My daughter Katie invited me to visit Boyce Thompson Arboretum with her today. It was my first time, and I will be happy to return. The Arboretum in Superior, Arizona, is full of lush plants that thrive in the desert. I will be posting a photo essay soon, but for now, here is a footbridge for Nancy Merrill’s challenge:
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt.
Litany of Diseases
(and some things that are not)
by ARHuelsenbeck
Streptococcus
Staphylococcus
Measles
Meningitis
Roseola
Salmonella
Gastroenteritis
Scarlet fever
Yellow fever
Mononucleosis
Chicken pox
Tuberculosis
E. coli and
Halitosis
Bird flu
Swine flu
Cystitis
Influenza
UTI
HIV
Your grandma’s old credenza
Common cold
Mad cow disease
Ebola and
Pneumonia
West Nile virus
Lyme disease
Addictive cellophonia
Cholera, mumps
Anthrax
Malaria and
Rabies
Hepatitis
Botulism
Tetanus and
Babies
When I saw Nancy Merill’s prompt for her photo challenge this week, I knew I had just the right shot:
Instead of using the NaPoWriMo prompt, I went with The Daily Post one.
Inchoate
By ARHuelsenbeck
Visible from the highway
The network of steel girders
Held the promise of
Industrious accountants and
Insurance salesmen
Gainfully employed
But the deal fell through
Beams red with rust
Never roofed, never sided
Promise unfulfilled
I’m utilizing The Daily Post prompt today for my poem.
Radiant
by ARHuelsenbeck
“Crunchy won’t do—
It makes Wilbur sound good to eat.
You’ve got to find me something else.”
The rat sniffed
And took off in a tiff
To search for another word that would satisfy the spider.
He brought her back a label.
“Preshrunk?
I don’t know how that applies to a pig,
Or how being preshrunk would save him from slaughter.
Find me something better.”
Templeton grumbled but reluctantly skulked away.
Soon he returned with a final offering
torn from a box of laundry detergent.
“With New Radiant Action.
Wilbur, are you radiant?” Charlotte asked.
The pig danced about,
flashing his dazzling smile and batting his sparkling eyes.
“It’ll have to do,” the weary spider conceded
And set about altering her web design.
Who are these friendly people extending their hands toward one another? See their smiles?
The arthritis in my left hip has reached critical mass, and until well after my hip replacement surgery in July, there are certain things I can’t do.
When I saw The Daily Post’s photo challenge this past week, I knew exactly how I would finish this sentence. You see, yesterday was the 31st Phoenix International Folk Dance Festival. I brought my camera and took lots of pictures, but I’d rather be…dancing.
Those lovely people above who look so happy are dancing to an American folk tune called Paul Jones and executing a square dance figure known as a grand right and left. If you scroll through the photos at just the right speed, you’ll get a feel for the sequence.
Or you could watch the short video below.
The festival was delightful, but I missed out on the best fun, the dancing. I have lots more pictures, so I’ll post a whole photo essay on the festival soon.
