Roots lying unseen
Giving strength to what is seen
The same with our Faith
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
poetry
My Blood Runs Red…
Today I stopped to visit a big red Farmall M sitting along the road. It brings back so many memories of driving one in the summer during my teen years many years ago. I thought I would share some photos and memories with you.
My blood runs Farmall red
Filling my mind with memories
of days gone by so long ago
Back when fields were plowed
With three bottom plows
Turning over thick rich soil
Farmall red is a color full of life
Of roaring engines full of power
Days on the farm combining wheat
Shoveling it into the granary bins
Of lumbering Holstein cows
Coming down the lane udders full
Ready to be milked morning and night
Barn filled with the smell of hay
Silos filled with chopped corn fermenting
Big red Farmall tractors helping it happen
Yes, my memories run red… Farmall Red.
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge:
Posting for d’Verse open link night.
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For more great farm stories check out my book Farm Stories on Amazon Kindle. You can read it free if you have Kindle Unlimited.
Bully Rodents
Onery rodents
Squirreling their way to (my) feeder
Finches bullied away
Ferreting the feeder cage
Just can’t worm their way through wire
Makes my day!
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Posting for d’Verse prompt using animal names as verbs!
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O
You Know it has to be Good!
This recipe is tried and true
Favorite of mine just for you
Sausage and pineapple
in beef broth stew
Onions and green peppers
And celery too
A little black pepper
and some garlic for you
Spooned over rice
too be good to be true
***
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Posting for Punam’s pepper prompt at d’Verse. A 44 word Quadrille. This is a favorite recipe of mine that is delicious. It is best served with All-Bran Muffins fresh out of the oven.
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Fledgling
Grumpy little bird
Left its cozy nest too soon
Sits alone begging
***
Mama bird watches from tree
As we slowly pass on by
Full Moon Rising (a Quatern)
As the moon silently rises
Gently cradled in mountain peaks
Fields glow in the dark light of night
Shadows hide under tall oak trees
*
Barn roof turns a light shade blue
As the moon silently rises
Swallows sleep in mud nests on beams
Young must wait till morning for food
*
Moon light plays on mountain ridges
Highlights give off a ghostly glow
As the moon silently rises
And night creatures are on the prowl
*
Like a pearl set in bluestone
Beauty radiates from her orb
Capturing the minds of lovers
As the moon silently rises
***
Watercolor painting done today: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Grace introduced an interesting prompt called a Quatern. It is set of four quatrains in which the first line refrain becomes the second, third, and fourth lines in each of the following verses. It also has only eight syllables in each line.
Since I was experimenting with watercolors today, I decided to use my painting and do an ekphrastic poem describing the painting.
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Cataracts or Cubist Vision
“Portrait of Eivind Eckbo” painted in 1914: Thorvald Hellesen
When I was very young seventy years ago, my grandmother was suffering from blurred vision from cataracts. She was not able to get surgery to get them replaced like I was and spent her final years unable to see clearly. It is amazing how far medical surgery has come.
Grandma’s eyes grew dim
Figures blend like cubist art
Winter of her life
***
So much we take for granted
in our self-centered lives
Grandma with my oldest brother
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Lillian asked us to choose one of five paintings by Norwegian painter, Thorvald Hellesen, and write a poem in any form that inspires us.
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Reading Fun
I started my teaching career in the early 1970s at a small-town elementary school in Bridgewater, Virginia. From the start my goal was to try to make learning fun for my students. In the photo above are two of my fourth-grade students putting their paper cars on the wall for Evil Knievel to jump over on his motorcycle. Some of you might remember when he tried to jump the Grand Canyon!
We had a reading program called SSR Silent Sustained Reading that the students were to read the last twenty minutes of the day. You can see they really got into reading as a result. Those were good days to remember.
Cars stacked for the jump
Students got into reading
when learning was fun
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Frank asked us to write a Haibun that speaks to a memory. This was one of the fun projects I did with my students. I still have connections with a few of those early students on Facebook.
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For more stories check out my book on Amazon Kindle:
Attitude Adjustments
Attitude
Back in the 90s when I was still teaching school, I was feeling burned out and disillusioned with my job. I did an assessment and looked at what it would take to get another job that would pay me what I was earning as a teacher. With my boys starting college it was not the time to bail out on my job. The only other option was to work on me! I finally came to this conclusion:
It is easier to change my attitude
Than to change my job
I found this to also be true in my marriage relationship.
It is easier to change my attitude
Than to change my spouse
I am sure there are other situations in life where this is applicable as well.
Muttart Conservatory Photo: Dwight L Roth
Keep Moving
Sweat waters my brow
Working a growing garden
Letting it happen
*
Nature’s bending exercise
My personal weight loss program
Photos: Ruth and Dwight Roth
I am not a big fan of exercise, but I do love working in my garden. It is something I have done for many years. Although my garden is getting smaller as I get older, I still love getting my hands in the dirt and seeing the plants grow and produce. This is the kind of exercise I can get into.
I am posting this for Michele’s “What Moves You” challenge. We are to post a photo and a written response to show how we keep moving and stay healthy. You can read more about it at her Word Press site My Inspired Life.
check it out and join us:
https://myinspiredlife.org/2023/04/29/what-moves-you-blog-challenge/
Also posting for open link night at: https://dversepoets.com
Roth Poetry 