ANTICIPATION

A series of essays....

ANTICIPATING WHAT AWAITS US AROUND THE CORNER

....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Anticipation is the hope that spreads throughout the body and sends silent tremors from the brain down the arms and legs to the fingertips and lowly toes until the power that surges through us reaches its pinnacle and climaxes into a brilliant crescendo of sound, colors, and textures. Like a frosty morning waiting for the warmth of sunrise, we humans shiver in dawn's chilling embrace while crouching in a fetal position, naked to the world and exposed to the elements. We are left completely vulnerable, unprotected, and waiting...waiting for the morning sun to penetrate our mortal souls. With the light, our hope becomes real. With the bird's song, our heart sings. With the morning breeze kissing our lips, we clothe our nakedness in expectations, great and ordinary, looking forward to what this bright, new day has to offer.

Being human, we can take another path and make our way through the discordant notes of imagined or real foreboding, presentment, until the feeling of discontent looms above our heads like a menacing, black, cartoon cloud capable of precluding brighter prospects. Some days are better than others. Other days, we are confronted by certain scenarios that might be so negatively charged they allow our inner demons to take control of our mental functionality until we no longer have a voice and our options have diminished. Despondency. The dull ache that rips open the soul but is fully anticipated without the least comprehension of reason or purpose. Can the prospect of personal dysfunction lull the mind into a state of adverse comfort with its cold, inimical voice singing acidic words deep within melodies composed of beating drums leading funeral marches to the gravesite? Some of us sit by on the sidelines oblivious to their pain and suffering, lacking the knowledge or reasoning behind such personal conflict and fail to assist or understand them. In hindsight, we will chalk it up to our own shame, denial, stupidity.....!

Remember the written words of Mr. Alexander Pope in his Essay on Man, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast," and extract from these words what you will, what brings for you "the soul's calm sunshine" and the idea that each one of us can achieve true  happiness while on this earth. Oh, to remain open-minded and receptive of this concept every day of our lives would truly be a goal worth reaching and as priceless as the newborn infant entering naked into a world filled with unknowns, but with a clean palette of hope and possibilities! May this child grow strong and healthy, hear and feel the gut-wrenching 'Boom' of each exploding firework while witnessing the majestic spray of glittering and colorful glory high above as new ideas sparkle and swirl gently down around her. Humans are adaptable. The blinding rain that covers us in fear and self-doubt one day, will turn into rays of sunshine tomorrow.

Carly Simon's second album entitled, Anticipation, and released in November of 1971, is an explosive reminder that innocence of mind, purity of heart, and the promise of new love can become a 'tour de force,' a breath of fresh air to those who might have forgotten that passion and love are the true overlords of mankind, not necessarily reason or logic.



Note: This essay was originally published in August of 2014.


Copyright   2019 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved 

THE DYNAMIC REDBUD TREE

A series of essays and poems....

ONE OF OUR WILD REDBUD TREES THAT
LIVES ON THE HILL

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Oh, it’s so good to have so many sweet, talented friends here in Kalamazoo!

I am exceedingly fortunate to be surrounded by people who understand and appreciate the quirkiness of being an artist, whether he or she be a painter, writer, woodworker, poet, book lover or so many other examples I apologize for not naming here. Simply stated, they are the meat of the story, the ‘real deal,’ and the spirited souls who truly understand how to express their inner thoughts. They make my heart sing with pure joy! 

If you ever happen to hear me criticize the weather patterns here in Michigan, I do apologize, once again. I have been pampered living in Orlando, Florida, for so many sunny years and miss that brilliant yellow orb showing its lovely face up in the sky almost every day, spreading its warmth while providing us with much needed Vitamin D.

I do confess that when the sun fails me here in Michigan, I have my friends to supply sunshine by offering me their genuine smiles and gracious companionship. You see, I am learning. It is important to be able to compromise and find comfort in the many friends who bolster your self confidence and support you along your own life’s journey, wherever this journey might be taking you.

A new friend of mine, Marijo, whom I met through our mutual Book Club, is a multifaceted artist. She inspires others with her handmade paper making and is one of the most talented calligraphers I know. She and her fellow calligraphers belong to the Kalamazoo Pen Dragons Calligraphy Guild and sponsor various exhibitions throughout the year. 

