Eva’s Friends

[Callender Girl]

I just came across this in my morning reading and thought you might appreciate it. Although it's more about reading poetry, I think you can apply some of the tips to writing, too!

A great poem can help you process feelings of sadness, anger, or fear, and it can also bring joy. However, connecting with these emotions may be more challenging if you haven't engaged with poetry in some time. In honor of National Poetry Month, here are some tips shared by poets with Life Kit to help you establish a meaningful connection with this art form.

You shouldn’t approach poetry like it’s school. Remember, there’s no quiz or essay you have to write about it after.

Don’t put pressure on yourself to unlock the meaning behind the poem. Instead, ask yourself how you feel or what your overall impression of the work is.

Poetry is an oral art. Try reading it out loud in different ways, including savoring every word and every syllable.

If the poem doesn’t offer visuals, try visualizing it in your mind. You can also doodle images that stick out in your head while reading.

 

[lightm]

The only downside was the prices.
The prices were the only downside.

I'd say they are both correct as long as you change "prices" to "price" in the first sentence??

This is also time to point out that I am not a native speaker. I did learn a lot about grammar, but I know absolutely nothing about English poetry... so I am never going to comment on your poetry because it is way beyond my capacity

The three chickens you rehomed are pretty. Lucky new owner!

As always, your pictures are amazing.

 

[Evadig]

Happy Easter!

It's been quite busy because of the Triduum and we've had church with a full choir every evening.

Last night we had Easter Vigil and halfway through, a violent unexpected thunderstorm knocked down multiple trees, a row of telephone poles, and several electrical wires. We lost power halfway through Mass and had to finish by candlelight and flashlight. It is a good thing we had a piano, since the organ couldn't be used. Everyone left church carrying their lighted candles (amazingly enough, no one thought to use the flashlight on their phone). It was really nice. I told our choir director we should do that every year (she agrees).

Back at home, the electricity was still out, and didn't come on again until 5:00 am, when all the lights we'd forgotten to turn off turned on again. Nice way to wake up, when you were hoping to get an extra hour of sleep (we didn't get home until midnight)! I had to play for an early Mass this morning as well, so I am somewhat tired.

Nobody in the Muddy Run seems to miss Jen, Viv, and Dolores very much. In fact, the flock seems more peaceful. But in the Yellow Turnip, I noticed that the Virtues are getting bald spots, and Liberty was pulling on Mitzi's beard, so both he and Honor have been placed in separate quarters.

Last night, she said she would drive Moses to his new home on Saturday!

As a bonus, the woman who is taking Moses has also offered to take my Cochin Bantam rooster, Billy.

That's wonderful you were able to find a good home for Moses and Billy! .

My coops are all close to the house and fairly secure. I worry about the safety of my last sheep and two miniature goats; their shelters don't have doors, so they are vulnerable to attacks. A single coyote can be a problem, but a pack is a serious threat -- whether it's coyotes or dogs, the mob mentality is dangerous.

Since the shelters don't have doors, do you worry about the sheep and goats when you are not home? I am always a bit worried that there might be an unseen pack of coyotes in the yard when I let the dogs out at night.

I don't remember seeing photos or hearing about Rusty before. Is he still with you?

I think I posted about him last year, but he is not here anymore. Somehow, one day last fall, he escaped from his pen (he was a wild turtle we rescued off the side of the road and kept over the summer). I actually just saw him in the woods today though!

The advice about poetry that you posted was quite helpful, thank you!

I'd say they are both correct as long as you change "prices" to "price" in the first sentence??

That would make more sense, yes !

This is also time to point out that I am not a native speaker.

I would have never known . What's your native language?

As always, your pictures are amazing.

Thank you!

A robin midflight

Patience

Mitzi

Agnieszka

Mitzi and Agnieszka

Alice

Amelia

Wildflowers

A finch (I think?)

A flower arrangement

 

[Callender Girl]

I had to Google "Triduum," as I was not familiar with the term, which, I believe, is unique to the Catholic church. I am not Catholic, but I am also mourning the loss of Pope Francis. I always admired and respected him as someone who cared about all people, the earth and its creatures. He was a great man whose humility made him even greater, I think.

I read an online tribute to Pope Francis from the Salt Lake City newspaper in which the author wrote: "He was the pastor we wanted, the counselor we desired, the example we needed. I never really met him, but I loved him as a father." Well said, I think.

Your candlelight story reminded me of something from many years ago. I was attending a church service when a violent hailstorm hit. The lights went out, and we could hear huge hailstones pounding the roof as we hoped none of the stained glass windows would shatter. Suddenly, the music director began strumming an acoustic guitar, and everyone felt much better and safer as we sang along with her. Well, we felt better until we went outside and surveyed the damage.

Storms bring out the scaredy cat in me. Hail once caused about $40,000 in damage to my house (hurray for good insurance!), and I've spent way too many dark nights without electricity out here in the middle of nowhere.

