What is a Meme? A meme (/miːm/MEEM) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme.
A Coffee Meme to me is just important and/funny stuff (pictures, text, or pioctures and text about coffee. I have collected many of these and most have been sent to me by my sister, Carol Lee Pepitone who both enjoys a good cuppa’ ☕ and knows that I do. Enjoy!
the sun brightly beams
reflect in full moon cantaloupe cremes
or so it seems
soon after twilight’s hush
where dreams soon to rush
cantaloupe moon in blush
day pull at the seams
night begins to crush
and silence says to shush
these are the light streams
moon the lunar
deep the crooner
the night tuner
sun the solar
in space roller
and day-time toller
both like a deep space schooner
each a troller
and both a stroller
later or sooner
holders of the twin themes
opposite, but same teams
each to grin and gush
for they make the earth green and lush
each a light wave and particle harpooner
juxtaposed cislunar
and when the moon is interlunar
tis’ with the sun on honeymooner
the twin lights of the sky so beams
that make our hearts to blush
the day adjuster and the night tuner
sun the palm and moon the sole, the surface volar
obsolete centinels or ever present sentinels
Notes: This may be a brand new rhyme scheme I just invented and wrote and am sharing with you. AAA – BBB – ABBA – CCC – DDD – CDDC – AABBCCDD – ABCD – E (no corresponding rhyme, just associated with the poem’s title.
some words defined: juxtaposed- placed side by side often for comparison or contrast cislunar- situated between the Earth and the Moon centinels- obsolete spelling of sentinel interlunar- the four-day period between the old and new moon when the moon is not readily visible. volar – relating to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot
Once upon time and only once a year Mysterious; quite strange, it will appear Buildings and skyscrapers will move and give space As if by magic, but to most, an invisible place But some unseen force, draws them and they come and came And an old gaslight lantern, illuminates the name
‘Old Fezziwig’s Christmas Spirits & Cheer’ Festive to the restless, in the dark and the drear
Old Fezziwig’s
No ghosts of future, present or past to one’s birth Just The Wise Guy that serves the mirth Lively libations and custom made cheer For what ails yah’ and what casts out every fear
And they came and come, the lost and alone in profusion The tossed whose drinks were sore woes and confusion Some, with shorts too tight that pinches The grumpys’ the scrooges and grinches
Music and dancing Clinking and prancing Observations And conversations Libations and custom-made cheer And all are welcome here
Up to the bar they sit sat and wait and waited With dim slims of hope, to be sated
Old Fezziwig
No demands or judgement, just a voice Just the asking each, to make a choice Frozen hearts like glaciers and icebergs calve “How may I serve you, what will you have?”
And often the reply is just a request, “My dear sir, what would you suggest?” “What would you recommend, most affective?” And he said, “That all depends on your perspective!”
“I could fill your glass half empty or I could fill it half full Only you can decide, the push or the pull I can pour all that glows and glitters I just don’t and won’t pour the bitters
I can fizzle and I can dazzle I can drizzle, but never frazzle No down memory lane or ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Just spirits and drinks of cheer and life’s “fruit of the vine”
“I can pour you something that would make you want to be warm and in the pink I can make your want to smile, but I just can’t make you think”
“But to tell you the truth, all these suggestions are, to try and get you to think Because I only, only, just make one, special drink”
“It’s ‘The Golden Heart’, neither solid nor broken
‘Gold Heart’
Just edges, no center and just a token You decide and with one swig or swallow Your heart will be open or it will be hollow”
And drink they all up and down the hatch And in an instant, like striking a match The scene is quickly gone to—disappear And all to wonder, were they really here?