When Marijo explained to us about the Treewhispers Exhibit the Guild was sponsoring at the Kalamazoo Nature Center from June 2 through July 31 this year, she asked the Book Club members if they’d like to participate. It was a simple ‘yes’ on my part as she explained that the Exhibition is all about 'Awakening The Stories Within Us.' And, you know that I always seem to have a few of those lying around!

MY CONTRIBUTION DESIGNED ON ONE OF
MARIJO'S HANDMADE PAPER ROUNDS

Providing us with a handmade paper round, we were invited to tell our own “tree story” on it. “Just as the rings of a tree embody the stories of the tree, so too do we carry the stories of trees. These stories inspire us to renew our sense of wonder. They connect us with one another through shared experiences as they deepen our understanding of our connection with nature.” —Treewhispers

Have you ever built a treehouse with your Dad? Perhaps you’ve planted a tree with your child and together watched it grow from year to year. Maybe you’ve fallen in love with a particular tree and found solace in climbing it as high as you could until you discovered the spirit of the tree itself.

Perhaps the shape of a tree, the color of its bark or spring blossoms, its heart-shaped leaves in summertime, caught your attention. That’s exactly what happened to me when I realized, having lived here in Kalamazoo for the first, full Spring this year, that the beautiful Redbud Tree grows everywhere and gracefully marks the arrival of warmer weather with her display of full-blown color. 

Learning more and more about the Redbud Tree, I decided to draw the delicate (and edible) flowers that cluster along its branches in early Spring and softly wrap them in spectacular shades of red and pink. The wild Redbud Trees have taken over our eastern side yard and the profusion of color marching down the slope is pure joy in tree form. 

Then I decided to fit a poem I’d written about this dynamic tree within a drawing of its heart-shaped leaf and explain how this tree’s beauty extends to all four seasons in its own, breathtaking way. 

Thank you, Marijo, for giving me yet another means of expressing my inner thoughts while, hopefully, creating something beautiful to be shared and added to by many others. Also, my genuine appreciation to Treewhispers for their collaboration with handmade paper, art, and personal stories relating to our love of trees.

THE DYNAMIC REDBUD TREE

Amidst the starkness of Winter’s chill 

Stands the barren Redbud Tree;

An impressive sculpture of elongated limbs, 

Ballerina curved, decisively delicate.

Warmth and showers are Springtime hugs 

That awaken the slumbering Redbud Tree,

Wrapping her graceful branches in clusters of tiny red buds, 

Exquisite bangles worthy of royalty.

Edible Summer pea pods dangle like exotic fruit 

From the elegant Redbud Tree.

Delicate flowers are exchanged for universal symbols of 

Joy, Happiness and Love.

How can you not love a tree with heart-shaped leaves?

Green hearts change to crimson and gold 

As Autumn conspires with Winter’s desires....

What story is Redbud telling me now?

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

AN OLD FASHIONED SUNDAY DRIVE

A series of essays....

SILVER BEACH CAROUSEL IN ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN

  Photo Courtesy of www.silverbeachcarousel.com



....as seen through my eyes!

My story is lovingly dedicated to fond family memories, traveling the backroads before highways and freeways, and to my parents, Olga and Jack.

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Today is ideal for an old fashioned Sunday drive with the family all together, my Dad at the wheel, and believing life is good; life is filled with hope!

The warm, sunny day holds the promise of excitement and laughter. Mom slides into the passenger seat and picks a bit of lint off of her coral clam-diggers and adjusts the collar of her crisp white, sleeveless blouse. A smile spreads across her freckled face as a wisp of red hair sneaks out from the crisscrossed bobby-pins at her temple. Dad smiles back at her, bronze elbow already extended out of his open window, anxious to get on the road to....anywhere. Destinations are far less important for him than the drive to get there. He loves his cars and pampers them often, inside and out. My Dad makes classics out of every car he owns. My brother and I are seated in the ‘pre-buckle period’ back seat with ants in our pants (cotton shorts), anxious to feel the wind blow directly in our faces from the opened windows once we get on the two-lane backroads of Indiana and Michigan. 

