January Photo Challenge: Tree and Sky

I have been getting up and out to see the sunrise this month

It is part of a new sleep management programme I am taking part in to cure my chronic insomnia.

The photo above was taken on the hill about a mile and a half from my house.

The one below was taken whilst staying with a friend by the sea.

This one (below) was taken with my back the the setting sun. I felt so wonderfully at peace and full of gratitude in that moment.

I do take rather a lot of photos of the oak tree at the bottom of my garden.

To me it has a feminine quality.

Thank you to Nanacathy for hosting the Photo Challenge.

Sunrise light

Making mood feel bright

Good sleep tonight

Heart Art

I have my Heart Kit and I have made a heart to raise funds for MIND

in fact I’ve made two , and on my way to making some more which I will stuff with lavender and give as presents.

Whilst I was looking through my bits and pieces to add, I found this poem written back in 2015 – and now it won’t let me go – must be working with all these hearts

Let’s make a baby love,

lifelong enduring love

In sickness and in health love

What would love do now

Woman to woman love

Break up and make up love

long lost forever love

What would love do now?

Thank you for your love, love

Friendship is a precious love

There in thick and thin love

EDIT

Last line:                                                     That’s what love does now.

Black Feathers, White Flowers

Continuing my account of the Land Art Course with Dan Lobb at West Dean College:

The walk from the bench, to gather the cut grass, took just over 5 minutes each way. The walking and the raking became a beautifully satisfying daily practice, allowing my body to be well exercised and fully part of the installation.

Dan remarked that seeing me raking and trundling backwards and forwards with my wheelbarrow, reminded him of people raking in Japanese gardens. I realised that the same thought had been at the back of my mind and I was so pleased that he had brought it to the forefront.

As you may know, I love most things Japanese and was lucky enough to spend 15 glorious days on a textile tour in 2015. This photograph from that trip came to mind. (If you type ‘Japan’ into the SEARCH box you can see lots of posts about my trip, but here is a link to the first post about it. )

I found I would take one route to the hay and a different route back. Each day and each time of day, offering new things to notice in the garden

There seemed to be an unusual amount of feathers on the ground.

Were the birds moulting in the heat, or were the feathers more noticeable because the grass was so parched, yellow and short? A couple of us began collecting them.

Walking back past this clump of Annabelle Hydrangeas, I couldn’t resist popping a black feather into a few of the white frothy balls.

A little breeze was blowing and the birds who had gifted the feathers were calling in the trees above:

At the time, this was my favourite ‘installation’, if installation it was.

It felt very Japanese – Dan had pressed the Japan button, and I was off!

The video feels to me like a visual haiku. I went to Google translate.

Seeing the words written and hearing how they are spoken,  the title

‘Black Feathers, White Flowers’

seems like poetry to me

Silent Sunday

Slow Sunday Haiku

Leaves falling

Showing front and back

Autumn’s here

 

It is a long time since a haiku popped into my head.

This one was inspired by this post by Mrs Gumboots.

Joining Cee’s Challenge FOTD – Autumn Leaves

Silly Saturday: Zoom

The Shelbys are having a Zoom meeting ……..  now don’t all talk at once!

Coronavirus has hit Shelbyville

None of the residents wanted to get ill

It was with some resistance

They had to social distance

Yet they found they could communicate still!

 

All of them had the Zoom App installed

So during lockdown they wouldn’t feel ignored

They could chat every day

Sing songs, dance and play

No chance of them getting bored!

 

At 9 every day it’s keep fit

With the Aliens it’s become quite a hit

With their yoga and gym

They keep themselves trim

They are not the type to just sit!

 

Maggie and Shelma miss going to town

All the shops they love have closed down

But the girls are not stopping

They now do internet shopping

They’re the most glamourous Shelbys around!

 

Sandy misses Shelma whom he dated

His love for her is unabated

He keeps the romance blooming

With lots of daily Zooming

Most of it is very X-Rated!

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

photo by Sandra Dorey

There might be some of you who have not met the Shelbys before, here are a few links

Meet Maggie, the Pole Dancer      Maggie    More Maggie    Meet the Family        Meet Shelma      Shelma and Sandy       Sandy

It feels so good to team up with Judy once again. She is a frontline worker as a nurse and I am full of admiration for her. I was delighted when she said she could find the time to create one of her fabulous poems to go with the photo.

Many thanks for the work you do Judy and thank you so very much for sharing your humour and poetry with us.

