Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Poem for a Cloudy Day

Why I Wake Early

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who made the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips,
and the nodding morning glories,
















and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety



















best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

















in happiness, in kindness.

--Mary Oliver

(Thanks to Caroline, for sharing this beautiful poem.)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Old is Made New



I just got back from Greensboro doing some family business and while I was there, my brother and I rode by my dad's old house. They had done so many improvements to the outside of the house: an iron fence, a potting shed, french doors to the den. They had painted the outside. There was a paper tulip on the front door, obviously made by a child. Topiaries framed the porch. The yard was green and the driveway had been power-washed. The house looked lived in again.

The house is being loved by another family, and we're moving on with our lives without my dad. A year and three-quarters later I still think of him every day, still miss him like crazy. But seeing his house alive again with that family cheered me up.

(My brother took the photo. Thanks, Bro. <3)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

A Day Off

I usually take Wednesdays off. As soon as I wake up, my mind starts sorting through the opportunities the day holds. The constant battle between the things I want to do and those I need to do begins.

Today, here are some of the choices:


I have boxes of photos, papers, and books that I brought from my dad's house. I need to sort through and organize them.



Most of the drawers in my house look similar to this one. It's weighty on my brain, all the junk that we keep. I could clean out a few of them at a time.



My planters have weeds and a cat flourishing in them. It's time to plant the garden. My husband does most of the heavy work, but I could go buy plants for the garden and flowers for the deck.



Laundry. Always a chore, um, I mean choice. The grocery store too. Sweep up the plant droppings that come in on our shoes in the spring. Wipe the counter, empty/fill the dishwasher. Clean out the old food in the refrigerator.



An email comes in telling me of a writing contest. I could write a new story, edit old ones, research literary magazines, submit to them. I could go through the 10,000 photographs on my computer and delete the ones that aren't that good - be ruthless, my friend Jan Phillips says.



So it's 11:00. I've talked to one of my sisters, one of my friends, and one of my daughters. I've checked mail and run through facebook. I've listened to a few songs by the amazing Joan Osborn on YouTube. I've done two loads of laundry, printed out a photograph for a writing contest, taken the pictures you see here. If I count the laundry as a 'need' and the phone calls and blog post as a 'want' I think the morning has been a balanced success.

Now to eat some lunch and think about the hours of the afternoon. Should I go see my mother-in-law, sit quietly listening to music with her? Should I go to the gym? Tackle something from the list above? The possibilities are endless, and that makes me happy.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

High Dive


This is probably the biggest "Can I Do It?" moment of my blogging career. Aaaaaah...whoooooooo (me taking a deep breath).

For several months I have been working on a website where I could share my photographs and cards. Thanks to my dear friend Patrice Cherry the website is complete.

I'm nervous. This is like standing at the top of the high dive and looking down. It seems a l-o-n-g way down to the water. Will it sting when I hit? Will the water be warm or cold? Will people be laughing or clapping when I surface? Can I make it to the ladder at the side, pull myself up, and hit the ladder to the board again??

There's only one way to find out. Please visit my new website, MamiePotter.com. Take a look around. Give me some feedback and if something strikes your fancy, buy it.

Aaaaaaah.....whoooooo. YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAA....