Art, Passion and Heart-Told tales...entry for Ms. Magaly's blog party

Joe was 6 months old when I was born. Our families were in business together so we met forever ago. But being a typical oldest of a family of 7 boys and 1 girl, my Joe thought girls were icky when we were young.

At my grandparents 60^th wedding anniversary there was a huge typical Hispanic over the top party. It was customary for the bride and groom of long ago to dance together and then be carried on chairs through the crowd. Neither of them felt comfortable doing that at their ages and so I was picked to stand in for my grandmother and Joe whose family was also at the party was picked to be my grandfather.

I had always thought he was the cutest little boy, he thought I was a cootie infested girl. But we had fun dancing around the room being held up high and he even smiled at me with a toothless 6 year old smile.

Not long after that party, our families ended their partnership and I only saw Joe once more when we were both 13. He was so 13 year old boy and full of himself and I felt like an outsider at the event but still thought he was cute.

Fast forward 11 years, my favorite aunt, who happened to be his godmother, called me. It was only a few months after my divorce from Shelley’s father. She told me she had someone visiting with her that needed me to find him a date. Why not come over and visit and then I could call one of my friends and see if I could get him a date because he was only going to be in town a few days. But she wouldn’t tell me who the “cutie”, her words, was.

So I went obediently to her house expecting someone but who knew, that I would now have to possibly lose a friend over. I mean my aunt was a nut case and had bazillion godchildren. It never even crossed my mind that it might be Joe.

When I walked in the door and our eyes met, I just melted inside. His smile, while now had all the teeth present was so warm and very sexy. He was still the “cutest little boy” in the world grown up to a very handsome man. I know we must have visited, or at least I remember my aunt flitting around serving us cookies and tea, but for the life of me I can’t remember any of the conversation. He just kept smiling at me and that’s all that was going on in the world right then.

I was to go home and call a girlfriend and get back with him later in the afternoon. I went home got ready for my date and never called anyone. When I called him I said I would meet him at The Valencia at 7:00pm. He said, “I hope you are coming alone.” I said I was and when I hung up I was so excited and happy. We spent the next 6 hours talking and getting to know one another. The next day we were together all day and managed to find time, I just knew that was gonna happen, to make love. It was all I had hoped for and all I ever wanted.

Unfortunately he left the next day to go home to Colorado Springs to see his folks before he was to go to Vancouver to a new job. I thought I had just had the most spectacular one night stand of my life.

Every night and sometimes during the day too, he would call me from Canada, just to hear my voice. And as it would happen, 3 months later, his company lost the contract at the hospital where he worked. He called that night and said if you love me as much as I love you, you’ll marry me. My plane lands in Albuquerque at 2 pm. I would love to spend the rest of my life taking care of you and Shelley. What’s your answer? I said yes, of course.

So I met my lover in September and we were married in November, but I’ve known him my whole life. Who marries an unemployed person you’ve only really know for 8 weeks, the luckiest woman in the world. This year will be 40 plus years of, for better and worse, and that smile still melts my heart, my Sweet Man.

Let's play catch up......

Thanks to all of you who have been so super supportive in reading my tale of the Gypsy Women. I in no way consider myself a writer, but rather a story teller, yarn spinner and Chatty Cathy as my darling friend and tottering old pal Hex Spellweaver would say.

The kids are enjoying a wonderful summer program through the City of Albuquerque. Once again they are both involved in Theraputic Recreation. Last year GK was given the opportunity to help with some of the younger group. She particularly enjoyed the kids with Down's Syndrome. By the end of the program she was considered a JV, junior volunteer.

I have to be the first to say, I wasn't too sure that GK and Ry should both be going to that program that was suited for kids who are differently abled. But after GK not only loved the challenge but also found something she was good at, I was convinced. And Ry, well I shared with you last summer how in 8 weeks he gained the confidence that had not happened in 2 years of public school.

So when the opportunity came around again for the two to go to the same program, they both have been psyched every morning to go. This year GK is in a group with her own age and once again has proved that having Ry for a brother has taught her life lessons, that you and I can not fathom. Her patience, compassion and comfort level with all kinds of "affected" kids is so admirable.

Ry is a maniac. He absolutely adores going every morning and comes home wiped out. He works, plays and has fun, hard. He has friends, a new handshake, and when we drop him off in the morning  it reminds me of the old TV show, "Cheers". Where when Norm came into the bar everyone knew him and said "Norm". Only in our case it's hugs for GK and "hey dude" to Ry.