 

 

Sunday Calm

 

meditate

doodle and relax

sunday calm

~

 

Silly Sunday with Pompoms

Penelope PomPom was cool

She didn’t like following the rules

She still wanted to be naughty

Despite being past forty

And just loved acting the fool

***

She kept herself looking good

The envy of the Mums in the hood

With her spiky green hair

And bright pink outerwear

She worked it like nobody could!

***

Her kids just thought her the best

She could twerk and floss with the rest

Their friends would come running

When they saw Penny coming

She would always make them less stressed.

***

Poem by  Judy Martin©

Pineapple   play by Sandra Dorey©

 

Penelope Pompom has turned the corner and is enjoying life again – maybe a bit too much. 🙂

 

Silly Saturday with Penelope Pompom

Once Penny had hit middle age

She found it hard to engage

Finding lumps in her custard

Or a ham sandwich without mustard

would sent her off in a rage!

 

Penny once sweet and so calm

Now caused her family alarm

Being so spiky and sour

Miserable and dour

Her twins thought she’s cause them some harm

 

Off to the doctor to find out the cause

Of Penelope’s new character flaws

The hot flushes and stress

Weight gain and night sweats

The symptoms must be menopause!

 

Penny felt cut to the quick

No wonder she always felt sick

Always crabby and tearful

Het up and fearful

This menopause was like a cruel trick

 

She took the kids out for the day

Off down Shelbyville way

The sand and the sea

And her friends’ company

Kept her bad temper at bay!

 

poem by Judy Martin©

pineapple art by Sandra Dorey©

 

Judy and I have teamed up to be silly again. I just love Judy’s take on things, I send her a photo and she responds with a poem, sometmes within minutes! Do pop along over to her website and fine other poetic gems and find her book filled with her wry look at life.

You can find more of our nonsense if you put ‘silly saturday’ into the search box, top right on this page.

 

 

Find Green

Find green

Put it in your heart

Wrap it all about you

Roll in it

Live it

Become it

 

Bathe in green

Bask in green

Receive the peace and love of green

 

When you truly have a sense of green

Its hues

Its colours, textures, shades and depths

 

Add layers of golden light without and within

The strong, yellow, glisten

And shining warmth of gold

 

Sprinkle silver stars above your head

Around your feet

And wear a cloak of raindrops

Casting rainbows as you move

And slowly, surely

 

Find your dance again

 

