Tag: nature

A Word on Wednesday: Daffodil

This concrete noun is a bulbous plant, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, of the amaryllis family, having solitary, yellow, nodding flowers that bloom in the spring.  More than that, it is the sign of spring as sure as a fat robin here in Wisconsin. In my garden,… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Daffodil”

A Word on Wednesday: Rain

This morning there is a gentle rain. Pattering of droplets on pavement, on window panes, on softening ground. A gentle rain is as calming as a scented candle. Scientifically, the word rain is water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Rain”

A Word on Wednesday: Feel

Feeling is our translation of the touch sensation. We gather detail from our five senses; touch gives us feeling. Feel, as a verb, and when used with an object, can mean the tangible described above to the abstract sensing that which cannot be seen,… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Feel”

A Word on Wednesday: Recovery

I decided to wrap up my Mental Health series with the word recovery. The word recovery dates to the mid Fourteenth Century, from the Anglo-French recoverie; it speaks to a “return to health.” Contemporary usage considers recovery as the act of recovering. This first definition… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Recovery”

A Word on Wednesday: Bliss

American mythologist Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) has this to say about bliss:  “When you follow your bliss  … doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.”  The cynic will dismiss bliss, mocking… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Bliss”

A Word on Wednesday: Heliotropic

Heliotropic: Turning or growing toward the light. Heliotropism can be easily seen in sunflowers, which slowly turn their large flowers so that they continually face the sun. However, the adjective heliotropic can describe any noun and any light source. A heliotropic student turns toward  the light of… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Heliotropic”

Verse on Groundhog Day

Lake Michigan Feb. 2, 2017 Six More Weeks Hope peeks for cloudy skies; Fearful of sun’s reach To cast one’s own darkness. Ugly. Timid. Rodent. Watchful for the brightness, Frightened by his shadow, Turns inward for a stay.

A Word on Wednesday: Vacancy

Generally, the modern use of the noun vacancy is only considered in context of its opposite: “No Vacancy.” And, No Vacancy seems preferred. Vacancy means there a room at the lodge, an empty office for rent, an unassigned seat on the bus (or the supreme court),… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Vacancy”

A Word on Wednesday: Restore

Today, I celebrate the word restore.  Photo Credit The verb restore is one to use in prose, poetry, and conversation. It is precise in its promise of righting wrongs. The practice of restoring requires faith in bringing back the authenticity of the original. Restoring provides… Continue Reading “A Word on Wednesday: Restore”

A novel walk

I snapped the following pictures on the Ice Age Trail in Manitowoc, Wis. around 9 a.m. this morning. The scenery is inspiration for a fictional setting in my novel in progress. Enjoy the view, my friends. And, forgive my amateur photography skills.    … Continue Reading “A novel walk”