This is such a fabulous feeling, knowing that my grands are expanding their friendship base, their level of understanding of themselves and others around them and are gaining skills that both will use for the good of not only themselves but others in the future.

Every day, Shelley gets compliments on both grands, how sweet and loving and helpful and well behaved they are. How some of the adult volunteers are so fond of the grands. And the kids like um too. Hey, it's a win, win. And one has to wonder looking at them play at the park in these pictures, huh?

Lucky Ducky grands, proud grandparents, super proud Mom, yep the Cuckoos are doing well.

The final episode of the Gypsy woman

I know this is late. I promised the ending to the stories of the Gypsy woman by Mid summer, but, I was detained. I am putting at the end of this story the links to the stories in the correct order to read them. I hope that you will enjoy these imaginings.

Cybella's promise is paid.

The air itself felt cleaner now that the ugliness of the past few weeks was behind her, figuratively and literally as she made her way in the direction of the one she loved. Leaving this territory was also a little sad, but only just a little. This is where her mother had died. This is where she had buried her beloved donkey friend, but the excitement of being in the arms of her beloved calmed her mind and made her heart race.

She would set up camp in about three hours, close enough to the district of her lover the Duke for comfort, in an area with which she was familiar. She and her mother stopped by this well spring often in their travels for the callings they received. Her mother had loved the cool overgrowth of vines and sweet jasmine and had gathered the healing herbs necessary every time they stopped. The pool was simply called “Water spigot” because of the way the underground spring came out of the side of an odd shaped granite chunk which was almost as big as Genevieve was tall. Some ingenious soul had even carved out and attached a bucket holder above the springs bubbling exit from the rock.

She and her twin donkeys which were a gift from the Duke would find the respite and the location refreshing she was assured.

As she drove towards her destination, her thoughts were of the 3 woman whose lives had been changed and she blessed each one with a thought. Hoping for each that the new found freedom from the hurt and suffering they had felt would give them what they each needed to be whole and go on through life with a renewed attitude of confidence.

She also hoped she, herself, would find a settling in her own heart which would allow herself to rest from her need to always be helping others. She was at a place in her own life that surely she deserved to enjoy, relax and treat herself to those things which seemed frivolous, out on the open road. Like nicer clothes, although she did have to admit that the garments that she did have were quite fetching on her. But she would also make time to take long baths in her own herbs instead of the quick and cold stream baths she had to deal with on the road. And then there was the matter of shoes, or rather boots. When she stopped travelling, she would give herself slippers, soft, downy, beautiful slippers to gently caress her feet, instead of the sturdy boots she needed to wear to be safe on her journeys.

Hours into her journey the donkeys began to balk at the travel. They very seldom ever took this attitude and when they did, Genevieve paid attention. They, the donkeys, after all were the protection she depended upon being a lone woman traveling the roads. She slowed her progress until they got to an open space in the road, where the trees were not so close and did not overhang the road.

Genevieve herself felt the “offness” and went to check on the donkeys. Both were physically fine but on alert. And then she saw what her eyes saw but her heart could not believe, her beloved Merchas, the dog from her childhood.

It was impossible for this to be Merchas for he had been dead at the hand of Boucher de Enfants when she was but a child. But here he stood, just as he had been that very day. He ran at her and jumped into her arms. Waggling his bottom as well as his tail, he and Genevieve were both so enthralled with being in each other’s presence they did not even notice the smallish man who lay on the side of the road.

When they had come to a calm period, the old man said, “please miss, could you give an old man a drink of water?” Startled and ashamed of not having noticing him before now, she said, “Of course dear man, I am so sorry. And while you drink, let me look at your leg.” “How did you injure it?” she asked, as she got him a drink from her water pouch.

“Oh miss, I’m a blindish old fool and I didn’t see the carriage coming. I heard it, but I didn’t haves no idea it was as wide as it musta been.” With that said, she set about binding the wound and getting the old gentleman squared away.

“You seem right taken by that dog” he chatted. She explained that obviously this must be a descendant of a particularly wonderful dog that she had had when she was a youngster. The old man smiled and nodded his head.

“Thank you for your kindness miss, I won’t take up any more of your time. You must have someplace to be soon.” Genevieve answered, “Well yes I do but I wouldn’t mind staying and seeing to you, if you’d like”. But the old man just teetered off waving to her.

She, Merchas got up on the driver’s seat and set the donkeys on their path to the “Water spigot” to spend the night.