Seated directly behind a parent, my brother and I dream of sugary confections much like on Christmas Eve as we’re tucked in our beds, having visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. In this case, the warm, sunny day conjures images of snow cones, the shaved ice doused in neon colored syrup, pink and blue swirls of cotton candy adhered to a white paper cone, blowing in a Lake Michigan breeze, or waiting in line at the Bonnie Doon Drive-In for the promised strawberry milk shake. No food is to be consumed within the confines of this sleek automobile today. Dad has his own set of rules when it comes to the possibility of spilling a frosty (sticky sweet) bottle of Coca-Cola anywhere near the cloth sections of his color-coordinated vinyl/cloth seats. My brother ruined that luxury for us the day yellow mustard squirted out from his McDonald’s hamburger and landed on the powder blue cloth between his legs. Rules are rules and we adjusted quickly. Besides, riding in that backseat on any given day is a privilege we never wish to forfeit for any reason.

Pulling out of our driveway on Milburn Boulevard in Mishawaka, Dad proceeds north on Ironwoood Drive, straddling the Mishawaka, South Bend line and brushing past my favorite place, Potawatomi Park and Zoo, where we enjoy watching the Fourth of July firework display each summer. No time to stop there now. We’re heading out of the city proper and up into Michigan on small roads lined by tall trees endowed with shiny, mature leaves. Placing my head as far back as possible, neck resting on the top of the seat, I stare up and out of the rear window. I can see the sun filtering through the leaves as it forces my eyes to focus on the in and out, drifting, and hypnotically charged dance high above us. I feel so calm and happy playing this game until my brother asks if I want to play the alphabet game where we follow through the letters while spotting words along the roadside that begin with A, B, C, and so on. Mom asks to join in. Happily, we say yes. Apple Orchard. Berrien Springs. Camping Sites....! Dad strums the fingertips of his left hand along the outside of his door and expertly holds the steering wheel with his right hand. We keep rhythm to his strumming as the Chevy glides smoothly along the country road.

At this point, my brother and I don’t even care what our ultimate destination is. About the only thing that might make us think about stopping the pleasant rhythm of this family excursion would be hunger itself. No, starvation to be more precise. Maybe we can stop at McDonald’s for a burger and fries? Mom tells us that all kids seem to be starving even though they’re not. You both had a hearty breakfast not long ago. You’ll just have to wait a little while longer...that’s all. My impatient brother begins to tease me, out of his own frustration, I suppose. But, when I begin to retaliate, Mom simply turns around and gives both of us her best ‘steely-eyed’ Mom look. Not long afterwards, Dad pulls into an area we’re happily familiar with and, with his chin held high, begins to scour the parking lot for a special place to park his car with an emphasis on staying as far away from other cars as possible. At this point, my brother and I are bouncing like baby kangaroos in the back because we realize that Dad is parking at Silver Beach Amusement Park along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan and the fun is about to begin. Suddenly, all of the cotton candy, salt water taffy, hot dogs, popcorn, and stomach churning rides were practically ours for the taking! 

The sun-dappled, lazy backroads paved the way to St. Joseph, Michigan. Dad’s powder blue and white Chevrolet Bel-Air certainly got us there in style. Mom gave us yet another lesson in patience and humility. This Sunday afternoon is guaranteed to be a huge success as Mom and Dad hold hands and my brother and I walk/run towards the colorful carousel and all the excitement a kid can imagine.

Later that evening, around the time the sun seemingly melts into the deepest realms of my beloved Lake Michigan and my parents have saved us from an almost certain sugar catastrophe, I find comfort from the one person least likely to give it. Resting my weary head on my brother’s lap to nap as we backtrack down the same roads now enveloped within evening shadows, my heart sings. I close my weary eyes and know that family keeps me safe and sound. 

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

 

THE ART OF SELLING YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL

 

A series of essays....

"IF YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR SOUL,
THE FIRST THING YOU MUST DO IS FIND THE DEVIL!"

Photo: K. Gordon Murray Productions

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Crossing the proverbial line happened long before this unhinged ‘Individual 1’ ever spent his first night walking the hallowed halls of the White House in Washington D.C. How neatly he must have tucked his ‘puppet strings’ away in the secret little pockets of his clothing so that many of us could not see them back then. Now...the strings have been fully exposed and unabashedly displayed with pride for all to see, no excuses made.

Little did we know that most of the Republican representatives in Washington were being held hostage by their own greed and Mother Russia even before we had become knowledgeable about the possibility of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election.

This brings me to the question of what makes a person’s feelings and moral nature so distinct from their other faculties? Our soul, our individual spirit, separates us from others and helps mold our mortal lives into how we are perceived by others.

In defining our soul, we must believe that we possess one in the first place. 

