Who Can Resist?

Who can resist hanging over the "picket fence" with Snoopy?

Who can resist allowing a butterfly to land on one's head? 

(I wish it were true.)

Who can resist admiring daisies stretching forth in surprise? 🌻

Who can resist opening one's heart to Snoopy's smile and soft paws?

"Comfort your worries" is my favorite phrase this Sunday morning.

No intensive worries but always those "what ifs" and "should we dos?"

I shall pray! 

            I shall listen for His message. 

                                            I shall lean on His Wisdom.

Thank you, Jesus, for supporting and allowing me to wander and wish,

muse and make mistakes, seek and solve as time moves through our lives.

Not very poetic this morning am I. Just a few simple words with a few simple

thoughts that I am sure everyone ponders. I am learning that my uniqueness carries with it similarities to many older women, retired, searching for the next activity and/or

trying to fit into the days and weeks commitments already on the calendar.

Have a wonderful Sunday. 💟

Today We trek to a new farmers market with the bookmobile.

This Land

 

This Land is My Land

I place the new herbs

into respective pots

no plan yet for their

designated spots

no more flowering 

plants from the store

plenty to water now

as I walk out the door

this morning the bird

feeders need fresh food

this morning the geranium

isn’t looking too good

I’m not sure this gardening

occupies my need

to be outdoors feel the dirt

I’d rather have a good read

but I feel content

and reassured

the physical labor 

‘tis good to be lured

outdoors fresh air

movement abounds

I go I do listening

for nature’s sounds

rewarding my ears

rewarding my plans

I’m blessed to have

this backyard - my land.

This Land Was Made For You and Me

              *           *         * 

(Woody Guthrie, 1940)

jconnor 05/14/2026

             

Mother's Day 2026

(stock photo of larger Casita - our Freedom is single axle)

We finally took the little Casita for its first camp-out this past weekend. It has been waiting patiently under the carport for months.

I celebrated Mother's Day with one son, one daughter, one granddaughter, one son-in-law at the campsite and had a delightful time.

Inks Lake State Park here in Texas is about two hours from our home. It is a large park with many sites and quite a variety.  We drove around the park picking out several favorite spots for another visit. Of course planning ahead many weeks will help getting a preferred site on the water.

This was a shake-down trip for our 17' Freedom Casita. It is small, neat, tidy and, yes, sometimes a tight fit for two of us plus one lovely dog. I don't regret buying it, but there will be times when we pull into a motel for an evening or two. This I predict as we travel along America's backroads.

Gifts were given to me and I felt honored. I have not heard from all my children and this has me nervous and sad this morning. I wonder if I ever forgot to wish my mother "Happy Mother's Day" in all the frenzy of raising children, trying to be everything for everyone. 

As you can surmise, I am reflecting this morning on how one Hallmark holiday can create such emotions in one mother. I am quite sure there are others who have been "put on the back burner" for various reasons. 

I will be fine. I hope you will be too.

Thanks for listening,

A Mom💔

Tapestry Weaving Challenge

                                     The Weave Every Day in June Challenge

Weaving is Meditation. 

"It has the capability to calm you, to focus your energy, to feel the power of making something beautiful. 

Developing a regular weaving practice, whether you're brand new to weaving or have been doing it for years, can be deeply beneficial in so many ways."

"For the month of June, we are challenging you to weave every single day. Maybe you only have five minutes a day, maybe you have an hour or two, but the goal is simply to find time to weave. Learn more and sign up here:" 

https://mirrixlooms.com/.../mirri.../weave-every-day-in-june

* * *

I signed up and am contemplating ordering the gorgeous thread package being offered for 20% discount - around $46 + the shipping.

I thought that tapestry was not my go-to for weaving, but I want to implement the techniques in my Saori. Since we're traveling in June I can take my small loom and weave every day somewhere for a period of time. I have a Saffron loom pictured below:

I think it successfully survived the flood and has all its parts. It is a nice loom and will serve the purpose. I also reordered Rebecca Mezoff's book and will use it consistently.

Rebecca also offers a short tapestry class that I may sign up for again. I am not sure regarding that experience. I don't need both and most certainly do not need spending any more money until I get a grip on my activities and expenditures.

Tapestry weaving is difficult. However, I don't need to create such masterful art works. I can begin simply and review the basics. I don't recall if I have blogged about my experiences with the American Tapestry Alliance classes. My teacher was wonderful and patient. My weaving not so wonderful. That was when I decided to punt the tapestry, but now that I have finished several Saori weavings I want to incorporate more needle techniques, so this experience with Mirrix will be good. And who knows? I may be a winner of the grand $200 prize so yes, I will keep a log.

