Midweek Haiku

A chill in the air
Suggests snow on The Mountain
Dreaming of spring

 

I posted this in the journal Writing in Snow, under the folder Awardicon Items, in my writing.com port. Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

 

 

Oklahoma Memories

The thin-green carpet 

Breaks slowly through the rich soil 

Refreshing the air 

Black clouds gather in 

a sky of deepened blue 

And the warm rain falls 

Orange and gold leaves 

Fall slowly to the ground 

Making a carpet 

Swiftly the snow falls 

Making a carpet of white 

For me to walk on 

Creative Saturday: Raining on my Muse

Jalál (Glory), 12 Mulk (Dominion), 173 BE - Saturday, February 18, 2017 CE about 12:55 PM Pacific Standard Time 

Rainy Saturday 

Creative meditations 

Falling on my muse 

It's a cloudy creative Saturday here in Las Vegas. The temperature is about 51 degrees with cold wet drops falling onto the tarmac in front of my apartment. The cars passing in front of the building sound as if they are moving through water. The street is wet but not flooded. I know that some of the other streets have standing water. I haven't driven the car today; however, this isn't necessary to know what the streets are like. I've lived in Las Vegas long enough to know how the water stands in the streets and the way it affects traffic. 

Saturday Afternoon

Jalal (Glory), 17 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Saturday, January 16, 2016 about 2:26 PM Pacific Standard Time

Saturday morning
clouds concealed the rising sun
a chill in the air.

The afternoon is passing in tranquil silence. I hear a car door slam down the block, but no other noise disturbs the neighborhood peace. I am alone in the house drinking the last of the coffee. I am wearing a back sweater to keep my arms warm. I check the weather online and find that it is about 52 degrees Fahrenheit with an overcast sky.

Tranquil afternoon
the hours pass while I write
senryu haiku.

 

Meditation Monday: Meditation on the Rain

Kamal (Perfection), 2 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 172 BE - Monday, May 18, 2015 about 2:03 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Echoes of thunder
Lightning and cold drops of rain
Monday afternoon

On this rainy Monday afternoon I am thankful that the electricity did not go out. I realized, when I saw the flashes of lightning and heard the echoes of thunder, that my flashlights do not have batteries.

Afternoon shower
On a cloudy day in May
Strange thoughts come to mind

What happens if the electricity goes out while I am washing dishes? Even if the flashlight had batteries, it would be out of my reach when I am at the sink. My flashlight is always on my computer desk.

Meditation Monday: Groundhog Day

Kamal (Perfection), 15 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 171 BE - Monday, February 2, 2015 about 4:44 pm Pacific Standard Time

Punxsutawney Phil, the official prognosticator of spring, saw his shadow today. Another six weeks of winter with everything that goes with it. I am tired of winter! I am tired of the cold penetrating my bones. I am tired of wearing four or five layers of clothing just to keep warm. I am looking forward to spring and my shadow is looking forward to spring. I want to go outside, look up at Mount Charleston and smile because the mountain is not covered by snow.

the white mountain crest
glistens in sunsets gold rays
where is the green grass

I made soup again today because that is the only food that warms me up enough to get through the chilly desert days and cold nights. I will be glad when I can put my sweaters away (if I can find a place to store them in this apartment) and get out the few spring and summer clothes that I have. I thin my shadow and I will go clothes shopping at some of the second hand stores this spring to see if we can find something cool and comfortable to wear. I know that the arrival of spring means summer is coming, but I will deal with summer when it gets here.

six more cloudy weeks
filled with chilly rain and wind
I want warm weather

Shorter Days and Longer Nights

'Idal (Justice), 5 Masá’il (Questions), 171 BE - Tuesday, December 16, 2014 about 5:43 pm Pacific Standard Time

Shorter days fly by
Longer night tiptoe to dawn
The temperature drops

I feel rushed as the short days fly past and descend into evening. I have so much to do, so what did I do today? I spent the entire day in the car driving across Las Vegas and not getting anything accomplished in the house. Do I feel guilty? No! I am relaxed and unworried. I have things to do tomorrow which will take me out of the house, so I probably will not get back home until after dark.

