Respair

You are laden with beginnings.
~Lola Ridge

Respair is an interesting 15th century word because it sounds like "despair repair" and that's basically what it means, too: fresh hope or recovery from despair.

These dancers were filmed the first time they heard "Respair" by Tiny Leaves:



One suggestion Jan Tucker makes in an article about overcoming daily despair is to collect ideas.

She says, "Determine the key issue you’re struggling with and find a high-quality resource to begin collecting ideas...Plenty of resources to address your problem are at your fingertips on the Internet, in a bookstore or library, at a local group meeting or Meetup, or a seminar."

Sometimes physical and mental health issues are the main source of the problem and in that case, you would want to add doctors and therapists to the mix.

For more ideas: The Wellness Wednesday collection

The Fox

Old foxes want no tutors.
~Dutch proverb

Heddwyn Jones with a tame fox cub, Talysarn, Wales
photo by Geoff Charles

This song is one I remember singing, but I can't quite pinpoint when (my childhood, but maybe also my kids? just one of my kids?) Anyway, here's Ger O'Donnell and the Petersens:



Preston looks kind of foxy. Someone also told us the other night that they had to keep their dog away from us in case Preston was mistaken for a cat!

The genius that invents the future

Every book is like starting over again.
~Bruce Coville

Togo road by Jeff Attaway

How are you liking the new year? Three poems about newness for Poetry Friday:

What If This Road
by Sheenagh Pugh

What if this road, that has no held surprises
these many years, decided not to go
home after all; what if it could turn
left or right with no more ado
than a kite-tail? What if its tarry skin...

read the rest here

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Spell to Begin Again
by Ann DeVilbiss

I wake with a black shroud
draped over my head, because
of windows, because the sun
insists with its terrible heat.

I unravel myself to the light,
weak-knit as I am, spill
my limbs onto the floor
until they start to obey.

Each hour is molasses,
spooned into my maw...

read the rest here

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Hope
by Lisel Mueller

It hovers in dark corners
before the lights are turned on,
    it shakes sleep from its eyes
    and drops from mushroom gills,
      it explodes in the starry heads
      of dandelions turned sages,
        it sticks to the wings of green angels
        that sail from the tops of maples.

read the rest here

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Reading to the Core has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Catherine!

Lake George, NY

From 1918-1934, Georgia O'Keeffe spent part of every year - mostly extended summers - at Alfred Stieglitz's family estate, located just north of Lake George Village.
~LakeGeorge.com

New York's Lake George for Art Thursday. My husband and I had our first date at Lake George. He spent an entire week's salary, such as it was :-)

Lake George Reflection, 1921-22
by Georgia O’Keeffe

Storm Cloud, Lake George, 1923
by Georgia O’Keeffe

My Shanty, Lake George, 1922
by Georgia O’Keeffe

Lake George NY
photo by emantk7

Lake George NY
photo by emantk7

Shore Path to Huletts, Lake George, N.Y.
Detroit Publishing Company postcards

Bath House and Bathers, Silver Bay, Lake George, N.Y.
Detroit Publishing Company postcards

Roger's Slide
The pictorial field-book of the Revolution
New York Public Library Digital Collection

Ikigai

In a survey of 2,000 Japanese men and women conducted by Central Research Services in 2010, just 31% of recipients considered work as their ikigai.
~Yukari Mitsuhashi

This week I heard about the Japanese concept of "ikigai" (pronounced ee-kee-guy) which means "reason for being."

This video can be helpful for people who are trying to figure out what they want to do professionally. It follows a Venn diagram that is contrary to the Japanese concept, though, because it has you getting paid for your ikigai -- as you see from the top quote, it doesn't always work that way.


One thing that struck me in this video was his suggestion to remember what you liked to do from ages 7-11 because those activities are things you truly love.

When I was that age, I liked to write, make puzzles, and design my dream house. My dream house had four floors and soo many rooms, including a fountain room, an ice cream room, a costume room, and a volcano room. I guess I haven't changed that much, but I would leave out the volcano now.

An ikigai diagram variant from Sloww:

You can try out the more traditional (job-related) Ikigai worksheet from Jos Nierop.

Teddy Swims

The storms are raging on the rollin’ sea
And on the highway of regret
Put your hand in mine and come with me
I’ll see that you don’t get wet
~Bob Dylan

For Music Monday, Teddy Swims:

Catching up

Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.
~Marge Piercy

Hi folks! I tried to work ahead for the holidays but I didn't quite do it far ahead enough and I ended up kind of like this:


(In this scenario, though, I guess I am also the dad, picking myself up? Sometimes life is like that.)

So I didn't have anything for Wellness Wednesday. Belatedly, here are Lucy and Preston, resting companionably while each does their own thing. Lucy has her face wrapped up in a blanket because that's how she rolls. Acceptance and individuality...reasonable goals, right?

there really are two dogs in this photo

I didn't have anything for Art Thursday either, so here's a shot of Frida Kahlo-themed decorations for my older daughter's birthday this week. You can't really see the plates or napkins since I obviously didn't plan this out.

We had Frida facts on the walls. I was very impressed by the way Frida/her family rigged up her bed so she could paint from there. (Have you heard about Frida's health problems?) I guess I could have used it for Wellness Wednesday, too.

For Poetry Friday, I have gifts from poet friends. First up, an adorable tea poem and tea pocket from clever Irene:

Cinnamon tea steams
open November morning ~
words spice waiting page

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Christie sent me a delightful and thoughtful poem swap package that included two poems, one of which was an ovillejo!

morning magic
lingers on the breeze
bringing secret poetry
to those who listen
with their soul

Christie says: This ovillejo was inspired by my neighbor's cats who constantly stalk my beloved backyard birds!

Have You Seen...

Have you seen black-capped chickadee?
    In the tree.
Have you seen northern cardinal red?
    Near the shed.
Have you seen bluejay loud and bold?
    On leaves of gold.

Let's hatch our plan, no time to waste.
    The hour is now, so we must haste.
It's time to pounce. We must be bold.
    In a tree, near shed, on leaves of gold!

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Not a poem, but I got a big kick out of this crocheted barrette from dear Kat:

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I also loved receiving Michelle Kogan's Cloister Remnants and wee bunny.

While I was typing this, a calendar of photos and poems by Jone Rush MacCulloch arrived! Thanks, Jone!

Still reading? Aren't you the best! My parents are in a virtual art exhibition. You might recognize one of my dad's pieces from this post.

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Sally Murphy has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Sally!