June 24, 2016

Take Heart

By Kat Myrman


I rarely pull out my fancy camera anymore, since I always have my camera phone with me. Over the years I have taken many full moon shots later enhancing them to pick up on the aura of the moonglow  since my camera does not afford me the crisp view of the moon man’s face. 

I happened to catch the Strawberry Moon this month and did my usual digital renderings which, to my delight, revealed a heart-shaped moon! Some of you may know I love to find things heart-shaped…rocks, leaves, trees…so I thought nothing of it until a friend shared her own photo of the moon mentioning that it looked heart-shaped. Coincidence? 

Of course I mulled this thought around a bit…(you are now entering the twilight zone of my pinging brain…fair warning…😊) …we all know that the moon reflects what it sees. From our vantage point in the world things are pretty chaotic, scary and dark. But based on the moon’s reflection I can’t help but imagine that despite our calamitous state there is a strong undercurrent of love permeating the planet. So strong that it has the power to break the rigid circle we’ve drawn around ourselves to bend the moon’s reflective surface into a heart, reminding us perhaps, or at least reminding me, to take heart when I am sad or fearful. The most important thing, the only thing that saves us all is LOVE. Even in the darkness love waits to be found. 

And so I say to you too…take heart, remembering that LOVE never fails…

Hearts, hugs and kisses,

Kat

5 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Essays, Life Lessons, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues, Spirituality

June 24, 2016

No Words – A Trilonnet 

By Kat Myrman

For Jane Dougherty’s latest poetry challenge to write a Trilonnet beginning with the opening phrase, “the light is gone…”

Struggling this week to find the Muse midst overwhelming workplace drama and our nation’s polarizing rage. I think I might need to stop watching the news and reading company memos. Ignorance is bliss!

The light is gone, there are no words
as grief’s consuming shroud descends
and swelling tears cascade like rain

The reaper’s sickle sweeps again
more innocents will meet their end,
our vain laments will go unheard

the aftermath’s familiar dirge
as liberty clouds common sense,
unanswered why’s and how’s remain,

no consolation for the pain,
resigned there’ll be no recompense
for terrorism’s bloody scourge.

A consequence of apathy,
thus doomed to repeat history.

kat ~ 24 June 2016

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues, Trilonnet

June 21, 2016

Cactus Haiku

By Kat Myrman

Got TJ’s Househild Hauku Challenge, prompt word: Cactus. (Confess in my eagerness to complete the challenge I missed the word Dry! So much so that I went the opposite direction! But here is my first take!) 

I read that the prickly pear variety of cactus are quite delicious. A legend of herbal folklore the prickly pear gained accolades for a number of medicinal applications including treatment for burns, indigestion, diarrhea, inflammation and ulcers, as well as new studies exploring their use in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar. I have never tasted this delicacy, but I’m tempted to add it to my to-do list, noting one must be wary of its sharp spines in the harvesting! 


Surly succulents,
Prickly pears cure many ills
when ripe for pricking!

kat ~ 

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Haiku, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings

June 21, 2016

Corporate Collateral

By Kat Myrman

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From PublicDomainPictures.net


It’s like loosing one’s
footing, free
falling, breaching
the skin of a bottomless
abyss, plunging into
frigid nothingness, recoiling
against the smacking,
sting, limbs flailing, eyes
clenched shut, lungs
bursting, spinning, spiraling,
suspended in forced
surrender…

there will most certainly be
casualties, necessary
collateral, reduced
redundancy, realigned
priorities, rendering of
irrelevant complexity
to satisfy some ravenous
bottom line, winners taking
all, where loyalty is
expected until
it’s not…

Some will surface quite unscathed
in safety nets of severance pay
some in self-survival mode
will find a way to stay afloat…
the rest will simply fade away
caught up in the undertow.

kat ~ 21 June 2016
(looks like it’s going to be another one of THOSE weeks…:/)

12 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Life Lessons, Poetry

June 19, 2016

Shrimp with Asparagus and Peppers on Rice

By Kat Myrman

So, first off I need to give a big shout out to my blog buddy Kathryn, at anotherfoodieblogger. Her Drunken Shrimp with Spaghetti and Peppers inspired my latest kitchen experiment. Be sure to check her recipe out too! 

I didn’t have all of the lovely ingredients for her dish, but I did have a bag of pre-cooked Shrimp, sweet peppers, spring onion, Roma tomatoes and asparagus on hand. And I wanted something shrimp so I gave it a go.

Here’s what I did manage to scrounge up in my kitchen…

Ingredients 

Olive Oil

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

1lb fresh asparagus, sliced

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup sliced sweet peppers

2 TBS fresh pressed garlic

1 tsp Sea salt

1 tsp fresh milled pepper blend

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

A few drops of concentrated lemon juice

1 TBS Sriracha sauce

1 TBS Butter 

And a batch of cooked rice for later

Start off with all the veggies. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan, add the veggies, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and toss on medium heat until the tomatoes are cooked down and the asparagus is tender. 

Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the rice) and cover, simmering until the shrimp is defrosted and hot. Serve on a bed of rice. 

Easy peasy, spicy and delish. Next time you are standing in front of the frig wondering what’s for dinner, take a walk on the wild side, toss a few of your favorites into a pot and voilà! You too can be a kitchen pantry gourmet! 

Happy cooking!

13 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Stone Soup and Other Delicacies