Eric Alders Photo Prompt

There once was a guy named Zaxi
Who celebrated to the maxi
One New Years Eve he couldn't see
He was in such a hurry to pee
He really shoulda called a taxi
~~~~~~~~~~

a silly limerick about a serious subject.
Have fun on New years, but call a taxi!

Magpie 97-

Photo by Bert Stern

Hidden fate
In your beautiful face and smile
Sadness waits

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt-

Electric lights

Dizzying spiraling neon brightness

Meters spin !

Magpie 96

One last smile
Arms folded over the future
She will wait
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When my aunt posed for this photo she didn't realize
that she was poised for her future. Arms folded
over her growing belly her sweet husband took
one last photo of her before leaving to go overseas
to fight in Germany.
Wearing his uniform complete with his Army hat was her
last view of him until he returned safely years later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image: Lee Friedlander, 1966
Courtesy of Tess Kincaid
http://magpietales.blogspot.com

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt

There are limits

wood stone dirt and six feet

silly limits

Let's just be neighbors!

for more Eric Alders Monday Morning Photos

http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com/

and for more Jingle Poetry

http://gooseberrygoespoetic.blogspot.com/2011/12/poetry-picnic-week-17photos-nostalgia.html

Magpie 95 Letting go.........

image by Mostafa Habibi

Future floats
In front of a buried past
Let waves erase

for more takes on this weeks Magpie Tales go here:

http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

Eric Alder's Monday Morning Photo

A fork in the road
A road less traveled?
Or is a crossroad
Leading to my future?
Rain blurs my window
While tears stream down
Indecision struggles
I know what needs to be done.
~~~~~~~~

Russell and I have struggled with our desire to
move and our reluctance to leave our wonderful
neighborhood and our house and home we have created.
However, our town has changed and we do
need to move on. Our house is up for sale
and we have made an offer on a wonderful
house on a hill with views of mountains.
More news later when I know more!

Magpie 94 or Respite

Lunch, George Tooker, 1964, Columbus Museum of Art

Foggy silence

While feeding the hunger

Quiet respite

Magpie 93 or Years of Use

Ol' Red was a faithful friend
Enduring bouncing little feet
Drooling dogs chewing bones
Popsicles and sticky treats
Grownups sleepily snoring
Through TV shows oh so boring
Now all Ol' Red hears is a woosh
The cars are passing by..... swoosh

This book the Red Couch marks the culmination
of the four-year adventure of two award winning
photographers who traversed the USA with an eight
foot long red velvet couch and the dream of creating
a portrait of America. The Red Couch is a stunningly
beautiful diary of a dream fulfilled, a portrait of
America in all her diversity and the story of
adventures nonpareil.
Photographers Kevin Clarke and Horst Wackerbarth

Dark mornings-Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt

The alarm rings

Sleepily I prepare for the dark

Drive to work

Magpie #92 or Snuggling

That snuggling,cuddling,kissing,
Curled up warm hugging I'm missing
Watching you sleep sweetly snoozing
Wake up honey- it's far more amusing.....!

~~~~~~~~~~

I am thankful everyday for Russell-
my best friend-my lifes partner
and all our beloved children and friends.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

image: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt

Money will never buy youth
Won't erase those well earned
Wrinkles from the tanning booth

photo by Eric Alder http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com/

Magpie Tales 91 or Choices

Where do I sit
Where do I belong
Can I change my mind
And what if I'm wrong
It's so confusing
This life of mine
So many choices
and so little time.

~~~~~~~~

for more Magpie Tales go here:

http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

GASP!

photo by Eric Alder

Gasping for breath

Crowded into dwindling resources

We refuse to stop the madness

That is killing us

~~~~~

Magpie #90 or No Place

I know you're here

I know you're there

Always in my heart with me

Twenty five years ago my mother died.

Within 24 hours of her death my father

had her cremated and ashes scattered over

the Sierras. No one, not even my father,

went on the plane. I have always felt remorse

that she was alone on her final journey.

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt or BOO!

photo by Eric Alder

Bring on the candy

Oh just one more piece

Over indulgence

for more takes on Eric's photo go here:
http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com/

Magpie Tales #89 or SPLAT!

There once was a writer Olivetti
Who obviously loved his spagetti
He spilled his sauce
Which made him quite cross
And now his prose is confetti
~~~~~~~~

for more chuckles go here:

http://purpletreehouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/funny-bunny-fridays-week-4-november-4.html

image from here:

http://threehundredpages.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/overcoming-writers-block-2/

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt

Go by car
Gotta get that corn laced fuel
Go buy it

Crowded Mexico City Traffic

For more responses to Eric's photo prompt go here:

http://bifocalunivision.com/

Magpie 88 or Where Do I Look?