It was that wonderful twilight time when she finally set up camp in the clearing just south of the watering hole. There were no other travelers, which suited her this evening. No others to have to talk to. Just the amazing dog, her team of loyal protectors and Genevieve on a beautiful cool breeze evening under the canopy of stars which hung closer tonight.

She went to the watering hole and was swinging her buckets and singing a little song to Merchas the second, as he had been named when she stopped in her tracks.

On the ground, near the “Water spigot” was a present, tied up with paper and string with a card which read, “for the kindest healer in the realm, Genevieve".

She was dumbfounded. Who knew she’d be here. But it didn’t stop her from opening, rather ripping open the package. Inside were the most delicately sewn and richly embellished slippers Genevieve had ever seen in her life. So soft and sparkly and perfectly formed.

Oh, this meant she was going to have to take a bath for sure. She ran back to the caravan, ripped off her road weary clothes, grabbed a drying cloth and cleansing herbs and ran back to the water. The shoes were left on her bed.

When she returned to the caravan all clean and smiling, she picked out one of her finer dresses and dressed herself as she would to meet someone of importance. Took out a string of pearls the Duke had given her and put them around her hair to hold it up off her shoulders. She was the picture of a beautiful woman.

As she slid on the slippers, she heard the tiniest sigh and whispers………….and Genevieve was off, as promised to live with the faeries.

You see my dears, her mother Cybella had made the promise when Genevieve was born. And don't be sad for Genevieve not getting to be with her Duke, the fae knew of their love and when he was in danger of being killed, the fae took him and he has been waiting for
Genevieve with Merchas. And as for the donkeys....they were fae all the time.

The fae have woven the perfect ending for this story. They usually do. Believe my darlings, you must.


http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/04/and-she-waited.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/04/and-still-she-waits.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/04/la-justice-gitane.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/04/epilogue-to-la-justice-gitane-and.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/04/when-gypsy-sang.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/05/jinx-goes-home.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/05/burial-of-bertram.html
http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2012/05/cybella-is-back-through-veil.html
and today's episode is the finale.

Cost of therapy in these parts is cheap....only cookies

If you follow my other blog Olde Baggs n Stuft Shirts then you know I have joined others of my donkey loving kind in attempting to get a donkey roping event cancelled.

This situation has made me even more aware that you hold your friends close and your enemies closer .... like around the _____. You can fill in the blank. I smart aleckly, even thought up new rodeo events that included various cowboy parts and pieces but those too do not need to be enumerated. It made me lose faith in somethings and built belief in others. Gave me insight into inhumane kind and human kind. Growth is a good thing.

And also made me need a little bit of therapy. You know where ya work out some of the questions in your mind and challenge yourself to view things differently and change yourself. Nope that never works for me either. But this did..........

I talked SM into driving me down to Morning Bray Farms just to view the donkeys. I took donkey cookies and intended to leave them in the mail box from Oma to the donks. But to my delight, the donkeys were grazing and I was able to get close to them.

The first to come to me was so prophetic.....Patty Pat the former and forever blessed x roping donkey. He was more than willing to accept my offering and let me touch his nose. Then Ellsworth, Bernard came close enough to partake of the molasses infused cookies, then Buck put his little head in the mix. And finally Mr. brand new fly mask wearing Nigel, the donkey who used to be fearful of so much, followed me down the fence line as I went to put  the note indicating to Don and Justina that I had been there. Nigel came to the fence and let me give him a treat too. I was so thrilled.
The only hold out was Ms. Gracie Belle. But she did retrieve and eat the cookies I threw to her.

Bernard and Big E exchanged breath with me, let me scratch their long beautiful ears and make those wonderful huffing noises. I was at peace. I found a respite in the middle of the insanity. I was blessed by the very animals I love so deeply. They shared themselves with me and made me better for it.

Someday, I may be brave enough to share with all of you why I love donkeys and hate the abuse of them. It is a very personal childhood story that isn't ready for sharing yet. Donkeys have always been heroes to me and Thursday afternoon was no exception.

Thank you Patrick, Ellsworth, Bernard, Nigel, Buck and Gracie Belle for blessing me.

And to all of you blessings as well. Have a good weekend, Oma Linda

I was going through some of my photos and postcards....

And found this valentine that says my feelings about donkeys so well:

Love will never bear enslaving,

Summer garments suit him best

Bliss itself is not worth having,

If we're by compulsion blest.

Oh these naughty cupids forcing the donkey to do their bidding. Kinda reminds me of a certain donkey roping promoter.

