Today

 

Today
A picture-perfect fall afternoon,
The sun will be setting very soon,
The horizon has hues of orange and pink,
I stare out the window at my kitchen sink,
Today I sold my house of 30 years,
I’m looking in my rearview mirror, but without tears,
Out the front windshield is the impending sunrise,
It’s my future, my senior years; there is no compromise,
Blue skies, mixed with gray, good days and bad,
I am so grateful and blessed for what I have had,
It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend,
While knowing you will see them again,
Much like the circle of life, a young couple will move in,
And grow their family, putting the cycle into motion again,
The “Harvey” inscribed at the end of the driveway has all but worn away,
It’s time for me to go now, and this with confidence I can say,
As acorns are falling on my driveway and gently rolling down the hill,
I will remember this day; I know I always will,
I can’t look out my windshield without noticing the rearview too,
It’s a nice balance of old memories to mix with the new.
Tammy Harvey
10/15/2021

Home Sweet Home

 A House or a Home?

A house is a structure of walls, a roof and a front door,
A home is that too, plus so much more,
In a house, there is usually plumbing, electricity, and running water,
In a home, there are people, pets, hobbies and laughter,
A house is a house whether lived in or vacant,
But a home is occupied, filled with love, that is blatant,
“Home Sweet Home” is a common saying,
Not “House Sweet House”, which is the point I am conveying,
When I lived with my husband and sons, it felt like a home,
Now, it feels more like a house, since I’m all alone,
I will miss this house, since it contains 30 years of remembrances,
But I need to develop my new normal, without hindrances,
A new start means developing a new space to call “home”,
Filling it with love from my family, even though I’m alone,
So, yes, I’m buying a brand-new house,
And, yes, I no longer have a spouse,
But I won’t give up, no I won’t quit,
A “home” is what I’m calling it,
To have a house is really fine,
But to have a home is so divine!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/7/2021

Yes or No, Maybe

 Decisions, Decisions

Yes or no. Maybe. I don’t know,
Decisions are hard: go or don’t go?
A single decision can reroute the course you are on,
The opportunity that once was, now could be gone,
So, use all of your big decisions as steppingstones,
One leads to another, and another, some with tears and groans,
Some with joy and laughter,
It is not always a “happily ever after”,
There may be more questions than answers,
But fear is like a slow-growing cancer,
Don’t be afraid to make the hard decisions,
And of course, there may be revisions,
Pray about it and God can give His insight,
After searching your heart and soul, you’ll know what is right,
When you have peace with the decision you have made,
The journey may be long and hot, but you will have rest in the shade!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/3/2021

Grow Old with Me

 

Waxing or Waning Youth?

You know your youth is waning,

When your muscles you are straining,

To do a simple task, that was easy in the past,

For instance, just getting up off the floor very fast!

Loose your balance when you try to put on pants?

Take much longer to do routine tasks?

Small print on the pill bottle makes you squint?

Don’t feel bad; that’s not my intent,

Getting old is what we all must face,

But my gray hair I would never erase,

I earned every one of those shiny silver locks,

It comes with experience, and like the cleverness of a fox,

Older and wiser comes with waning youth,

Waxing youth is when you are cutting your first tooth,

Young and innocent, naïve and learning,

Why must we always possess a youthful yearning?

A desire to be young again is not part of my plot,

I am a grandmother now, and I like it a lot!

Can I do all the things I used to do? No,

But I do feel I continue to grow,

I grow in my heart, in my mind and in spirit,

I still have a bucket list, and I want to fulfill it,

A life of contentment is all we truly need, you’ll see,

"Grow old along with me; The best is yet to be!"

