Sunday, June 10, 2018

THE MEMORY

Writing Assignment

            I have just been told I am leaving earth.  I can take one memory with me.  Just one.  I choose this:

          Sometimes in the morning, as I sink into the porch swing, the wind comes rushing up the mountain, as though to greet me. 
        A lone turkey, who has survived a shotgun blast, or who is just exploring and got lost, may scuttle across the edge of the yard, not minding me and my cup of coffee at all.  Turkeys are usually always in a gang, so one is an unusual sight.  Today a male ambled behind a female, keeping a safe distance, because she appeared to be in a tiff – pouting about something, perhaps?
        Sometimes a giant hawk suddenly sails through the air in that open space between my house and the woods.  I see a silent screech of brakes - landing gear down – legs long, claws extended and slicing through the sky.  The wingspan casts a large shadow.  He sees something I am not privy to on the sloping spot covered with tall grass and rocks.
        A blue bird perches at the door of the new house I have crookedly attached to a tree (so I can easily spy).  He pokes his head inside the small round hole, inspecting.  Is this a good spot for the second batch of eggs?  He flies off and in a few minutes, returns and goes inside.  Abode approved!
        I hear a single bird plaintively calling and then a whole mess of them, trying to outdo one another in the mountain choir. 
        Sometimes I sit all the way through the sunset and well into the darkness.  I watch trees that can’t sleep because the wind keeps them busy waving on through the night.  I hear the whippoorwill with his relentless cry.  Why say it so many times, birdie?
        Lightning bugs compete with the stars that twinkle through the tops of the trees.  Who knew they could fly so high?
        Serenity.  Happiness. Joy.  Who knows what the real word is?
        In the Bible, it says God know the desires of my heart.  It also says He went away to prepare a place for me.  ME.  If it is true that He knows everything I long for, I will not have to take the sweet memory of porch sittin’ with me.  A porch and a swing will be waiting for me when I get to my permanent home.
        But I would take this one memory – just in case….
        Porch sittin’.

Monday, May 28, 2018

On Becoming a Hermitess


While I do not regret becoming a hermitess, I believe there several problems associated with this decision:


1.  When there are no more cookies, you have only yourself to blame.

2.  Weekend games of three-legged racing and tag can be awkward.

3.  If you go missing, no one can describe what you were last seen wearing.

4.  Planning to spend a quiet Friday night square dancing will lead to a very unsatisfactory execution of: "Swing yore partner!"

5. "Who gets the Wishbone" and "Thumb Wrestling" are no longer competitive sports.

6.  That tick will have to stay there.


I love my life anyway!


Saturday, April 21, 2018

REALLY?



SO…I’m flipping channels this morning and landed on THE First Baptist.  The Youth Minister got up to lead the prayer.  In clear view, a choir member, right behind him, dressed in her angelic robe, leaned over to the lady beside her and whispered, frowny face and all, “He’s got on JEANS..." with an ugly little shake of her head.  (Oh - I wish I could show that clip to her.)  I hope she doesn't freeze that way some day.

All of television land saw his jeans, your highness.  We also saw what you said.  When the preacher does the next altar call, maybe you should hit it.  And lower your nose…if it is raining when church lets out, you’re gonna drown.

Intolerance and hatefulness has got to stop.  You know where I always see it most?

Church.

Lawd, I wonder what it’s gonna take….

Monday, April 16, 2018

AN ORCHESTRA CALLED GREEN (New Life)



And just like that
Under the cover of night
The renowned orchestra called GREEN
Came to town
They came with no instruments
Newborn, naked, and shy
But marched center stage
Fully at attention when morning came
Open and glistening
In tune with the sunrise
Nature
Brand New
LEAVES!
No stage fright –
They lift their heads in unison
Singing as one
Winter deadness made new
Keeping rhythm with the breeze
For months, nothing will stop their song!
With no applause
Or standing ovations
And in most places
No audience
THE GREEN ORCHESTRA!
Singing to the heavens
A crescendo come to life!
Because…
their Conductor lives!

