TIME TO PARTY

It's time to party,
time to play
on this Celebration Day.
Clapping,
shouting,
jumping for joy,
time to make a ruckus,
time to make a really big fuss
because the celebration's
ALL ABOUT US.

Cheers to writing,
Cheers to fun,
Cheers to friends
through smiles and tears.
Who would have guessed
that we'd make it this far,
100 and counting,
almost two years now
and still going strong.

Happy 100th,
BFF,
Happy Anniversary to US,
as I look forward to
next week's Number 101
and my weekly dose
of Blogging For Fun.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-25-11

Written for BFF #100/Blogging For Fun.

http://www.myspace.com/bff4fun/blog/543033143

Happy 100th, BFF!

And thanks always for your visits and comments.

~barb~

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry BFF

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for me to try each month . . . .

SIMPLY LOVE

Love is simply
something more
than agendas
or judgments;
something more
than control
or appearances;
more than intrusion
into our inner soul.
Love is simply being;
it is holding.
Love is
united fulfillment;
it is security,
not control.
Love is
unconditional
acceptance;
and
LOVE SIMPLY IS.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-24-11

Thanks to Peter Russell for his poetry
and to Angel Love for sharing it with us
and for being our Guest for our first
Pick-Apart Poetry Event on Friendburst.

And I'm co-hosting there with Sharonlee.
An honor and a lot of fun . . . . every third Wednesday
(posting on the third Tuesday evening
and running through Wednesday.)

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/38473/pick-apart-poetry-babara-k-sharonlee-poem-featured-angel-love/




The idea of Pick-Apart Poetry
is to select 25 words from featured
poetry selection and using only those
25 words (can be used more than once each
and "rules" are detailed at the above link),
create a new piece of your own.

Today's featured piece from which
I selected the 25 words that I used in my own:

Love – The Gift of Peace
by Peter Russell

Love is not something you do,
Love is a way of being.
And more than that.
It is simply being,
Being with another person,
however they may be.
Holding no judgments,
having no agendas,
No desire to control,
No need to prove your love,
No intrusion upon their soul.
Nothing but a total acceptance of their being,
Born of your acceptance of yours.
Unconditional love is not unconditional approval
of another's actions, irrespective of their effects
upon others. It is unconditional love of the being
behind the action. It does not depend upon how
a person thinks, feels, or behaves. It does not
pause to assess whether or not another is worthy
of affection. It recognizes that beneath all our
various appearances and activities we all want to
feel loved. In this we are all united.
Unconditional love recognizes that we are all to some
extent, caught in the belief that our inner satisfaction
is determined by what goes on around us. We all feel the
need for security, control, recognition, approval, and
stimulus to varying degrees, we all feel threatened from
time to time by things that seem to stand in the way of
our fulfillment; and we can all make mistakes.

**********

This is always such a fun challenge
(and looks as though it should be easier than it is)
and I don't think I've missed even one of them
since I began trying them several years ago.

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

And so many continue today in my thoughts and prayers, including Missa/RisaBovit.  Get well soon, Missa.  Missing you here.   Such a treasured friend.

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry CPC

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I'm glad to be able to share a bit of my weekend fun here with my Boomer Friends.




COME AWAY

BY BARBARA

A CHERYL'S PALS COLLAB


Come away with me
to a land so fair
where the sun never sets
and so far away,
as we'll dance in delight,
hoops spinning in the air,
where the sun always
melts all the clouds away.

Come away with me
and we'll find warmth
within the sun's glow
held close within
the morning's first light,
where day is night
and night is day
under the midnight sun
and so far away.

