This  is  a poem I began to write  7 years ago in Massachusetts ! I realized this  tree also existed  in my  neighbor's back yard where I live now about 2 years ago  ,  a truly  delightful discovery.The shape of  this tree   was  different  and that had thrown me, in identifying it.One day  my nose was clear enough to smell the flowers on the  stepping stones on my way to the car and  the fragrance  catapulted me back to  that  big   tree  in New England.

April 2006
This poem has a picture of  an empty jar of mulling spices on a window sill.It is the jar that inspired this poem. Sometimes I would take off the lid  to just smell it  .There , but not there .

Early 2005  one of my first  free form poems  I ever wrote.It describes our suburban  green patch   in Texas  . It was  published in my college  literary magazine  and garnered  my Professor's  praise   .

Written in May 2014. Saw  these  stunning   red  hibiscus plants at Sam's Club the other week  and it took me back  to the one we lost   almost a decade ago.

In the weeks , months  and even the first year  after my husband's brutal death in 2002  , the occasional mall  visit  would turn into bleak despair  every time . I automatically  scanned faces  looking for him, until I remembered suddenly  that he was dead.   I felt like I was on an island  of  heartbreak in the middle of a crowded  mall. Life rushed past me during those times  , and I felt   like a total outcast, nothing in common with  everyday life anymore.

Our  European vacation 10 years ago. Old memories and new memories  lived  in tandem  during that  trip.

A simple ponder....

A sleepless  night's  ramblings

This circus  has been set down  ! I am home, sweet, home  and have been for the past  7 years now . My Eddie ,thank you. Version  edit 2

Not actually about baseball! I do ,however, use  a  miniature Louisville slugger  from my stepkids to crush our bunny  shaped cheese crackers for our tuna patty dinners. Word play...love it !

My speech class when I went  back to  college in 2005. I was only one   of two  over  35 year olds...

Hot on the heals of  Hurricane Katrina   in New Orleans , August of 2005  was Hurricane  Rita  barreling  our way  when my daughter and  I lived in the  Houston area . It veered off  and spared our home at the last minute  and went off  towards  the Texas /Louisiana line  , but fear  guided our every action as we evacuated  we saw our home   and our lives  hanging in the balance .The horrific devastation   coming across our tv screens and computers   from one state over chased us into  the safety of  the Round Rock near Austin area after  driving   in bumper to bumper traffic for  over 9 hours  up north. Normally  that trip would be  only around 3 hours, but as the population of Houston and it's surrounding areas   headed  to safety,  nerves  were tight and cell phones went out .