Welcome to my World

Welcome to the domain different--to paraphrase from New Mexico's capital city of Santa Fe which bills itself "The City Different." Perhaps this space is not completely unique but my world shapes what I write as well as many other facets of my life. The four Ds figure prominently but there are many other things as well. Here you will learn what makes me tick, what thrills and inspires me, experiences that impact my life and many other antidotes, vignettes and journal notes that set the paradigm for Dierdre O'Dare and her alter ego Gwynn Morgan and the fiction and poetry they write. I sell nothing here--just share with friends and others who may wander in. There will be pictures, poems, observations, rants on occasion and sometimes even jokes. Welcome to our world!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A Potpourri of fun stuff

First today is National Farmers Day. Before you laugh or make snide remarks about John Deere tractors take a second and remember that the better part of our food comes from farms and farmers are the folks who grow those fruits and veggies, provide the eggs, milk and meat we all must have to survive. I'll put in a small boost for another blogger,  www.kissedafarmer.blogspot.com who is a staunch supporter of farms, farmers and the wonderful things they do for us! We cannot thank and honor them enough.

I'm enjoying the many small signs of spring that are appearing. I saw a pair of robins today while Ginger and I were out for our walk. They were playing chase games which I took as a sign they were probably a pair, mated or soon to be. Birds do it, bees do it!! Then there are the blooms. Daffodils and tulips in some yards we pass, fruit trees all around and the filaree--an odd little weed that appears early all across the southwest. It is distantly related to the clover and legumes I think and grows in a neat little ferny-leafed doily shape and then produces pretty tiny purple flowers. It is good feed for cattle and wild creatures that browse and graze. Back when I had horses and mules, they all loved it. The plants have popped up fast the last week or two and are now blooming. I am waiting for the first mesquite leaves. They always mark the real start of spring as they never seem to jump the gun and get caught by a late surprise frost.

The mesquite is a ubiquitous southwestern shrub or tree. There are many varieties scattered in the border states, some native and some imported from Mexico and Central or South America. They have small leaves in the Acacia pattern of opposing pairs along a thin stem, mostly each leaf no more than 1/8 inch wide and up to 1/2 inch long. Before they leaf out, the twigs develop hard, nobby little budlets--you'd never think they would turn to leaves because they are dark, dense and almost warty looking. Then all at once, they change like the caterpillar to the butterfly and leaves appear, the sweetest and most vivid green you can imagine--the real color of spring to me. I missed that so much the years I was in Colorado. I'll try to get a picture when they emerge but I am not sure it will capture the color exactly as it appears. Later in the year they turn a dusky olive shade but for a month or so they are just lovely!

And last, a fellow staff member at Coffee Time Romance is doing a project for a women's studies class she is taking at college and wanted some contributions starting with I am beautiful at... with the writer supplying the age. All women are beautiful and that got me to thinking. I've been trying to ignore or deny a serious upcoming birthday, one of the milestone type ones but all at once I decided to look at it positively! I did a very short essay and sent it to Kimberly and she liked it so I guess I will share it here. And trust me, all of you are beautiful, every one of my friends and readers! Whether you are fifteen or fifty or pushing the century mark, it doesn't matter because beauty comes from inside--the soul and spirit, the divine spark that is life itself.

"I am beautiful at seventy because I have known all kinds of love and survived many kinds of loss. I am beautiful because I am strong, caring and courageous. I let the love inside me shine out every day in all that I seek to do. I am beautiful because I have kids and grandkids I am proud of and know they are the legacy I leave to the world when my time comes to depart. I am beautiful because my dog loves me and I love her back. I am beautiful for gray hair, some lines in my face and a body that time has rearranged because all this reflects that I have truly lived. I am beautiful for the wonderful memories that fill my heart, part of friends and family who will be with me always. Most of all, my beauty comes from the divine spark that I know lives within me and will go with my spirit or soul through every moment of this life, coming from the past and going on into future lives!" 

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