Diane Stringam Tolley's Blog: On the Border, page 4

Giving the Snow the Boot

He went out as the morning sun,

Made new snow glisten bright.

The world was still, the air was cold

The storm passed with the night.

He carefully prepared his mount

With blankets and with tack,

The snow had stopped, the wind had died

He had cattle now to check.

The two of them moved carefully

Into the world of white.

Their breath streamed out behind them

Making clouds in morning light.

But it wasn’t long before he stopped

And looked about him there.

Then pulled his ‘cell phone from his coat

And dialed his wife with care.

“Hi, Hon!” he said with chatt’ring teeth,

Just thought I’d give a call,

To let you know I’m heading back,

Things don’t look good at all.”

“The snow out here’s too deep,” he said.

“It’s cold and wet, I’ve found.

It’s reached the tops of both my boots

It’s hard to get around.”

His puzzled wife said to her man.

“Your boot tops aren’t tall.

“I don’t see how a drift that deep

Could hamper you at all.”

Her husband frowned, “They don’t,” he said.

“Well, they don’t bother me.

But this poor horse I’m sitting on.

He simply cannot see.”

Daddy in winter . . .
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week, my favourite thing of all...It's COOKIES. Join us, one and all!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)Winter (December 11) Today!Cookies (December 18)Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays (Dec. 25)The Future (January 1 My last Poetry Monday)

EsSHOEing Delivery

Years ago, shoemakers (at least the one in Milk River) were notorious for their "They'll be ready Monday" response whenever one went to the shop to ask about their shoes.I thought this was cute. And very, very true...
At the grand old age ofninety, Richard’s Gramps had passed away,And it was left to Rick to sellhis home there by the bay,And as he sorted, boxed andbagged the curious things he saw,So many he had never seen. Helooked at them with awe,And in the big coat closet ina pocket there in back,He found an ancient receipt. Wrinkled,stained with old boot black,Apparently, t’was for someshoes his Gramps left for repair,Back in 1955, the man had leftthem there!Curious, Rick looked it up andfound it listed still,Then, clutching the receipt,he found the shop up on a hill.The bell rang merrily as Richardpushed the door askew,Then walked up to the owner,wond’ring what the man would do,The owner was a grandson. Yes,the old man was his kin,He looked down at the paper,turned and gave our Rick a grin,“I do believe we have your shoes,just hang on there a sec.”Then disappeared into the backto go and have a check,A moment later, he appeared,said, “They are on the rack…And they’ll be ready Monday.” Thenhe gave the paper back.
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week, we will (Because it's close...)Talk of WINTER. Its beauty and woes. 










Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)Shoes (December 4) Today!Winter (December 11)Cookies (December 18)Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays (Dec. 25)The Future (January 1 My last Poetry Monday)

A Nice Trip

The sign therein the country store gave Paul, the shopper, pause,BEWARE OF DOG! Inbright red ink, then pointed to the cause…A sleepy houndthere on the floor, who didn’t look a threat,In fact, helooked as comfortable as a sleepy dog could get.So Paul, helooked down at the dog, then back up to the sign,“This cannot bethe dog!” he said. “Cause he looks so…benign!”“Oh, that ishim,” the storekeep said. “Don’t let yourself be fooled,“You drop yourguard with this one and you bet you will be schooled!"“Before I hungthe sign,” he said, “There was a lot of hurt.“And so Ithought to warn you folks and all your pain avert!”Then Paul, hewatched that hounddog for a moment, maybe two,Then shook hishead again and said, “What damage could he do?”“Waaal, I’lltell you,” said the man. “I know he don’t have much for zip…“But before Iput that sign up, almost everybody tripped!” 
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week in all their styles and hues,We all will be discussing SHOES!!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)A Pet's Life (November 27) Today!Shoes (December 4)Winter (December 11)Cookies (December 18)Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays (Dec. 25)The Future (January 1 My last Poetry Monday)

Shout Hurray!