Night driving stressful
But sometimes I enjoy it
I worry too much

It is past sunset here in Las Vegas. I am tired from my from my drive across the city. My back hurts because I was in the car so long. I enjoyed my day away from my apartment despite the pain and not  accomplishing much. I will get the dishes washed tonight. I will get the trash ready to carry out  in the morning. I will write. I will not  go to bed until about 10:30 or 11:00 pm.

Sunset a new day
The weariness moves on
The pain melts away

November Haibun

Jamal (Beauty), 13 Qudrat (Power), 171 BE - Sunday, November 16, 2014 about 7:15 am Pacific Standard Time

chilly November

ghost clouds float across the sky

sun cast dark shadows

It's typical November Sunday morning with bright sunshine and scattered clouds. I look out my window and notice a slight breeze ruffling the palm fronds. I know the day will warm as the sun rises higher in the sky, therefore, I will wait until around noon to take out the trash.

a chilly morning

the middle of November

hot cup of coffee

I made one carafe of coffee this morning. It's almost gone because I used some of it on my cold cereal instead of milk. Normally I make only one carafe of coffee a day, but this morning I will make another because it warms me and brings back memories of my childhood.

Grandpa drink coffee

he brewed a pot every day

sometimes more then one

November Poem: Daylight Savings Time Ends for 2014

Jamal (Beauty), 18 'Ilm (Knowledge), 171 BE - Sunday, November 2, 2014 about 6:39 pm Pacific Standard Time

extra hour of sleep
end of daylight savings time
for 2014

This is Day 32 of my 95-Day gratitude challenge and one of the things I am grateful is automatic time updates. I do not have to change the time on my computer or cellphone. That means I only have to deal with the microwave clock and the clock in the stove. I will change the clock on the stove sometime today and check to see if I have to change the clock on the microwave. Sometimes I do not spring the microwave clock forward so I do not have to change it back in November.

do sparrows observe
daylight savings time in song
they have their own time

It is November with shorter days, longer nights, and cooler temperatures. These things added to the change in time make the first week of November a bit hectic and confusing. Confusion comes with moving the clock back an hour because I think it should be later then what the clock reads.

morning temperatures
descend into the sixties
I need a sweater

Meditation Monday: The Rain

Kamál (Perfection), 4 Kamál (Perfection), 171 BE - Monday, August 4, 2014 3:24 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Beautiful raindrops
descend from dark angry clouds
melting desert sand.

As I look out my front door on this rainy Monday, I see light as the sun attempts to break through the charcoal gray clouds. I watch people walk past my door; they are dressed as if they think the rain has stopped for the day. I suspect we will get a few more raindrops before sunset.

Beautiful raindrops
carried to earth by angels
blessing the desert.

The dark gray cloud appear to be angry, but that is an illusion. We associate darkness with human anger, so when it is cloudy we think the charcoal clouds indicate anger. We are putting our human emotion into the clouds when neither the clouds nor nature is angry. Rain is a natural phenomenon, it is a gift from nature to the desert.

Beautiful raindrops
some call them the tears of God
baptizing the Earth.

In the desert rain causes flash flooding, dangerous to anyone stranded in low areas or walking down dry riverbeds. Flash floods are a natural phenomenon we must beware of and try to avoid. On days like this, I think about the homeless who are living in the drainage tunnels that were constructed to prevent flash floods from devastating part of the city. The homeless living in those tunnels are endanger during rainy weather because of the possibility of flash floods.

Beautiful raindrops
both a blessing and a curse
to desert cities.

Sundry Sunday: Sunshine, Blue Skies, and White Clouds

Jamál (Beauty), 13 Raḥmat (Mercy), 171 BE - Sunday, July 6, 2014 about 12:18 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Good morning all! It is another beautiful Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas with bright sunshine, blue skies, and a random white cloud or two floating by. The neighbors are awake and playing pleasant music.

a blue sky Sunday
a warm day in Las Vegas
no dogs are barking

I just finished an entry in my writing.com blog. It took me longer then usual because part of the prompt required me picking out my two favorite blog post of the past week. All the responses to this weeks prompts were either poetry or thought provoking. When I encounter thougth provoking responses I have difficulty deciding which blog entry I like best.

a blue sky Sunday
the sun casting deep dark shadows
it is warm outside.