~Sister Saxon~

WINTER LEAVES




As winter leaves,
The last of winter’s leaves
Congregate
In corners, crevices, and crannies
Like old women gossiping
They give occasional nervous flutters
As though having been suspiciously watching for my broom.

I approach and some snap to attention
A small cackling crackle of life

Yes - they had been waiting…

My broom moves and so do they
Lightly awkward
or
Gracefully clumsy
or
Careful in a cavalier kind of way…

They all run away
In rhythm to some unknown energy

Laugh dancing across the porch

I watch.
I consider.

What if it is not the wind?
What if it is of their own accord?


~Sister Saxon~





Monday, February 26, 2018

FREE LUNCH!



Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! I have seen the light! 

I was in error while trying to make a point that is related to my severely challenged way of thinking. Thinking such as this: 
It would be a Bigger Better Blessing to give a family in need a week's worth of groceries than to pay for one meal for a person who has everything.  You know, the way people do in restaurants now.  They will select someone or a whole family who is eating at the restaurant and pay for their meal.  Key point – someone who is already at the restaurant, thereby being someone who can afford to pay for their meal.

SO, I suggested this awful thing - maybe it would be better to give a family who is having a hard time a whole week’s worth of food rather than paying for a family’s meal in a nice restaurant.

Then, thank goodness, someone pointed out to me the error in my thinking:
“Those people” don’t make good use of what is given to them.  “Those people” will just use what you give them to buy drugs or alcohol.

What in this world has gotten into me?

I must stop looking at the mattresses of homeless people underneath the interstates.  I will turn the other way when someone asks me for spare change.  When I go to the VA Hospital, I won’t look at their faces.

I WON’T LOOK. 


(Take notes – you don’t want to wind up like me.)


Tuesday, January 9, 2018

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!



HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!

They have managed to turn their so-called tragedies into something glamorous and celebratory.  If I hear an actress say "amazing" one more time I'm gonna puke.

Yes, I have become cynical, having lived through some "stuff" of my own.  I don't have the answers for the ACTUAL BONA FIDE hideous crap perpetrated on women.  it is unforgivable.  But I know this...when I was just a poor dumb kid and didn't even have a television in my home, I heard the phrase "Hollywood Casting Couch" and I knew what it meant (and that was a looong time ago).

Crudeness seems to be a Hollywood mindset.  You see it every single day!  Watch five minutes of today's sitcoms.  Listen to actresses talk on late night talk shows...or daytime talk shows.  Watch women wear their dresses down to there and seduce men in front of the world.  I don't know about you, but I have always been given the impression that 'anything goes in Hollywood'.  Now they stand, shocked and horrified, in their black designer gowns.

Good acting.

When you wear a dress from Walmart to commiserate with and show solidarity to women who do not think their abusive situation is glamorous and who do not have the choices you have and who do not know what a freakin' hashtag is, I might watch your movies again.

Oh yeah...now we are supposed to vote for Oprah for President..

#amazing
#puke


Friday, March 24, 2017

I'M SO SORRY, MR. WASHINGTON


I am searching for words.

Kind of like Casey Affleck - searching for words.

But there aren’t any.

I just watched “Manchester by the Sea”.

I had been waiting for it to arrive – yes, I still get DVDs from Netflix via snail mail.  But I’m old-fashioned like that.

I watched.

I cannot stop walking around in circles asking myself, “What the heck was that?”

It wouldn’t have been anything much, except this acting won an Academy Award.  Yep – Mr. Affleck got the big A for this performance.  Yes – really.

I would have bet my boots that Mr. Denzel Washington had hit the jackpot with “Fences”.  I saw it the day it was released and I have never – I mean never - witnessed a performance like Mr. Washington gave in that movie.  Pure brilliance.

So, when Mr. Affleck’s name was called for the piece de resistance, of course, his performance had to be better than Mr. Washington's.

Uh....

While “Manchester” portrayed a story of heartbreak and heartache and heartache and heartbreak, I’ve never thought there was any true way to describe grief – and, I’m telling you, by God, they couldn’t do it.