If you’re happy and you know it, Shout hurray! (Hurray!) If you’re happy and you know it, Shout hurray! (Hurray!) If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it, If you’re happy and you know it, Shout hurray! (Hurray!) 
Think of things that really brighten up Your day! (Your day!) Like your family. And friends along Your way! (Your way!) Cause they bring you special moments, so you don’t have to ‘alone’ it, Yes, they really help you brighten up  Your day! (Hooray!) 
Now the things that really make you Feel okay! (Okay!) Like good food and music, skillfully  Displayed! (Displayed!)Cause they make your tummy happy, and your toes alive and ‘tappy’, Oh, the things that really make you  Feel okay! (Hooray!) 
Now, lastly, there’s a rule we Should obey! (Obey!)Makes everybody happy come What may! (What may!) Here's that rule (let’s put our mind to): Everyone I Will Be Kind To, We’ll all be happy and we’ll know it, Shout hurray! (Hurray!) 

Karen asks, "Write for me, please?"We write because we like to please!And we love her, you know that’s true,So this is what we writers do . . .We craft a poem based on a theme,With pencils, sharp, and eyes agleam,Each month we write and have such funWe can't wait for another one,With 'Shout Hurray!' how did I do?Now, go and see the others, too:

Baking In A Tornado

Messymimi’s Meanderings

 

Bus(t)ing Home

 Because we lived a long, long wayfrom town,We had to ride the bus, us bunch ofclowns,And ‘early’ doesn’t quite describeour start…Cause sunrise (with our ride), was oft’a part.
We had adventures there, yes, thatis true,My friends and I, we laughed andread and drew,The hour went by and turned to dayfrom night…And suddenly, the school’d come intosight.
At times, when it was raining catsand dogs,The roads would turn from sandy soilto bog,The vacuum windshield wipers, bothwould slow…Whenever the bus driver tried to go.
One day the bus was having chillsand pains,Complaining as we drove across theplains,At Angyal’s Hill, our driver toldus, “Shush!”Then made us all get out and startto push!
Now often, I hear folks talk ‘bouttheir past,How ‘uphill both ways’ can’t becalled a ‘blast’,But they just simply can’t competewith us…Cause we walked uphill AND we pushedthe bus!
We win!
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

No politics next week, no strife,We'll be discussing A Pet's Life!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)The Bus (November 20) Today!A Pet's Life (November 27)Shoes (December 4)Winter (December 11)Cookies (December 18)Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays (Dec. 25)The Future (January 1 My last Poetry Monday)

 

 

Trouble Indicated

 Firstly, because some people asked, Peter’s and my weddingplans are progressing, but that is a story for another day.Today it’s all about Ivy Jean.Who is walking.Now in a normal household, this is cause for rejoicing.In ours…You have to remember that she is the exact double of Sally.Exact. Double.Right up to the mischief part.Ivy Jean started crawling at about six months andimmediately began getting into stuff.Then she went almost immediately from crawling to toddlingaround, holding onto furniture.Of course this meant putting everything higher and higher toget it out of the way.Do you know the definition of a toddler? Someone two feet tallwith an arm reach of eight feet?Yeah. That was coined for Sally.And lives on in Ivy Jean.And the whole ‘putting things up’? It’s something we haven’tmastered yet.And therein hangs a tale.As the saying goes.Back to Ivy Jean...Yesterday, my baby sister came out of the bathroom, wavingsomething clutched tightly in her chubby little hand.I ran to her because 1. Peter-and-I-were-babysitting-due-to-Mom-and-Dad-having-to-go-out.And 2. Ivy-Jean-wasn’t-supposed-to-be-in-the-bathroom-and-who-left-the-door-open?!Okay, technically, Sally and Mort were also babysitting, butthey had had something ‘important and secret todiscuss’ (Sally’s words) and had left to go for a walk and hadn’t returned, so Peter and I were ‘it’.I grabbed the ‘something’ out of Ivy Jean’s hand and staredat it. It was a home pregnancy indicator.I turned it over.Positive.I looked at Peter and my face must have been a picturebecause he slowly set his coffee cup on thetable and stood up. “Gwen, what is it?”“Didn’t Sally just finish making an appointment with the doctor?”He frowned. “You mean just before she and Mort left?”“Ummm…yeah.”He shrugged. “I guess so. What’s up.”I held out the indicator.His eyes went wide. He looked at me. “Sally?”“It must be.”He sat down again. “Oh.”“My thoughts exactly.”“But she…” He didn’t finish that thought. “Could she…” Hedidn’t finish that one, either.I rubbed my forehead. “Remember when she decided thatgetting a cat was a good idea?”“And when she jumped out of that helicopter?”“Or went after that would-be thief?” I looked down at theindicator. It hadn’t changed.“And got caught hanging off a mountain in Hawaii?”Of course, I had to tell him about some of these. He was the one fortunate person who missed most of them…"Or when she got her start in movies?"“Or when she got kidnapped?!” we said together.“Sally, a mother,” I tapped my forehead. “I just can’t quiteget my brain around it.”Peter shook his head.I got up to stir the squashsoup bubbling on the stove.And rescue Ivy Jean, who had given up trying to grab theindicator out of my hand and was now pushing a chair over to the kitchencounter.Just then, the front door burst open and Sally and Mortburst in. “We have news!” Sally crowed.I moved closer to Peter and he clasped my hand. I’m notsure, but I think each of us took a quick, sustaining breath and held it.Sally opened her mouth, but Mort forestalled her. “We’re finallygoing to buy that ranch we’ve been looking at!” he shouted.I blinked and Peter and I exhaled together. “Erm…what?”“That ranch!” Sally said. “You know. That one we—”Mom and Dad stepped into the room behind them, big grins ontheir faces. “We have news!” Mom crowed.Dad walked over and scooped up Ivy Jean. “You’re going to bea big sister, Jean-Bean!” he announced excitedly.Peter and I looked at each other.Oh.
Use Your Words is a writing challenge!Each month, I exchange words with my friend and intrepid leader, Karen of Baking in a Tornado Neither of us knows what the other will do with her words.This month, Karen gave me: squash ~ coffee ~ return ~ doctor ~ secretThank you, my friend!Now go see what Karen did with my words!BakingIn ATornado