Come away with me
to a land so fair,
where the the golden rays
of the sun are spun,
precious moments
with no regrets,
if only for this
brief moment in time,
woven treasures each
and every one.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-21-11

Thanks to SunSeekers:
Lady "Cheryl" Death, Falling Feather,
Marthamagenta, Diane, Silver Lining,
James, Rebel, Russell Smith, RC, Inky,
A-Rhodi and Me, Barbara


LINES USED IN ADDITION TO MY OWN:

"Under the midnight sun" Lady "Cheryl" Death - REQUIRED

where the golden rays of the sun are spun (falling feather)
Come with me to the land of the midnight sun (marthamagenta)
Warmth within sharing glow (Diane)
dancing through sunbeams on and on (Silver Lining)
The magical land where the sun never sets (marthamagenta)
Hoops spinning in the air, a delight (James)
When the sun melts the clouds away (Rebel)
if only for a brief moment in time (Russell Smith)
Hold me close until the morning sun, (RC)
this land of wonder when night is day and day is night,, (inky)
A precious moment with no regrets (A-Rhodi)

**********

Link to CPC "Saturday Share":

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/37772/cheryls-pals-saturday-share-one-all/

Link to all the lines:

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/37412/cheryls-pals-lost-lines-me-wed-sat-collab-challenge-2/

Thanks so much for your visits and comments
on this and the previous pieces posted 

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry Photography CPC

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FROM WHERE I AM

As the bright light of day
begins to fade
into the shadows
of a Lake Ontario evening,
I begin to find once more
the center of myself
from where I am
at this moment
in the quiet
of this place.
And I wonder once more
how long it takes,
what measure of time
between the bright light of day
and total darkness of night.

A single word spoken,
a glance,
a moment shared
with friends
as that fragile glow
begins to fade into
the shadows of evening.

And from this place
where I find myself
and within these moments
as evening begins to settle
my heart and my emotions,
the world is within my reach,
for my eyes to see,
for my hands to touch,
for my mind to grasp.

And from this place
and for these few moments
as day begins to fade,
I dream my dreams
and think my thoughts
and sort out the important
from the trivial
as my tonights become
my tomorrows and
I dream once more
of endless sunsets
and forever sunrises.




(c) barbara kausteklis 5-24-11

For "Drips of Ink - The Great Outdoors/Theme Patio."

http://www.myspace.com/drips_of_ink/blog/543034560

Thanks always for your visits and comments

as I continue to hold all those affected
by recent tragedies in my thoughts and prayers.

Be safe and be well.

~barb~

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry Photography Drips

10 comments View Entry

UNIQUE TO BE

We are so different,
you and me,
as different
as day and night
are we.
You like the rain
and I like the sun;
you like the dark
and I love the light;
you like loud and flashy
and I love quiet and subdued.
With all these differences,
it's quite amazing to me
how we ever even met,
let alone how
we still manage
to get along.

But we did and we do.
And that's the beauty of life
and how it is;
how we can be friends
in spite of what
at first appears
and seems to be.
And because of
what's buried deep inside
each one of us,
the important things
that matter so
we're drawn to each other
and friends to the end.

Unique is certainly our common bond,
the glue holding us together,
our hearts and every part
of you and me.
You are you
and I am me;
and that's a good thing,
as far as I can see,
unique and different,
no need to try
to be the same,
as we celebrate each day
and the multitude of ways
we are uniquely us
as together we soar.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-23-11

Written for CPC Magic Monday/
"The Magic of Uniqueism"

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/37807/magic-uniqueism-w-jt-mary/

Wishing my friends peace and safety
on this day as so many continue
in my thoughts and prayers today.

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

~barb~

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry Photography Friends

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BUTTERFLY WINGS

Butterflies of springtime,
miniature paintings,
precious canvases each one,
bringing color to my days
and joy to my heart,
as stopping for just a little while,
they rest upon the blooms of spring
and sip the sweet golden nectar
of Nature's cups of peace.

And as I stop for just a moment
I'm blessed once more
as I witness the scene
and share a bit of the peace
that unfolds for me there
at the foot of snow-capped
mountain peaks I love so
and beneath this canopy
of crystal blue skies.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-22-11

Written for CPC "A Simple Sunday
which yesterday featured the precious artwork
of Darrell, Wizard of Awwwws,
such a talented mutual friend of many of us here.

http://www.friendburst.com/blog/37897/simple-sunday-featuring-artwork-wizard-awwwws1/BUTTERFLY

Thanks always for your visits and comments on this and other pieces posted here

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry

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FINDING THE WORDS . . . .