I see you
No matter where I look
Reflecting me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

image: Lee Friedlander, from America by Car
for more takes on thimage go here:
http://magpietales.blogspot.com

The Unecessary Demise of a Tree

Residents of Lake Oswego are well aware that last summer
the city spent an inordinate amount of money "beautifying"
the entry to the local municipal par 3 golf course.
Drought resistant natives were summarily ripped out
and annuals and plants needing irrigation were planted adjacent
to 3 lovely Manzanita trees.
I noticed that irrigation was put in place and daily watering
commenced. I called the Parks and Recreation department to
voice my concerns about the well being of the Manzanita trees
as it is well known that Manzanita trees require well drained soil
and will not thrive if over watered as they are very drought resistant.
I was assured that the watering was past the trees drip line.
This spring it was obvious that two of the three trees were dying.
I talked with one of the Parks Maintenance employees and he admitted
that indeed the city had "killed the trees by over watering".
A few weeks ago I saw that one of the trees had "disappeared".
It had been cut down. I never saw a notice of the potential removal
or permit posting and I go by this site several days a week.
So my question is this:
Is the city not required to follow the rules that we residents have to follow?
It seems to me that hypocrisy rules here in Lake Oswego.
Below are photos of what is left.

Entry to golf course- note annuals in lower right corner.

One of the remaining Manzanita trees.
Even though it is now October the irrigation is still turned on.
This Manzanita tree is very stressed and may not live another year.

A picture is worth a thousand words.
No permit was ever observed before the tree was removed.

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." Albert Einstein

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt-or Karma Happens

His vicious grasp

Fist raised to escape justice

Karma prevailed

~~~~~~~

Magpie Tales 87 -a visit to Chinatown

Sneaky peek
Behind Peking Ducks
Hung so low

Peking ducks live in a free range environment for the first 45 days of their lives....

Two for the price of one!

Brick by brick
The snug little house was built
Blowhard safe
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There once was a guy named Clay
Who loved to make bricks all day
Til one sunny morning
Without any warning
He left for Spain to make whoopay
~~~~~~~~~~

for more Eric Alder Monday Photo Prompts go here:

http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com

Magpie 86 or How Dare They!!!

As I read the news and sip my coffee
I am appalled at the state of affairs
Mis-using their powers-they sure don't care
Scandalous leaders are white collar crooks
They are far too busy cooking the books
I fantasize a hilarious simple solution
Let's take those papers and swat them like flies!
Watch them run with their power red ties
No possible escape for these pesky 'festations
Lets swat them all with our frustrations
Sweeping them into a deep dark corner
There won't be any hired mourners
Lets toss the lot into the dust bin
These so called leaders committed a terrible sin
They thought our money was theirs to keep.
Swat them again til they're in the BIG sleep.


Image: Michael Sowa - from the Little King
For more takes on this image go here:
http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

Luck of the Draw?

photo courtesy of Eric Alder

for more takes on this image go here:
http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com/

Lucky?
Shaking hands roll the dice-
once twice thrice
Providence is not in those bones
Safe harbor is found
In the depths
Of your head and heart

Magpie 85

Image courtesy from Tess Kincaid of Magpie Tales
http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

I'm not Babar nor that circus trick Dumbo

and I'm certainly not the famous African Bush Jumbo


Finally after being faithful 100 percent
I have wings and I'm so elegant
I'm Horton the flying Elephant!*


*"I meant what I said and I said what I meant,
an elephant's faithful, one hundred per cent!"
Famous quote from Dr Seuss book Horton Hatches the Egg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_Hatches_the_Egg
One of my children's favorite book and author.

Life's little moments

Oh boy- I was ready to kill him- you bet
Armed with a rifle -not an idle threat
But then I saw this sign and it made me think
Why should I bother and make such a stink?
He's a miserable bastard and not worth a dime
So I threw away the rifle along with the crime
From then on I only looked ahead and never behind
Living my life with a smile and peace of mind

Photo contributed by Eric Alder
http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com

Magpie #84

FOR HEAVENS SAKE!
Mr Crow and I would like the rain to subside
If we wanted a shower we'd go inside
and fer crying out loud-
my dress isn't even sanforized !

To read other takes on this image provided by Tess go here:
http://magpietale.blogspot.com/

Tres charmant-n'est ce pas?

The Snake Charmer by Henri Rousseau

Slither silently swiftly
Ssssss sibilantly softly
Forked tongue tastes the air
Patterned sliver leaves the lair
Hush hush-look into my eyes
and Asp me no questions
And just maybe I'll tell you no lies
~~~~~~~~~~

for additional takes on this week's image go here:
http://magpietales.blogspot.com

The Vacation is Over........

photo by Eric Alder of Bifocal Univision

I love this bench-

It's a perfect place to sit

I relax and dream a bit

Then I look up and what do I see?

That damn sign in front of me.

Sigh......... I'm back to reality.

photo taken at Edinburgh's Museum of Contemporary Art

To read other Bifocal Univision posts or to participate go here:
http://bifocalunivision.blogspot.com/2011/09/monday-morning-photo-prompt-91911.html

Magpie 82 9-11-2001

The Revenant by Andrew Wyeth

Alone as
Ashes fall silently on a city
That will prevail
~~~~~~~~

for other Magpie Tales go here:
http://magpietale.blogspot.com/

In Remembrance

9-11-2001

Photo #253

Nothing better than a warm fire!

Cats do know how to live!

They have staff.

For more Six Word Saturdays go here:

http://www.showmyface.com/

Taken in Scotland at Loch na Mhoid Croft

Inside looking out..........

Loch na Mhoid croft

Kitchen door to the garden......

Looking out the downstairs bathroom

Lovely window niche in the byre
Also known as the drinking room?

One of Morgies many napping stations...

Morgie hard at work-doing penance for her night time activities...