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/17/2021

Freedom of Speech

 

Too Late

When something is irreversible, it’s irreversible,

No takebacks, no excuses, and likely it’s inexcusable,

When the toothpaste leaves the tube, it doesn’t go back,

When the words leave our mouths, they are impossible to retract,

Which is why it is important to think before we speak,

It doesn’t mean we are weak or even meek,

Words are not purposeful when used as weapons,

Thoughts also fall into this category of deceptions,

We fool ourselves if we think words don’t have power,

While freedom of speech is the topic of the hour,

Our speech should be for building up, not tearing down,

Encouraging, not degrading; Hopeful and sweet, not bitter and sour,

Speaking truth is also an absolute necessity,

Truth, though sometimes hurtful, can be spoken respectfully,

Deceit and lies will dishonor and provoke,

And remember, we can’t unscramble the scrambled egg yolk,

When something is irreversible, it’s irreversible,

So, let’s make our words kind and purposeful,

“Whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

 if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”- Phillipians 4:8,

If we think first, before our mouths speak, it won’t be too late!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/4/2021

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

 Thankful, Grateful, Blessed Are We

Thanksgiving is not usually a holiday that gets much attention,
Halloween fun has passed, and we are looking forward to Christmas Vacation!
Families get together for Thanksgiving- yes, they do,
For turkey and dressing, and football too,
But are we filled with joy for the bounty we have?
Are we truly thankful? Do our hearts need a healing salve?
Thanksgiving holiday? …4-Day weekend, sublime,
How do we intend to spend this precious time?
We need to be thankful to the One above,
We should be grateful for His promises and eternal love,
His blessings are rich, and his mercy is never ending,
His sacrifice was personal from the beginning,
He is the King of Glory; His grace is all sufficient,
Not only is He omnipresent, but He is omnipotent,
A holiday of Thanks is well worth a celebration,
Because of the God who reigns, we give exaltation,
Thankful, grateful, blessed are we,
Lord, we live to worship thee!
Tammy Harvey
Written: 9/4/2021

This poem was inspired by a 1990 song by Don Moen called "Give Thanks (with a Grateful Heart)".

Good-bye, Hello

 

Limbo

Ever been caught in limbo?
It’s the midpoint between what is and what will be,
Waiting on the inevitable to happen, don’t you see?
It is a wrapping up of one end, while the other end is on the horizon,
It is transition at its finest. It takes patience and the surprise is…
You don’t have to stop living during the transition,
That is hard to do, I say as an admission:
I am waiting on my new house to be built nearby,
I am leaving my 30 years in this house with a sad “good-bye”,
It’s the end of a book with so many chapters to remember,
But the beginning of a new book that starts in December,
This new book is one whose pages are all still blank,
And so, I’m in limbo, to be perfectly frank,
The waiting is bittersweet as the excitement increases,
Chapter 1 will be called: “Picking up the Pieces”,
My life as a widow is starting to sink in,
I never expected this is the way it would end,
Yes, the first book’s ending was a total shock,
But I open the next book with resilience, and God as my rock.

Tammy Harvey
Written: 9/3/2021

Acorn Percussion

 Acorn Percussion

What is that noise upon my roof?
Sounds a lot like a horse’s hoof,
Clunk, clunk, clunking above my head,
I can’t even rest when I’m lying-in bed,
It’s late October, and oak trees surround my house,
And usually, it is as quiet as a mouse,
But acorns are falling, one by one,
The squirrels are having so much fun,
Acorns pelt my roof when the wind blows hard,
There are hundreds of acorns covering my yard,
The sound of them falling is alarming me too,
I will be glad when their falling days are through,
An abundance of acorns gives the squirrels a treat,
But they are rolling down my steep driveway into the street!
Why so many this year? I do not know,
Maybe it means we will have an abundance of snow?
Whatever the case, I hear clunking night and day,
But for beautiful oak trees, that’s the price that I pay,
Little acorns with their caps on tight,
Look like they are preparing for a long winter’s night,
And if one should chance to sprout and grow into a tree,
A mighty oak tree it would be.
Tammy Harvey
10/29/2021

Big Bird

 