copyright Sandra Dorey

~~~~~

A poem for Spring

Part of a series I wrote over 20 years ago, it came to mind as I was doodling the mandala.

Silly Saturday with Mrs Moss

Mrs Moss was up with the lark

Taking Lichen her dog to the park

They walked everywhere

To get lots of fresh air

And didn’t get home til ‘twas dark!

 

Mossie was a sturdy old stick

Very rarely did she get sick

At seventy years old

Fit, adventurous and bold

She can even still do a high kick!

 

Out and about every day

Visiting places and pals on the way

She was going to tea

With the Shelbys by the sea

And was buying some cake on the way.

Poem by Judy E. Martin

Assemblage art by Sandra Dorey

 

The Shelbys

So happy to be joining up with Judy Martin again for a Silly Saturday collaboration. I sent  Judy the photo of Mrs Moss and her little dog Lichen and once again she has created a fun story in rhyme for her.

Pop across to see Judy’s new blog and find a link to her book ‘Rhymes of the Times’ and more humorous takes on daily  life.

Our previous Silly Saturdays include Maggie the Pole Dancer, and here she is in racier mode

 

 

Randy’s Silly Saturday, Oh Deer!

Randy was now in disgrace

At Christmas he got ‘off his face’

Whilst pulling Santa’s sleigh

He went the wrong way

He was lurching all over the place

 

He’d been partaking of too many beers

Which isn’t good for reindeers

Turning up for work plastered

Could only lead to disaster

As it affected the way that he steers

 

He is hoping to go back to work

He promised that he will no longer shirk

With his lopsided antler

He can expect plenty of banter

As he looks a bit of a berk!

 

photo by Sandra Dorey

poem by Judy E. Martin

 

~

In August I found this forlorn looking reindeer leaning outside a house in a neighbouring village. I sent the photo to Judy and hey presto – she’s done it again.

Stocking filler anyone? Here is a link to Judy’s book ‘Rhymes of the Times’.

Hope you have a touch of Silliness in your Saturday.

The perils of smoking with Petra Pear

Petra the pear was feeling poorly

She didn’t know quite what to do

Not only was she putting some weight on

But she was suffering from toothache too!

 

She had started to let her self go a bit

Indulging in too many treats

The sugary snacks made her teeth hurt

Causing trouble whenever she eats!

 

For too many years she’d been smoking

Which caused her teeth to go brown

Her gums receding and bleeding

It was time to turn things around.

 

She wanted her life to be fruitful

And continue her family tree

But she had to make sure she was healthy

And in the best shape she could be

 

First stop was to the doctors

To get help with giving up smoking

The harm it was causing her body

Was both sobering and thought-provoking

 

As if heart disease and strokes weren’t enough

It could cause breathing problems as well

Tooth loss, fertility problems and cancer

Not to mention the horrible smell

 

She decided to go for the patches

And started the very next day

She found that her nicotine cravings

Were slowly melting away.

 

Next stop was to the dentists

To see if something could brighten her smile

Because her teeth were so neglected

It was going to take a little while

 

It was not just about brushing and flossing

That Petra had neglected to do

But her sugary addiction

Had helped in her tooth decay too

 

The dentist took some impressions

And gave Petra’s mouth a good clean

She was advised not just to clean the outside

But all around, underneath and between.

 

It was too late for poor Pedra

To save some of the teeth that she had

She had to make some appointments

To remove the ones that were bad

 

Several months later and Pedra is glowing

Her smile now so fresh and so bright

She cleans her teeth like an expert

Even the ones she takes out at night!

 

Poem by Judy E. Martin

fruit sculpture and photos by Sandra Dorey

 

Here we are with another health related Silly Saturday. You might know that Judy, as well as being a hugely talented poet and writer, is also a nurse.

Following a great suggestion from Noelle last week to send Tom the Toothless Tomato to the Institute of Dentistry, we are thinking about coming up with more health related pictures and poems (not all about teeth!) accompanied by fruit, flower or shell assemblages – any ideas?

If you would like to read more of Judy’s work, a humorous twist on life, the world and everything go to her website, where you can also find a link to her book, Rhymes of the Times.

Have a fun Silly Saturday!

Silly Saturday with Tom

Tom wished he’d looked after his teeth

And not neglected to brush underneath

Too many times he’d forgotten

And now they were rotten

Oh, how Tom wished he’d looked after his teeth!

 

He used to be proud of his smile

His teeth were the whitest for miles

But now it’s not funny

That he’s ended up gummy

It really is cramping his style

 

When younger, Tom was so green

Unaware of the dangers unseen

He thought his teeth would stay white

Much to the ladies’ delight

Despite his poor dental hygiene!

 

Now, to smile makes him blush

Exposing his mouth full of mush

It makes him so sad

He mourns the teeth that he had

How deeply his pride has been crushed!

 

Tom wants to look for romance

But not whilst his teeth are so scant

Beyond his patch he won’t venture

Until he gets his new dentures

He fancies a set of implants!

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

photo sent to me by my friend Joey

 

Another brilliant poem by Judy! ‘ImPLANTS’ HaHaHa!!!

I love how Judy creates something so spot on in what seems like just a few seconds! What a talent!

Pop across to her site and find her poems – they are gems of humour and a wry look at life. Click here for one Judy wrote during our recent heat wave: ‘Hot summer Nights’

Joey grew the tomato and sent me the photo as she knows I see faces in almost anything. I knew I had to send this one on to Judy, just right for a Silly Saturday.

Have you grown any amusing vegetables this year?

Here’s to finding some more silliness to brighten up your Saturday.

 

