Celebration in the Oaks

Jan 29Celebration in the Oaks

During the holiday, between Christmas and New Years, we went to City Park in New Orleans to Celebration in the Oaks for the third straight year. It's a lovely light exhibit and fun for children and adults. Our friend Sylvia brought her two grandchildren and our daughter Beth brought her friend Michelle. In spite of the cold weather, we enjoyed it. Pictured above is a lighted unicorn reflecting in the reflecting pond. The mythical unicorn is a symbol of purity and grace. So here's hoping that purity and grace will be reflected in how you live your life! How's that for "corny"? Sorry for the pun.

We thought it was cold when we were at Celebration in the Oaks. Now, for three days in less than a week it has been below freezing in Baton Rouge. In fact, Tuesday and Wednesday, all state offices have been closed in many parishes, including Jefferson, Orleans, and East Baton Rouge. So I have been on a two day snow vacation. I'll try to get some good snow photos on this blog soon. Hopefully.

rt

Frozen Branches of Green

Jan 27

I once wrote a poem in high school, I think, entitled "spring rain" which talked about "the frozen branches of green." I've always remembered this for some reason and had a photo that sort of went with it but it never really spoke to me much. Then, on Friday, we had a hard freeze in Baton Rouge (I'm sure most of you also were a victim of that since it covered most of the country). But right outside my front door there were these miraculous icicles on these branches. And wouldn't you know, they were green! So I had to post this. In case you're wondering, here's the poem:

spring rain

perfection from the icicles of dew

falls from the frozen branches of green

the spring of winter is fresh at hand

displaying all things known, all things seen

warm flows the tender passions of dark

the palpitating princess of mars breaks her heart

sun shines its center, casting shadowy rain

the branching, grasping roots fall apart.

from the message of blue

comes a poem written in red

signed by the poet prophet of june

casting its fate to the casket dead

the master musician joins all that be

skillfully putting the poet’s words to song

symphonizing, simplifying the complicated patterns

bringing out the beauty to last so long.

© rt tulley

Now that I've installed my new photo monitor and my Windows 7 operating system and pretty much recovered all my old files (not without many hours of work and difficulty) I am now able to get back to blogging. Of course, it won't be every day, but I'll try to keep at it. Friday was the hard freeze I spoke of. The interstates shut down here so it took me three hours to get back home from work in New Orleans. That was fun. But even worse, my daughter Beth has a friend that spent more than four hours in traveling from her work in Baton Rouge to Watson, which is probably less than twenty miles. The people up north probably have no idea how a little cold spell causes us so much trouble.

Although it only snowed a little, it was mostly what they called a "snowy mix". I was able to get this photo of a drainage ditch around the corner:

Jan 27bicy/snowy stream

You

I am thankful for you. You, my family, my friends, my acquaintances, my readers, have meant the world to me. I want to thank you for being there for me, supporting me, reading my blogs, and commenting on them. Without you, it would not have been meaningful. So for you, I dedicate this blog. Words cannot express my gratitude.

This is my niece, Sabrina, giving a toast at her brother's wedding. But this toast is my way of sending a toast to you, dear reader.

you

when others left

you stayed

when help was needed

you prayed

when a friend’s hand was required

you lent it

when love was lacking

you sent it

so in a life’s journey

there’s many places to go to

but that journey would have been lonely

without that someone known as you.

© rt tulley

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!  Have a productive, happy, healthy, and safe one.