Today's Menu (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, published (also finalist in contest) in My Sanskriti in Teal, edited by Ruchi Acharya, Wingless Dreamer Publisher, 2023. From May 14, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Bavaria, the Unexpected Joy Icon of the Mother of God, the Sweet-Kissing Icon of the Mother of God, the Yaroslavl-Caves Icon of the Mother of God, and feast day of Saint Matthias the Apostle, Saint Corona the Martyr, and Saint Maria Mazzerello. Image from our family photo album (previous image was from here, tree shrine to Our Lady of Bavaria.)

Today’s Menu

World economy hires her waitress, ignores my order,

brings what pleases. No wonder this restaurant’s avoided.

Turn to Great Grandma Otten’s instead, opened in the Roaring 

Twenties. Lost in the Great Depression. Though she kept the Rosary,

safe in her apron pocket, passed it on. This economy of time

paced smooth, circles round. Skirts the sound of crash 

or rise, holds my hand. Each visit a surprise. 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Moinica de la Torre’s “$6.82”; from Lisa Freedman’s Imagination and Justice BreatheReadWrite (IWWG International Women’s Writing Guild), May 14, 2022. 

Valley View (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, May 8, 2022, Mother's Day, feast day of Our Lady of Pompeii, Our Lady of Grace, Our Lady of Spoleto, Apparition of Saint Micheal the Archangel, Eastern Orthodox Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women and the Noble Joseph, Catholic Sunday of the Good Shepard. Feast day of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian, Blessed Teresa Demjanovitch, Saint Ida of Nivelles, Blessed Marie-Catherine de Saint Augustin, and Blessed Ulrika Fransiska Nisch.  Jewish calendar today commemorates Jerusalem Walls Dedicated (at rebuilding, 335 BC). Image from here.)

Valley View

(for Mother’s Day, 2022)

Memories of a seventies kid, 

San Fernando Valley, California–-fairies, 

gnomes, Holly Hobbie. Mattel dolls. Latter’s

hybrid of charm and anatomy. Growing Up 

Skipper endows with simple twist, Bless 

You Baby Tender Love sneezes (no mist),

while Baby Brother Tender Love leaves no 

doubt he’s what he says. And Mom, not one to 

miss a teaching opp, grabs diaper, catches my 

eye. “Now when changing your real little brother, 

cover his winkie first, like this. Unless you want  

showers in the forecast. Trust me on this one.”  

While Baby Snow White fires her questions 

with pull of string, 

”Do you live in an enchanted forest too?”

Umm...no, Snow, I’m a valley girl, remember? 

and nostalgia’s for before one’s time, used to think. Now 

sideglance at lifeline turns pink. So Snow, another pull

at that string? Yes, I live in an enchanted forest, funny thing–-

growing up in the seventies (thanks Mom)

its opening.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by etymology of diaper; from Lisa Freedman’s BreathReadWrite, May 8, 2022.

In Wake (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, May 5, 2022, feast day of the  Inexhaustible Chalice Icon of the Mother of God, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Europe (Gibraltar), Our Lady Queen of the Apostles, Saint Great Martyr Irene, Conversion of Saint Augustine, Saint Touteria of Verona, Saint Tosca of Verona, Blessed Judith Prussi (above), and Blessed Caterina Cittadini. Image from here.)

In Wake

(from the journal, May 5, 2022, Oregon)

Mind migrates of late, to my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Otten. How she moved from her native Germany to the US in 1920's, opening her own restaurant. How she lost it in the Great Depression and became manager instead. Throughout it all, a Rosary nestled in her apron pocket. Even during her busy workday, she'd stop right where she was and pray its beads whenever a brief moment allowed. Our family still has one of the little creme pitchers that graced the tables in Grandma Otten's restaurant. But the real heirloom has been a continued family devotion to the Rosary. 

This September will be the first anniversary of her son’s, my great-uncle Art’s, passing. This May begs an early glance, amidst its dew and bloom–-Mary’s own month. Uncle Art’s passing was so simple, so peaceful, while praying the Rosary with his children. His funeral left strange hope where grief should have dwelt. I carry it still.

Mother, full of grace

beads of thanksgiving tend pace–

morn and evenin round

*From prompt: As Spring continues its lean towards Summer, and considering the power of longing, craft haiku (here playing with haibun) about the “song” that carries you through your life/work; from Gerry Grubbs’ Writing From Where You Are (The Hive, Cincinnati), May 2, 2022.

Toddler's Wand (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, May 4, 2022, feast day of Our Lady the Helper (Normandy), Our Lady of Gray (France), the Staro Rus Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God, and Saint Monica, Saint Pelagia of Tarsus, Blessed Margareta Kratz, Blessed Jean-Martin Moye, Martyrs of England etc, and the Shroud of Turin. Image from here.)

Toddler’s Wand

“Do it again!”,

sky blue-yellow-red—

recreation, inebriation, 

celebration of all that’s not 

quite yet. 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by three colors of choice; from Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, May 4, 2022. 

Mindfulness a la Mary (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Lady Day/May Day-Beltaine, 2022,  Saint Thomas Sunday, feast day of )above) Our Lady Tabernacle of the Most High (South Africa), Our Lady of Puy of Estella (also May 25), Santa Maria la Real Roncesvalles (Navarre, Spain), Our Lady of Giubino, Our Lady of Lebanon (interfaith) and many others, the Unexpected Joy, Myrrh-Bearing, and Andronicus Icons of the Mother of God, and Rosh Chodesh Iyar. Feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker, Prophet Jeremiah, Saint Tamara Queen of Georgia, Saint Thorette, Saint Bertha of Avenay, Saint Bertha of Kent, Saint Mafalda of Portugal, Saint Peregrine, Saint Sigismund of Burgandy. Image of Our Lady Tabernacle of the Most High is from here; see similar images of Our Lady of Puy of France, eg this image.)

Mindfulness a la Mary

(for Lady Day, 2022)

You too are such a Tabernacle; believe it.

--Our Lady, to Sister Reinolde May 

it’s here this morning,

fire at sea, loaves and fishes, water to wine–-

new agenda: whatever He tells you