This was no dream, but a lesson of life An open heart is fraught, full and rife A solid heart can be dented, damaged, frozen and broken apart But flowing out and flowing in that’s…
…an open heart
Note: “Old Fezziwig” was a fictional character ‘in ‘A Christmas Carol’, by Charles Dickens
From the collection: The Uncollected Collection’ by the same author
Old Fezziwig’s Gold Heart
Fezz
(‘Old Fezziwig’s Gold heart’)
Note: four letter name change (Fezz), suggested by sister Carol Lee
Libatious’ #130
bonus drinks beyond 100
By Dahnini or Dahnitini Spirits Alchemist Bon Devant
Rim martini glasses 🍸🍸 with lemon 🍋 and use a paint brush and brush on a little little edible gold dust
4 jiggers vodka 2 jiggers of orange liqueur 🍊 juice of 1 fresh lemon 🍋 ½ jigger of honey 🍯 and finely chopped crystallized ginger pieces 2 egg whites
Combine all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry-shake (no ice). Add ice 🧊 and shake again in Hand Shaker until well chilled
“Shaken not stirred!” -007, Bond, James Bond- 😀
Strain into chilled martini 🍸 🍸 glasses Shake edible gold dust into the center of your ‘Fez’
Makes two lovely libations. One to share and one for you. 😀
Dramatic effect
Walk on a darkened life stage
Unannounced and unknown
You are a stand
You are a microphone in hand
A single focused spotlight is upon you
Silent crescendo
Silent expectation rises
Will you sing A cappella
Will you voice something written
Will you sing impromptu
The eyes and ears of hearts trill
Waiting loudly in the seats of silence
Capriccio Concerto
Cavatina Grandioso
Interlude Intermezzo
Fifths Finale
Pages of blank staffs
No trebles or bass clefs
No signatures
No keys
No Majors
No Minors
No sharps
No flats
Only you can write and play the notes
Between the notes silenceMusic is what is not heardReprise Refrain
Encore
Take thy bow virtuoso maestro
But first-
The world awaiting, is silently seated
This music is to be composed
Music like angelic voices
To be perfectly played
Sung as if with angelic voice
Unique as if from heaven
Pure as if from the lips of God
Are not in the notes
But in the rests
A beautiful silence
Music is undulating silenceMusic is everywhereEvery eye and every ear
Every heart and every soul
In anticipation
A beautiful silence
Awaiting the Opus Unique of…
You
It is your time
It is your moment
This the music of you
Musik ist geliebte Muttermilch — German – Music is Beloved Mother’s Milk
From the collection: ‘Staffs of Life’ By the same author
May your every need, be ever met
And your heart, always full
And all the best that’s yet to come,
May it be your crowning jewel
May love and hope ever find you,
sharing these two, with all you meet
And this, ever circling
will never find complete!
You have sung in your cage, sung in Your release and now You sing, flying free! I cannot offer up Your praise and give words of your many accomplishments. There are many others that knew You, knew You well and that can do the far better telling. I can only shed my own tears of the sad and of the joy. I can only say here, what You mean to me. I call You Maya because, it’s deeply personal and You are this to me, as if I have always known You, though I have never met You, though as if I have! We are not related. Our skins and sins are not the same. We came here to life at different times. All that I may leave here pales, to what, You have left. But I love You and I know You loved me because, You lived!
Your first book, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,’ set You not upon your path, but it brought many to you and my seeking heart to your path and with your smile, You bid any and all, welcome!
Maya’s 1st book
I always thought of You as my dear and trusted aunt, though I never had the privilege of meeting You. You were born in my home state of Missouri. You lived in Arkansas and I first met of You, when I lived there. I will never forget Your performance in the 1995 movie, ‘How to Make an American Quilt!’ You had only a small part. You did neither write it nor directed it. You were not its narrator. Your character was Anna. You told the story of, “the story quilt.” You are the “story quilt.” You were the master quilter and brought every person into this story. And it is brilliant and so deep and has so many meanings on so many levels. It was more than about a quilt for one woman. It was more than just about women or a movie for women. It was about people, all people. Ignorance makes us all slaves to something or to someone. But together are we freed, WE the many different and beautiful “shreds,” make up ‘An American Quilt!’ ‘An American Quilt,’ is by far, my favorite movie of all time. To me, You were the whole movie! I cannot imagine it being written, directed, acted or presented without You. All the great acting, music and sets were the background. You are its subject. You are the quilting needle; WE are the quilt!
“It’s a story quilt. It’s meant to be read.”
“That summer the Grasse quilting bee did something they’ve never done before. Anna called everyone back and wouldn’t let them go home until they finished the quilt. They all worked [straight through the night] sustained by Anna’s will and gallons of ice tea.”
Young lovers seek perfection.
Old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together
and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of patches
“As Anna says about making a quilt, you have to choose your combination carefully. The right choices will enhance your quilt. The wrong choices will dull the colors, hide their original beauty. There are no rules you can follow. You have to go by your instinct. And you have to be brave.”
excerpts from the transcript: ‘An American Quilt’
I hear You and see You and feel You in every frame of the whole movie and in the following video clip.
