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Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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#WritePhoto Peace Trance
July 6, 2017
— 8 Comments
peaceful paradise
At the most stressful times she could remove herself from the action by calling on her ability to go into a trance. She had been a captive since her early childhood. She can barely remember her own abduction and the long ride down the mountain out of the forrest. They crossed barren plains scarred with the remnants of war to the camp where she remained. She never saw her family again, and was taught a new language, full of harsh sounds and concepts. In her few hours of rest she remained faithful to her tribe’s values, trying to keep the few sacred words of her mother tongue alive in her mind. There was no speaking around in that forbidden language, for the camp was used to erase culture and tribal belief. The process was a special kind of stripping of confidence that left them all exhausted.
Her skill to call down the moon was still in tact. She spent the full moon nights in reverie, practicing the trances and the dances she had been taught as a little girl. She felt her own power grow as her values changed. She knew the secret of taking responsibility. The people brought to the camp were stripped of their identity and culture, then programmed for menial and dehumanizing work. They were hoodwinked into thinking they had no choices in life, that this awful slavery was a punishment for something they had done.
In her meditation she saw the logs in the forest that her grandmother used for an altar. She could pull in every detail of that scene, and even hear the voices of her people chanting to bring her back home. Finally one night in her dream the path to return to her village was revealed. A strong bold figure opened the gates and brought all the people into freedom. She ran quickly up the hill with an unlimited energy she had never had. Her steps were swift and sure as she climbed the last hill. She saw her whole family gathered around the altar, dancing slowly, chanting sweetly. When she awoke and found herself safely snuggled in her own hammock she knew she had been taken on a special dream journey. She ran to her grandmother for an explanation. All her grandmother would say was, “You have been chosen. Now you must choose which path you will use.” She was not sure which one, if any, was real.
#writephoto
This story is a response to the Thursday photo prompt on Sue Vincent’s Echo. Please join each week for poems and stories on a photo theme. It is fascinating to read the different ways writers interpret the picture.
#WeedWednesday Welcome To Arizona
July 4, 2017
— 1 Comment
cannabis
cannabis
cannabis
cannabis
Arizona made medical marijuana legal in November, 2010 by enacting Prop 203, which won by a narrow margin. The health department of the state regulates and licenses dispensaries. The number of dispensary licenses issued is linked to the number of pharmacy licenses in the state. Prop 203 calls for no more than one dispensary license to be granted for every 10 pharmacy permits issued by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. As of 2010 when the law was passed, that equates to 124 dispensaries statewide. Patients who live more than 25 miles form a dispensary can apply to have a caregiver grow for them, or be their own caregiver. Many rural areas of the state are more than 25 miles from a dispensary, most of which are concentrated in the urban areas of Phoenix and Tucson.
In Nov 2016 Proposition 205 was defeated by the voters, 51.32% to 48.68%. Had it passed Arizona would have joined the adjoining states of Colorado, Nevada, and California in legalizing recreational marijuana. This makes Arizona a less well-funded state, and creates a tourism draw for the other three. The marijuana tourist tax dollars Arizona turned away will visit Las Vegas and have no remorse.
Canadian firms have started to invest significantly in the AZ market, buying dispensary management companies and making other large investments throughout the state. The cannabis business will grow at a slower rate than our adjoining legal states, but still contribute much to the economy under the current medical law. Most people think it will eventually be legal in all states soon. Investors and consultants are setting themselves up in business within the law and are also preparing for the future. New products and product lines are brought to market and management contracts are being signed. Weed is big business, a growth business. The expanding market will be served in new ways, yet to be discovered. This is an interesting segment to watch. What are the marijuana laws in your state, gentle reader?
cannabis
cannabis
cannabis
Keeping Our Cool
July 3, 2017
— 1 Comment
best wishes
To whom can we look for guidance in crisis?
The sea is full of troubled waters and dying fish
Our battles and embroiled excuses do not end with ISIS
Our future floats lifelessly on the surface, a futile wish
For earth to find the harmony needed to stay alive
While we argue viciously about every possible decision
Blindly contradicting truth only helps ignorance thrive
Time leaves us with fewer options to complete our mission
#TeaTuesday Rooibos Jasmine
June 27, 2017
— 5 Comments
my front yard jasmine
my front yard jasmine
my front yard jasmine
I am drinking some iced rooibos tea lightly laced with natural jasmine flavor. Rooibos Jasmine tea is a floral tea for special occasions. I love it, but find it is a taste for which I have to be in the mood. The taste of jasmine is slightly lighter than the typical black jasmine tea. The caffeine free rooibos herb from South Africa has a toasty, nutty finish that also distinguishes it from the typical jasmine tea. I am enjoying it today because I am also enjoying the last of three jasmine varieties that bloom in my front yard over a period of about 2 months. This Asian Jasmine plant is close to the front door and the walkway, so visitors are wafted with the strong scent when they approach the entrance to our home. Come on in and try the jasmine tea.
The thirst quenching qualities of this delightful beverage are awesome. The lingering floral taste is refreshing and invigorating. I normally drink this tea hot because the aroma from the cup is a major part of the experience. The heat releases the smell for the drinker as well as anyone in the room at the time. It is never cloying or overbearing on the floral notes. The perfect amount of flavor picks up, but does not cover, the taste of the herb. Over ice the floral notes come across as much more muted, with less of an aroma. The jasmine hits you after you swallow the cold version of the drink.
I like almost every rooibos and honeybush tea blend based on the fact that the herbs themselves are healthy and delicious. This floral version is great for any time I feel particularly floral. It goes with sweets in my mind, but I suppose I could imagine it with savory foods like goat cheese. I drink it solo for the good feeling of the floral aromatherapy. Try it if you like a caffeine free flower shower in your tea time. It perks me up and makes me feel a little decadent when I taste it because the jasmine flavor is so rich and exotic.
Jasmine
Transcendence
June 24, 2017
— 1 Comment
metal
Over the edge of the chasm the hot molten metal poured
The danger loomed larger as the sound of engines roared
The door to hell was opened quickly without warning
There is little time to make amends and none to take flight
Running, tired and thirsty, taking refuge until morning
Revealed our footprints and our trail in the broad daylight
If we did not find another way our demise would be assured
That is how we found transcendence and finally were cured
#WeekendCoffeeShare Cannabis And Lavender
June 17, 2017
— 11 Comments
Red Rock Lavender Farm
If we were having coffee this weekend I would offer you a large helping of iced tea. The heat is scorching with no end in sight. The heat draws the moisture up from the south to create our monsoon season, but so far there is a tragic lack of moisture. We are baking in the desert. Stay in the air conditioned comfort and drink loads of tea to stay hydrated during your visit. I will send you off on your trip home with fresh watermelon juice, which I find is the most cooling beverage in the world. Relax and tell me about your week. Did your writing go well? How about life?
If we were guzzling iced tea together I would tell you how much fun I am having at my new job. I am now licensed as a dispensary agent by the state of Arizona. I work at a medical marijuana grow harvesting and trimming weed. I only work 12 hours a week in that capacity, but I am developing new ways to serve the patients. I want to create a cannabis catering department as well as an excursion department. I am new at this business, but have lots of experience in the travel industry. I believe the patients are a perfect group of people to put on a party bus for short trips.
The best part of my job is getting to know all my new colleagues. They know a lot about cannabis, but I have miles to go before I will understand all the various new concentrates being made, and the various strains being cultivated. I learn every time I go to work for my four hour shifts. It is surprising to me how much finesse is required to trim buds. Each variety has different qualities and must be handled differently. It takes focus, but we can still chat and listen to music as we work. The people with whom I work are very good natured (as you might expect). I plan to feature short educational segments on Wednesdays, #WeedWednesdays, featuring our expert grower. There is endless information as well as interest in this subject.
Cannabis
Big Farma
If we were on our third glass of iced tea by now I would tell you about our plan to escape to the White Mountains of Arizona next weekend. We are going to a lavender festival near the town of Snowflake. Just saying the word Snowflake is pretty exciting when it is 115 outside. We will drive up on Friday and stay in Show Low, AZ. On Saturday we will attend the Lavender Festival at Red Rock Farms. This event promises to be the exact opposite of burning up in the heat. We will romp through the fields of lavender on a pick your own adventure, then attend cooking demos and wine tastings at the farm. I can’t wait!!!! Saturday night we will check in to an historical bed and breakfast downtown Snowflake, which I will also like a lot. We have to drive home on Sunday, but we can linger in the mountains on the way back. We need to make the most of our “cool down” because the following week will be a furnace down here.
Thanks for joining me today. Use sunscreen on the way to your vehicle. You would not believe how quickly you can be burned to a crisp. Please visit our hostess Emily at Nerd in the Brain for more coffee shares. This movable feast takes place every weekend. Join us to read, comment, or submit your own digital beverage post.
#WritePhoto Twilight Enchantment
June 15, 2017
— 3 Comments
twilight
Day slips silently into night under a blanket of secrecy
Vallies obscured by clouds are inhabited by shadow creatures
Existing as foggy, sketchy, floating colors and shapes
Without a grounding influence or organizing principle
When the sun sets they arise to do emotional damage
To the unsuspecting addicted souls who hover just above
In hypnotic trances induced by the pressure of life and love
Don’t stare into the sunset, or let your mind drift and shift
If you seek perspective and wisdom stay alert until the fog lifts.
#writephoto
This poem is written in response to this week’s photo prompt on Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. She shares an excellent photo each Thursday for interpretation by anyone who cares to write a pice of fiction of poetry. Please join us to read, write, or comment.
#SelfCareSunday Solstice Synesthesia
June 11, 2017
— 3 Comments
Solstice
Solstice
In ancient times the calendar and the clock were primary ways to communicate to the population. Holidays, and the Sabbath every week, were commemorated and acknowledged. Today we have less formally structured time, and many of us work on weekends. Sunday was dedicated to the sun once upon a time, and the solstice twice a year was viewed as significant. The marking of midsummer in agricultural societies was a celebration of bounty and fertility. Working the land in harmony with the stars and planets was a tradition that included observance of the astronomical events in the heavens. After the solstice the sun begins the journey back to the other hemisphere. The days will become shorter, just as now they are increasing.
Solstice will occur on a Wednesday in 2017, so I am making a few preparations to be ready in my heart and in my home for a new season. My celebration will involve synesthesia of colors, sounds, and flavors of this season. I am creating special menus for the week that feature the foods and drinks that spotlight summer. Grilled veggies and picnic style presentation remind me of my childhood. Seasonal cocktails make the adult party complete. I will be working up this party theme for the next 10 days, so I have time to find the best seasonal fruits on the market. The full strawberry moon has just passed, but the strawberries are in full swing. Berries and stone fruits like peaches, apricots and nectarines are both visual beauties and very tasty additions to any summer table. I like to eat berries straight up, but will probably make a shortcake to elevate the dessert factor.
I have been switching out my wardrobe and bed linens for the season, choosing lighter, brighter colors. It feels good to me to put all my winter clothing away to make space for what works now. I hope to complete this chore today, which will make me feel accomplished. I will reward myself with a long lavender scented epsom salts bath when those sweaters and jackets are all packed and stored until I need them next fall. I am listening to new music, trying new sounds as background. I think Baroque music just sounds like this time of year….it is zippy, light, bright, and happy. I have been listening and dancing around my house in anticipation of a harvest of happy times in 2017.
Synesthesia is the fusion of the senses. Sight, sound, taste, feel, and scent are purposely brought together to create a strong sensory impression. How will you prepare for your own midsummer’s night? I invite you to join me in a sensuous and pleasurable gratitude party.
#WritePhoto Birds Of A Feather
June 8, 2017
— 10 Comments
The Flock
We sat on the hill above the flooded river
Watching as towns and farms washed away
Floating downstream on the big cresting waves
Water overflowed the banks and destroyed trees
That had stood on the shore for centuries
Their roots were severed by the current rushing
Swelling, moving the earth beneath their giant limbs
That crashed into the water with furious destructive
Sounds of nature taking her revenge on civilization
The only hopeful sign we could see from our perch
Was the flock of birds flying over their former homes
Taking to the sky to look for a new place to build nests
We envy them their ability to keep the flock together
They fly in tight formation, in search of fairer weather
#writephoto
This poem was written in response to this weeks photo prompt by Sue Vincent on her blog , The Echo. Join bloggers from around the globe for more stories about this photo and last week’s.
#Writephoto Knock
June 1, 2017
— 9 Comments
knock knock
This is inspired by Sue Vincent’s Thursday photo prompt
Knock knock, Who’s there? I don’t want to get up from my chair
If you have come to beg for candy I can tell you that the cupboard is bare
If you wanted entertainment you can pass through to the cellar room
Where dangerous characters sit around and complain about the gloom
We have no happy servant to greet you, seat you and serve champagne
These days we are lucky to find a few morsels of food to feed the pain
We brought it all upon ourselves, never caring about the fate of others
Sinister side effects of concentrated self delusion eventually smother
The life out of the privileged and those forced into perpetual service
The end of the road comes to everyone, which makes us all very nervous
#writephoto
Please join writers around the world on Thursdays to read, comment, or submit your own post based on these photos.
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