Juniper's World: Poems and Thoughts

The Absence of Geese

Mon, 25 Jul 2005 18:35:37 GMT

This

(LITTLE SAD POEM)

resulted after I was (Finally) persuaded to sell our 13 geese...
which, truth be told, served no purpose except to annoy and terrorize anyone who
came near them!

To feed the unpredictable (Ungrateful) foul, I had to walk with a big stick to keep
them away from me!

One memorable day I was holding them back as I tried to turn on the water
to freshen their kiddie pool I had set up for them. I was walking backward, keeping them
back with the small branch I had picked up. Suddenly, the flimsy tree
limb broke and I fell backward, as 'Granddaddy' and another of his flock
were on me, in a flash! I had to grab them by the neck and fling them off,
but not before getting bruised by their sharp row of Teeth, along my arms-
and even through my jeans! TEETH?? (If not teeth-they certainly pass for such!)
I had bruises for days, after this event!

Lol- too bad no one was handy with a video camera!

...But this event didn't prompt the sale of my geese ... I still felt
responsible for them and they were happy in their domain which I
had created for them! PLUS-they were pretty to watch-especially when they all took
flight across the pasture, at the same time!

I just got a bigger stick! <S>

...After another couple years I was offered a good price for the whole flock,
and with my husband's urging, finally made the decision to let them go!

...Another weird twist to this geese story... the original buyers paid the whole
amount in cash...took 2 geese and were to come back for the rest of them! ($100)
Two months passed and they never returned...I had no way to reach them-
not even their name!!

Meanwhile-I had another lady wanting to buy the remainder of my geese...Finally,
we decided the original buyers were not going to return and my husband urged me to
let her buy them! SO - I did, but not happily!!

Got a combined price of over $200.00 for those geese!

LOL- but I had earned it, over the years!

NOTE: The original buyers never DID come back! Weird!

The Absence of Geese

The absence of geese
improves the landscape
not at all, as far as I can see!
Sold- to rid us of the aggravation -
the care and feeding - to set us free!
Well, it didn’t happen!
(Or is it only me?)
The pasture now seems sad,
forlorn, so empty,
with the profound absence
of familiar barnyard sounds!
Yet, with traces, still,
of feathers floating ‘round!
They’re picked up, randomly,
by gusts of winter wind!
They flutter, briefly, silently,
then once again they settle
on the ground.

June Kellum

Junie's Place

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 16:02:27 GMT

http://juniesplace.blogspot.com/

This is where you'll find me most days!!
Please visit me there!!! :)

Juniper

Floundering

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:20:01 GMT

Today I feel like I'm floundering- or just floating aimlessly...

Lots I could be doing but no ambition or desire to do any of it!

Am listening to the music of Jackson Browne and tho I love his songs am not sure he is what I need for today! He tends toward sad and depressing songs a lot!

Oh well- Have to get on with something here!! So- guess I will tackle writing some bills!
Maybe do some gardening later !

Things will get better. They always do!

J.

A Spring Day

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 19:52:54 GMT

Today is a beautiful Spring day here in Ocala,
but I am not feeling well, so am not out doors to enjoy it!
I have a real bad headache and my ear is sore- so I have just
been taking it easy today!

Wish I felt better so I could start some
gardening! I WILL next week! Have to get some little flowers going
in Mom's garden and have to rearrange the bench and birdbath/fountain,
as Chas. says he's not replacing the rain gutters back there!!...It's not an
ideal situation, with the rain coming down directly onto the bench...but I
think I can make it work if I move things around a little! You just....
"Do What You HaveTo Do!" ( borrowing a title from Sarah McLachlan)

Chas. plans a veggie garden soon, too, and I want to grow some of those
little cherry tomatoes like I did last year! I like to grow them in pots as I can
control the weeds better that way! Plus- they look pretty in pots!
I ALSO must have some Bell Peppers!

Monday is already taken , of my days next week! I have that dental appt. to
finish the CROWN!

(lol- Queen Juniper!!)

Dan Fogelberg tonight

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:30:45 GMT

Today was a very tiring day for me. Haven't felt like doing much-
Had my yearly check-up at my doctor's and had several new perscriptions added to my list!
Nothing major-but a lot of little things add up to a lot of $$$ for meds! Still have dental work to do
also!

Oh well, 'Do What You Have To Do' I believe that's a title by Sarah McLachlan! I had a very nice
listening of her music a few nights ago! It's one of my greatest pleasures these days (nights)...
just playing my favorite music!...(and I will always have the music-whatever!)

Three nights ago I had a real blast with Holmdel-The Who concert-again! Disk one and Disk two!
ALWAYS a fun time doing that! I almost feel I am there when I play those concert CDs! :)

Tonight it has been Dan...I always come back to DAN! :)

Now- it's off to bed-and good night Dan! :)- hello Stephen King! I'm reading 'Cell'- It's about cell phones
driving people crazy! I mean-REALLY !! ahh- a very S. King - like story!!

J.

Thinking of Mom

Sat, 25 Feb 2006 23:38:51 GMT

Saturday, February 25, 2006 ( posted on: http://juniesplaceqeubf.blogspot.com/ )

Thinking of Mom

Today I find myself thinking of Mom and feeling very sad. And although this blog is titled 'My early memories' I find myself thiking of her more and more- and not just my early memories but right up to the day that she left us!

She didn't really leave me - as she is still here in my heart and always will be.

I remember her love and generosity toward everyone...how she wanted to do so much and how she MANAGED to do so much for everyone - with so little!
Christmas gifts were given to all-right down to great-grandchildren, when at all possible.(meaning-if she had an address for them)

In latter years she would send my sister and me on errands for gifts... of the fancy boxed cookies or chocolate covered cherries candy or those big colorful cans of popcorn to give the families...little stuffed toys for the little ones, little trucks and cars!

In years past, when she still could see well enough and her hands were more agile, she would crochet gifts for all of us! I still have all the things she made for me over the years. The last years she had been giving her 5 kids and spouses a gift of cash together! (all of this out of a very small S.S. check each month)

...And Christmas cards would have to be bought and written for her to all the people she knew and loved. Sadly, over the years those lists grew shorter.

The last Christmas season she was with us was the beginning of her final battle. Although she was home at Christmas she was in the hospital shortly after.

In years past, most of the family would come for her birthday/reunion party (Jan.6th.) -a tradition we had started on her 80th. birthday. This year many of Mom's family came, but not to the happy times we had known before! This time was to say goodbye to Mom - to Ma-Ma!

Mom left us exactly 3 weeks after her birthday, on January 27th. There were 40+ family members at her side or in her room!

Days after - I found the Christmas card from her that I had put aside as we opened gifts on Christmas Eve! Inside, of course, was the cash for Charles and me!

This is what we bought with Mom's last gift money for us... a fountain/birdbath. It is part of a small garden we created for Mom just outside my kitchen window.

I think of her often as I watch the birds there each morning!

Junie

My expensive mouth-

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:51:28 GMT

....Today was NOT a good day by any stretch...

Had that dental appointment and as I expected - the tooth had to have a crown.
They did the worst of it today and in two weeks I go back for the finished crown!

It's left me with a sore mouth, and headache, and nearly $1,000.00 poorer!!!
YES!!! That much for one tooth!!

And that's not the end of it, as I have at least ONE more that also needs a crown!
PLUS- a tooth - in front-needs a filling!!! :( I always felt my FRONT teeth were ok! NO WAY!
... :) but- can't lose my smile so will have to get that one fixed soon!

I will have the most expensive mouth around - and none of it has been cosmetic-
but NECESSARY!!

OH! Did I mention I have no dental insurance??

(No health ins. of any kind, so lets hope I don't worry myself sick over this dental problem!)

Some days are Diamonds...then you have days like today!!!

Junie

Congrats, Zach!

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 20:56:48 GMT

Monday, February 20, 2006
Eagle Scout Honor

Monday, February 20, 2006

Tomorrow we will be going for an overnight stay at our daughter's house in Orlando.
We will attend the ceremony for our grandson, Zachary, and one other young man,
as they become Eagle Scouts.

Zach has been involved in scouting since he was old enough to join Cubs.
It has been a wonderful and exciting experience for him! ...And has taught him many
important life lessons!

' Eagle ' is the highest honor to be acheived in Boy Scouts. We are very proud of Zach,
for his dedication in reaching this goal!

Pics posted on blogger site:

http://juniesplace.blogspot.com/

Ginga

No ride today-

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:27:09 GMT

Although it's Saturday-we didn't ride... I didn't go out at all...

Have not felt well-with the broken tooth-and not eating anything good at all!
Trying to help Charles-and myself too, with the food reduction plan!!...
But especially him-as he was sternly warned last week,
by the doctor, about his health! We're drastically cutting the carbs-and it is not much fun!

Tuesday we will be going to Orlando, to the Eagle Scout ceremony, for Zach!
We will spend the night, as C. doesn't like to drive that 2 hour trip home at night.
Will put Tam and Terry to sleep on the couch and floor...but they offered!! :)
And we're the 'Old Folks', C. & I ...

My sis and brother-in-law came up for a little visit this afternoon. We all picked fruit
for them to take home. The HoneyBells are dropping too fast now! I hate to see them go!
They are the best ever!

Relaxed late last night for a couple hours with 'The Who!' YES!! :) I CAN relax with THE WHO!

Tonight? I dunno! Probably an early night for me tonight!

J.

Pic: Pete Townshend- doing the famous smashing thing!!

Dark Side of the Moon

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 21:28:00 GMT

Last night I got into 'The Dark Side of the Moon ,' Pink Floyd.
I knew little of Pink Floyd through the years, apart from 'The Wall'
which my son had insisted on playing for me when he was a teen
and just getting into music! I remember he found 'The Wall' fascinating,
and so did I!

I just recently bought this cd for myself (DSOTM) and had played it just
once before last night , at a time when I was distracted and not
paying much attention to the lyrics. Last night I paid special attention
to the lyrics; in fact, played it through a second time! I found it to be an
extraordinary album/CD! The music is exciting, lyrics of a depressing nature,
but excellent just the same!

I have been told this album was written about Syd Barrett, the founder of
the band, Pink Floyd.

Barrett's story is sad but interesting.
He became mentally ill
(one must assume, in part, due to drug use) He, eventually, became unable to function,
and left the band , by mutual consent.

I found this website about the history of Syd Barrett

http://members.aol.com/pgrsel/barrett/bio.htm

J.