Big Bird
Having something whimsical in my house is fun,
It makes me smile and is not hurting anyone,
I have found that a certain bright yellow chair,
Has given me the quirkiness that I want to share,
Not the most comfortable chair in the house, but just the same,
It is majestic looking, with a broad back and statuesque frame,
Mid-century modern is its style,
I call it “Big Bird”, and it makes me smile,
Bright? Yes, bright. A real attention-getter!
A throne, of sorts, couldn’t get much better,
My regal yellow chair may seem over-the-top for some,
But I like the uniqueness of it: for me, it’s pure fun!
The color of a happy faced emoji; a constant reminder,
Big Bird is not certainly a one-of-a-kinder,
But it’s my big canary in the form of a chair,
And you can’t buy smiles just anywhere!
If you chance to drop by, say hi to Big Bird,
You can’t miss seeing him; He’s absurd!
Tammy Harvey
10/4/2021

Pumpkin Patch

 

The Pumpkin Patch
On a quiet road in the countryside,
With the windows down, I chance to take a ride,
The day is sunny, and there is a chill in the air,
A lightweight jacket I have chosen to wear,
It is the beginning of October- fall has arrived,
Then an unexpected sight; I was surprised,
In the distance, a field lay sprinkled with orange color,
Hidden in the lush, broad green vines, none other,
Than a pumpkin patch, bursting with a farmer’s joy,
And I stopped and took in the silhouette of a young boy,
He was practically dancing his way through the entanglement of vines,
Waiting for his chance to shout: “This one is mine!”,
I pulled off the road and sat there in awe,
I was enamored with what I saw,
Choosing just the right pumpkin was a small boy’s dream,
At last, I heard a piercing, delightful scream,
He had made his choice and was pointing at the ground,
The farmer joined him and nodded that his decision was sound,
Reaching down, the farmer plucked the pumpkin from the vine,
And I knew that their joy was also mine!
Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/3/2021

Who is She? (#400 !)

My 400th Blog Post...

Costuming

As a girl, who didn’t love to play dress-up?
Putting on your mother’s clothes and make-up?
Halloween is the perfect time to do this once again,
Nothing too scary or spooky but go all-in!
Take on the persona of another someone this day,
Be creative and do it in your very own way,
Not a store-bought costume necessarily,
A thrift-store mishmash could work extraordinarily,
Juno has needed a costume for this season,
She has been neglected lately for every good reason,
Spending time in the closet while my house was “for sale”,
She now is in full costume, as you can readily tell,
I thought about her choices: a clown, a pirate, a bumblebee?
But she needed a look that was “her”, don’t you see?
It finally struck me who she needed to portray,
And I fancied her as a First Lady for Halloween day,
With large sunglasses, a scarf, a pillbox hat, and pearls,
She is very recognizable – a lady among girls,
Yes, if you haven’t guessed who she is, yet,
She is Jackie Kennedy, a member of the ‘60’s jet set.

Tammy Harvey
10/13/2021

Happy Birthday

Happy 88th Birthday Mother!

Strong Woman

I have a mother who is stronger than steel,
She has weathered hard times with resilience and zeal,
Born during the Depression, her childhood was restricted,
A work ethic was instilled in her, as one might have predicted,
Every morning she milked the cow before going to school,
And went to church every Sunday, as that was the rule,
She wasn’t allowed to go see a movie in town,
She was cleaning and cooking, not goofing around,
Her ability to adapt to adversity has served her well,
Turning 88 today, but no one would be able to tell,
She exudes a youthful point of view,
Concerned for everyone, she is our family’s glue,
Her ‘never give up’ spirit is always amazing,
As she faced breast cancer, her attitude was worth praising,
Both knees had replacements, and she bounced right back,
She’s a matriarch that is equipped for any attack!
She also endured a stroke, and recently 2 stents and a pacemaker,
Followed by a broken hip, but she’s a giver, not a taker,
Her family is first and foremost; she is a born leader,
It will be quite a task to try to succeed her!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/7/2021

Red, the Scarecrow

 

