travelogue, Poetic Blooming

 

Fernweh (fairn-vay)

 

When my friends greet me,

they’ve stopped asking, “How are you?”

instead they ask, “Where next?”

 

Where Next? Alaska.

I’m always nervous about

jumping through airport hoops.

 

But despite the delays,

the missed flights and even airport overnights,

I’m always eager to do it again.

 

I’m not sure what drives me.

It’s like the strange longing people have

to be parents and raise children.

 

Despite the pain, all manners of cost,

the worry, the runny noses, the demands,  

people will always be driven to populate the earth.

 

It’s unexplainable this fernweh,

this ache for distant and unknown places,

the desire to board boat, plane, train or car.

 

But as long as this desire and ability exists,

I will run, fly, ride, drive with it,

and take in this amazing world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

competitive Poetic Asides

 Attitude

 

All my efforts

at competition

usually puts me

on the losing end.

 

Even when I compete

against myself.

 

I often play a game of attitude

to see if I can beat myself

 at being more joyful.

 

The thing about competing

against yourself,

you both win and lose.

Me Time, Poetic Bloomings

 

Me and Thee Time

 

I remember

going to the bathroom

and locking the door

was about my only me time,

while I heard the little ones

searching for their mom

or big ones

searching for their caregiver

outside the bathroom door

making various noises:

callings, cries, noisy toys, knocks, shouts.

 

Now, it’s at my discretion

to take some me time praying, reading,

writing, crocheting, playing my uke,

painting, watching shows, studying,

working in the yard, cleaning, cooking,

taking walks in the park

or hikes in the woods

and traveling hither to yon

while my husband

does about the only

thing he can do since the strokes

sitting in front of the computer

keeping track of money in and money out

or watching the games

or old comedies from the sixties.

 

August 13, PA Trip

 

8/13/26

 

Home At Last

 

Woke up in Denver

And got ready to go

At breakfast at the hotel

Moving kind of slow

 

I was in the back seat

When we left at nine

I worked on my computer

All of that time

 

For lunch, around one

We had a DQ treat

A caramel chocolate milkshake

Cannot be beat

 

Saw five big turkeys

On Turkey Creek Road

No wolves on Wolf Creek Pass

They never showed

 

We’re glad to be home

We arrived in the rain

Unloaded the car

Rested my brain

Morning Quiet Time

 

Fierce Love

 

Help me embrace who You are.

You are not a list of rules and regulations.

You are not anger.

You are not an unrighteous judge.

I worship You for who You are.

 LOVE.

 

There are times you have rules and regulations.

There are times You are angry.

There are times You judge.

 

It’s all done out of love.

You are jealous against anything that hurts Your people.

And your relationship with Your people.

Thank You that You love all people,

 including me,

with Your fierce love.

Like a mama bear with her cubs.

 

 

 

 

August 12, 2026, PA trip, slumpy, Poetic Asides

 

Slumpy

 

Feeling a little slumpy

after five days on the road

with one more to go

from Pennsylvania

to back home in southwest Colorado

with a disabled husband

and all his equipment:

wheel chair, walker, bath chair

unloading and reloading the stuffed car

at every stop.

 

I’m thankful our son came with us

to share in the driving

and do the road trip planning.

We had a wonderful time,

at our family reunion,

but feeling slumpy,

like you do when you’re working

nine to five and it’s only three o’clock,

or like a rose in need of water.

It will be good to get back home.

August 12, 2026, PA trip

 

Lincoln to Denver

 

We packed up in the morning

Stuffing our car

Said good bye to Judy

Then we traveled far

 

From Lincoln to Denver

It took all day

With not too many rest stops

Along the way

 

The good news we learned

Laura Ann was born today

To Pastor Aaron and Kortni

Hip, hip, hooray!

 

Our hotel was nice

It was a studio

Full kitchen and couch

Lots of room, you know

 

We ate out at Chilis

With not a lot to say

Went to bed thinking

Just one more day!

 

 

 

August 11, 2026, PA trip

 

Gamers

 

Spent a day in Lincoln

And in Adams, too.

Saw two sisters and their families,

What a fun thing to do!

 

Played Splendor again with Judy.

It’s a type of addiction.

Then spent some time with Linda.

With a similar affliction.

 

We like to play Quiddler,

A short form of Scrabble.

I also read in her book.

I’m glad we didn’t skedaddle.

 

We had home baked nachos

And ice cream for dessert,

With a plethora of toppings.

Then Judy called going berserk.

 

It was hot and humid

And her AC broke down.

We stayed the night anyway

With a smile not a frown.

 

It was hard to be cheerful

with us all knowing.

That in the morning

we’d pack up and get going.