I have a flash fiction story to finish today. I also have a poem to write about moving on, but I cannot seem to get it started. I think I mentioned this issue before either in this blog or my other one. Perhaps I should try writing the poem while listening to music.

a blue sky Sunday
white clouds float past my window
no birds are singing

After Sunset

Jalál (Glory), 4 Ayyám-i-Há (The Days of Há), 170 BE - Friday, February 28, 2014 about 6:37 pm Pacific Standard Time

After sunset
damp air penetrates my bones
is it still raining

Its rained off and on all day here in Las Vegas. On days like this I don't want to do anything except huddle under a blanket.

I'm tired of winter
tired of the dampness and clouds
I want spring to come

I decided to stay home this evening and finish up a few things. I sit down to say prayers and took a short nap, which lasted longer then I planned. Maybe I should set an alarm when I take a nap.

Friday Morning Shower

Istiqlál (Independence), 13 Sulṭán {Sovereignty}, 170 BE - Friday, January 31, 2014 about 7:15 am Pacific Standard Time

I look south, out of the living room window, and watch the charcoal rainclouds as the move across the desert sky. I noticed the clouds earlier, but I didn't realize that it rained until I took some trash out to the garage, saw the rain wet cement, and felt a few drops on my head.

This morning, the rain slipped up on me. It came silently, without the warning of thunder and lightning. That's the way showers come sometimes, the clouds drop their blessed water on the desert without announcing it's coming. It's a wonderful surprise when it happens because it shows that God has a sense of humor and gives us blessings without any warning of their approach.

charcoal gray rainclouds
angels escort each each raindrop
blessing the desert

As I glance out the window, I see white-gray clouds, charcoal gray, and blue sky. I think the rain may have passed, but it could rain again today or the sky could clear and become a beautiful post rainstorm blue. It's too early in the day to say what will happen and I don't have time to check the weather website right now. Maybe later in the day when I've finished writing and taking out all the trash.

I ate the last of the leftovers for breakfast

Jalál (Glory), 17 Masá’il (Questions), 170 BE - Saturday, December 28, 2013 about 10:35 AM Pacific Standard Time

I ate the last of the leftovers for breakfast, so I'm going to have to fix something else this afternoon. I'm thinking perhaps a  grilled cheese sandwich with a salad. I purchased stuff for a salad on Thursday, so all I have to do is make it. I'll do that as soon as the dishes by the sink have drained.

I washed my dishes the old fashion way, but I don't dry  them with a towel. I let them drain by the sink and then put them away. It works just as good and since I don't have any dishtowels it's the best way for me to do it. I'll have to purchase some dishtowels in 2014, that way I can dry the dishes and put them away immediately.

Hot soapy water
warms my arthritic fingers
drives away the pain.

I still have a lot of work to do this morning, both online and in the house. Now that  the dishes are done I can focus on something else. I know I have to check Mom's room to see if everything is out of there. Once I do that then I can unplug the light and carry it into the dining room where I'm putting everything I want to take with me. I also need to check the other two bedroom to make sure I don't have anything in their I want to keep.

A New Year coming
a new residence and life
in 2014.

I'm looking forward to the New Year and living some place where I can keep warm without an outrageous power bill. I will be happy if that bill is less then $200.00; I'd like a place where the power and water are paid, but I'll accept a place that has a lower power bill even if I'm still struggling to pay it. I just have to place my faith in God, pray, and keep on keeping on.

Thoughts at Sunset in Las Vegas

Istiqlál (Independence), 14 Qawl 170 BE - Friday, December 6, 2013 about 3:44 pm Pacific Standard Time

the sun is setting
neighbor's are returning home
from work and shopping

 I went to the store yesterday and wouldn't you know it, I forgot two of the items I went in to purchase. I forgot laundry detergent and dryer sheets. I have to check my account to see if I can purchase those this weekend. If I can't then I'm going to have to do without those items until the end of the month. Oh well, it won't be the first time I washed clothes without laundry detergent or dryer sheets.

the sun is setting
the cold day is cooling down
tomorrow hot soup

A Cloudy Tuesday Morning In Las Vegas

Fiḍál (Grace), 16 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 about 8:23 am Pacific Standard Time

a cloudy Tuesday
charcoal gray clouds hide blue sky
the coffee is hot

I will be moving soon and one of the t hings I will miss is looking out this living room window at the sky. This morning, the clouds conceal the sun and the blue sky. There is a slight wind, blowing through the neighbors' oak and olive trees. The weeds in the front yard are turning from green to light gray, while the leaves on the oak tree next door are yellow and falling to the ground.

a cloudy Tuesday
the damp in the morning air
penetrates my bones

There are other things I will miss when I move out of this neighborhood, but then I will have new things to discover in my new neighborhood. I am, on one level, looking forward to the move and, one another level, I do not want to move. A move means changes and sometimes change is difficult or painful; however, it is necessary to the advancement of the individual soul and humanity.

