A sound of birds singing

 It's early. 

And almost a year since I was here.

I hear a sound of birds singing 

outside my window

and a dog barking down the street.

All the familiar things I love about

this life.

This tender, precious life.

This time last year

when all the church bells were silent

and traffic noise was stilled

the world became a different place.

We all coped in different ways

laughter, tears, hope, fear.

Change. 

2020 we won't forget you.

2021 you brought fresh hope  to

my life through retirement .

Stars from a friend.

New beginnings 

as one door closed

and another opened.

A sound of birds singing.

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken- winged bird

that cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

~Langston Hughes

Hide the sky

All of these days and months

have been hidden in the sky.

2020 came and drenched itself in unimaginable sorrow .

I almost forgot I used to write  here.

Until today.

I saw a sunflower.

I thought,

even though they live

for the shortest time

they choose to live their best life.

How poignant this is,

in light of the fact that  2020 has stolen so much from us.

Let us live our best lives then,

grateful for every breath

and that we are here living,

despite it all.



* In loving memory of all who have lost their lives to Covid 19, and the families and loved ones who remain . *

Can it be?

Can it be? 

I remember the hot sun 

of those Californian days

when drinking a bottle of mineral water

burst in your mouth

like a waterfall of frosted stars.

Suddenly , 

Autumn is upon us

she came like a thief in the night 
bringing a heap of golden leaves in her arms.

The sky is duck egg blue today 

but soon 

it will be a dark blue shadow

hanging in the air

like a wisp of incense 

Three weeks

Three weeks

 of total and unutterable joy.

My California.

In my heart,

forever.  

What a beautiful name

Today beneath a cloudless sky


The air was warm

aeroplanes flew above

leaving silver strings of love

and

as

they

went

I realised after the year
we had


that now,

it's time for harmony,

a time for complete and utter thankfulness.

Today the sun came back,

I wore a flower in my hair

and a silver hummingbird on a chain.

I'm dreaming of stars

reflecting on moonlit lakes.

In four days we will go.

And my heart will sing a never ending

song of thanks

to that beautiful name

Love

A blessed Easter to all !

April

And so,

April walked silently
into the room.

On Friday
I came home emotionally drained
from dealing with death,
and patients getting
awful life changing news..
one lady in particular,
her face ~
seared into my memory

Then I imagined the work
we nurses do,
sometimes like angels
giving a loving touch
just to reassure that
all, hopefully~
will be well.

We pause from our note taking.
endless ward rounds ~
procedures and charts
and  look out the window
where hope lives,
and breathes.

Once again,
my heart overflows with gratitude
for those angels who saved my husband
from an early death,
and I count my blessings
one,
by
one.



My cup,

it runneth over.