Its New Years Eve,
December 31st 2020
These are the kind of words where this all begins. My father is shucking oysters, we’re having Proseco to celebrate the coming of the new year. 2021.. with a new president. His image is more, well way more liberal, considerate and comforting. The corona-virus is booming here in America. These are trying times. But tonight is for celebration and cheer with my family. If the mandates weren't in place I would be venturing out, going stag, onto the town to party at the bars. But that’s not gonna happen. With the parents I have I certainly do not fall short cheer, good food, and family time.
I say what I do because regardless of the current, stress, conditions of all the hypocrisy and politics of these difficult times… I never let these kind of things get in the way of my celebrating life. I know its the Holidays, and most of us from differing walks of life are celebrating in our own ways.
As the wood stove grunts and growls, my dragon heart roars. Even in these moments of internal silence I roar all the quietly. If it weren't for Tai-chi and Chi-kung my life, my body would be a sight for sore eyes. My heart would be sore, and mind worn from the troubles of life.
This contemplative moment when I remember all my friends and family that I haven’t been able to maintain an in person contact with, exceptions of glimpses into their lives at the Coop food store, I dare not let the despair of these international crisis afflict my love for life. So party on now Dunc. Even if its at home dancing alone in the shadows of my apartment.
Honoring my style of Kung-fu…
The Gory Daze Halloween Parade
I have ventured out onto the town of White River Junction VT. For the Gory Daze Halloween parade. A very good friend decided on the last minute to join me walking the Halloween Parade.
While sitting here writing this blog and reflecting on the parade some super funny… happy … cute chick pranced up to me. And asked me to join her at the local bar. I told her “I’m kinda having a moment”. So she stated “I’ll cheer you up”… and started dancing for me here on the side of the street. Speechless, “‘I told her if she wanted to talk that she should sit down on the bench with me”. She tried to persuade me to go into the bar… so I showed her my Venetian mask and she started dancing some more.
Stunned… wow this kinda thing doesn’t normally happen.
Happy as can be she skipped across the street to the bar… hehehe this was hysterical.
Priceless!! Terribly distracted…
Back to the parade:
Thousands of people dressed in so many differing costumes, colors and styles. Flashing lights to a walking band. Cop blue lights to butterflies in the sky.. not just butterflies but they were glowing amongst the nights darkness. The band was mostly horns, maybe a drum, and some symbols.
Oh but let’s not forget the spooky sounds of a fire organ on wheels. I’ve always wanted to see a fire organ.. they kinda wail, and cry a little.
And then I got the grace of a moment to meet some one who looked like Frita Caulo.
But the funniest of costumes of the night was surely some one dressed as a mushroom hat and flowered skirt.
What an adventure.. hysterically funny.
I later learned that the butterflies where actually marionettes. And remembered the man who made and was carrying the flying butterflies was friends with the man who made my Venetian mask. So I introduced myself to say hello and thank him for the mask.
Later down the road, I had to break out my dance moves. What I call this series of movements is, skipping. Light on my feet just as it feels like floating with each step. Joyous to the mind this skipping is. And all the world washes away, every thing a blur but each step another step, and another for the sake and sensations of what feels like flight.
Lost in the throng and sensations of colors, chatter, lights in the dark, music and laughter
My very good friend meandered through the crowd, and quickly found her again.
All the nights features blended together.. a whole bunch of crazy moments creating one really big, fun extravaganza.
I walked my friend to her car.. which lead me to this bench.. and remembered that flirtatious moment, the cute girl that I met at the moment when I started to write this blog.
What night
Walk in the Woods
I decided to go for a tai chi walk over at Pine Park, Hanover. What I mean by tai chi is kinda like dancing to the silence of nature while on a walk. Creating patterns with my hands. Alone-some. And my imagination like the vast clouds up high.
The sky is some what blue. And a good overcast. These days with the pandemic, being in the woods certainly helps to sooth the loneliness and the deep blue moods.
The leaves are falling… and peak foliage is right around the corner. Being October 22nd, the weather is certainly cooling down. There’s a slight mist in the ravine, where the song birds are still singing.
As I entered the ravine i shifted my vision to seeing a field of green and yellow leaves; and orange and brown forest floors. Here I intentionally shifted my vision to witness all the colors seeming to blend together. Kind of like a pastel painting. The green and yellow leaves on the forest floor, glowed like the embers of a coal based fire. And then the foliage really becomes alive with vibrancy like the eye of a candle.
And yes I was fortunate enough to cross my flying thoughts with a barred owl. We both had a moment of eye gazing. It’s feathers a varying shade of speckled grey. I stood there, watching the bird twist it’s neck, yet had to move on my walk. I certainly recognized that the owl has more patience than i do.
Back to walking through the bending ravine, I noticed a couple wood peckers. I tried to distinguish their feather patterns but as the sunshine was behind them, all I saw was a crested head and silhouette.
They didn’t make too much noise.
On my way back, i crossed paths with the same owl… who definitely has more patience than I, perched so still and all I wanted to do was sit in quiet and in an attempt to match the graceful poise of this owl.
So here in the woods I sat in zen…