I have spent today elbow-deep in chocolate. Since everyone's home, I decided to bake my son's birthday cake from scratch. And my daughter is making homemade chocolate candy for her boyfriend. So, yep. Ovens, double boilers, and lots of sample tastes.
My husband actually braved the slushy roads today to pick up a bouquet of red roses for me! The florist couldn't deliver them because of the weather. He must love me a whole lot.
Are you red roses or dark chocolate for Valentine's Day? I have something that may sway your opinion... the Choctone Color Chart.
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| Thanks for the sweet color chart, Creative Boys Club |
All this month, we are writing in response to Pantone® paint colors. Whether your response is based on the color's hue, or there's something about the color's name that gets your creative juices flowing, you are invited to join the project. Leave your response in the comments. You'll find full instructions at this post.
Today's colors (Day 12) remind me of a walk in the winter woods. Put their names together and you get a hint of the spring that's hidden deep inside branches and beneath layers of snow and earth: Turbulent Green Whispers.
| Day 12 Turbulence Pantone ® 19-4215 |
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| Day 12 Green Milieu Pantone ® 16-5806 |
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| Day 12 Whisper Pink Pantone ® 13-1107 |
Today's trio makes me think of walks in the woods. Since I was fourteen, my family has owned a home in the Catskill mountains. The property includes several wooded acres. I love to walk there with my daughter, who is a budding photographer. We have such different ways of noticing: I use words to point out the things that catch my eye; she uses her camera.
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| Photo: J. Shovan |
Shelf Fungus
by Laura Shovan
They
rise like stairs,
an invitation to climb
the deep-notched
bark
of this old trunk.
Part of
the green milieu—
of grass, and
trees,
and dusty lichen—
but
separate, fungal.
My mother taught us
a circle
of toadstools
was where the fairies
danced
while we slept.
My grandmother knew
which mushrooms were safe
to
pick for soup.
Beneath the tree,
my daughter stands,
points her camera up.
These
fungi's undersides
are whisper pink
and nougaty, the tops
a
turbulent, sun burnt black.
I notice they
are shaped
like giant’s ears,
and wonder
if something
larger than us
stopped
in this woods
to listen.
Geographer and poet Michael Ratcliffe joins us today with some green imagining. (No surprise, we are all ready for spring to burst forth with some fresh green.)
GREEN MILIEU
by Michael Ratcliffe
Milieu, milieu, milieu.
For geographers, like writers,
it's all about milieu.
Paul Vidal de la Blache was right,
landscape holds possibilities,
environment does not determine.
It is for each of us to decide
what to do with, and within,
the milieu in which we find ourselves,
how to paint our lives
onto the canvas of the earth.
Milieu, green with possibilities,
drawn from within,
taken where we will,
colored as the mind imagines.
Milieu, milieu, milieu.
For geographers, like writers,
it's all about milieu.
Paul Vidal de la Blache was right,
landscape holds possibilities,
environment does not determine.
It is for each of us to decide
what to do with, and within,
the milieu in which we find ourselves,
how to paint our lives
onto the canvas of the earth.
Milieu, green with possibilities,
drawn from within,
taken where we will,
colored as the mind imagines.
We definitely have a nature theme happening today. Here is Linda Baie's haiku.
dawn peeks in
the east window
whispering pink
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| Linda Baie blogs at Teacher Dance |
whispers
from under the table
...all in pink
by Diane Mayr
I can picture all of the girl cousins giggling under that big table.
Patricia VanAmburg writes: "It is so nice this morning to find exposed pavement and some green milieu in this nice warm spot!" Patricia, have you been out shoveling? My guess is, this poem was written BEFORE the latest snow.
Shock Wave
Shock Wave
by Patricia VanAmburg
Unexpected turbulence
from a five-year-old
sent the screen door
off its hinges
sent the child
into hysterics
sent her grandparents
into the void.
Unexpected turbulence
from a five-year-old
sent the screen door
off its hinges
sent the child
into hysterics
sent her grandparents
into the void.
I think Patricia's granddaughter has been hanging out with Diane's Pink Ladies.
It *is* Valentine's Day tomorrow, and Poetry Friday. Fittingly, our Day 13 colors are two red tones to get your heart pumping.
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| Day 13 Burnt Russet Pantone ® 19-1530 |
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| Day 13 Paprika Pantone ® 17-1553 |
Remember, you can skip the reds and go for a sweet brown Choctone poem instead. I'm off to enjoy some birthday cake (Choctone 476 C).
8 comments:
Laura, today's poem is your best one yet in this month of colors! I especially like:
Part of the green milieu—
of grass, and trees,
and dusty lichen—
but separate, fungal.
Your daughter's photo is awesome, tell her I'm envious.
The link for Linda's visual seems to be broken. :-(
I've already had 4 pieces of choctone today, two 1205 G and two 497 N--one with almonds! Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours.
Diane, I'm so glad that you liked this poem. I have more stories about my grandmother and mushrooms, but will have to share those another time. My daughter's got a pretty amazing eye -- and she's just 14. I enjoy writing in response to her pix.
Thanks for letting me know about Linda's picture. All fixed.
No Laura, I meant the nice warm spot of the blog was where I found exposed pavement and green milieu--and yes, I have been shoveling!!!
Here is my Paprika for Valentine's day--then I might take a little break--but I will check in on you guys <3
Paprika
Wrapping a knit shawl
over her winter coat
the woman drives thirty
miles through a blizzard
to meet her illicit lover
in a Hungarian restaurant.
P.S.
Laura, I love your Shelf Fungus--the photo and the poem--especially the nougaty pink. Still, Guava was my fav.
I love them all, again! Laura, your poem seems so solidly family, wonderful weaving of the parts, grandmother to mother to daughter, steps like the fungus. And those giggles in pink, delicious image!
Michael, I like that final line "colored as the mind imagines", and Patricia, you brought me back to the screen doors of long ago, both the good and the bad.
Choctone Color Chart! Who knew? LOVE
Thanks for the chocolatey goodness! I made red velvet cupcakes and chocolate toffee saltines for the holiday. (One is D's favorite; the other is A's) Happy Birthday to Robbie!
I like "I notice they are shaped like giant’s ears, and wonder if something larger than us stopped in this woods to listen."
Catching up on my reading today. Yum! Chocolate. My true love gave me chocolate and a gift certificate for a facial.
This is such a wonderful line, "wonder if something
larger than us
stopped in this woods
to listen."
I imagine the giants and the fairies in this lichen forest. Beautiful.
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