I will blog about my progress. 😊

Musical Autobiography I

 

Journal Reflection #2

A Musical Autobiography Part One

Beginning my journey into harp therapy includes reflective journaling which is a delight for me to do. 

I have never written a musical autobiography, yet music has been a contribution to my sanity I believe. It never crossed my mind to write about my musical experiences other than one essay about Mrs. Barnes.

I shall use the questions that Bedside Harp provided in their introductory packet.

This reflection will be several entries.

1. What is my first musical memory? My mother played piano and sang with a beautiful alto voice. I have a very distinct memory being in Grandpa Hoffner’s church pretending I could read the hymnbook and “singing” along with the congregation. Or perhaps I was humming and wishing I could read the words. 

I wonder if I made up words and was “sshhhed” for disturbing the sanctity. 

Nowadays in church I sing loudly and am surprised when I can still hit the high E.

Love those old hymns.

2. Did you get to play an instrument, take dance lessons, etc.? Yes, I was able to take piano lessons from the age of seven or eight onward. I walked down the block to Mrs. Barnes’ home weekly for a thirty minute lesson with change totaling less than a dollar.

I took my lesson in her sunroom on her small Wurlitzer piano that had a Solovox attached. The machine intrigued me and I got to try it just a few times.

When recitals loomed we were allowed to rehearse on her baby grand in the living room where the eventual recital would be held. She also had a large floor-standing marimba in the sunroom. I believe her daughter played that instrument. I never knew the daughter as she was probably a teenager or older. For many years I had my original spiral notebooks with her flowery writing and specific assignments. My curriculum was John W Schaum and I progressed through every book. My lessons with Mrs. Barnes ended at some point in junior high when I tried Mrs. Aschenbrenner’s methodology. There were also some organ lessons from Mrs. A as she was our church organist. 

3. What feedback did I receive from teachers and family members? I do not recall receiving feedback although I am quite certain my parents enjoyed my piano practicing, thirty minutes daily. Later I wondered why I never majored in piano performance in college. I was never led to pursue that path probably because I did not have the fortitude nor the abilities required for such a commitment. I just wasn’t at the top of the game, so to speak. However, I have advanced and continued lessons in my adult life for many years. 

   
   

   (to be continued)

Bookmobile Day!

It's Bookmobile Day! JamaJoan's Bookmobile to be exact. We travel five plus miles to downtown Kerrville for the Hill Country Farmer's Market and give away children's books. It is a Little Free Library on wheels. My original plan was to travel to rural areas but alas, that has not occurred yet.

My inspiration was The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Richardson. I have yet to read The Giver of Stars.

From the internet: The most popular books about the Kentucky horseback librarians ("Pack Horse Library Project" of the 1930s) are The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson and The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. These historical fiction novels highlight women delivering books to remote Appalachian areas during the Great Depression. 

Several years ago we brought a vintage travel trailer back to Texas from Spokane, Washington. 

Hubby cleverly created a bookmobile interior with shelving, a very pleasant paint job and new laminate flooring.

It has served us well and photos will be posted as soon as I can figure out where they are on the computer or if they still exist. Then the chore of uploading, etc. has to be relearned. 

It seems so much of my life is learning, relearning and remembering. Is that aging or just too much on the brain from being a lifelong learner?

Back to the bookmobile:

We have a surplus of books in the garage taking up quite a bit of space. Donations came flowing in following the flood and loss of all previous book donations plus the special ones I had shelved in my home.

But the trailer survived after a miraculous cleaning by volunteer women from a Houston church. 

We are blessed continually as we relive the gifts of time and physical effort the volunteers gave us.

When we go to the market we set baskets of books outside the trailer and on pleasant days we sit outside. Folks are invited to go inside and also are invited to take several books. We enjoy the social several hours and then journey back home, happily exhausted. 

Today the weather is going to be lovely and as soon as it warms up, we'll be settled in chairs outdoors.

Come and visit!

The Cactus Lover Ekphrastic Poem

 Today's poem for my accountability group, NaPoWriMo month, is an ekphrastic poem using the art piece below and the prompt for Day 28: 6 lines, 3 sentences with statement, question and then truth-conclusion. Also the title is to be obliquely related. I really enjoyed writing this poem and researching Spitzweg.

  The Cactus Lover; Der Kaktusliebhaber, C.1860 Art Print

Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885) was a renowned 19th-century German painter and poet, considered the leading artist of the Biedermeier era. Originally a pharmacist, he became a largely self-taught painter celebrated for humorous, detailed, and affectionate portrayals of small-town middle-class life and eccentric characters, often blending Romanticism with satire. 