 

An Ant Problem

Just as long as they keep on marching... somewhere I'm not...
Theants go marching one by one,Hurrah.Hurrah.Theants go marching one by one,Hurrah.Hurrah.
Theants go marching one by one,(Thelittle one stops to suck his thumb)Andthey all go
Marchingdown…Tothe earth…to get out…of the rain…Boom.Boom. Boom.Boom.Boom. Boom. Boom.
Theants go marching two by two,Hurrah.Hurrah.Theants go marching two by two,Hurrah.Hurrah.
Theants go marching two by two,(Thelittle one stops to tie his shoe)Andthey all go
Marchingdown...to the earth…to get out…of the rain…Boom.Boom. Boom.Boom.Boom. Boom. Boom.
Theants go marching three by three,Hurrah.Hurrah.Goodgrief! They’re marching three by three,Hurrah.Hurrah.
Theants go marching three by three,(Theold one (me) stops to rest his knees)Andthey all go
Marchingdown...to the earth…to get out…of the rain…Ugh.Boom. Boom.Boom.Boom. Boom. Boom.
The antsgo marching four by four,Hurrah.Hurrah.The antsgo marching four by four,Hurrah-ingsome more…
They’restill marchingStill infours.Till thelittle one stops to shut the door…They don’tstop and…boom.
Theants go marching five by five…Hurrah!And various…Ithink there’s more ants…five by five,Yadda,etc.
Seethem marching five by five,Littleone checks. Is he still alive?Lotsmore yaddas…out of the rain. Boom.
The ants go marching…I think we’re up to sixnow…Humm-de-humm-hummmLittle one stops to pick up sticks,And…rain!
Okay, fine. I'll get back to the proper rhythm...
Thosewretched ants in groups of seven!Rah.Hoorah.Seeing aproblem? Groups of seven!Seriously…Hoorah!
Ipromise sincerely, groups of seven,I’llmourn you foreverIf yougo to Heaven?Pleasestart marching down…
I meanup…
Ugh.They’re now marching eight by eightTheyhave…chutzpah,Butthey’re still marching. Still in eights,Let’squit! I’m raw!
Lookat them marching in ranks of eight,Youknow, this song I’m starting to hate,I’llgo marching down…to the earth…
To getaway from the pain…erm rain.Boom.Boom-ity. Boom.Boom.Boom. Peaceful. BOOM.
Those ants go marching nine by nine,Please give me strength,They are marching nine by nine,Those rows! Such length!
In even formations of nine by nine,Oops. Someone fell and broke his spine,But still marched down…To the…boom.
The ants go marching ten by ten,What a sight. I’m in awe.The ants go marching ten by tenI need…a chainsaw…
The ants go marching ten by ten,I’ve got the RAID, let’s say, “Amen!”And they all will stay there
Down…in the earth…Forever out of the rain,Boom, boom, boomBOOM!  Today’s post is a word challenge! Each month Karen, Mimi or I choose a number between 12 and 50 and we three craft a post using that number of words one or multiple times.This month’s number is: 19It was chosen by Mimi of MessyMimi'sMeanderings!
Now go and see what my friends have created!
Baking In ATornadoMessymimi’sMeanderings

