dress a monday in february

many dresses in february

i had a little tea party today with some lovely friends.  here are a couple of pictures of us in all our dresses.  we drank tea, ate sweet treats, and played games.  harry potter clue wasn't as rousing as hoped.  curses ended in many laughs as usual (and i won, ha!).  but the poetry below the pictures is the result of our several hour long apples-to-apples.

(this one is a little dark, but i'm putting it up because jack is kissing Adelaide!)

Katy
we are slightly misunderstood
those in porcelain cups

appetizing each other's egos
with sweet compliments

coy with white smiles
tricking onlookers with snappy retorts


Adelaide
the radiant crossing of bridges
on white horses

splashing across great widths
of juicy tropical landscapes

halted by the cravings
of steeds for chewy snacks

amongst the shade of palms
and packs of cuddly critters

seen only in a dream
in the mind of George Washington


Liz
the sound of something like
"uSuperufluousu" slipped

through the keyhole of an old door
in an almost nasty tone

as if it were something
other than normal being said

behind scenic wooden doors
of an old castle in the hills

stuffy with stone and cement
on every wall

no hint of inspirational design
or luxurious consideration

yet something magical
slips through the door with it

a scary rhythm to the voice
enchanting the listeners

into dysfunctional chaos
dimming and turning

each obtuse stone
turned


Erin
the curious sound
of leaf blowers in winter

mark the desperate type
of homeowner

fuzzy on snow etiquette
and clearing the drive way

trying too hard to look sexy
while shoveling and scraping

thinking unthoughtful thoughts
of legendary historians

with senseless abandon
for reality to the point of absurd

yet exciting transcendence
all the while clearing snow


Danielle
dead leaves fall from hearty trees
with dreamy affectations for the ground

stirring the balance of the ground
furious with pine needles

attended by oddly cute rodents
with puffy tails and cranky dispositions

running from peek hole to peek hole
with a sense of cosmic urgency

confused by the deviation
of regular weather patterns

Cat
risky big business
taking on starlets

with eyes that glow virtuous
against mirror glass

the mold is too twisted
to adjust for profits

no matter how dirty
the bathwater

it's never hot enough
to make right

the sting of a sensual
encounter with lawyers
 

a dress a day in february on saturday with tired girl

a true story

i would like to dedicate this post to my lovely husband who has taken my picture for me the last two nights and who cleaned the living room so beautifully and so thoroughly it deserved to be the backdrop for this picture.

solid colors, squishy body, soggy weather

am feeling rather large this morning.  trying to embrace it with bright, solid colors.  this cardy definitely helps brighten me up in comparison to the weather at the moment, which is tediously wet and grey.

baker in a dress in february

it was one heck of a day.  busy morning, busy work, then highjacked the husband for a walk at the canal while it was still warm out.  evening rolls around and on either side of fixing dinner, I've been baking macarons and panettone for my tea party on sunday.  look though!  i have done all this in a red scarf and red skirt with my favorite sparkly grey/silver cardigan.

huzzah!

p.s. new phone on Monday, expect higher quality picutes!!!!

p.p.s. this is rowdy...

 

 

 he's a genius. 

young

http://heartbeforebody.tumblr.com/post/25598628485

the tour of chaos is balanced
by the beauty in her form

wrapped in layers of soft and sweet
she lashes out, gives verbal queues

and glances sideways at those
who she pretends not to adore

but too much is true of what she says
that others find her poison fatal

dormant

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflyworkshop/

ring the base out to turn
white covering to color

patches in front of local shops
let bulbs bud from dormant

lives hidden under layers
we all emerge pale and cool

tidal



the tide breaks over our backs

washing away languid memories,

wishing away scars of trials

failed, though fought with the valor

deserving in war.

 

 

blue dress in february

someone needs a hair cut...

black dress, gold and pink scarf in february

i didn't feel like going into the basement to use the full length mirror this morning.  and the sun in the bathroom was happy. 
happy Monday. 