I have written often about our souls and how they are the spiritual part of a person, capable of redemption from the power of sin and the essential part, or fundamental nature, of anything. Our soul is the seat of our innermost emotions and feelings and a part of each human, regarded as immortal, separable from the body at death, and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state. Our soul is regarded as an entity that survives the body after death.

Having been baptized within the teachings of the Catholic Church, the priests and sisters made it a point to educate us about the important role our souls play in withstanding the negative influences of the ‘darkness’ or disbelievers who had relinquished their souls for selfish reasons. They taught us that the spirit, or immaterial part of man, was the seat of human personality, intellect, free will, and emotions and that our soul was an entity that survives the demise of the body.

Let’s say that you do believe you have a soul. In that case, it is yours to do with as you wish. 

Could such things really happen outside of horror films? Could people really sell their immortal souls? Can your soul be used as a bargaining chip to obtain the material wishes you feel you must have in order to experience worldly gain? If so, what would you sell your soul for: Power, money, love, or revenge?

I am reminded of a carnival barker who positions himself on a soapbox above the crowd in order to draw the vulnerable merrymakers into his tent to see the show: “Step right up. Have I got a deal for you! Come one, come all! You can have power, wealth, an attractive mate, and anything else you have ever dreamt about just by selling your soul to Satan! But how, you might ask. Step inside and you will see.”

Suddenly the barker takes on his major roll as ringmaster, bullwhip in hand, and leads the crowd into a frenzy displaying the delights and wonders of a perfect life of unimaginable power and pleasure....all for the unbelievably low price of your immortal soul. Short of all participants donning red hats, this scene may look quite familiar to you.

If you want to sell your soul, the first thing you must do is find the devil.

The man in the White House today found his Satan or, at least, the lifestyle and power he has desired for most of his life, in several dictators, tyrants, and absolute rulers who are not effectively restricted by a constitution, laws, or recognized opposition. Affix Vladimir Putin’s face onto the ringmaster who has been snapping the current leadership of our nation with his powerful bullwhip. As he gladly acknowledges Trump’s signature signed in blood at the bottom of his bill of sale, contract, he joyously transfers the ownership of Trump’s soul and comfortably drops the deed into his personal coffer.

Like a vampire sucking the precious blood from his victims, those who will become future vampires, Putin’s legacy includes the creation of a dictatorship here in the United States via his personal puppet, Donald Trump, along with the many others who have valued financial inveiglement for many campaigns throughout the years. In other words, to reap the rewards arbitrated in your contract with Satan, you must promise to carry out his will.

If you’ve already sold your soul to the Devil, you have nothing more to win, gain, or lose. The contract has been signed and the time for deciding whether or not it was a good deal has long since passed. I hope you took the time to take stock of who you are and really think about how much your particular soul is worth while remembering that your moral nature is as distinct and unique from all other faculties making its worth undeniable. 

Never underestimate how much Satan wants to have your soul for eternity. He will pay whatever he has to. He will never discriminate between a housewife in Kokomo, Indiana, an American politician serving as Kentucky’s senior United States Senator and Senate Majority Leader, or the current President of the United States. In my estimation, our Republic, our Democracy, and the act of upholding the ideals of our Constitution are worth so much more than several earthly years of personal satisfaction.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

CUTE BEE BUTTS AND OTHER GARDEN DELIGHTS

A series of essays....

THE ORANGERIE  AND THE PIECE D'EAU DES SUISSES
(FRENCH FORMAL GARDEN) IN THE
GARDENS OF VERSAILLES, FRANCE

       Courtesy of Wikipedia

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

French Garden, English Garden, Victory Garden, Container Garden, Raised-bed Garden, Herb Garden, Butterfly Gardening.....and so on and so forth. The list goes on and on because people around the world are discovering the benefits of planting their own garden, whether it be Romantic or highly functional as a main food source. 

Our spirits are uplifted by the brilliant colors and sweet aromas wafting from a flower garden and the cost of this therapy can be much less than taking drugs or visiting a counselor once a week. Growing pesticide free, organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs gives us peace of mind and the possibility of sharing our bounty with neighbors and friends. Just like the Victory Gardens introduced during wartime and planted at private residences and public parks in order to reduce the pressure on the public food supply, many front yard gardens today can supply entire neighborhoods with food for their tables!

CUTE...

                                                Courtesy Daily LOL Picks

BEE-BUTTS!