 

 

August 10, 2026, PA trip

 

Splendor

 

Made it to Lincoln

What were we thinking

Glad Loren could eat

Seemed like a feat

Played Splendor with Judy

After our drive

She was the winner

Three out of Five

August 9, 2026, PA trip

 

Walkers are for Walking

 

Made it to Molene, Illinois,

but with a big bump.

At a rest stop,

Loren fell on his back

while trying to use his walker

as a wheelchair.

 

Several people stopped

and helped him up.

 

At the hotel,

he threw up five times.

Slept the night.

We didn’t take him to the ER.

 

Should we have?

We’ll see tomorrow.

 

Lord, please heal Loren.

August 8, 2026, PA Trip, Poetic Bloomings, trees

 

Family Quotes About Trees

 

“There must be seven million trees.”

Quote from my five-year old great nephew

from the cornfields of Nebraska.

And several us from the Shannon Reunion

followed the trails in Cook Forest, PA

in awe of the towering eastern white pine,

eastern hemlock, northern red oak,

white oak, black cherry and red maple,

some over three-hundred years old,

some nearly two-hundred feet tall.

I remember when my Wyoming husband

came to see me in PA for the first time.

He said, “All you can see is trees!”

And I said, “That’s what you’re supposed to see.”

What I said of Wyoming?

“It looks like God left it unfinished.”

 

August 7, 2026, PA Trip

 

Old Vacation Stomping Grounds

 

A bunch of us went farther North

To a shop called Hallers

It was a place we remember

When we were little fellers

 

We ate out lunch

Where we ate it the day before

We played some games

And played some more

 

Packed a bit

For tomorrow

Our reunion will end

With a bit of sorrow.

 

We may not see each other

For a year or more

Where next?

I hope somewhere we adore.

August 6, 2026, PA trip

 

Another Fun Day

 

Fun day today

Began with shopping

Hand-made crafts

Kept on hopping

 

Had a picnic lunch

In a forest glen

Hiked a paved path

For Loren then

 

We took Loren back

To the Airbnb

Then Lori and I

Joined the family

 

We hiked through trees

Taller than skyscrapers

We ventured through them

But didn’t end our capers

 

We visited Linda’s family

At her Airbnb

And played a game

That seemed a bit silly

 

Watched a show

And went to bed

Fell asleep

As if dead.

 

Fantasy, Poetic Asides, PA trip

 

8/5/26

 

Woodland Creatures

 

Our Airbnb in Pennsylvania

lies at the edge of a forest

where just about anything

can be hiding.

 

Fairies, aliens, Bigfoot?

Or at least bear, deer and rabbits.

 

My daughter and I

wandered through the woods,

following paths leading nowhere.

 

We saw a rock

with a hole dug at the base

housing some kind of critter.

 

We saw a fence

With a plastic owl

perched on each post.

One owl’s head fell off.

 

I can imagine

a real owl cozying up,

thinking it found its mate

and oh, what a shock!

 

I can relate somewhat

since my husband

had two strokes.

He had a problem

with his head, too.

 

We snapped pictures,

but didn’t see any photo bombs

from fairies, aliens, Bigfoot

or bear, deer and rabbits.

 

But we had a nice walk

while the rest of our reunion family

scattered hither to yon

until their return this evening.

 

 

 

August 4, 2026 PA trip

 

August 4, 2026

Canoeing

 

The ten of us went in canoes

Most of us wore water shoes

I went with Meg

After she begged

I decided the fresh air I could use

 

On a tube, Lori chose to float

And was tied to the end of a boat

She drifted lazily along

Behind two men who were strong

Looks fun, we all took note

 

And then we had a thought

A pasta bar?—Sure why not?

We all got busy

You could get dizzy

And we used many a pot

 

In the kitchen, Becca’s a champ

She learned it all at the camp

For the twenty

There was plenty

From sweat, we were a bit damp

 

And then they all flooded here

Everyone was of good cheer

We ate till content

Until time was spent

It’s great to have family near

 

Aug 3 PA trip

 

August 3, 2026

 

Play Day

 

Today we had a fun day

A time to relax and play

We had a cook out

Calories—look out!

Someday we’ll have to pay

 

We got in the bumper boats

It putts, bumps and floats

We giggled and laughed

And gave them gas

We all became cut throats

 

We raced go carts around the track

I was in the one near the back

All soon zipped around

To speed they were bound

For my slowness I caught some flak

 

And then we stacked up our gifts

The bean auction our spirit lifts

We bid our beans for fun

And got gifts one by one

And then our adventure shifts

 

We practice the swimming sports

I’m glad no one reports

Since my pants were soaked

It seemed like a joke

When I wore Hubby’s swim shorts

 

And then the gift exchange

Some of the gifts may seem strange

But most were quite nice

At such a low price

And they covered a great range

 

Fun was had by one and all

The Shannons have a ball

We don’t know when

We’ll be together again

But we can always text, email and call