Breezy Interlude

Sips

I watched in wonderment and awe this morning a double rainbow; the first one appeared dim, i thought i was looking at a waning bow but, it just started to zoom first brighter and brighter, then it became thicker strand,it loomed so, i felt if i reached out i could touch it; then it widened and spanned into a perfect arch, brightening still more, then the second one appeared a shy one, this one above the brighter bow; then the bolder faded along with the shy; both absorbed into an overcast; my viewing i'd say lasted about 7-8 minutes ending at about 6:57; Wow my morning's delight!!

sips of tea -
the rainbow
brightens
and widens
--gillena cox

Sunday Savvy 16

image crop from
revisit Sunday Savvy15


Its The Season of Carnival, and our mas makers are busy at their camps, creating fantasies; those stories they will tell, in colour, and rhythm, when their masqueraders finally take to the streets, in our cultural expression that is carnival. This year, all of that exposition will happen from Sunday 19th to Tuesday February 21st.

Meanwhile, however, today at Lunch Break, the Sunday Savvy series invites you to read a 'Sunday' Brothers Grimm tale


...One Sunday morning about harvest time, just as the buckwheat was in bloom, the sun was shining brightly in heaven, the east wind was blowing warmly over the stubble-fields, the larks were singing in the air, the bees buzzing among the buckwheat, the people were all going in their Sunday clothes to church, and all creatures were happy, and the hedgehog was happy too.

The hedgehog, however, was standing by his door with his arms akimbo, enjoying the morning breezes, and slowly trilling a little song to himself, which was neither better nor worse than the songs which hedgehogs are in the habit of singing on a blessed Sunday morning...click to read the whole storyby Brothers Grimm

Sunday smiles to all

Sunday savvy
a furry of plumes at
the carnival band
showroom
--gillena cox

Why not share a little Sunday someting with me: COMMENT
or email me

a little reading
a cup of cinnamon tea
and the winter sun
--Adelaide

Renku Saturday 15

it's a dewdrop world
surely it is...
yes... but...
--Issa, 1817

early morning
the leaves glisten with
an acute wetness
--gillena cox, 2008

To Buy

Series - Picture Post Cards 22

Bice Sky

Tropical Mocking Bird

Sunday Savvy 15

Grenada golf course image from google

revisit Sunday Savvy 14


Sunday and the culture of reward: I remember myself as an adult going on vacation and spending time at an uncle's house in Grenada. While he was at work i busied myself with the natural spoils of Grand Anse beach; the beautiful white sands, the glass clear waters, the shade of the sea grape trees; since i'm not very daring, i stayed on the sand and watched the water skiers, and the small yacht like gliders; and since i'm one those, of the gift of garb, would gladly indulge in small talk with small walking vendors; and (in those days it was safe to talk to) 'limers' on the beach
And to, i would, go down town shopping, one of my favourite haunts of those days; was the market; where i would buy the most heavenly scented spices ground and sold in packages, or sold whole; cinnamon, cloves, mace - (a fragment kind of tissue which covered the nut of the nutmeg), black pepper, and such like; these i gave as gifts on my return home
Sometimes my uncle would take me out to dinner, our favourite resturant was The Nutmeg on the curve of the Carenage overlooking the waters of the harbour; He would either asked "do you want to go out to eat"; or sometimes he just took the initiative and said "lets go out to dinner"
But i never left Grenada without the weekday promise of "on Sunday we'll go for a drive"; this was always pre-offered, never suggested on the day we actually took that drive; with him pointing out some new construction development; or the already beautiful buildings of scenic Grenada; or a quick drop-in visit some 'pumkin vine' relative in the more distant country side
The point of this story, my uncle James looked on all his neices and nephews as children forever, and the Sunday promise was simply his way of spoiling and indulging us.
But it goes way past my uncle's whimsy; Caribbean people do carry within then a gene of 'Sunday best' so many things were set aside to indulge in on a Sunday which inherently we think would not incur the same kind of satisfaction if done on another day

Sunday savvy -
a golfer's tees nudges
the little white ball
--gillena cox


trying for the ring
three times on the carousel
because it's Sunday
--Adelaide



winter sunday
she wheels her mother
around the mall
--Bill


Why not share a little Sunday someting with me: COMMENT
or email me

Renku Saturday 14

image from google


does my star too
sleep alone?
Milky Way
--Issa, 1822


one black bird singing
to the light of morning -
i too am alone-
--gillena cox 2012


revisit Renku Saturday 13

A Grackle

Yellow Allamanda Hedge

Lunch Break was started on January 18th 2006; today is the the sixth anniversary of this blog; i invite you to celebrate with me; e-mail me or comment a sharing; i'll edit during today and include;revisit last year's celebration Have an especially nice day

yellow allamanda hedge -
the sun
warming our faces
--gillena cox 2012


sixth years old -
letters merge into words
for the first time

school gate opens -
a snowball's trace
looks like a heart
--Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu


words images celebrate
sixth anniversary
joy in sun on yellow flowers

garden grows as Lunch Break
sends blessings to others
special lady strong faith
--Michelle


the sixth anniversary...
Trinidad and Tobago
in my heart
--Karol Rosiak


the luxury
Throat darker petals
yellow Allamanda

yellow Allamanda
Before dawn and after dusk
birds sing
--Tatjana Debeljacki


knocking
at a friend's door
looking forward
again
Ralf Bröker


Poems remain copyright of the individual writers, Thanks for your kind regards; much love
gillena

Lattice

i was travelling in a taxi yesterday, and it stopped a while in the traffic, the driver said to me; look at that roof, they are fast leaving us for the more modern ones.

lattice work
on an old building -
an urge to paint
--gillena cox

see also Haiku 985 at Haiku By Two

Night Lime

'lime'- a trini slang
Kes - 2011

Renku Saturday 13

--my renku partner today is Gheorghe Postelnicu of Romania; thank you for sharing your haiga


carnival season
caribbeanesque rhythms
of high energy
--gillena cox


revisit Renku Saturday 12

Patterned Flowers

Pre Carnival

One Egret

Life

...how easily, we pass into today, a season for which, we have hankered so much in all this time past; and yet, it seems as if the gulf of separation was but a mystical one; like those nights or days when we sleep and awake to the reality of green hills sitting sedately under bice skies, where at intervals chicken hawks, in their ever spread wing span choreography, dot the vast blue above, to the refrains of fellow feathered ones, who chant the song of kiskadee; today's reality is life, a gift a precious merit, today

Today's haibun is dedicated to my husband Anthony Cox

Sunday Savvy 14

Thanksgiving; a pivot of human consciousness, a well revered center in everyone's quoditian space; whether you find yourself climbing the Everest slopes or flinging the rebounding boomerang way down under in Australia; be you shoeless beggarman at a street corner or king in a palace; it resides inherent in our human soul

Thanksgiving is not about Sundays, but Sundays can prove to be santuaries of the soul at this core point of existence; when every other day is bundled into a tight knot of reverence; Sunday can be our unfurling

Its already the second Sunday of 2012; on the eve of our first full moon

Revisit Sunday Savvy 13


quiet Sunday
packing up Christmas
until next year
--Adelaide

Why not share a little Sunday someting with me: COMMENT
or email me

Mid Morning

Fishscale Moon

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

opening image a photo taken at Lopino 2008

Hope YOU had A MERRY CHRISTMAS and WISHES FOR A BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR; This has been the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF
The 12 days of Christmas here at Lunch Break

The Anansy Story is an intrinsic icon in the oral tradition of Caribbean people and this year's celebration was done haibun style. All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' and also The Anansi image © gillena cox 2011

revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here; Thank you for celebrating with me.

Many religious observers ascribe the 12 Drummers Drumming as symbolic for The twelve points of the Apostles' Creed; But now to end this story...

DAY TWELVE JANUARY 5RD 2012

Parang Parang Parang, Parang Parang Parang. that was what Anansi heard outside his window on awakening Christmas morning, that, and the sweet voice of his wife, Mrs Anansi down stairs singing; when he, Kwaku Anansi, opened his eyes, and yawned loudly, and stretched his spidery self. When he, Kwaku Anansi, jumped off his bed dancing wildly and shouting
"i'm at home, i'm at home";
and, when he, Kwaku Anansi paused for a while, to scratch his spidery head.
"But how could this be?
And there was the voice of Mrs Anansi fillng the Anansi home as
she sang the carol "on the twelfth day of Christmas, my love gave to meeee..twelve drummers drumming...eleven pipers piping...ten lords a-leaping...nine ladies dancing...eight maids a-milking...seven swans a-swimming...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"
Meanwhile all the way to church and back Anansi had driven carefully but his mind was full of thoughts;
"Was it really just a dream; but how could that be?"
And really i also do not know... may all your Christmases be special AND A BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

--Meanwhile in Australia as reported by Comrade harps

we drive home
veer from our direction
and meet her at the hospital



--And in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

toasting with glasses
of ginger beer and sorrel...
joyful neighbours

steel pans
belting out carols...
peace to all mankind



--And in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

lunch time
a pan full of
Nürnberger



--And in Serbia as reported by Tatjana Debeljacki

Christmas tree
whole family sitting together
drinking reiki

in round cake
We turn around three times
God help



--And in the USA as reported by Dian Mayr

the new year
grandma gives baby a pot
and a wooden spoon


Poems and images remain the copyright of the individual writers

Thanks to: Adelaide Shaw, Alex Serban, Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu, Comrade Harps, Dian Mayr, Gheorghe Postelnicu, Juhani Tikkanen, Keith Simmonds, Konrad Kusmirak, Lorraine Renaud, Magyar, Ralf Bröker and Tatjana Debeljacki

Thanks to all who visited but did not leave a comment, Thanks to all who e mailed or indicated their appreciation at Facebook

much love
gillena

Thus ends, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Dec 25th 2011 to Jan 5th 2012; right here at Lunch Break

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

reed pipes

The FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break'; continues, thanks for celebrating with me. All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

DAY ELEVEN JANUARY 4RD 2012

And Anansi,once again, found himself there in the rainforest; but somehow, he was back in Latin America; now his trek had taken him to Brazil, he sensed somehow he was near the coastline and he sighed from exhaustion; then suddenly he heard a wailing sound, as if someone was blowing a reed pipe; Anansi's strength surged, he dropped his back pack, and stood straight as a rod and listened, without daring one step which would be to much noise. He listened, the music seem to be approaching him, coming nearer and nearer until, there! ten wizened griots their pipes held at their lips and the saddest of strains left their instuments. Then he heard their voices, all ten griots speaking together at once
" Anansi! Kwaku Anansi! what nonsense is this, of going back to the African Continent? Man its Christmas; a time to be opening presents with your childen, a time to be eating ham and drinking sorrell with Mrs Anansi; a time for parang..." Anansi gulped, then he heard the sweet voice of Mrs Anansi singing
"on the eleventh day of Christmas, my love gave to meeee...eleven pipers piping...ten lords a-leaping...nine ladies dancing...eight maids a-milking...seven swans a-swimming...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"

--Meanwhile in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

on legs and hands
Daddy becomes
a donkey



--And in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

groups of carolers
parading the streets
to spread the gospel



--And in Canada as reported by Lorraine Renaud

Wind throws him up
gently
to another patch

Many religious observers ascribe the 11 Pipers Piping as symbolic for The eleven faithful Apostles

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the song here

revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors


To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Instruments of the Renaissance

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

--Lighted Up Christmas Tree by Turku Cathedral haiga -- from Juhani Tikkanen of Finland

The FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break'; continues, thanks for celebrating with me
All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

DAY TEN JANUARY 3RD 2012

Above Mrs Anansi singing, Anansi said
"we're here"
as he parked the car in the church yard; the children - boy and girl Anansi bounced out racing toward the church door,
"Wait! "
shouted Mrs Anansi, but they were already going with their friends to sit up front.
Mr and Mrs Anansi sat nearer the middle of the church.The inside of the church was so lovely, there was a Christmas tree and Christmas wreaths, and a creche, wherein, baby Jesus laid in the manger; and near the altar, the Christmas wreath with three purple candles, and one pink candle forming a circle with one white candle in the center of the circle. And they all settled in for the celebration. After church friends and realitives wished one another A Merry Christmas, as they left to return to their homes. As soon as Mrs Anansi settled in and buckled her seat belt, she continued signing her carol;
"on the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...ten lords a-leaping...nine ladies dancing...eight maids a-milking...seven swans a-swimming...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"

--Meanwhile from Keith Simmonds in Trinidad and Tobago

a jampacked church
worshippers belt out carols...
Christmas morning


--And in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

on ice
she finishes
in the middle of her turn



--And in the USA as reported by Adelaide Shaw

strong winds
holiday lights blinking
on and off


Many religious observers ascribe the ten Lords-a-Leaping as symbolic for The Ten Commandments

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the Carol here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors


To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Daisy Voisin - Alegria Alegria Listen

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Opening haiga © gillena cox

Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break' Thanks for celebrating with me

DAY NINE JANUARY 2ND 2012

Suddenly, as if by some sort of magic, Anansi found himself in the rainforest of Mexico, how he got there he had no idea, he remembered feeling so tired that he blinked his eyelids rapidly to keep from falling asleep while walking;
"but this is not Latin America"
he said,
"this is Mexico, i recognize this giant green shrubbery , the foliage of the legendary Poinsettia,"
he was talking aloud now , and he didn't even realise this,
"The beautiful beautiful Poinsettia"
he continued; and, as he said this, a mighty wind rippled through the rainforest, right there in Mexico, and Madam Poinsettia swayed in the wind and she blushed. First she turned a pale yellowish green, then a pale pink, then a little brighter pink until she was glowing a bright red, there in the Mexican rainforest.
"Ma dam Poin sett ia"
Anansi heard these two words leaving his lips.
"What this about Poinsettia dear?"
Mrs Anansi asked but Anansi only jumped looking startled as if a mouse had run across his feet, and said to Mrs Anansi
"its nothing dear just continue your sweet singing"
and so Mrs Anansi sang; "on the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...nine ladies dancing...eight maids a-milking...seven swans a-swimming...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"

--Meanwhile in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

watching football
my son knows
all the names



--And in Serbia as reported by Tatjana Debeljacki

A CAT BY THE CHRISTMAS TREE
GRANDMOTHER KNITTED THE GLOVES
AROMA OF THE FRESH BREAD



--And in the USA as reported by Dian Mayr

zumba class
the women step up the pace
after the new year



--And in Cape Cod as reported by magyar

a homeless man
feeds the stray dog
friends gift




--And in Canada as reported by Lorraine Renaud

My 3 cats
cold
comfort me


Many religious observers ascribe the Nine ladies dancing as symbolic for Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit

more aboutThe 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the song here
read a legend of the Poinsettia here

Poems remain the copyright of the individual writers

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me

OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Fireworks 2012 Happy New Year Trinidad