Happy MidSummer, Litha, Summer Solstice to you all.....

This regularly scheduled post is interrupted by absolutely fandamtastic news. The people of Van Horn Texas have done the right thing and cancelled the donkey roping this Saturday. Carson from 7MSN Ranch has spoken to Jason Owen the promoter and is confident that the donkeys will be surrendered to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue where they will live in a pasture and never have to be roped again. If you have a spare bit of money, $10 even, that you could donate to PVDR, it will go to feeding and medical care for these "saved just in time" donkeys. I thought you would all want to know the good news. Also there is a list of the folks in Van Horn and email addresses to thank them for doing the right thing on Morning Bray Farms blog.  Remember "Nice Matters" and so do all of you who helped with thoughts, emails, phone calls and encouragement to the cause of eradicating donkey roping. XOXO Oma Linda
And now back to Solstice.


Yes, they are getting a little older. And yes, I am the one who is the most excited about the faeries. It happens. But, I still cajoled the girl child to dress up and humor me. And she looks like she hated it huh? I swear, the grands are so sweet and hamish. They love to have their pictures taken, get dressed up and they even like to humor old ladies. All without threats of no ice cream before breakfast. Never fear, Ry has Uncle Sam already under control for the 4th.

I have been accused by dumb folks of flaunting them for my own purposes.....well who in the hell's purposes do you think this blog belongs to? I would admit it if they didn't want to...because I would be the one in the blue tutu and pink striped tights and then you all would be complaining but since that isn't the case......I hope you enjoy my cowgirl/faerie and our homage to Summer Solstice and the fae.

And now there you are. May the fae let you know of their presence and may you be blessed by it.

And if you know of someone who needs this glorious tutu, it is for sale in my Etsy shop.

Tomorrow is Solstice

My favorite character in Mid Summers Night Dream is Bottom. Now who would have guessed that the man who is turned into an ass by my next favorite character (because I love naughty little boys too) would be my favorite character. Poor Bottom, not. He gets treated to sweets and treats by the faeries who attend the Queen of the Fae, her majesty Queen Titania. And according to the title, this all happens on mid summers eve.

A love story inside a love story and a comedy inside a conundrum but my I love Shakespeare's view on the fae being like humans, envious, naive, fragile, strong and naughty.

Here is my rendition of Queen Titania's faerie bed with Bottom snoozing while he waits for his love.

Happy Mid Summer's Eve......

I uploaded this from Morning Bray Farm "as is" to bring the info to you.......

My name is Patrick. I used to be a roping donkey. When I was a roping donkey, I was afraid and unhappy.

My mom and dad rescued me and I’m very happy and safe now. But I’m very worried about the donkeys in Van Horn, Texas, because I know how they feel.

It’s very important you know that Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue; America’s largest donkey rescue, is ready, willing and able to take in all the Van Horn roping donkeys.

Please do the right thing, Van Horn, Texas. Please cancel the donkey roping competition scheduled for this Saturday, June 23 at Van Horn Frontier Days.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————

If you’re looking for a way to help, please call Jason Owens; the promoter of the event. His phone number is 432-940-9051. He has said he will take all calls. Please explain to him why he needs to cancel the donkey roping competition in this Saturday’s (June 23) Van Horn Rodeo. We hope that if he receives enough phone calls educating him about why this should not happen – he may decide to bow under pressure.

Also, please write to the editor of the local paper in Van Horn, Texas: Larry Simpson, at The Van Horn Advocate: lsimpson@vanhornadvocate.com

We thank you. And Patrick thanks you. ♥

All the Cuckoos would like to thank you as well.  4500 signatures have been gathered as of last night.....let's keep the pressure on.

Oh my HECK

Bloggie world, I am so sorry that the devil, Blogger, decided to dump more than a month of my blogs on your feed all at one time. And of course they are not in any particular order so................no wonder not many of you knew I wrote stories and was still alive. I can't sort them out, sorry....but at least I now know that you can see me again. But I am sorry that it is all at once. OOOOOOOOPS>

Happy Fathers Day

Tomorrow is Fathers Day. In years past I have shared with you my own dilemma with this day but instead, I will just say Happy Father's Day to the best grandfather in the world, Sweet Man.

And to all the Dads, Grandfathers, and special male role models who positively influence children everywhere, Happy Day to you.

This is a test............to see if blogger fixed my dilemma

My other two blogs are showing up on my followers read list, but poor Ye Olde Crones Gazette has not so far.