  

                                           Courtesy eBaum's World

And, I’d almost bet that if we are conscientious about feeding ourselves organically, we are concerned about the ecosystem and the value of butterflies, moths, and the humble bee. Areas rich in butterflies and moths embody a wide range of environmental benefits, including pollination and natural pest control. Having bees buzzing around makes a garden lively and brings life to the yard, literally, because they are our natural pollinators and we wait each spring to witness the cute bee-butts sticking out from our flowers and  fruit trees blossoms.

BUTTERFLY POLLINATION

                                                
                                                     Coutesy mighiganbutterfly.org

BEE (BUG) HOTEL

                                                                      Courtesy greenlifegardens.com

If tiny houses are your thing.....what better way to develop your garden area than by implementing a tiny subdivision of bee and insect homes within it! They promise you little to no maintenance, absolutely no HOA (Home Owner Association) fees, and you never have to apply for permission to repaint it, add a tiny pool, or experience the pleasure of being told to power wash the driveway so that resale value is maintained or you'll be fined. Oh, you lucky, lucky bees!

I sit here in my new/older home in Michigan awaiting the opportunity to place my meager plantings into the ground and reap the benefits (eventually) of having these small, green sprouts fill my yard and deck with tiny shoots of new life, nourishment, and profound beauty! However, events of the last few days have clouded my good intentions, awakened new concerns, and prompted new research into the variety of and timing for planting each one in our yard.

My fears haunt me and with each passing day a new one creeps into my head, as well as my newly cultivated beds and existing plantings. 

THEY LOOK AT ME AS IF I WERE INTRUDING!

Waking up this morning and slinking into the kitchen to make coffee, I observed four deer munching their early morning salad of small, green leaves from our backyard shrubs as if they had their own buffet grandly set out before them. And, quite frankly....they did! Not being totally satisfied with our greens and, obviously, requiring mixed colors of vegetation in their diet, they collectively meandered across the road to our neighbor’s yard to feast on young, fresh purple leaves from a small bush living in Bob’s front yard. 

I must say that it has amazed me for several years now just how prolific the deer population in Kalamazoo is and how innocently and casually they roam from one neighborhood to another in search of shelter and nourishment all year long. Their lack of fear includes human activity, vehicles and streets, and pets. They gently travel from one spot to another seemingly lacking any threat of danger at all. This is precisely why I am so concerned for them.

Then, several days ago our newly cultivated flower beds and existing plantings were blanketed in snow from an unseasonable (so they say) storm in late April. Suddenly, it was like the Christmas morning we dream about; a winter’s wonderland lost between the colorful pages of a child’s book of fairy tales.

LATE APRIL SNOW SHOWER

SUCH BEAUTY IN NATURE!

There they were, snow-covered wooden-handled gardening tools allocated to the back deck a day earlier and sticking out of white/terracotta pots looking like frozen characters in a Federico Fellini movie, noting his distinct style of blending fantasy and baroque images with earthy displays made up of everyday objects. Cobalt blue pottery, normally baking in the Floridian sunshine, was now being magically coated in a myriad of frozen, white crystals.

I sit here on Google researching the eating habits of wild turkeys, fox, rabbits, coyote and several other species of God’s creatures thriving in the backyard and duly noted first-hand since moving here late last August. According to the ADW (Animal Diversity Web), the favorite munchies of my backyard friends include:

Wild Turkey....Fresh buds and grasses in the Spring.

Fox.................Fruit, berries, and nuts in the Spring.

Rabbits..........Herbivores. Having a plant-based diet which 

includes grasses, clover, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. They also eat fruits, seeds, roots, and buds. Lovely!

Coyotes........Carnivores but will eat insects, fruits and berries, deer, rabbits, and mice.

And, from what I’ve been reading, unless I’d like to introduce a new dimension into this flavorful ecological soup, it would take a bear, a cougar, a wolf, or a mountain lion to defeat the wily coyote. Hopefully, that’s not going to happen!

Given the fact that a wide range of garden types exist, I’ve been honing my planting skills in order to create a space that is not only pleasing to look at, easily maintained, but socially acceptable to all of the creatures who happen to inhabit our yard all year long. 

We should never mess with nature. Rather, we should enhance its natural order and be well aware of what keeps our world safe, happy, and healthy for all of God’s creatures to enjoy....including mankind!

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved