Category: poetry

Flowers and Fun: Lin’s Garden Party!
family · haiku · My Thoughts · Nature · New Mexico · poetry

Flowers and Fun: Lin’s Garden Party!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Lin in his rose garden - flowers
Lin in his rose garden

Beautiful flowers and laughter! Last Saturday, July 8, 2023, we held our second annual Garden Party. We played garden and flower music while friends toured Lin’s beautiful creation. Raves abounded for Lin’s hard work. What a glorious day! And the weather cooperated—showers in the morning and a partly cloudy afternoon! Perfect!

This all started after the pandemic, and some friends wanted to come and see Lin’s garden. His pictures on Facebook piqued their curiosity because they saw how he had enlarged it over the pandemic. In reality, he expanded it 2/3 during this time of staying home, adding a pond and lots of decorative rock to landscape extensive areas to help control weeds. So, we had our first garden party last year, and it turned out fantastic.

Preparation for 2023 Garden Party

Right after last year’s success, we didn’t hesitate. “Let’s repeat it.” This year, we started planning early. A lot of Lin’s work in the garden in the spring and early summer focused on a completion date before the “Garden Party.” At first, we had two dates picked: June 17 or July 8. July 8 won because Lin wanted more time to prepare things, and he wanted more flowers blooming than last year. Last year, we had it on July 23 and several had already bloomed.

Lin worked hard from early spring until the day before the event, finishing a path around the back of the garden the Thursday before the big day.

Our preparation for our refreshments included cutting back on the number of watermelon we bought. Last year, we bought six and ended up giving whole watermelons away at the end. This year three sufficed. I also baked three batches of brownies. For drinks, we had flavored Pellegrino drinks and ice-cold water and lemonade.

Last year, a friend said, “You’ve got to play Ricky Nelson’s ‘Garden Party’,” so I looped it on my iPad and played it all afternoon. No one complained. For this year, I had been googling other garden and flower songs. Saturday morning, Lin asked me to add six or seven to “Garden Party,” so I did. What an eclectic list I came up with:

Garden/Flower Playlist

  • “Garden Party” – Ricky Nelson
  • “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” – Lynn Anderson
  • “English Country Garden” – Jimmie Rodgers
  • “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” – Neil Diamond
  • “Octopus Garden” – The Beatles
  • “Edelweiss” – Julie Andrews & Cast from Sound of Music
  • “In the Garden” – Elvis Presley
  • “The Flowers Will Never Die” – Elton John

When our party ended, we had about thirty-five garden lovers come by. What a treat seeing people wandering around Lin’s beautiful creation, oohing and aahing. When time allowed, many people received personal tours with Lin explaining the design and naming flowers. Then, after touring, they gathered in the shade for refreshments and visiting. We had people from different clubs we belong to and work friends of mine. So, many visitors didn’t know each other, but their garden interests brought them together.

Before the event, I wrote several haikus, so I shared a hard copy with our visitors.

LARADA’S HAIKU ABOUT LIN’S GARDEN

Could this be heaven?

Birds, chirping, flowers blooming.

What could be better?

Red, pink, purple, green,

Yellow, and peach flowers bloom!

I could dance for joy!

The world the gardener makes

has plants I have never known.

Lin creates magic!

Lin’s garden is an

oasis to rest my soul!

His flowers bathe me!

Lin has created

a sanctuary for us.

Welcome, come join us!

My words above don’t show the splendor of Lin’s garden enough for me, so here’s a video and a collage of pictures. Enjoy!

Here’s the video tour of Lin’s garden:

Lin’s Flower Beds

Some Lin’s Gorgeous Individual Flowers

Finally,

I’m one lucky lady to wake up in the morning and see this paradise! Most summer mornings, I walk around with my cat and marvel at all the beautiful flowers. I know how much work Lin puts into it! Thank you Lin!

Do you have a garden? Are you married to a gardener?

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Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? Meme - Flowers
Vacation with my book and heal!

Listen to my twenty-three minute interview on Masterfesto Media Podcast with Isabel Elias about my book Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better?: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uRX60sDFWbejTg7rZAiLn

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo Meme - Flowers
Take your iPad outside for a summer reading day!

Get your free 50-minute audio recording of Flippo! Click here for easy access!

Nature Speaks Through Poetry
My Thoughts · Nature · poetry

Nature Speaks Through Poetry

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment

Nature speaks through poetry—a tree, a butterfly, and a blackbird! Sometimes gently, other times it screams at me, in a loud attention-getting voice I have to listen to! Notice me, it says! Here’s a poem I wrote about that topic. Enjoy!

Along the Way, Nature Screams at Me!

May 1995

Along the way, nature screams at me—

look and see me here—

A butterfly, orange and black

dancing in a circle

sucking sweet nectar and life.

A red rock half buried

but screaming at me to see

its bright color,

its lasting character.

A woodpecker pecking hard

at life.

A pine cone, dry and brittle

once the hope of new life.

A stick, simple

dry and cracked

wanting to be noticed–

to be touched and admired.

A bone—life given up

dry and bleached.

A coyote, killed its prey,

cleaned it of meat and                                                   

sustenance.

#

Artifacts, pieces of life

things here in the woods

no value

trash to some people,

but to me–

life as it is–

colorful, dry and lifeless at

times, yet teeming with life.

#

Tall trees bow to the earth,

the weight of their existence

dragging them down,

the pain,

the misery,

closer and closer to the earth,

mother earth

who nurtures and gives life.

A silent stance of prayer

of renewal, commitment

yet deadly–pulling

the life out of them–

pulling, dragging, relentlessly

and death

a cycle of life

strength and overkill

too much though

much like life.

The light through the trees,

shines bright,

but it’s the shadows that call me.

The long profile of trees melt into one

and shadows take over–

dim, dark, cool,

blackening the view.

Like feet the roots of a tree grow down–

supporting and balancing its

tall counterpart.

Sounds abound

the quiet, gentle breeze whispers

come see, come hear, come listen.

#

A pesky fly bothers me–

at my elbow, my thigh,

my wrist, my ear,

my hair

buzzing, circling,

demanding then gone.

The sun peeks through the top of the tree

Just a minute ago shining full force

on me.

Now only a hint–like a light slowly

going out.

A mosquito bite on my hip itches,

demanding attention and care.

Bird racket echoes in the quiet–

someone’s not happy.

She’s demanding her way.

Her children are late in coming home,

and she wants her male partner to form

a search crew. He refuses to listen, so

she continues to screech.

Wind, swaying the tops of the trees,

in a gentle rhythm to and fro–

a soft hand moving through them.

The sound is gentle yet strong.

A power moves them

but only the tops.

Pine cone, rock, bone, tree

connected to life and earth.

All a product of–

laying there ready to be seen.

#

Energized with power and strength.

Self-confident and knowing who you are–

but what about  the trees

no question,

no doubt.

Strength connected to your creator.

The busy insane life I left

melts into peace and serenity.

I want to be a tree,

standing firm in a forest,

serenaded by the birds, bees, insects,

the rocks and leaves.

The serenade of the forest–

a tune that ears can’t hear–

easily.

Yes, you can hear the birds

the dirt,

the grass,

the leaves.

#

A sweet melody of love,

dependence,

self-worth

assurance.

A jazz beat, a samba, a slow luxurious waltz.

All these sounds unite in nature

and play if you’re listening,

not with your ears,

with your heart!

The smells touch me–fresh and clean and green.

Not artificial, contrived,

but powerful,

new

exciting!

Life-giving

alive

renewed

a sharp contrast.

Deep meaning–

This is peace–

this is serenity!

Void of structure

calm

letting my heart listen,

receive the message

and  alter my negative energy!

I feel it–

I’m being altered

right now.

The lump in my throat is gone,

that anxious twitch in my stomach

that dry, cotton mouth

the urge to run and do something–

gone!!

Nature heals,

but I have to be here,

sitting outside

away from cities,

demands,

chores!!

And I have to leave that behind!

Then nature heals!!

Nature screams at me sometimes igniting my soul. I must listen. And poetry comes out!

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Just Another Square Dance Caller meme - nature
Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy Flippo!

~FREE TO YOU! A Fifty minute audio recording of “Highlights of My Conversations with Flippo.” Learn how he started calling, how he recorded “The Auctioneer,” and a bonus: which caller did he sleep with? Click here for easy access!

Occasions in Life: Write Poetry!
family · My Thoughts · poetry

Occasions in Life: Write Poetry!

Larada Horner-Miller2 Comments
Pen and paper - occasions

All occasions are an occasion to write a poem—Christmas presents, graduation presents and even a wedding gift for my husband.

I wrote the following poem for my great nephew in 2019 when I couldn’t attend his graduation because I was sick. It comes to mind today because I just returned from Columbus, Georgia, where I attended his graduation from Army boot camp. Quite an occasion! As I watched him these past few days with his friends, I remembered the theme of this poem and needed to share it.

An Occasion Then

The Man I Choose to Be

May 24, 2019

Everyone comes to cross roads

            In life

                        Those defining moments

Last night was one for you!

            High school graduation!

                        Yes, a big and memorable one!

You’ve made the choice over

            The last twelve years

                        To attend

                        To be present

                        To do the work

            And last night you received the reward!

Family and friends surrounded you

            To cheer

            To shed a tear or two

            To honor

                        You!

The last twelve years defined you.

            I’ve seen your effect on people.

            After ball games, swarmed

Young boy with a man - occasions

            By admiring friends, old and young.

            A smile graced your lips

                        Even if you lost.

            Deep down inside a winner

                        No matter what!

            The commitment to people     

                        You have is admirable,

                                    And people love you for it!

Your life hasn’t been easy.

            For several years, I seldom saw you.

                        Your life unfolded

                                    With jagged edges.

Then your move to Floydada

            Truly a gift from God; we reconnected.

I treasure each moment we have spent together

            On the ranch

                        Looking for mountain lions

            At the house

                        Playing a rousing game of Pip

Those memories will last a lifetime.

Now the future looms ahead

            Large and unimaginable!

Where to go? What to do?

Today and tomorrow,

            You choose the man   

                        You want to be!

            It won’t come easily.

                        Temptations may lure you

                                    To veer off course.

Your future is connected to your past.

Don’t let feelings rule your life.

            Feelings come and go.

            But they don’t have to control you.

Be hypervigilant with one especially –

            Anger

Anger is just a feeling,

            Like so many others,

                        Yet powerful and seductive.

Deal with it, face it,

Get it out

            However you can to heal.

You have a guide,

            A friend,

            A man to emulate,

                        Jesus

And I know you know him personally.

I know you.

            You’ll choose to be the man

God created you to be!

I remember a gentle loving

            Young man who cared

                        For Aunt Willie in Branson

                                    One Christmas!

            She always asked about you!

                        A loving man in the makings!

Yes, you will face a crossroads or two ahead.

                        Which way?

                                    Right or

Left?

My suggestion—

            Always choose you and God!

An Occasion Now

Two Army soldiers - occasions

As I watched my great nephew after the Blue ceremony on Thursday, this poem came to mind because once again he has chosen well! Other young men flocked to him—either a light touch on the shoulder acknowledging their connection or a full-fledged frontal attack of a bear hug! Once again, he connected deeply with his peers. During bootcamp, they gave him a leadership role, so he continues to embrace “the man he chooses to be” in a positive vein. I also saw two young men drive a distance to be with him on this momentous occasion who had been his roommate before enlisting! Deep connections! My poem identifies his characteristics that draw people to him.

Poetry record specific occasions, special times, and I didn’t have another one in me on this recuperation-from-a-travel day that could say any better what I said a short four years ago. I love the spirit of this poem and how it points to a man to emulate—Jesus! And that it’s my choice to become the man or woman God created me to be! I can’t blame circumstances or events for the way I turned out—the power lives in my choice!

Book pages create a heart - occasions

Finally

Any occasion whispers to me to write a poem to commemorate it. As I ponder images and words, the message usually surprises me! That’s the joy of writing, especially poetry!

How do you commemorate special occasions in your life? Photos? Yes, I take lots of photos, too! Poems? Narratives? Think about sharing them with your loved ones as a special gift—the gift of words!