Your last Tweet on Twitter:
Your last personal Facebook post was typical of, your concern for others
Maya’s FB Profile
Maya Angelou
May 26, 2014
“And now we come to the day [Memorial Day] where we can honor the brave men and women who have risked their lives to honor our country and our principles. Our history is rife with citizens who care and who are courageous enough to say we care for those who went before us.”
You earned three Grammys, spoke six languages, and were the second poet in history to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration. You received two Presidential Medals of Honor from two separate presidents, one for Art and the most important, for Freedom.
On Thursday, May 28, 2014, you took your last breath and I was breathless when I knew.
On your Facebook page:
Your FB profile
Statement from Dr. Maya Angelou’s Family:
Dr. Maya Angelou passed quietly in her home before 8:00 a.m. EST. Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored by a loss of acuity or comprehension. She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace. The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love.
Guy B. Johnson
You were a beautiful young girl, a beautiful young woman, a beautiful woman, and a beautiful lady in Your glorious sunset! There is no place for a beautiful mind to be shone, than shining out and upon, from within!
My favorite poem of Yours, I will share here to follow. You meant a lot to me personally, and I will greatly miss Your presence on this earth and in the life that I have left!
Still I Rise
by Maya Angelou, 1928 – 2014
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Cradle
by Dahni
How does one summarize the impact of a single life? Indeed, there have been countless books penned, poems and paintings that have tried to capture this deep enigma. Perhaps the smallest sentence to have ever seized all the emotion of loss comes from the Bible,
“Jesus Wept!”
William Shakespeare from ‘King Lear,’ concluded a single life simply and plainly with the words,
“He died!”
But the things penned, the poems, the paeans, and paintings all try to show the eons of time, events and unique forming that brought forth the birth of a single life. And then they try to show the waves and connections and spheres of influence from all the moments and all the years of a single life. And thus a summing up of all that are touched by this single life may simply and plainly conclude –
They Lived!
No one can escape tears sometimes. Sometimes these droplets of one’s measured life are of great joy. Sometimes these droplets of one’s measured life are of great sorrow. The push of sorrow and the pull of joy is this not like a crib and are we not cradled of love? A life enters and exits, but leaves a cradle rocking. The push and pull continues. Turn the page, keep reading. Pen, poem and paint. Rock the cradle, for the point is
We live!
Note: a “paean” – any song of joy, praise or triumph
Even more than my ‘Cradle’ poem, You taught me to always trust love –
“Have enough courage to trust love one more time
and always one more time.”
Maya Angelou
Even more than my ‘Cradle’ poem, You taught me that all of us are shackled or we bear the scars of something that enslaves. But my favorite words from You are, only two.
“Love Liberates”
Maya Angelou
You sang in Your cage. You sang when Your caged was opened. You sing now in freedom’s flight. Many will fly because, of You.
Today to you in the west is the 30th of April, 2014. Our last full day in Australia was on the 29th. The day before (4/28/14), we finally made it to the ocean. So for today’s post, even though we are already in Japan, spending the night and leaving for home on May 1st, I wanted to share some last minute OZ’ stuff with you. Most native Aussies pronounce Australia as, OZ- tralia.We have in many ways, felt like we have been in the land of OZ! 🙂
It’s a BIG country
But Australia is not only a country comprised of six states and two territories, it is also, a continent. We have never left the huge state of New South Wales. Not only have we not seen the rest of this beautiful and interesting country, we have not even scratched the surface of New South Wales!
We spent most of our time with family at their home in Camden, NSW, Australia. I personally, fell in love with this wonderful community! We went to Sydney, NSW, a couple of times, went to the Sydney Opera House, the Harbor area, downtown Sydney, the Chinese Friendship Garden, took a ferry boat ride to Toronga Zoo, and went to Sea World. Still, all of this is located in New South Wales. We rented a cottage for the weekend in Katoomba, New South Wales, in the Blue Mountains. On and on and so forth and even though we saw and experienced a lot in just over a month’s time, what do we really know about this wonderful country, not very much! And even though I took probably 1,000’s of pictures, if they all turn out and I shared them all with you, Australia has SO MUCH MORE to offer! And the same can be said of Japan as well!
But we made it to the ocean in Australia. And do you remember a few posts back while in Katoomba, NSW, I said we saw 100 or more sulfur crested cockatoos fly overhead? Perhaps you found that hard to believe, especially since there were no photos or videos to back up that claim.
