a fallow time

 

Summer has come around again; a few people have asked if I'm going to do a summer solstice blog. All I can say is, for me this is a fallow time. A time to heal, reassess my goals – If I have goals anymore. 

So in observance of Summer Solstice 2025 I'm re-posting one of my favorite poems:

the game of life 

We dive, most of us head first

into this confusing mass of energy and

try following the many conflicting instructions

We study and debate the ancient, obscure rules

There are games of physical endurance 

games of chance and games of skill -

physical skill and mental skill - 

most games require teamwork

others are pure chance

one toss of the dice might 

end our game in disaster

Maybe the game is one where we excel 

maybe not - the deck was stacked either way

But it's said we have free choice and 

it's all so very confusing, oft-times not even knowing 

what game we're in, nor how it's scored

Perhaps it's best just to sit on the sidelines 

try to ignore it all, some of us practice not seeing,

or become a serial player of many games.

My only goal is to enjoy the roller coaster ride  -

Win or lose, we're all equal at the finish line

And my current favorite picture

(favorite because it is the last one I've completed)

Untitled (double haiku)

 Ruth Ann Howden 

9" x 16"

Mixed Media painting / collage 

************************************

Emily Dickinson knew about so much,

and she communicated her thoughts so well,

from her isolation she wrote — 

“Let us strive together to part with time more reluctantly, to watch the pinions of the fleeting moment until they are dim in the distance and the new coming moment claims our attention.”

ALOHA 

I now give my attention to 

the rare gift of another day.