As far as I’m concerned, there could have been a stuffed chimp grunting things like, “F this” and “F that” and “I’m sorry” and just plain grunting and it would have passed for the same as this performance.

Mr. Affleck got a very bad script and he did it justice.  (That's not a good thing.)

And Mr. Washington – I’m so so sorry….

I’m still searching for words. 

Kind of like Casey Affleck – searching for words.


Thursday, December 24, 2015

WHAT IF I HAD BEEN THERE?


A few evenings ago I was in the livingroom, looking at the Nativity I have had for years.  The little shelter is made of wooden pieces and the characters of ceramic.   A tealight flickered behind the angel and as I watched, it seemed that the ceramic figures came to life.  

And I began to wonder..."What if I had been there?"



WHAT IF I HAD BEEN THERE?

What if I had been there
On that first Christmas Day
Would I have offered shelter
Or turned weary ones away
Would I have offered comfort
A warm crusty loaf of bread
Would I have given all I had…
What would I have said?

If I had heard a baby crying
Or heard a Mama's prayer
What if I had been there
What could I have shared
What if I had been there 
To kiss His tiny face
What if I had been the first 
To claim Amazing Grace?

What if I had been there
On that sweet night so still
What if I had been
A shepherd on a hill
Would I have gone running
To the stable's glowing light
Would I have made a difference
In one family's life?

What if I had been there
A so-called wise man from afar
Traveling long and in despair
Chasing some great star
What if I had been there
And had brought a gift of gold
Would it have been a selfless gift of love
Or a gift to save my soul? 

What if Mary had needed me
Would I have helped a stranger
What would I have given
A  Baby in a manger
What if I had been there
To see that newborn lamb
What if I had been there
To find out who I am?

What if I am there right now
And see the need each day
What if I know someone
Who struggles in every way
What if I live near a child
Who goes to bed with hunger

What if I do all I can
So I never have to wonder:

What if I had been there?
What if I had been there?

WHAT IF I AM THERE RIGHT NOW?



WHAT IF I HAD BEEN THERE?
by:  Sister Saxon - 2015


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

BOOKS!



BOOKS and TOP PICKS!

Yeah, I’m a critic – who isn’t?

Some of the books I have read in 2015:

STEPHEN KING:  ON WRITING  (Mr. King's memoir on writing)
GIRL ON THE TRAIN
BETTYVILLE
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
THE GOLDFINCH
THE PECAN MAN
IN COLD BLOOD
CUTTING FOR STONE
THE WONDER GARDEN
THE NIGHTINGALE
BRIGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (again)
THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (again)
FLANNERY O'CONNOR Complete Stories (again)
EUDORA WELTY’s Stories (again)
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER (again)
UNLIMITED ACCESS (again) this is good – written by an ex-FBI agent who worked in the White House during the Clinton Administration.  If you are considering voting for a Clinton for ANYTHING, I highly recommend reading this first.
MUSIC FOR CHAMELEONS
COLD MOUNTAIN
GLIMMER TRAIN SHORT STORIES - the 2015 volumes

 My Top Picks:

THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING was written by Carson McCullers, a Southern gal.  I have read this little jewel several times and it is just beautiful!  I've also seen the movie - it is an old black and white film and so delightful!  The novel was written ‘way before Miss Harper Lee wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird” and what I noticed when I read the two books again this year was that there are some similarities in the stories. Enough to actually make me go “Hmmmm….”

BETTYVILLE
I literally made myself put it away each night to avoid coming to the end.  True story and a true work of art that you don’t want to miss!  I know why I like it so much – it stays with you and makes you want to be a good person - I mean a really good person!  Thanks, George Hodgman!

COLD MOUNTAIN is a wonderful movie, but the book is stunning - so beautifully written!  The characters are marvelous, especially Ruby.  I didn’t want it to end – I wanted to know more!

FLANNERY O’CONNOR and EUDORA WELTY absolutely never get old…


The rest of the books were pretty good – except ‘Girl on the Train’ kind of made me nervous...

Blessings to you!
Joanne