I’m so pretty! Thanks for looking! HAVE A NICE DAY! 🙂
Well, at the bottom of this post are two videos. 100 or so cockatoos flew over the home where we have been staying in, Camden, NSW, Australia. It was an early foggy morning with a little light rain. It was on our last full day here on 4/29/14. The videos show these same birds, perched in a couple of gum trees, in front of the house. Incredible, beautiful and NOISY! 🙂
The day before 4/28/14, we set out to see the ocean. The following unexpected road sign was seen while in route.
Koala Crossing
Road sign on the way to the Ocean
We got to the ocean to Susan’s pure joy and delight! If I told you Susan loves the ocean, that would be an understatement, GREATLY UNDER-STATED!! 🙂
It was a nice drive there through some ‘bush’ of eucalyptus forests, past the koala crossing and with a gorgeous view of mountains until, we descended toward the beach. And there, was, a little sand path walk to the shore. It was a lovely cool day and a bit cloudy. It was definitely a remove-your-sandals-and-walk-barefoot-in-the-sand kind of day. There were huge barges and boats in the distance. Several surfers were out trying to, “catch some waves.” Jonathan and baby Felix, Susan and I walked and explored the beautiful beach and walked along the shoreline. But of course we rolled up our pant legs and dipped our feet in the water! It was wonderful! Susan and I collected a few shells to bring home and spied all kinds of washed-ashore plant life and a couple of little live creatures. One was a tiny hermit crab, walking with its shell still attached. There were large black rocks covered with barnacles. But after all is said and done, it’s all about the ocean!
Ocean I – our path to the beach
Ocean II
Ocean III
Ocean IV
There was some driftwood and a huge chuck of timber that I pretended to be part of some shipreck that really did occur in this area in the late 1800’s. I found a little stick and, but of course, I had to write something in the sand!
With Love from Susan & Dahni on the beach in OZ-tralia , 4/28/14 🙂
As our outing ended, I came back another way, up some stairs to a play area for kids, picnic area and public restrooms. They even had showers that I took advantage of and washed the sand from my feet, before putting my Keen sandals back on (And yes, brother Richard, my Keen’s stood up to sand, shore and salt-ocean-water. Our outing at the beach was short-lived, but WE LIVED! It was an appropriate one ending to our stay in Australia. Why did I use the words, “one ending?” Why, because, the very next morning, those 100 or so cockatoos from the Blue Mountains seemed to show up in Camden, (as if they followed us) and right in front of our house, JUST FOR YOU!!!! 🙂
But before this post ends and you see the little videos, we would like to take this time to thank all the wonderful Aussies, family and all our new friends that made this such a wonderful and memorable experience! Thank you one and all! We will never forget you! Missing you already! Guhday Mates and Maties or Sheilas! 🙂
Dahni in Susan
A Cockatoo Good Morning to You – Youutube video 1
If possible, watch this full screen and crank up the volume! 🙂
A Cockatoo Good Morning to You II – Youutube video 2
If possible, watch this full screen and crank up the volume! 🙂
By 10:00 AM in NY (eastern standard time) today,April 28, 2014 it is midnight of the next day here in Australia (April 29th. Hopefully, I am asleep, for when we arise, it’s packing day, for tomorrow morning we will be leaving the ‘Land Down Under,’ for Japan, and our trip home.
So I, like Tooter Turtle will call upon Mr. Wizard the Lizard to get us safely home.
Tooter Turtle (sometimes spelled Tudor or Tutor) was a cartoon about a turtle that first appeared on TV in 1960, as a segment, along with The Hunter a detective dog, as part of the King Leonardo and His Short Subjects program. “Tooter Turtle” debuted on NBC, on Saturday, October 15, 1960, and ran for 39 original episodes through July 22, 1961. These episodes were later rerun as backups on other cartoon shows,[1] but no more original episodes were made.
The plots followed the same general format. Tooter (voiced by Allen Swift) calls on his friend Mr. Wizard the Lizard (voiced by Sandy Becker), an anthropomorphic lizard wearing wizard cone hat, robe, and pince-nez eyeglasses. Mr. Wizard lived in a tiny cardboard box at the base of a tall tree. The introductory segment had Tooter knocking on the cardboard box, having “another favor to ask.” From inside the box, Mr. Wizard would shrink Tooter small enough to enter through the box’s front door, and invite him in. Mr. Wizard has the magic to change Tooter’s life to some other destiny, usually sending him back in time and to various locales.