Red, the Scarecrow
Stiff old fellow, standing all alone,
Out in the cornfield is his home,
He is dressed in plaid with his arms stretched wide,
His pants are inflated from the straw inside,
With an old hat perched upon his empty head,
Impersonating a human is a chore for Red,
He is doing his job well, though, birds are scared,
So, the corn crop will be successfully spared,
But Red is lonesome for some companionship,
He wants to hop down and take an adventurous trip,
He dreams of having real legs and arms,
And casually visiting other nearby farms,
He dreams of meeting his scarecrow wife,
And living together a scarecrow’s life,
Then he wouldn’t be so all alone,
Each year when the corn seeds are properly sown,
Stiff old fellow, standing all alone,
Out in the cornfield is his home.
Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/3/2021

The Car Confusion

 Embarrassed

Have you ever embarrassed yourself in such a way?
That you wanted to crawl under a big rock and stay?
When the humiliation is more than you can take,
But then you realize: it was just a mistake,
I can’t believe I’m even documenting this story,
I am recording my blunder, in all its glory!
I parked my car in the parking lot,
In the middle of August, while it was blazing hot,
I browsed a few stores, and then went back to the first,
To make a purchase, and the check-out line was the worst!
Suffice it to say, considerable time had passed,
Since I had seen my parked-car last,
As I approached my car, the fob was apparently dead,
The door would not unlock, no matter what I did,
I sat in the shade, in the grass, by my car,
But my daughter-in-law was at Target, which wasn’t far,
She bought new batteries for me, to solve the issue,
But before she arrived, a lady had interesting news,
“That’s my car you are sitting next to”, she said,
My hot face turned a deeper shade of red,
“YOUR car?”, I said, in a state of confusion,
Well, that led me to a quick conclusion,
This was not even my car I was trying to take,
Oh boy! What a big, blundering mistake!
I said, “I’m sorry, I thought it was mine”,
“It looks just like it; we have the same kind!”
She didn’t seem amused at all,
In fact, she was a bit appalled,
I guess she thought I was a lunatic,
I politely got out of her way, really quick!
MY car was parked one aisle away,
Go ahead and laugh is all I can say!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 8/24/2021

My Lucky Number

 

Thirty-Three

After being born at 3:33pm, I am convinced,

That a number is more than a mere coincidence,

Let’s revisit how the number 3 has affected my life,

For 33 years, I was a wife,

Yes, married to my husband until death we did part,

Now I’m faced with a surprising new start,

When I was 33, I was pregnant with my 3^rd son,

We had three sons; all were 3 years apart,

They are the 3 joys of my heart,

My dear husband was employed 33 years with IBM,

We were always so very proud of him,

Then his dream job he had for all of 3 years,

With FedEx, which made his beautiful smile reappear,

He loved to work, and work he did,

With his thumbs-up attitude and the excitement of a kid,

June of 2021, marked 3 years since he passed,

My, how time has gone by fast,

The illness was short, but the memories are many,

The heartache is real, but the blessings are plenty,

I often receive #33 when I order a meal,

No one really knows how that makes me feel,

It is a gift to have 3 be my magical number,

Believe me, this number does not encumber,

My new street address is 1333, on lot 73,

As you can see, it was meant to be!

Tammy Harvey

8/22/2021

The House Atop the Hill

Guest Essay by my son, Thomas, 33 years young today.  Happy Birthday!

 There’s a 'FOR SALE' sign just steps away from where my dad fingered our family surname in the wet concrete below the curb when it was poured three decades ago. Burnished by Fran and Floyd, two feet of snow in Y2K and thirty years of seasons, the letters once etched deep are now well-worn hieroglyphs, faded like the memories made in my boyhood home.