Tuesday Morning Issues; November 5, 2013

Fiḍál (Grace), 2 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Tuesday, November 5, 2013 about 10:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

I've been up since 3:00 am, as a result I've accomplished a lot of writing. I complete 1,505 words of today's NaNoWriMo goal of 1,667 words. I completed five reviews on writing.com and made two entries in Snow Melt. I had to make two entries in (Snow Melt) my writing.com journal to meet the 200 words goal for that blog. Fortunately, I can divide the 200 word goal between my blogger blogs. I have to come close to the 200 word goal or I won't make the daily goal of 2,000 words written per day.

I have three cups of coffee, a candy cane, and two bowls of cereal this morning. I am about to fall asleep composing this entry, So I guess I better turn off the computer and take a short nap. I don't want to take a nap because I still have to finish today's NaNoWriMo writing goal for today. I have only about 100 words to write to finish today's goal and the chapter. I have to end this entry now because I'm about to doze off on my keyboard and I don't sleep well sitting up.

a cold wind blowing
tree limbs waving in the dawn
the house is silent

October Wind in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 13 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 170 BE - Monday, October 28, 2013 about 6:22 AM Pacific Daylight Time

the wind was scary
things going bump all night
chilling the darkness

I am not sure what time the wind started blowing last night. I know I heard it when I went to sleep on the couch, which was between 6:30 and 10:00 pm. It blew hard enough to rattle the mail slot in the front door and it sounds like someone is attempting to break into the house. I have lived here long enough that I am used to the sound, but when I first moved into this house it frightened me until I figured out what made the noise.

the wind is scary
pushing trashcans down the street
waking me from sleep

I woke up, before the alarm sound this morning, to the noise of plastic trashcans blowing in the street. At least, I think it was sound of plastic trashcans blowing in the wind. It was still dark outside, so I did not open the door or go outside to find out what made the noise. I choose to remain in the house because 3:30 am is too early to go out looking for the cause of noises.

I Saw the Waning Gibbous in Las Vegas

Fiḍál (Grace), 7 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 170 BE - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 about 5:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I took same trash to the garage this morning and when I looked up I saw the waning gibbous moon and several stars twinkling. It is a clear morning here in Las Vegas, if I look directly overhead I can see a stars twinkling despite the light pollution. Sometimes in the early morning or late evening Venus, Mars, or some of the other planets are visible in the predawn or night sky. I did not stay out long enough to see if any of the planets were visible on this chilly autumn morning.

One of the advantages of living in the suburbs is the view of the sky. It is difficult to see the night sky on the Las Vegas Strip because of the casino lights, but in the suburbs it is some times possible to see the stars. According to weather.com, Las Vegas can expect a sunny day with zero percent chance of rain. The temperature this morning is 59 degrees and today's high is predicted to be 82 degrees, which makes October 22 a nice day in Las Vegas.

the waning gibbous
smiles down upon the city
a beautiful day

Autumn Temperatures in Las Vegas

Istiqlál (Independence), 1 Mashíyyat (Will), 170 BE - Friday, September 27, 2013 about 11:02 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I wake up this morning shivering and thought I was sick until I looked at the thermostat . The thermostat read 76 degrees, the temperature dropped dramatically last night. When I went to bed it was 83 degrees in the house, so I did not use a sheet to cover myself. Tonight I will use a sheet and hopefully wake up a bit warmer on Saturday morning.

autumn temperatures
refreshing cool almost cold
a pleasant morning

It is autumn in Las Vegas with cooler morning temperatures and a wind chill factor. I have not turned off the cool air because it gets a bit warm in the afternoon. I will keep an eye on the thermostat for the next six or seven day to see if it get close to 80 degrees in the afternoon. If the indoor temperatures stays below 80 for the next week I will turn off the unit. In the mean time, I have a sheet or some light blankets to put over me at night.