Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 74 Forecast: Rain

waiting

for the rain to fall

some are sad

some are glad

all are apprehensive

Southern California

does not like rain

centuries of dry

have drawn a folk

who don’t mind drinking

the resource of other places

…

no matter how you slice the cake

that’s a lot of water

mostly running off

surfaces too steep

denuded

others mostly clay

although I don’t delight

in misfortune born to others

I’m anticipating this rain

with hope

joy

excitement

for to me

rain is a beautiful thing

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 73 The Flower’s Song

the way the light catches

stamens and pistil

causes me to see

a harp

with strings lifted to heaven

riffing out for all its worth

the lines of this flower’s life

may my heart precious Lord

be lifted always to you

as you strum softly

the tune you want to hear

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 72

Happy Valentine’s Day!

to the wonderful WordPress staff

and to every single one

who has ever viewed or liked

a post of mine

and to all those

who also post

to all readers everywhere

as a former pastor loved to say

“We’re in this together!”

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 71 Blood Pressure

I’m paranoid about blood pressure

my mom was on a million pills before she died

I watched her sleep her life away

blood pressure pills among them

not me…

I’ll die of cause wide awake

but they scare you with the blood pressure thing

stroke

silent killer

and they pursue you

and make you get a double check

again

and again

every time you go for a simple office visit

my own machine shows wide variations

in an upward-leaning graph

so I bit the bullet

convinced I needed medication

it’s for the kids I said

so they wouldn’t have to deal with

my stroke

this resignation must have calmed my nerves

’cause when I had it checked today–

fully normal!

Woo-Hoo!

a jig a song and a wild Hallelujia!

right there in the parking lot

free of meddlesome pills

for at least another day

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 70 At the Sweetheart Ball

…a wild and crazy fantasy

what a Sweetheart Ball should be

without a word

you stepped right in

and danced your part with me

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 69 Even at a Mall

 Spring comes early in Southern Cal

shooting stars,

pear blossoms

freely bloom

even a shopping center

can feel expansive

like you’re on an excursion

into nature

on a Sunday afternoon

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 68 Christmas Cactus

 Christmas Cactus

spread its wings

to yawn and stretch this morning

peaceful bird

hovering still

what message do you bring?

love once given

does not give way

even in winter’s night

the light of truth

blooming still

calls

beckons

smiles

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 67 Sweetheart Ball

 dosado

allemande left

swing your own

and promenade

decades old

(maybe more)

and I’ve never been asked

to a sweetheart ball

until now

the words alone cause me to smile

Sweetheart Ball

round and full

let’s pause awhile

and then the ribbon

“Admits One”

so pretty and bright

What’s this? You have a beau?

How’d you meet such a fine looking guy?

my skirt is red

a bouncy slip

a flip of my heels

and a toss of my head

we’re goin’ so soon

I’ll greet you there

we’ll meet in a square

dancing

at the Sweetheart Ball

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 66 Sister Love

This is beautiful

of course I’m prejudiced

gramma and all that

but it is beautiful

the one

loved enough to embrace the other

the other

waking every morning

to the love of the first

The one

having been alone for three-plus years

the other

never alone

ever

it’s not good to be alone

that’s what the other’s parents said

of the one before the other was conceived

it’s not good to be alone

that’s what God said of Adam

before he made Eve

and so that’s how

We

came into being

well…

even God is We

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  ♦

Beauty Day 65 A Wash Awash with Rain

 Neighborhood wash

running with water

tells me abundance is near

ducks return

from seasons abroad

remembering bygone years

My life at this time

soaks up rain

feelings once dead revive

Hard to believe–

I’ve waited this long–

a poem refusing to fly

a twist of words

a change near the end

an element of surprise

these hills are green

flowers will come

singing

happy

alive