Its occupants, once five, vacated in a slow but natural forward march until only the matriarch came to hold the fort. Her three boys became men, fledged and left her an empty nester before cancer left her a widow. Alone with her thoughts in a place once so full of life, the stark emptiness only served to amplify her losses. A home without family turns back to a house, the studs a skeleton of what once was.
But despite its hollowness, the house does have solid bones - besides the metatarsal (mine) and ulna (my brother’s) fractured sometime in the early 2000s. Perched atop a slope, the steep driveway will likely frighten potential buyers who simply lack imagination and vision. If they were to ask, I would tell them that the driveway is the ideal runway for crude wooden ramps hobbled together by small hands from scrap plywood, two-by-fours and remnant bricks. And that not too long ago wheels, in pairs of twos and fours, rolled from the top of the incline, their riders descending with the reckless abandon and ignorance afforded only by youthful naivety. Speed led to blood, scabs and scars in a time well before helmets and pads softened our spirit.
Once concealed by towering evergreen trees that finally succumbed to disease, the train track that borders the property’s rear is sure to be another red flag to interested parties. However, had they only experienced the thrill – half fear, half frenzy – of running down and stealing the red safety flag that once flew from the caboose of the slow moving CSX freight train on its daily run like a western outlaw maybe they would think different. Or had they placed a penny on the flat rail and cheered as the locomotive pancaked the soft zinc coated copper into collectable oval trinkets. Or if they would have learned to decipher curse words from the vivid graffiti on the rail cars or convinced the conductor to sound the horn simply by motioning their right arm… then, maybe they would realize they were on the right side of the tracks.

The house, like the flawed family that lived in it for so many years, is not perfect. The new owners will find the need to update and upgrade cosmetic or otherwise. While doing so they will surely stumble upon my father’s signature and a date written carefully on the nearest piece of drywall, stud or flat surface; the hidden graphite autograph a time capsule to the bygone days I now cherish. It is my hope the new owners will appreciate the pride my father took in maintaining his home; blood, sweat and tears – the home has them all and all for different reasons.
It is my hope that the new owners of my childhood home will see it for what it is, what our family made it. A place for discovery, growth and maturity. A safe haven for imagination and make-believe. A shelter with a foundation strong enough to withstand the storms of hurricanes, three adolescent boys and the stresses of life and death. Mostly, I hope when the new owners get their mail, they’ll notice the faint lettering in the concrete just beneath the box and remember the folk that left the roots of their family tree tangled amidst the front yard’s towering oaks, buried deep in the red Carolina clay.

written by:  Thomas Harvey

9/13/2021

A Senior Moment

 Downsizing

Downsizing is harder than trying to lose weight,
Well, maybe not, but the hardship is just as great,
Mountains of things have accumulated over the past 30 years,
What to keep? What to dispose of? Brings trepidation and fears,
You must take 30 years of collection in a 4-bedroom home,
Where you’ve raised 3 children, who are now fully grown,
And condense it into a 2-bedroom ranch just for you,
It’s an exciting transition, and the ranch is brand new,
But there are repairs to do and decisions to be made,
It is a lot of sorting and touching items you haven’t seen in a decade,
The attic is full, and each closet is brimming,
The walls need new paint, and the bushes need trimming,
Getting a house ready to sell is no small task,
It is the decluttering that makes you ask…
Why did I store all this stuff for so many years?
Parting is sweet sorrow, but you’re not shedding tears,
You have come to find out what is important to you,
And it is not the materialistic items; they can be few,
You can do without a lot of things, if you must,
Minimalism is freeing; and there are less things to dust!
You rejoice that you have been given a life,
Where you were a mother and a wife,
Now the children are on their own, and your husband has passed,
And you wonder why time went by so fast,
But you look ahead at a new horizon, with a different perspective,
And dream of the future while still being reflective,
It’s a new day. It’s a new beginning. It’s time to downsize,
To live in a 55+ community, with other old gals and guys!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 8/18/2021

It's becoming real...

Verbal Expression

 

What Will I Say?

I don’t know about you,

But I get nervous when meeting someone new,

They introduce themselves and I do the same,

Then 10 seconds later, I can’t even remember their name,

I want to, but my mind is preoccupied, don’t you see?

