Gardner E shared a couple of these
Lenten Roses
In this season of lent,
I seek you out,
with your flopsy, mopsy blooms.
I bend low in the chill wind
and raise your drowsy head,
admiring perfect pink and burgundy petals.
How dear of you,
to come so soon,
before spring is fully flung.
How magical to watch you continue,
when spring spins into summer,
And the trees above leaf out full and plump.
Still you stay,
as your leaves grow broad and strong,
My longest lasting lenten bloom.
Oh my word, Handy Man just walked by while I was typing this and he said, "I love those flowers. They come in all this cold s*@t." Yes, there is that too. Somehow it didn't seem in keeping with my pitiful poetry attempt to include it, so I had to add it here. Crack up.
Speaking of Lent. I grew well into adulthood before I thought much about Lent or Advent, mostly because they were not celebrated by the faith I was raised in. I began to learn more when I worked in a Christian bookstore. Then I came to teach at a Catholic School. I loved everything about Advent and incorporated into my own seasonal activities. Since my students were asked to give up something for the 40 days of Lent, I thought I should do the same, you know set a good example. I don't know what all I've fasted from during my tenure, but I still think it is a good idea. Well, for some reason I no longer recall, I decided to give up spending money. Oh my. That was miserable. I hated it. I loved it. Yeah, I know.
Anyway I've continued that practice. I don't know if you would call me a little, big spender, or a big, little spender. We buy used cars, drive them a long time. We live in a tumbledown farm house, don't eat out much, go to movies much, and I'm a coupon bearing, clearance stalking queen. I get a ton of my books from the library and no one but us cleans house or cuts grass. Still, when it comes to my grandkids and students I spend a ton of money. Not only that, I am very entertained by tracking down bargains. Tuesday Morning and the clearance aisles and a coupon at JoAnn's and the other craft stores are my happy place. And books, wow. So I love that I have to stop and think every time I spend money for six weeks. It pinches every time I see a deal I have to pass up. In case you are wondering, this does not include food, basic house stuff like paper towels (which no longer seem so basic do they). If you are starting to question if this little train has a caboose, well yes it does. I've already said that being home endlessly, with no wee folk hanging out is NOT my happy place. So, in this strangest of all lenten seasons, guess what I would have been doing? Right-O. I did not manage to get to the library before they slammed the door on my other happy place. Amazon would be at my house every day, were it not for this lenten fast. That has made me do what a disciplined person does, look at what I have and use that. Ceece is making masks, so I went through stuff leftover from one project and another to give her. I found some old Highlight books the gramerlings will like. I've taken stock of any Easter stuff I already have and wondering what I can do with it. It takes me a minute to get through Lord of the Rings, though there is a bit of underlying panic about that coming to an end. Handy Man and I watched all the movies to the point where I am in the book over the weekend. I enjoy reading my Bible and I have a few other books I'm happy to read again, along with my Mary Oliver books. And, joining with so many, Handy Man will likely be laid off again before week's end. So, good deal on the not spending.
Smiles for Miles
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