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My six books meme - Occasions

All available at my website: laradasbooks.com or Amazon.com

~My new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? WON the 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the Body, Mind & Spirit Category. Have you bought your copy yet? Visit my website: laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? meme - occasions

Grab a cup of coffee, a pen and look at a chapter in my newest book!

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo meme - occasions

Take Flippo with you on your phone and grab an apple to munch on!

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been three years. History and humor go hand-in-hand! Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

April—National Poetry month! Read!
My Thoughts · poetry

April—National Poetry month! Read!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment

April—National Poetry month! Thirty days to celebrate one of my favorite genres. So, this month I dedicate to sharing about my favorite poets and their poetry and some of my poetry! Enjoy!

April—National Poetry Month

“Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives.” 

https://poets.org/national-poetry-month

As a teacher, I loved this site for their resources:

This Year’s Poster

National Poetry Month April 2023

Poem in Your Pocket Daily

Mary Oliver, a National Treasure

I first learned about Mary Oliver at a recover retreat when Fr. Tom Weston shared her poem, The Journey. I knew I had found a soulmate in the poetry world.

The Journey

One day you finally knew
What you had to do, and began, Though the voices around you Kept shouting
Their bad advice‚
Though the whole house
Began to tremble
And you felt the old tug
At your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
Each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do, Though the wind pried
With its stiff fingers
At the very foundations‚ Though their melancholy
Was terrible.
It was already late
Enough, and a wild night,
And the road full of fallen Branches and stones.
But little by little,
As you left their voices behind, The stars began to burn Through the sheets of clouds, And there was a new voice, Which you slowly
Recognized as your own,
That kept you company
As you strode deeper and deeper Into the world,
Determined to do
The only thing you could do‚ Determined to save
The only life you could save.

More Mary Oliver poems in my life

From then on, Fr. Tom continued to share at various retreats, and I collected her books. My favorite, Devotions: Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, is “a stunning and definitive collection of her writing from the last fifty years.”

Mary’s astute observation of this world fascinates me, so her favorite topic is nature—animals, ponds, and relationship. Her specific details in her poems shows her deep commitment to looking at this amazing world up close and personal and seeing it in the way a photographer would capture it—the details were everything with her. And in many of her poems, she weaves God in the lines, showing me a kind, gentle, loving God. 

Yet, she also wrote a poetry book entitled Blue Horses with a poem titled “Franz Marc’s Blue Horses.” I had to look that reference up!

“Blue Horses or Die grossen blauen Pferde (The Large Blue Horses) is a 1911 painting by German painter and printmaker Franz Marc.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Horses

She grew up in a small town in Ohio, so here’s another place we connected—small towns and all they have to off the poet’s heart. “Oliver lived in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Hobe Sound, Florida, until her death in early 2019. She was 83.”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver

I never heard her voice, seeing her perform a poem, but this picture of her in her elder years speaks volumes—her words have touched millions!

Finally,

Mary has several well-known poems sharing her faith. With this being Palm Sunday, I leave you with this poem of hers and a haiku of mine.

The Poet Thinks about the Donkey

On the outskirts of Jerusalem
the donkey waited.
Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,
he stood and waited.

How horses, turned out into the meadow,
   leap with delight!
How doves, released from their cages,
   clatter away, splashed with sunlight.

But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited.
Then he let himself be led away.
Then he let the stranger mount.

Never had he seen such crowds!
And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.
Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.

I hope, finally, he felt brave.
I hope, finally, he loved the man who rode so lightly upon him,
as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.

From Mary’s book, Thirst

My Haiku

Palms covered the ground

Crowds praised Jesus riding by.

Right now, they cheered but. . .

I will leave you with this picture of Mary I love and quote from her, ” Poetry, to be understood, must be clear. It’s mustn’t be fancy.”

Mary Oliver - April

News, News, News!

All available at my website: laradasbooks.com or Amazon.com

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? meme

Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a chapter!

~My new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? WON the 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the Body, Mind & Spirit Category. Have you bought your copy yet? Vist my website: laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo meme April

Grab an apple and your iPhone and be ready to laugh and cry at the same time!

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been three years. History and humor go hand-in-hand! Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.