 

The Taste of Love

When I wasyoung, with Mom I’d go,To Gramma’shouse. In sun or snow,And there, inGramma’s kitchen, find,A treasure ‘f Iwas so inclinedOf wondrousfoods. Such tasty fare,I’d spend mostwaking minutes there,And bask inwhat I understoodWas Gramma’slove. T’was sweet and good!Then as theyears went rolling past,My own kids didappear at last,And oft’ I tookthen with me when,I went to mymom’s house. ThereinWe’d find allsorts of yummy stuff,In Gramma’skitchen. N’er enoughTo ever havethem say, “We’re done!I’m sure ‘elsewhere’will be more fun!”Cause just likeme, they understoodThat Gramma’slove bore tasty food.And now, agramma I’ve become,I, cookies bake,or cakes of crumb,Or breads orsoups of boundless mien,To feed thehordes when we convene,And how I loveto see the grins,As they all eat,cause Gramma wins,Why, just todaymy Twizzle said,“I just loveeating Gramma’s bread!”And Emma-Gem ofstature, small,Said, “Gramma’skitchen’s best of all!”What have Ilearned from the above?That Gramma’skitchen just means ‘LOVE’
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week please come join with us,As we all talk about The Bus!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)Grandma's Kitchen (November 13) Today!The Bus (November 20)A Pet's Life (November 27)Shoes (December 4)Winter (December 11)Cookies (December 18)Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays (Dec. 25)The Future (January 1 My last Poetry Monday)

Melon Head

Barry is my special friend, wetalk most every day,He’s wise and fun (a perfectcombination, by the way).
But once, there was a time when itwas my turn to annoy.So stick around a sec, ‘cause it’sa tale you will enjoy.
Now, Barry likes his food, youjust might call him, well, a snob,He so enjoys a well-cooked meal,from pasta to kebabs.
But one day, he confided, ‘Onlyonions make me cry,’And so I thought I’d try it out,and learn the truth, thereby.
My wife and I had planned asummer picnic with our friends,(You know these are the best oftimes. You hope they never end.)
Our watermelon patch had borne avery yummy yield,So, for dessert, we grabbed somebig ones from out in the field.
Then…To test his ‘only onions makehim cry’, s‘indeed the case…I took a watermelon and hitBarry in the face! 
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week will see us all just itchin'To talk a bit 'bout Gramma's Kitchen!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)Watermelon (November 6) Today!Grandma's Kitchen (November 13)The Bus (November 20)A Pet's Life (November 27)

 

Mixing Mayhem with Amen

Two brothers, ages six and eightwere quite the mischief-makers,If hi-jinks happened, they twowere the movers and the shakers,Exasperated totally, their poorand harried Mama,Went to see their minister. Converseabout her trauma,He’d had some luck with otherboys all bent on causing trouble,She wanted help with her two ‘foretheir town'd reduced to rubble,The man agreed and said he’dlike to see them one by one,The younger first, that morning,with the elder later on...The preacher took thesix-year-old and sat him on a chair,Then stood before the boy andfixed him with a sober stare,Said to the lad, “Now tell me, son, do you know just where God is?”The little boy just stared (mouthgaped, right to his epiglottis),Again the preacher went on to repeathis simple question,Again the boy just stared at himwith fear in his expression,A third time (louder now), thepreacher thundered, “Where is God?”The small boy screamed and ranas though pursued by demon squads,Some time hence, his older brotherfound him in the cupboard,Pale and shaking like a leaf,his legs both weak and ‘rubbered’,The eight-year-old just lookedat him and slowly shook his head,Said, “What on earth is eatingyou? You look like you’re ‘most dead!”The younger boy gave him a look ofterror and of shame,“God has disappeared, Bro! Andthey think that we’re to blame!”
Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.comCause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So  Karen , Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

That WATERMELON is a hit...Let's reminisce a little bit!









Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks (with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)Mischief (October 30) Today!Watermelon (November 6)Grandma's Kitchen (November 13)The Bus (November 20)A Pet's Life (November 27)