Category Archives: Life Lessons

day 140

what goes bump in the night
(a cleave poem)

part 1

the air is heavy
just before the storm
raindrops ride the wind
dusk drifts into night
the darkness provides cover
as a fearsome interloper
steals bits of food
from the least among us
the wrens, the phoebes, the finches
destruction in its wake
the feeder stands mangled
seed tubes ravaged
what good are a few seeds to
massive beasts when
to the birds they are everything

part 2

they assembled
in hallowed halls
the murmur of opposition surges
as they spin their evil plans
the big beautiful lie, while
an unconscionable act Is executed
enriching the wealthy
over the stunned masses
the poor, the old, the sick
survival of the richest
as democracy dies
sacrificed for greed
these gluttonous monsters
hoarding more than they need
leaving the people to perish

part 3

the air is heavy | they assembled
just before the storm | in hallowed halls
raindrops ride the wind | the murmur of opposition surges
dusk drifts into night | as they spin their evil plans
the darkness provides cover |.the big beautiful lie, while
a fearsome interloper | an unconscionable act is executed
steals bits of food | enriching the wealthy
from the least among us | from the stunned masses
the wrens, the phoebes, the finches | the poor, the old, the sick
destruction in its wake | survival of the richest
the feeder stands mangled | as democracy dies
seed tubes ravaged | sacrificed on the altar of greed
what good are a few seeds to | these gluttonous monsters
massive beasts when | taking more than they need
to the birds they are everything | leaving the people to perish

~kat


Last night a huge storm swept through the hills. When I woke up and took a walk around the property looking for downed trees, surveying any damage that might be left in the storm’s wake, I discovered a disturbing scene at both of my feeding stations. Something strong and very big came through destroying the feeder stand and the see tubes. i recall seeing a few roust bucks on the property at dusk, it it is also likely that we were visited by a black bear.

Meanwhile on another hill in our nation’s capital congress huddled in committee at 1 am hoping to ram through a so-called big beautiful bill. The vilest of this crowd called in the big gun, namely Trump, to threaten the end of life as they know it if the holdouts didn’t vote to pass this atrocity. As I write this post, they are still at it some 17 hours later with no end in sight. Major sticking points include cuts to every little safety net that most people depend on to give massive tax breaks to the filthy rich. The people be damned

I couldn’t help seeing the similarities between a brown bear destroying feeding stations, and the maga politicians destroying our democracy, many because they fear the wrath of a selfish bully. Of course for this theme only a cleave poem would do. So called three poems on one the left column is one poem…the right, a second and the grand finale read in left to right for a third.


You know I have a glimmer for you… a few turkeys found love on the back end of my property! Baby turkeys are so cute! But it was the courtship that makes me laugh! This is how it went!

I noticed this Jenny hanging out inside the fenced part of my yard…
…enter a very excited tom who was pacing along the outside of the fence line. he did his darndest to woo her for a little tryst, but she wasn’t having it!
I walked to the back of the house to get a better look, only to discover that she was no longer there. But I did notice old tom hunched over something rocking back and forth you guessed it! Moments later she emerged, feathers disheveled scurrying away indignant at his indiscretion. I mean, imagine it! He had his way with her right out in the open! (I didn’t happen to get a photo of that! 😄). Countdown to turkey chicks! Can’t wait! 🥰

Anyhow, that’s my glimmer for today…the cycle of life on full display while I worked on a presentation for tomorrow.

much love, peace, and lovely glimmers to you!

~kat


day 139 ~ a penny for your thoughts

For years I have trained my eyes to detect heart-shaped things…leaves, puddles, watermarks, tea leaves, tree bark, and stones. Especially stones. Once my mind was on task, a heart-shaped something could stop me in my tracks, giving me a warm feeling inside and a smile on my lips. In that moment I felt seen by the universe, by nature…I felt loved. 