"no good deed..."

a dear friend just reassured me that "no good deed goes unpunished".  unfortunately, i have felt this too strongly twice already this year.

twice this year i have gone out of my way to do something good for others, something that didn't wholly benefit me, only to find out that my good intentions led to someone feeling upset by my doing. 

misunderstanding seems to be the biggest culprit in both instances. 

so must i go out of my way to express every action to every person before i do it?  must i chose not to do a good for one out of fear of upsetting another? 

it's hard.  frustrating.  confusing.

snow day dress in february!

repeat dress with different cardy. not very creative today.  but, hey, who else do you know when out shoveling in a dress?  ^_^

not a dress, but still not pants or trousers, and still february

valentine's day dress

i normally take a bunch of bad, blurry pictures before i get one that's alright enough to post... your valentine's day present is...?

 

yup, all of the bad pictures too!  enjoy!

 

chamber bathroom... bathroom chamber? dress a day and all that too.

woke up in a happy mood with jack purring at the foot of the bed.  was slow going, but nothing unusual.  then accidentally burned my mouth with hot tea and immediately dipped my whole robe sleeve in the lasagna pan that had been soaking over night in soapy water (basically, just gross).  

all was well, though.  i read about bitcoin in new scientist magazine and had a shower.  realized getting out of the shower, though, that it was pretty much time i should be heading out the door.  so i rushed around.  

i completely forgot to take my picture.  so i took one of my outfit today in the bathroom mirror here at work.  so silly.  but that's what i get for committing to things.  and being the sort of person who will put in all the effort she can to follow through.  

ruggers dress

and wet hair.
and what you can't see... I am covered shoulder to toe in orange cat hair.  because, you know, cat hair is the number on accessory for a crazy cat lady!

dress a day in february day 11

 

 



matching?  hmmn?  gold jewelry with grey tights and grey cardy, over a blue and red dress... that all... matches.  right?

good.

tea, biscotti, dress, scarf, cardy february

i had a relaxing monday morning.  a few cups of vanilla infused tea and some homemade orange and cranberry biscotti ryan brought home from seeing a now-retired co-worker made for a rather delightful breakfast.  a breakfast which helped me to focus away from the pain in my right pointer finger.  pain caused by Rowdy putting up a fight against taking his medicine.  he's obviously feeling quite a lot better now, after his dental work, and really doesn't want to be hassled by yucky tasting pills.  my hands look like I've run them through a paper shredder.   the attack on my pointer finger is by far the most painful though.  hopefully the pain will reduce and i won't find myself at the doctor's office getting rabbis and tetanus shots.

 

as for dresses, we might begin to see some repeats after this week.  even though I have another 10 or so dresses, they are rather fancy and/or light; therefore, they are not really appropriate or comfortable for day to day work.  there are still more scarves this blog hasn't seen, and the combinations abound.

 



 

 

a sunday in february, a second sunday dress

first post on my brandy new laptop ^_^

 

 

red dress day was a few days ago.  so i'm a little late.  oh well  making up for it with a pink hoodie.

dress from the side in february

I love this cardigan ♥ you can't tell in these pictures, but it's sparkly!

 

dress dress dress dress dress dress

 

picture taking failure this morning.

happy Fuzzy Friday.

quick thoughts on a poem by Stevie Edwards

Beast Chant by Stevie Edwards

 

 

this morning, before any tea, i read the second poem on the page linked above.  i read it twice in a complete loop; not stopping between the last word of the last line and the first word of the first line.

 

i find with most poems, the meaning doesn't sink in for me until I've reached the ending.  i focus so much on the words.  i focus on each individual word, and how it sits with its neighboring words.

 

Stevie has formed a Chant indeed.  it can be repeated in a loop over and over without diminishing in meaning or being confused by the absence of beginning or end.  in part, this is down to his constant, but not abused, alliteration of the "bee" sound.  in another part i credit Stevie with distinct and meaningful repetition.

 

as for the story, the meaning of the piece.  it could be an over reaction to a bumble bee in the room, or a dark ancient rhyme lost from Gilgamesh or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

 

worth a read and reread.

 

a dress/skirt a day in february

pink skirt, pink scarf, purple cardi, happy katy.

played violins

http://marcedith.tumblr.com/post/22843120671/stamp-designed-by-dick-bruna-1969-via

danielle and i played violins
with nick and natalie.

it was a long time ago now.
i fear i have forgotten how to

but i believe, the way we do
have faith in other things,

i believe i will one day
play the violin again

with danielle.