From the Windowsill

 If I lean a little closer I will hear you 

Your admiration of my tender red flower

You ask, how such a tender blossom forms

On my thorny self? Gentler lines among my spines?

And so it is with your kind, Dear Master, 

Forbearing hearts within briary bodies.

joanconnor 04/29/2026

lighten up

 lighten up

sunday morning and i’m about

to take my “jo” outside and shout

it’s sunday, God, and here i perch

watching birds and thinking church.

I lip the tv on a favorite show

connect with the news, then grass to mow.

church at eleven the morning moves fast

especially since i keep adding tasks.

cooking a waffle fried egg on top

syrup trickles in squares diet stops

I just recalled this poem to be

why i write silly poetry?

I write because chosen words can be strewn

across the page and into the loom….

my word weaving loom and if i’m brave

maybe share before tucking it in my word cave.

*            *             *              *              *             *


(the above was in response to a NaPoWriMo prompt regarding why I write poetry)

joanconnor

04/26/2026

Plank City

  Plank City, Texas

same neighborhood

fresh 6’ cedar fences emerge

where wide open spaces were 

before summer July flood

here a fence there a fence

everywhere are fences 

thank-you, Texans on Mission

some include 8’ cedar boards

HOA rules ignored (cheers)

our wire fence withstood 

the mini tsunami

our house didn’t

04/25/26

Stressless Daze!

 This is one of those blessed mornings. And I am grateful for all the above. The only stress I am experiencing this morning requires a visit to my local bank regarding a "bill pay failed." 

That explains why I haven't heard from Bedside Harp all this week. She never received the check I was told that the bank was sending. I should have just put a personal check in the mail ten days ago. We are never too old to learn! The older I get the less I know is a common adage.

With that off my chest,  today I am going to Bible Study Fellowship's next to final meeting for this year. My attendance has been pitiful this year. I should not be invited to return, but that is not how it works. They are loving, forgiving and literal in their Scriptural interpretations. I shall decide regarding next year's participation when Romans is the book of choice.

We love our "safe home" here on Should Bee and cherish the days we have in it. It is beautiful inside and out. I am not fussy about the yard being manicured perfectly. I rather like the natural look of a few weeds, a few tall grasses, a few bare spots and many birds partaking of my backyard feeders.

God is Goodness and I praise Him today.

Malachi's first words are "A Revelation" and indeed, whenever I dig into Scriptures much is revealed to me. 

What am I saying with my harp?

Submission #1 (Bedside Harp) Reflective Journaling

“What are you saying with your instrument?”

Was my life’s script written from infancy to age seven? Some research supports this belief. Was I programmed to not make mistakes?

Pluck a strong wrongly! Repluck the string wrongly a second time to “really mean it.” What fun that is!

To support making a mistake and yet, improvising the mistake into beautiful music.

Let’s do likewise with a decision we are making. Make a decision that you are tentative about. Make it again after a period of reconsideration and prayer. What fun it will be to live out the decision. Was it wrong? Will it be right?

The most damaging belief is that the whole point of making music is to please others.

Don’t please anyone but yourself and your Higher Power. 

Free yourself from such beliefs that can damage your enjoyment.

From the list of don’ts select several that you need release from and perhaps, even add some of your own don’ts.

1. Don’t change - I can change my mind (which I am told that I do often) and I can change my attitude and I definitely can change my desires. 

2. Don’t call attention to yourself - I have decided to start “tooting my own horn.” If I write a piece and am successful I should tell someone. If I am published I should tell someone. If I am not published I should tell someone. If I need a friend I should ask someone to go to lunch. If I want to stop at the thrift store I should take a break and do so. This latter thought has nothing to do with calling attention to myself, yet I included it here. Hmmm….interesting!

3. Don’t be different - I sometimes wonder if I am different in any way, shape or form. I suppose I have a bit too much energy for an eighty-two year old. Yet, I don’t have the energy some older wiser women have that exercise frequently and work physically in their yards. I feel not that much different than any other woman I meet spinning, weaving, singing and gardening.

4. Don’t try new things - I cannot imagine being told that. I keep looking for the next “new thing.”

             

Frankly, I do believe I have found it in harp therapy! 

A very new commitment with a very teacher and a very new online program. Hooray!

 

And now to answer the original question - I am going to play my harp right now and figure out what I am saying. Such thoughts: 

I can play this.

I can play slowly.

I can practice shaping my hands.

I can say that I am going to be very successful as a harp therapist. 

I can say that I am enjoying this foray into music therapy.