Silly Saturday with Birdy

Birdy had such a handsome face

In flight he was elegance and grace

As he rested on the beach

He heard a loud screech

Sid Seagull flicked sand in his face.

 

Sid was loud and uncouth

And strutted with the arrogance of youth

Swinging his hips

And gorging on chips

He teased Birdy for being long in the tooth!

 

Birdy challenged Sid to a race

The seagull laughed in his face

With my youth and my size

I’ll easily take first prize

But his boasting was sadly misplaced!

 

As Birdy flew high in the sky

Sid regretted pecking that meat pie

With all the chips and the bread

He felt as heavy as lead

He couldn’t leave the ground if he tried!

 

Birdy was not one to boast

He won doing what he loved most

Flying along with the breeze

Above the crystal blue seas

He loved his life on the coast.

 

Poem by Judy E. Martin

 

Birdy McBirdface hopped in for a brief bit of silliness ……..

Judy’s poem resonates with me as we have a real problem with gulls swooping down to scoff any food you might have about your person and pestering you if you sit on the harbour wall with a juicy handful of fish and chips.

Happy Saturday!

 

Lady Garden

When it comes to tending the garden

It is purely a matter of taste

Preening and pruning the foliage

Will stop you from  feeling disgraced!

~

With a bit of trimming and strimming

You can create a real work of art

Perhaps a Bermuda triangle

Or maybe a cutesy love heart?

~

Feeling a little more daring?

How about a smart landing strip?

Or maybe just take the lot off

So, your pubes won’t get caught in your zip?

~

Something a little more special

Like a blingy, sparkly vajazzle

That’s sure to tart up the topiary

And give it that old razzle-dazzle!

~

However, you keep the lawn tidy

You mustn’t leave it too late

Don’t let it get too unruly

Or no one will enter the gate!

~

poem by Judy Martin

art in the garden by Sandra Dorey

 

Here we are again with a very Silly Saturday!

We had such a giggle with this one – I send Judy a photo of what I have created and hope it makes her smile – she sends me back her poem and it makes me laugh out loud.

Do pop over to Judy’s blog to enjoy more laughs and a wry look at life.

Another art piece inspired by Amy Gear, an artist born and working in Shetland.

This a link to Amy’s piece that inspired me – on Instagram

Beach Body

Linking with my cheerful cheeky playmate, Judy Martin,  for another Silly Saturday

 

Some are baggy and saggy

Some are perky and pert

Some are tiny little gnat bites

Some so big that they hurt!

 

Some are flabby and floppy

Some are bouncy double Ds

Some are wrinkled and crinkled

Some hang down to the knees!

 

Some are always kept covered

Some are all over YouTube

Have you guessed what these are yet?

Yes!     A nice pair of boobs!

~

 

Poem by Judy Martin

Pebble Art by Sandra Dorey

Inspired by artist Amy Gear and one of the photos she posted in Instagram

We have something a little more risky for you next Saturday!

You have been warned! 😉

Edit:

Judy’s blog is, most deservably, up for an Award and I’m delighted to say so is Wild Daffodil – pop over to Sasha’a Blog and have a look to see all the different categories. You might see one of your favourite blogs there and give them a vote!

 

 

Silly Saturday with Sandy

Sandy had a great time with Shelma

When they went out on their date

But he wanted to shape up

And decided he needed to lose weight

~

He had become rather chunky

And that made him feel rather glum

His goal was to be streamlined and sexy

It was time to tone up that tum!

~

Shelma had a great figure

wherever they went she had turned heads

Sandy was scared she’d lose interest

And that thought had filled him with dread

~

He worked out at the gym almost daily

although at first it seemed tough

He knew it was definitely worth it

When Shelma told him he looked buff!

~

 

poem by Judy E Martin

assemblage shell art by Sandra Dorey

pebble face drawn by one of my  Grandchildren

 

 

Hope this gives you a little chuckle on this Silly Saturday.

Silly Saturday with Shelma

Shelma was going out on a date

So excited she just couldn’t wait

She was looking her best

In her January Sales dress

The evening was going to be great

~

Sandy lit Shelma’s fuse

She loved his winkle picker shoes

It brightened her mood

To be with such a cool dude

He banished her January blues!

~

They wanted to paint the town red

But painted the beach blue instead

A moonlit walk along the sand

Strolling together hand in hand

Anticipating what lay ahead.

~

poem by Judy E. Martin

shell art by Sandra Dorey

 

 

What lies ahead for this couple I wonder, any ideas?

Will it be calm seas or stormy waters?

Judy and I have enjoyed teaming up again this week. I do love her take on things, pop across to Judy’s Blog to read more of her delightfully beguiling work.

Did you know you CAN still buy Winkle-Picker shoes? I’ll be looking out for them now.

I recently found the pebbles that my grandchildren children had drawn on last Summer, lurking in the bottom of a bag. They had obviously been lying in wait, ready for an appearance in a ‘Silly Saturday’ or two.

 

Girls out Shopping

Maggie went shopping in town

Enjoying a good look around

She thought it was great

Bumping into her mate

They went to a cafe to sit down

~

They chatted over a nice cup of sea

Both of them buzzing like bees

Comparing their goodies

From high-heels to hoodies

The Sales made shopping a breeze!

~

poem by Judy E. Martin

artwork by Sandra Dorey

The background is an unfinished acrylic painting on canvas that I have never been able to resolve. It is the result of playing with bright colours in a Process Art kind of way. It has come in handy for a Silly Saturday background giving a suggestion of the town where Maggie and Shelma can meet up for a chat over a cuppa.

So thrilled to be teaming up with Judy again.

Pop along over to Judy’s website and enjoy a wry look at life, in poetry and prose, always told with honesty and lashings of good humour.