nacionalidad..... se siente como una doble personalidad. Sobretodo que es lo Sajon mezclado con lo Latino. No seria tan marcada la diferencia si fuera una mezcla Europea o solo de sangre latina; vivo entre dos mundos y se nota. Hay dias que soy netamente inglesa, coleccionando tacitas de te, inventando un jardin salvaje, otras me suelto como una loca apasionada y bailo hasta el amanecer, escuchando canciones romanticas o leyendo poesias intensas de Gonzalo Rojas.

Amo esos dos mundos por igual; la sutileza del ingles y el desenfreno del latino en un mismo cuerpo balanceandose como un pendulo sobre la llama.

Having dual citizenship feels like a split personality. Especially since it is an Anglo Saxon and Latin mix. The split wouldn't be as marked if it were a mix of only European heritage or a blend of Latin; I live between two worlds and it is noticeable. There are days when I am eminently English, collecting tea cups and inventing my wild garden, others I let down my hair, hang loose and dance like a fool until the break of dawn, listening to romantic songs or reading intense poetry by Gonzalo Rojas.

I love those two worlds equally; the subtlety of the English and the total Latin abandon all in one body swinging like a pendulum above the flame.

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Another Poem found in a scrappy notebook

When I write poetry, I usually write in Spanish

AGUDO

Respondiste a mi por impulsos.
Todos fueron acertados.
Me despoje de todo,
entregue el alma para ser tu sueno
en tu dominio, naci de nuevo.

Vi como tu mitad nino queria irrumpir en lo nuevo,
llegar a lo mas alto
aunque implicara metar las manos al fuego.
Y te deje despojar mi tierra fertil,
hiciste de nuevo mi cuento adulto

Al final tu guerra interior
se aferro a tu miedo infantil,
el instinto animal se rindio ante el espino,
la bruma era demasiado densa para descifrar mensajes

Por todo lo que sentimos
en entrana, viscera, corazon y mente
nuestros cuerpos permanecieron,
ajenos a la humedad y al tacto
apenas rozandonos y siempre en huida
recordada como un sollozo
anos y anos de sollozo tras agudo sollozo

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Looking through drawers I found....

Encontre esta poesia que escribi hace mas de diez anos fondeado en un cajon,

FUTURO

Paramo de encuentros fugaces,
de frases para el bronce,
de preguntas inciertas,
contigo no pude calzar en la sincronia perfecta

no nos escucho el que esta en el cielo,
estaba en otra parte mas urgente:
en el aqui y ahora,
no en el futuro perfecto

por consecuencia nos regalo
el diario vivir y el morir a diario

por miedo a que?
...a que se quemara el pan a la puerta del horno?
a que cruzaras el umbral conmigo a cuestas,
que se repitieran ilusiones muertas
y la aparicion de otras por abortar?
o la marchitacion de mi dulzura
por lo de las puntadas sin hilo

y en su lugar
me regalo
la cabeza equilibrada
subyugando al corazon
tras eternas conversaciones sobre
templanza, prudencia y ......
tres elementos ausentes a los que hubo de buscarse
en el diccionario de la conciencia

tu has sido
puro inconsciente
libre no
de pecado

hoy cortaron la luz
y no estuviste para alumbrarme
el camino entre el horror y la causa
no estuviste ahi
en el pasillo del laberinto
para guiarme en la ceguera temporal

estabas lejos, recostado
entre la paja
mental
de un dia sabado extremadamente familiar

Constanza en esos dias de nostalgiA

Tratare de pulirla.

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Un Canto a Neruda

above courtesy of www.flickr.com/photos/mahimashrestha/564782307/

Poetry

And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where it came from, from winter or a river. I don't know how or when, no they were not voices, they were not words, nor silence, but from a street I was summoned, from the branches of night, abruptly from the others, among violent fires or returning alone, there I was without a face and it touched me. I did not know what to say, my mouth had no way with names, my eyes were blind, and something started in my soul, fever or forgotten wings, and I made my own way, deciphering that fire, and I wrote the first faint line, faint, without substance, pure nonsense, pure wisdom of someone who knows nothing, and suddenly I saw the heavens unfastened and open, planets, palpitating plantations, shadow perforated, riddled with arrows, fire and flowers, the winding night, the universe. And I, infinitesimal being, drunk with the great starry void, likeness, image of mystery, felt myself a pure part of the abyss, I wheeled with the stars, my heart broke loose on the wind.

Pablo Neruda

and extracts

"beauty is twice beauty

and what is good is doubly good

when it is a matter of two socks

made of wool in winter." From Ode to my Two Socks

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