With what they are saying, and what my next response should be,

I’m challenged when it comes to verbal expression,

And there is only one chance to make a first impression,

My words come out all awkward and jumbled,

Like a football play when the ball is being fumbled,

Maybe my dry wit will get me a pass,

Or will it cause them to think I’m a smart-ass?

A bit of humor always breaks the ice, right?

That and the ability to be a positive light,

Nice and personable; wish me luck, I’ll need it, today,

I’m attending a social tonight, and what will I say?

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/11/2021

30 Years Old

 The Surprise

 The look on his face was priceless, 

Deer in headlights while party horns broke the silence, 

It was the only surprise party of his lifetime, a 30th celebration, 

Everyone kept the secret from him, for a month’s duration, 

A few fibs were told, and he was none the wiser, 

While his mom (me) and his wife needed a tranquilizer, 

It was a hectic time to make sure nothing suspicious was said, 

Nothing suspicious was texted, on the family group thread, 

The day of the party finally arrived, with much behind-the-scenes preparation, 

That morning it was raining sideways which caused additional trepidation, 

The afternoon golf outing was in question, and there was another surprise there, 

Big brother had plans to get him fitted for clubs, but he was unaware, 

He got him good with the golfing ruse, then dropped him off at his house, 

Where he excitedly told the entire day’s events to his spouse, 

Then he promptly took a nap, exhausted from the hours of swinging, 

Little did he know of the next surprise that would be springing, 

 The next ruse was a double date with his brother for a nice steak dinner, 

With the babysitting arrangements in place, the night was set to be a winner, 

Meanwhile, guests had been arriving at his brother’s house for about an hour, 

The weather had cleared up and there was no chance of shower, 

Everything had come together beautifully, without a catch, 

He was still clueless about the plan that was about to hatch, 

As they pulled up into the driveway, he was somehow coaxed inside,

 He opened the front door, and his eyes went wide! 

 He stood in complete disbelief, like he was frozen in time, 

As party horns went off and yells of “surprise” began to chime, 

Most of his close friends and family were there to celebrate him, 

It took a few minutes for him to take it all in, 

He was properly celebrated as the party ensued,

 A party for a well-deserving, 30-year-old dude!

 Tammy Harvey 

Written: 8/9/2021

The party theme was golfing, and the banner read: "It's Par-Tee Time"!

Beware your Hiding Spot

 

Word to the Wise
If ever you want to conjure up a surprise!
There is a strategy to follow- word to the wise,
When the gift comes in a box and is left at your door,
And you need to hide it, think about it a little more,
A little more thought was required of me,
As I hid the shoe box in the kitchen pantry,
Who would have thought my grown son would stop by,
And into the pantry he would go for an oatmeal pie!
It was his 30th Birthday present- a coveted pair of new golf shoes,
But alas, he carried out an Oscar-winning ruse,
He never mentioned to me that he had found the hidden treasure,
Until he unwrapped the gift! Knock me over with a feather!
He said, “Mom, you never hide a gift in the pantry, duh!
And on and on, Blah, blah, blah…
Muscle memory sends us there without even thinking,
Was I just a fool or had I been drinking?”
Suffice it to say- I ruined the surprise,
Beware your hiding spot- word to the wise!
Tammy Harvey
Written: 8/7/2021

A Real Cookie Guy

 

Heavenly Cookies

Ooey Gooey! Melt in your mouth chocolate chips,

Not even thinking about it going straight to my hips!

Chocolate chip cookies, homemade and still hot,

What?  Willpower?  None I’ve got!