It would not be a big deal except, I wanted folks to read my story about the Gypsy and especially the finale...or last chapter on Solstice.

So here's the deal. Let me know if you got this blog on your feed, please. Thank you so much. Squoozes and smooches, Oma Linda

No photos from yesterday....but we had a time

The day started off...uhhhhhh badly. I don't like it when the voice I hear coming out of my mouth is the school teacher one. Be that as it may.....we had some difference of opinion about what was and was not a good action. So our departure was postponed by scoldings. Dang it.

After we had the attitude adjustment we headed out to the junkstore for a cookie sheet to slide under the door when we are not home so the new cat Cybella the brat won't destroy any more of the carpet by pulling it up. Yeah well we try. The boys dropped us off and went to the hardware store for a deodorant block for the swamp cooler. I'm not particularly fond of fish tank smell in the afternoons when the water heats up so there ya go.

While at the junkstore we found faux books (huge) to hold the chalk and eraser for the now blackboard coffee table in the living room. I still owe you pix of the table. They play hangman for hours and draw to their hearts content. I love my new cheapy blackboard table. So cool. Also we found kinda metal thingies to shove under the door for her royal hiney Cybella.

So off for an adventure with 60's music blaring, kids laughing at us for singing and dancing and then we ended up at the foot of the Sandias, after lunch for a visit with our favorite herd of Bison. They look so nasty at this time of year when they are molting but in another month, they will be the gorgeous creatures we love. I didn't know this but the patches of hair that falls off when they molt was used for spinning and weaving. The buffalo molt can be carded and separated. Who knew? The Native Americans found value in every part of the buffalo, no wonder they were worshiped.....food, clothing, fuel, shelter.....all from one critter.

So today we had a photo shoot on the back porch for an upcoming event. I'll leave you with the smiles of two happy grands.

Hope your Sunday is as pleasant as mine has been.

What do Johnny Depp, Snow White and a day trip have in common?

That's easy.

It's what this blog is about today.

Today, as Robin Larkspur at Wiccan Writes pointed out, is Mr. Depp's birthday. He is 49 today. So let's all clink glasses for this beautious man.

Speaking of beautious men, the huntsman in Snow White is of that variety as well. Sweet Man took me to the movies yesterday and we saw Snow White and the Huntsman. I was surprised by how much I liked the movie. The story was embellished with such wonderful special effects and twists in the telling of the tale. It was very violent but not particularly graphic in the violence.

The Queen was a surprise. She also was a character with so much more depth than I expected. And Snow White was very intense. I've never seen the vampire movies this actress has starred in, so this was my first time of seeing her. The dwarfs are perfectly wonderful and well, I won't tell.

But the Huntsman was just beautiful and rugged. I also have never seen Thor, so he also was a new look for me.

And today Sweet Man and I are taking the grands on one of our "don't know where we're going til we get there" adventures. I'm sure we will have photos of our misadventures for a later post.

Have a lovely Saturday.

We've been busy here at the Casa.... busy and dotty

Still trying to get the back porch done in time for Midsummer's night. Lots left to do now, mostly sewing and I'm at a standstill with that. Oh well, it will get done by hook or by crook.

kinda hard to see the frosting unless you maximize these

I thought I would share some snippets of what it is going to look like and also share the photos I've had fun doing on PicMonkey.

Happy Days ya'll.....smooches and squoozes, Oma Linda

you say Donkey, I say Donkee

Our very talented and artistic Ry gave me a present this morning. The reason being......none. He just wanted to give me a present.

Yesterday the Threesome went for a hike down by the Bosque. They all love to see what there is to see. And one of Shelley's regular customers at the diner told her that they could see all manner of wildlife and that's all they needed to hear. They were rewarded with sightings of the following: rabbits camels, geese, chickens, turkeys, hummingbirds, hawks, horses, dogs, all kinds of large and small insects (they even took pictures of ants). They only heard peacocks.But no donkeys. They got chased by the turkeys because Mr. D at MBF introduced the kids to the turkey caller. And GK does a darned good lady turkey....thus the interest by the big males. Shelley was a little apprehensive of their interest in GK. So now we can add turkey caller to her talents on her application for college.

The regular specifically said there would be donkeys and camels, but they were in the front pastures, not the ones facing the open space.

And so I think that's why Ry was thinking of Donkees, or Donkeys. Isn't this the bestest trio block donkey on the planet. I just love how he has translated the real to the blocks. Gotta love an artistic eye.

XOXO Oma Linda