So I started collecting them, rocks shaped like hearts. I had boxes of them. Seems there is no shortage of love in this troubled world if you know where to look. And I started giving them to people, random strangers even in a grocery store checkout line, hoping to lift their heart, as mine has been all these years. 

Rocks shaped like hearts in particular are especially precious and unique. Even a “heart” like the one I am sharing here, smaller than a penny, may have started out as a great boulder. It takes time, and sometimes great adversity, the shedding of dross, breaking, being crushed, becoming smaller, to attain the perfection of heart-ness. Perhaps that is why the simple gesture of finding or receiving a heart-shaped rock resonates with us. Those of us who have lived through hardship and adversity know the process well. A tiny rock is a reminder that even after all this there is beautiful meaningfulness and value in the familiar shaped shards left behind. Reminding us too, that even in our own brokenness we have value and the capacity to be a light for others. 

I think it’s time for me to start collecting again. To carry a few nuggets of hope in my pocket, so that I can part with them when the time is right. Especially now when so many of us feel powerless and invisible. It’s the least I can do after these little gems have done so much work to be noticed. 

light beings

each soul has value
the capacity to hope
to glow with a light
that glimmers through brokenness
to extinguish the darkness

Much Love, peace and heart-shaped glimmers to you!

~kat

day 138

remember
promises are sacred, but
only if you keep them
Never tell someone
you will, when you won’t
trust is a powerful thing

much love, peace, and glimmers to you!
~kat

one more glimpse into the woods...

day 133


A Noctuidae Sighting on Bramlett Mountain ~kat 2025
new moth

sheltered from the rain
a moth perched under the eaves
‘twas a moist owlet!

~kat 😄

I discovered a new bug this evening. A moth actually. I was able to snap a photo so I could look it up. This particular moth comes on a variety of colors and I realized I have seen these before in brown. But this was the first black one I’ve seen.

It is a Noctuidae, its name of the type genus Noctua, which is the Latin name for little owl or commonly referred to as owlet. It also goes by the names, armyworm or cutworm because the larvae of this group can form destructive swarms that cut through the stems of plants. 

Given my recent poem featuring the word “moist” I could not resist having a little fun with words. Not only did I learn about a new bug but I found the perfect opportunity to use this cringeworthy word again!  Win-win. So now you know the rest of the story! haha

Much love, peace and moist glimmers to you! ~kat✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨


day 131

gramma hugs

Does this make me look fat?
my obsession began as a daughter
stuffed into clothes
that wrapped my curves too tightly
I learned to hide behind dark tents
of fabric, my soft skin growing pale
under the weight of loathing
You’re not leaving this table
until you clean your plate…
subliminal mandates haunt me still
burning a hole in my soul
that demand to be obeyed,
then despised in an unhealthy
cycle of too plenty and growling want
against intrusive reflections
that distort my perspective,
rendering me less than…diminishing
the beautiful light that chokes for air
beneath layers of flesh, a battle waged
for nearly half a century, somehow
cured instantly, by the tender words
of a toddler, with eyes blue like mine,
nestled close, pressed against
my soft belly, head near my heart,
wrapped in my ample arms…
I love you Gramma…
and I realize, I was made for this.

~kat

I was a chubby kid. The yo-yo battle between thin and fat started in my teens. Weight has been a relentless foe for most of my life. Those rare seasons when I was able to shed weight happened only because I stopped eating…well mostly. I subsisted on hard boiled eggs, water and lettuce…and a few strawberries to treat myself, which of course is not particularly healthy or sustainable. I am older and supposedly wiser these days but that doesn’t mean I defeated those demons that haunt me still. But I am working toward being healthy. And today’s recounts a true story…the words of a toddler that saved me. Excessive dieting is not the answer to improving my health. That “I love you” murmured from the mouth of a mere babe set me on a path of embracing my curves because, you do understand, don’t you…grandmas that are soft and squishy around the middle give the best pillowy hugs…💕

Much love, peace and glimmers to you…soft squishy hugs count! 😉

~kat ✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