It's good that the flock doesn't miss your rehomed birds. The pullets who were raised with Moses sometimes sat beside his pen, but they don't seem to care that he's gone. In fact, his incessant breeding of them was the main reason he needed to go. I had planned to let him live by himself in a good-sized coop and run, but rats (before I got rid of them) ate big holes in the coop walls over the winter. So he was being housed in a too-small enclosure and moved into the garage every night to keep him safe.

Billy's absence may only be felt by Camille. She is alone in her coop since her sister died over the winter, and she often walked over to Billy's run to visit. Camille is a Salmon Faverolles and one of my favorite hens. She's mostly shy around the other hens. But when it's just the two of us, Camille will readily transform into the "French queen," demanding treats and yelling at me until I give in and toss her a grape or two.

Billy was a bad-tempered little jerk who would tip his head and stare at me -- as if he was sizing up exactly how to execute his next attack; he would both flog and bite me. Strangely, I miss seeing his vicious little face. And, I had to video Moses because I knew I would miss his beautiful crowing.

I've been asked how the boys are doing, and I don't know. I want to believe that they are happy in their new surroundings; neither I nor they were happy with them here.

You asked if I worried about coyotes with the sheep and goats, and I do. That's why I spring out of bed every time one of the dogs signals anything might be wrong outside. It's most likely that coyotes will be a problem at night, since they try to stay out of sight during the day.

I'm glad you found the poetry piece helpful, and like you, I would never have guessed that @lightm is not a native speaker of English. I've always wished I knew a second language; one year of high school Spanish was pretty inadequate. English is more than challenging enough; it's borrowed so many words and phrases from other languages! Are you still working on learning another language? Polish, wasn't it?

Your finch photo reminded me that yesterday, my new edition of Stan Tekiela's "Birds of Iowa Field Guide" arrived. My old one, which I really liked because the birds are organized by color, disappeared last fall. Who knows where it went?!? But, the new one is even better. Now, if the males and females of a species are basically different colors (like the rose-breasted grosbeak), they are included in both the black-and-white section (male) and the brown section (female). Before, both genders were only in the section for the male's dominant color.

The wildflower photos are lovely. I spotted the season's first blooming wild violets in my yard yesterday. It's beginning to really feel like spring.

 

[lightm]

Very lovely picture of Mitzi!

amazingly enough, no one thought to use the flashlight on their phone

That is very nice.

What's your native language?

I am Chinese.

 

[Evadig]

I’m sitting in the waiting area of Gate B49 as I write this. You can see our airplane to the left.

I am flying to Rome with a group from my local parish. We are going to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. We were originally going to go to the canonization of Carlos Acutis, but that is canceled since the Pope died.

That’s the rest of the waiting area.

My phone battery needs servicing and I can’t plug it in right now, so I will have to keep this short.

A lady in my group got a wrong order from Five Guys, which she passed on to me. I don’t particularly care for bacon-pickle-tomato hamburgers without cheese, but it’s free, so…

I had to Google "Triduum," as I was not familiar with the term, which, I believe, is unique to the Catholic church.

I am sorry I didn’t explain !

I am not Catholic, but I am also mourning the loss of Pope Francis. I always admired and respected him as someone who cared about all people, the earth and its creatures. He was a great man whose humility made him even greater, I think.

I read an online tribute to Pope Francis from the Salt Lake City newspaper in which the author wrote: "He was the pastor we wanted, the counselor we desired, the example we needed. I never really met him, but I loved him as a father." Well said, I think.

I agree, and that’s what I love about being Catholic - that it’s like a family. And the pope is very much the father, spiritually, of us all (Catholics).

Your candlelight story reminded me of something from many years ago. I was attending a church service when a violent hailstorm hit. The lights went out, and we could hear huge hailstones pounding the roof as we hoped none of the stained glass windows would shatter. Suddenly, the music director began strumming an acoustic guitar, and everyone felt much better and safer as we sang along with her. Well, we felt better until we went outside and surveyed the damage.

That does sound bad! I’m glad the music director had the guitar on hand. Hopefully no one’s cars were damaged by the hail!
Once I was in church when it was struck by lighting, and I’m sure not a few people thought the end of their time had come. There was a tremendous crack and we lost power for a few minutes.

Are you still working on learning another language? Polish, wasn't it?

Yes! It’s not going too well, I don’t devote enough time to it. I really need to be more disciplined.

Hail once caused about $40,000 in damage to my house (hurray for good insurance!), and I've spent way too many dark nights without electricity out here in the middle of nowhere.

I am glad I don’t live in Iowa! Do you have an alternate source of heat?

That bird book sounds interesting. I have a Storey’s Guide, I think.

I don’t think I’ve seen a wild violet. They must be pretty.

I am Chinese.

Oh, wow! How long have you been in America? Do you like it?

Here are a couple more pictures.
We are boarding now.

Oh and Antonia got fixed. He is a boy. His new name is Sam Houston.