Made by a trained pastry chef, my daughter-in-law,

Who’s baking is renown and causes much awe,

She baked cookies a lot for my husband- a real cookie guy,

On his last Father’s Day, she baked him a plate stacked high,

She brought it to his bedside, and a big smile came upon his face,

He ate and ate and ate- like he was in a race,

With chocolate smeared in his mustache and beard, he was very content,

She probably will never know just how much that really meant,

For he only lived for another week after that Father’s Day,

May there be chocolate chip cookies in heaven for him, I pray.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/7/2021

Patience is a Virtue

 Patience

I tell a true tale of a smart young lad,

And of the incredible vocabulary he had,

He had endured the hour-long ride in the car,

Because the fishing spot was a little too far,

“When are we going to be there?” was the question of the day,

He was anxious to cast his push button rod, I would say,

The July afternoon was sweltering hot,

When we pulled up to the pond, our favorite spot,

He jumped out of the car- ready to fish!

Fishing with his dad and uncle was his wish,

Then the boy’s excitement took an unexpected turn,

It was a lesson in patience that he had to learn,

He stood at the end of the dock, ready to go,

But the kayak left without him, a deflating blow,

He was left to wait with Gigi for his turn to come,

While the sun beat down like a relentless drum,

He kept calling out “Hey guys, come pick me up”!

“In just a minute” was the reply that he got,

He was persistent, oh, there is no doubt,

While his fishing buddies were paddling about,

“Have patience” his dad called from the boat,

But he pled even more, and I quote:

“They are not even responding”, with a look of confusion,

“Seriously?” he said to me, as his final conclusion!

This little one, only 4 and a half years young,

Had me awe-struck with his eloquent tongue!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  7/24/2021

I Wonder as I Wander

 Wonder vs Wander

Wonder is in your mind, a curiosity,

Wander puts boots on the ground, a possibility,

Let your mind wonder, but don’t forget to wander,

Wandering seems to have no direction to ponder,

While wonder seems purposeful and well thought out,

I wonder what it would be like to...to stand on a hill and shout,

Wandering through the valley you see the hill, no doubt,

Experiencing the wonder of wandering about,

Go up that hill, put your hands to your mouth, let it out,

Aimlessly defines the word wander, but wait,

Wonder is the awe of something remarkably great,

The unfamiliar, unexpected wonder brings about joy,

The wandering about is not only for the little boy,

Be open to wondering and wandering too,

The sky's the limit; It’s all up to you,

An adult wonder produces a childlike delight,

An adult-like wandering evokes a childlike sprite!

They are both magical in their own way,

Dare to try them both today!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  7/21/2021

Blows My Mind

 Order your Words

Hope you have a good day,

Say it in another way:

“Hope your day is good”,

Would you change it if you could?

Same sentiment, different ring,

You can do this with most anything,

Sentence arrangement is fairly versatile,

It mostly depends on your personal style,

However, adjectives must have a particular order to their usage:

We don’t know why this is true; it’s elusive,

There is no green big dragon; he is a big green dragon,

There is no red heavy wagon; it’s a heavy red wagon,

The order of descriptive adjective follows this rule:

(Opinion-size-age-shape-color-origin-material-purpose)

It’s not something that you learn in school,

Innately, we know what order to describe this lovely knife:

“Lovely little old rectangular green French silver whittling knife",

Change the order in any way, and it is not logical,

This revelation fascinates me, and is somewhat comical,

It’s like a friendly large young white African elephant is in the room!

Am I the only one whose mind has gone “BOOM’?

Blows my mind when I learn something new about syntax,

No smoke and mirrors, just the facts,

I credit this information to a tweet I read, (and I was like: what?),

By BBC’s Matthew Anderson, a self-proclaimed grammar nut,

Who quoted it from a 2013 book by author Mark Forsyth,

May this tidbit give you a reason to be blithe!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  7/1/2021 

A Chair Hug

 My Papasan Chair

Round like a bowl and kinda like a pet bed,

This choice of chair is unconventional, don’t be misled,

You’ve gotta have space to house such a chair,

It’s big and bulky, but I don’t care,

It’s like sitting on a floating cloud,

It’s hard to even overcrowd,

A grandmother and two grandkids are probably the max,

It’s the perfect place to curl up and relax,

With a good book in hand and a fluffy pillow,

One could dream of sitting under a weeping willow,

Reminds me of reclining on a raft at the lake,

One could take a long nap, for goodness' sake! 

It wraps around me like a loving soft arm,

Giving me a chair hug- which gives it its charm,

A chair that hugs- now that’s a fine chair!

A chair that hugs is really quite rare!

My papasan chair is my place of retreat,

A place to sit quietly and rest my feet,

A special place to read a daily devotion,

Like an island in the middle of the ocean,

Where all is peaceful, all is calm,

It really is a healing balm,

Next time your day has gone awry,

The papasan chair you should try.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/30/2021 

God's Canvas

 Delight

Green lizard sunning on red foliage so bright,

Does he know he is causing someone to delight?

Does he know he shines brilliantly like a gem?

Does he care if I stare in awe of him?

The beauty in nature is hard to deny,

It is colorful candy to my eye,

God painted it all with His own hand,

It is not by chance, lest we misunderstand,

So, pause and look at what nature has to offer,

Mother Nature wears a tiara; Do not be a scoffer,

The artistry of the earth is found all around,

In the green of the trees and the grass on the ground,

In the purple wildflowers swaying gently in the sun,

In the orange sunset when the day is done,

Or in the majestic black of the night sky,

With the specks of sparkling stars upon high,

Don’t miss the canvas that is right in front of us,

It is worth the effort, which is why I make this fuss,

It is a God-given gift of delight,

It can turn deep darkness into light,

Delight in the Lord and His creation,

He is the source of our strength and salvation,

There is beauty to be found everywhere we look,

Take the opportunity to put it in your mind’s photobook.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/30/2021

Angel Wings

 Angels Wings

Angels have wings. Want to know why?

So they can float effortlessly in the sky,

So they can wrap their wings around us at night,

So they can always keep us in their sight,

So they can be transported to heaven above,

So they can bring us God’s endless love,

So they can soar and rise above all else,

So they can help us recognize oneself,

As a child of God, eternally bound,

And receiving the blessings they have found,

The light shines brightly under those angel wings,

To guide us in the worldly things,

But on worldly things we should not dwell,

For only time will ultimately tell,

That eternity is our home away from home,

We should not stray; we should not roam,

While worldly things will perish away,

Our angel wings will appear one day.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/21/2021

Uncomplicated

 My Ride

Yesterday was the first day of summer, 2021,

It rained all day long, a refreshing one,

The day before had been blazing hot,

I could not even ride the new bicycle I got,

Yes, a new set of wheels, for a 61-year-old child,

I wanted to ride, cruise really, like I was free and wild!

Well, I had my chance as this morning was sunny and bright,

The rain had cleared out in the dark of the night,

It was glorious to perch myself atop the plaid seat,

The bicycle had a basket too, which is pretty neat,

A good place for my cell phone, in case I need a rescue call,

Or maybe I’d take a picture of something lovely, after all,

The grass was glistening with water droplets like shiny gems,

The flowers were beautiful, as I passed lots of them,

A fragrant magnolia provided a beautiful smell,

It was going to be a great “first ride”, I could tell,

A mourning dove was calling her familiar song,

Everything was right; nothing was wrong,

Cool air hit my face like a vintage hand fan,

The flat kind with a stick, at a funeral or wedding- picture it if you can,

Usually with a picture of Jesus or a scripture verse or even an ad,

But I digress, so let me get back to my ride, before you get mad,

I met up with a few inclines that caused me to push hard,

But I was determined not to get off until I returned to my yard,

No hand brakes, no shifter, just a simple no-frills bike,

It was perfect, uncomplicated, just what I like,

With just 24” tires, it was perfect for me,

I am height-challenged, I think most would agree,

I stand 5 ft tall, the same size as Dolly Parton, I like to say,

This bike was “me” in every single way,

It is robin egg blue with yellow spokes and a plaid seat,

Like me:  Bright, silly and not yet obsolete!

So, I’ll cruise on my bicycle like the wicked witch of the west,

And don’t take myself too seriously, which is what I do best!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/21/2021