Mr. Wizard sending Tooter Turtle somewhere in the past, present or future
Tooter Turtle being brought back
As Tooter is doing his destiny, Mr. Wizard narrates about it. When Tooter’s trip finally became a catastrophe, Tooter would request help with a cry of “Help me Mr. Wizard, I don’t want to be X any more!” where X was whatever destiny Tooter had entered. Mr. Wizard would then rescue Tooter with the incantation, “Twizzle, Twazzle, Twozzle, Twome; time for this one to come home.” Then, Mr. Wizard would always give Tooter the same advice:
“Be just what you is, not what you is not. Those that do this are the happiest lot.”
As you are waxing on your Sunday, our is waning in Australia. Soon it will be Monday here. We have only two days left until we leave early Wednesday for our flight to Tokyo, Japan on April 30th. After an overnight night there, we will take a flight to Chicago, IL, U.S.A. on May 1st, fly through yesterday and still arrive on May 1st, catch another plane and be in Rochester, NY around 2:15 PM est, on May 1st. Then it is about a 45 minute drive and we will be home!
This has been an incredible trip to Japan & Australia! There is so much from both countries I still want to share with you.
While still in Australia there was so much more I wanted to share, but the time fails me. I have taken thousands of pictures and many of them are acceptable to my very critical eye. But with the laptop I have been using, problems with my camera, lack of software and other issues, I have been severely limited.
But there are places we went and things we did that I want to share and will, somehow in the future. Here is just a partial list of content I have not posted yet:
• Belgenny Farm (the birthplace of Australian agriculture)
• Out N’ About Sydney, Australia
• Beautiful sunrises and sunset
• Paddy’s Market (downtown Sydney shopping district
• More about Camden, Australia
• Our ferry boat ride in Darling Harbor, past the Sydney Opera House and underneath Harbor Bridge
• Susan’s & Caitlin’s High Tea
• Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
• Taronga Zoo (truly a world class zoo in Sydney. I have so many pictures of animals and we proabably only saw 1/3 of the zoo)
• And so much more!
So, I have loaded over 60 pictures of just what I call in the post, Pretty & Cool or you could also just think of these as pretty cool! 🙂 But these are pictures taken over the month that we have been in Australia. The are pictures of flowers and plants mostly found here. Most of these I do not not know their names are really much about them other than, there are just to me, Pretty & Cool! 🙂
So I will pre-schedule 3 posts for the next three days (including today) and post about 20 or so pictures for each day with some simple captions with descriptions.
If I get an opportunity to post anymore before we get home to The Gathering Place, I may? I will try and continue posting about our trip when we get home ASAP. But, we have much to do when we get home for the month of may and June, but I will do the best that I can, when I can.
Thank You for your patience and understanding.
Dahni
A neighbor’s tree on Little St., Camden, NSW, Australia
A rose of many The Rose Cottage, Camden, NSW, Australia
Camden, NSW, Australia
Camden, NSW, Australia
Bottle Brush Tree, Camden, NSW, Australia
Closeup of Bottle Brush Tree, Camden, NSW, Australia
Even after the colors fade, the Bottle Brush Tree is still interesting, Belgenny Farm, Camden Park Estate, Camden, NSW, Australia
Closeup of faded Bottle Brush Tree, Belgenny Farm, Camden Park Estate, Camden, NSW, Australia
Just another ‘Pretty,’ in Camden, NSW, Australia
Gorgeous Rose, Somewhere in Australia
Another ‘Pretty’ Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Bird of Paradise, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Interesting hangy-downy-thingies somewhere on an Australian tree 🙂
A pretty lorikeet eating pretty red petals, right outside our living room window on Little Street, Camden, NSW, Australia
Closeup of pretty lorikeet eating pretty red petals, right outside our living room window on Little Street, Camden, NSW, Australia
This cactus at the end of the street, budded shortly after we got here. There must have been over a 100 buds. Only 1-2 blooms
Closeup of bloom and buds
The blooms only bloom once and only two buds blossomed and as of 4/26/14 this is how the cactus now looks
All the buds and 2 blooms disappeared. This little red I saw the morning of 4/26/14
gatheringplace.blog 