I come here once again today,
a place I've grown accustomed
to coming each and every day,
to this screen that sits upon my desk,
where I find my friends who over the years
have become so very near and dear to me.

My words can't even begin to say
how thankful I am
for each and every one of you,
my friends here,
precious treasures all --
you who inspire me,
who encourage me,
who share your words
and your hearts with me.

And each morning
before the sun even begins to shine,
I come to this place
as we share together,
our smiles,
and our laughter,
our tears
and our joy.
I come here to find you,
my friends who inspire me so
with your themes
and your prompts
and your art
and your hearts
all of which
have ignited something
deep within my heart
that might always have been there
but couldn't find a voice
to express the thoughts,
that have finally found
a way to my pen
and to the pages
of my heart
and to this canvas
that I'm blessed to be able to share
with my friends who are here
and blessed always
by your inspiring
and encouraging words.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-22-11

Written for "Drips of Ink/
Sunday Inspirations - Family and Friends"
as I treasure your friendship.

http://www.myspace.com/drips_of_ink/blog/543011410

GIANT HUGS!

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry Photography Drips Friends

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OF MOONBEAMS AND STARSHINE

Slowly opening my eyes,
I begin to feel the calm
of moonbeams and starshine
on this early morning
just before the sunrise
and the beginning of the day.
And for these few moments
I gaze up at the stars,
making wishes
upon the brightest ones.
And as I wish upon
those twinkling stars,
I follow the moonbeams,
the lunar trail toward dawn,
awaiting the sunrise
and welcome to the day.

And as this early morning
full moon floods this room
with dreams and hopes for this new day,
I recall some words that flowed
from my pen and onto this page,
not that long ago.

MOONLIGHT MAGIC

The faintest wisp of ev'ning breeze
caressing green and golden trees;
sweet jasmine glows so pure and white
dancing in the darkness of night.

God's wondrous birds in flight they soar;
I long to see them evermore.
They're always pleasing to my sight
dancing in the darkness of night.

The moon ascends to heights above
as reigning over us with love,
she bathes us in such sweet delight
dancing in the darkness of night.

The faintest wisp of ev'ning breeze
dancing in the darkness of night.

(c) barbara kausteklis 4-1-10

And on this morning,
once again
I gaze out the window
and watch the full moon,
making wishes upon twinkling stars,
as I did on that day
and remember them still.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-22-11

Written for BFF #99 Blogging For Fun.

http://www.myspace.com/bff4fun/blog/542960846

Thanks always for your visits and comments.

Wishing all my friends here
a peaceful day and week ahead.

~barb~

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry BFF

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CELTIC DREAMING

Reaching somewhere
into the depths of my heart,
to emotions so deep,
dreams buried within,
igniting my imagination
to the depths of my soul,
finally bringing them out
as I travel with the strains
of fiddle and bow
to me places afar
where I one day
dream to be,
to heathered meadows
and craggy shores,
windswept chasms
and rough seas,
melodies speaking
so powerfully to me.

The passion of it.
The depth of it.
The soul of it.
The heart of it.
The whimsy of it.
The lilt of it.
The dance of it.
The smile of it.
The tears of it.
The joy of it.
The inspiration of it.

As I pick up my fiddle
and rosin my bow
and begin to play
those Celtic melodies
that I love so,
familiar images dance
through the pages
of my imagination once more
as I try to recapture
those Celtic dreams
with my bow
across the strings.

(c) barbara kausteklis 5-21-11

Written for "Drips of Ink/Saturday Music."

http://www.myspace.com/drips_of_ink/blog/543008202

Thanks always for your visits and comments on this piece, the one posted last night and all previous pieces posted here on Boomer.

~barb~

p.s. Please be sure to click on the "video" button above to watch the video along with the music - really beautiful scenery of Cornwall.

Tags: BarbaraK Poetry Music

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