February (sort of) Dress (snow) Day

snow fell down heavy enough last night that i justified calling my own personal snow day.  had ryan gone in to work, i would have too, i suppose.  but because I've been working from home today, it's taken me until 2pm to get properly dressed.

while this outfit violates the no-pants/trousers law of the month, it is compensated for by my snow/rain excuse AND head to almost toe POLKA DOTS!!!

february dress day number four

 

blue!

another dress another day in february

 

i am in love with this scarf and these colors ♥

a dress a day in February

day two

no hair products.
no accessories.
no worries.
because I've got Rowdy and the power of the Galaxy (tights).

a dress a day in february (does not rhyme the way i want it to)

inspired by my lovely friend Cat, who regularly goes months without jeans or trousers, i am going to wear a dress every day this month and post it to my blog.  i have gone most of December and January without wearing pants to work, so this shouldn't be too difficult.

happy February!

 

 

new shoes

http://desenharts.tumblr.com/post/64539480673

 

everything in this house acquires the appropriate amount of cat hair
making it look neither worn in, nor new.

put a plant in a tea tin that liz gave me

truly, i did.

On "2 Poems" by E. Smith Sleigh on paperdarts.org

E. Smith Sleigh on paperdarts.org

it's been a while since i really delved into poetry.  sure, i've been dabbling.  and this might just be a spurt.  a sputter.  but i always like to pretend that i can put my poetess hat on at any given whim.

to help me feel better about poetry, about myself and poetry, i need to read some.

i've been involved with Vera Pavlova in the form of her book "If There Is Something To Desire" over the last week or so.  i may dare to share my thoughts on her work once i've read and reread it all a few times; although, i already have half of the pages earmarked.  i have a certain affinity, it would seem, with female russian poets.

if you know me on facebook, chances are high that you've received a message from asking for suggestions on more poetry books.  perhaps i'll start a regular (maybe monthly) poetry review here to go along with my mashpee chamber themed posts.

getting back to poetry... it's been a long time since i read chapbooks, e-zines, and other poets' blogs.  so a simple google search for online chapbooks lead me to a list of 12 beautiful online magazines.  first on the list... paper darts.  which is exactly where i found the two poems written by E. Smith Sleigh.

 

upon first reading the poems, in the format they appeared on my phone, i approached them wanting very much to like them both.  before i reread, i decide i like the first one much better, but i cannot decide why yet.

 

upon a second reading, i think the cherry pie mention is mostly what swings my bias, but i also realize that by the time i am mid-way through the second poem, i have figured out the alliteration game and find it less interesting than the first poem.

 

not to say i don't like the second one.  the first one, the second one, let's give them names.

 

E's first poem is called "medieval metal music".  in it, E breaks down structure with his own structure and with the content of the poem.  the format of the poem is an appeasing square, but within it the reader must rely on gaps without punctuation or line breaks for breath.  thus, emphasizing the content of the poem, the structure lends itself directly to the poem's purpose.  and leaving the structure of a stream-of-conscious style poem, cherry pie. 

 

where "medieval metal music" is unpredictable, with just enough new turns to keep me interested by not lost, "rising waters" strikes me as somewhat more childish with its "invisible dark matter   dark
matters   madder than a hatter  chic tam" ramblings.

 

however, this somewhat rambling predictability is in cool contrast with "medieval metal music" which relies on the reader's inevitable frustration with current music genre titles.  instead, "rising waters" is nature. 

 

structure vs nature.

 

i get it. i buy it. i read it again.

 

man makes cherry pie out of structures.  nature makes us go back inside where it's warm and dry and we can't be taken by the flood for our tribute to the structures we've created.  these two poems, the more i shift around inside them, become a debate between each other.  the value of human society in contrast with the natural order.

 

deep frost

http://www.artchipel.com/post/73608454419/louise-mcnaught-on-tumblr-wild-lupa

 

it's easier to level this town
in small chunks instead of breaking

our heart for the sake of an Australian dollar
converted to euros and back again

instead

take each value for bought
at half the cost of Alan Ginsburg

my wail is rubbed up and down
bloated from too many hours sat

comfortably

in the soft office chair surrounding myself
with the wind of ego boosting roses

wallpaper patterns that make us feel
fresh. retro. hip. cool. cold. frozen in.

two teas for one

http://bitemylipagain.tumblr.com/post/64806681033

tea bright morning
the pot is half full

someone left the milk out

dirty spoons piling up in the sink
because the dishwasher is on the fritz

waiting for the car to warm up
the ice to melt

she choses a mug
that she knows fits

in her car's cup holder
without spilling at the first turn

the mashpee chamber of secrets

i've been humming and hawing about starting a new blog specifically about my work at the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce.  in october of last year Mary Lou asked me nonchalantly if i might be interested in helping her out over at the chamber. answering phones, making posters, replying to emails and writing a weekly newsletter.  her previous executive assistant left the office in a bit of a lurch.  i don't pretend to know everything that happened, nor do i care to share what i do know because that isn't my story.

my story is happy.

i met Mary Lou, the executive director of the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce through a raffle drawing.  which i didn't even enter.  a lovely woman named Lisa over at woodruff's entered my name into a Chamber-organized drawing for a $1,000 shopping spree after i'd had a picture of ryan and i framed.  i had no idea i had even been entered, until i finally got a voicemail from Mary Lou telling me i'd won a contest.

so i got an awesome picnic table, some dresses which my sister has now taken full ownership, some whale watch tickets, flowers (of course), and some gift cards to some rather lovely restaurants in town.  best of all, though, i got to know Mary Lou.

since the spree, i've kept in touch with Mary Lou through my work at Gustare and at Weight Watchers; which is where, one morning, Mary Lou asked me if i'd be willing to help.

starting in october, i was putting in as many as 15 hours a week at the chamber on top of my full holiday-retail schedule at Gustare, nearly 20 hours a week of macaron baking, and seven meetings a week at weight watchers.  despite being so busy, though, i kept up with social affairs and apparently did good work at the chamber.

after my two week holiday in england, the Chamber officers offered me 35-hours a week, decent wage, year round work, as the executive assistant.  um, yes please.

as i happily conveyed to a friend via email, i'll actually be able to ride my bike to work in the spring, summer and autumn.  as soon as the snow melts, i am going out to buy a helmet and back pack.  my CO2 footprint will go down a bit this year, i think.

so i've been humming and hawing, like i said, about starting a blog about my adventures at the chamber.  but i have decided that i can do whatever telling i want here.  on my already-established blog.  if i could make tabs for somethingkaty, i would.  but maybe it's better that it's all here, in one happy space.    

ten things i know about snow

one, snow is made of water ice
two, snow can take on many textures, for example it can be fluffy or heavy, wet or dry
three, where i live, we get enough snow for snowmen building
four, building snowmen can be difficult if the snow is too light and fluffy, not sticky
five, it is snowing outside right now
six, where i live, people love to complain about the snow
seven, where i live, people secretly love the snow
eight, tomorrow is a "snow day" which happens when events are cancelled and schools and places of work are closed due to unsafe traveling conditions
nine, shoveling snow is good exercise
ten, never drink snow to rehydrate, always melt it first otherwise your body will have to work too hard to rehydrate and that could be harmful or fatal depending on the circumstances

little idea, little thought, big wonder, big deal

imagine you know here well
and pretend she wants to get to know you.

how does it feel?

big mirror

http://weheartit.com/entry/91110774/via/iheartthisfuckingworld

a heart is full and overflowing
when we don't need mirrors
to tell us who we are, nor what we need.

complex reflect

http://ninifuni-365.tumblr.com/post/64246794020/2-japanese-clover-2

 

some days are hardy
with mess and mulling

beginning as early as breakfast
when routines are established

or corrupted by weather
changed by a cat being sick

in the dully light hallway

ending in the unsatisfied
wanderings of tastes

from dislike to curiosity
to secure refreshment despite

the health of the kitchen
or the wealth of a book

in bed

light only be a single
baby sized bulb

under state

http://opaqueglitter.com/post/71197098039/ph-jo-duck

 

the me is in time, developing
alone without humor

the mother is still
awaiting change in the weather

they approach the middle
without moving their hearts

hearts that have never veered off course
despite ruptures in nature

every day a little

http://buddhabrot.tumblr.com/post/48881210546



 

Every day a little we learn
every day a little we grow
and change a little for the greater
the good in us is beckoned outward
every day a little more
our buds become blossoms
every day a little stronger
every day a little more
bright

'Tober (for Daniella Bella)

it's a simple image
of a beautiful girl

sat on a deserted beach
cooled by autumn

and the relaxing sun
as it simmers against the Atlantic

the water goes on for ever
while cold sand occupies her finger tips

she watches the wolves
dive into the waves

as they crash and splash
against the shore

and the background
is made of purple

and pink and orange
and your heart is warm

because you see the girl
and she has peace in her heart

that she shares with the wolves
and with all the people she loves.

Octoberween Writing Challenge (issued by JMMBB)

1. Grave
the pull down of dirt
underfoot of
angelic monuments
to fellows and lasses
defeated by their pasts

2. Tree
a sturdy trunk
twisted and mangled
by eons of torture
by birds and small boys
wielding beaks
and swords cut out of lumber
from fallen foes
and fallen friends alike

3. Dusk
pink hues streak the horizon
as thick as gesso
on an approaching night canvas

4. Fog
you can hear your voice
echoed back from the bogs and mores
you know are resting wet and treacherous
beneath the malevolent carpet of grey

5. Rain
wetting your hair, your socks
through your shoes
and your spirit through layers of praise
and good chinese food

6. Moon
when she's full in the night sky
the local boys and their great grandfathers
pull their waiters up around their chests
and dig for razor clams in her basking glow
then shuck them for brunch the next day

7. Sun
even in the softness of autumn's light
she will burn the surface of the skin
as you carelessly wheel through wisps of leaves
admiring the crushing of acorns underfoot

8. Road
paved with dirt and leaves
and abandoned acorns
it will soon find itself a home
to candy wrappers and wasted pumpkin seeds

9. House
her heart is in the kitchen
pipping away the hot smoke
of pickling and jarring the harvest
filling the pantry
to last the winter like a squirrel
collecting and preparing
while a pie cools on a sill
under watchful eye of the neighborhood tom cat

10. River
here eyes scan the bottom
of the murky, green river
as she floats away
for the last time

11. Cloud
forming wide and dark
against the orange of changing foliage
it is ominous and filled with the promise
of heavy rain

12. Stars
the boys from the village watched
as each and every star in the sky
fell closer to earth
and jumped back away
in time with their bending knees
landing on the surface of a trampoline
they aren't allowed to be on at night

13. Letter
aged by rain and ragged
edges curled
the message has been stuck
undelivered
between the sides of the mailbox
for two months now
and no one has noticed

14. Telephone
the land line doesn't ring anymore

15. Cellar
six of the neighborhood's finest misfits
between the ages of 5 and 12
meet in secret
in the cellar
of the abandoned house on broad street
where the floor is made of gravel
and beneath half a foot of wet dirt
they have discovered a secret collection
of cat bones and broken glass bottles

16. Neighbor
they call him
the Tall Man

17. Sleep
Sam doesn't sleep on nights
when the moon is full
he prefers to pretend
he is a werewolf
and sneaks off into the nearby woods
shooting small creatures
with the bow and arrows he stole
from camp two summers ago

18. Book
she used a few thick books
to prop up her hallowe'en decorations
not realizing that one of them
concealed the weapon
her husband used
to shoot the neighbor's dog

19. Silence
broken by the ticking
and tedious toking
of various clocks
in unfamiliar hallways
and landings
in unfamiliar houses
on streets
with unfamiliar names

20. Scream
stuck in her throat

the simple epic (for mclemon)

we have a cat named jack
who has a great gift
for looking comfortable
in any stance or position

sometimes jack falls asleep
while he is still sat up
or in the traditional
cat-loaf pose

when he falls asleep
he leans
and often
he falls over

and when he falls over
he stays asleep
and somehow manages
to look comfortable

in this accidental way

growing, pains. (for joshua with punctuation)

punctuation marks pains
growing inside like roots
of a foreign tree, seeded deep
within your gut

darkness beckons (for kam del toro)

the canvas is carved
with black paint
across a vast scape

trimmed with flakes
of luminous gold
and hope

in the shape of eyes
longing and desperate
for little touches

the emerging self (for Nikki)

the planet is made of bubbles
we call them cells

easily smashed or torn apart
these bubbles are fragile

yet their beauty is so powerful
we cannot help but reach out

and each one is popped
until the end of the world

one bubble at a time
one life, blown up and thrown down

burst into vapor
that holds a little bit of our shape

as it disintegrates
into the ether

cackling beast (for the staring man)

chu maki, staring hamachi and
tempura kaibashira

with avocado and kappa

topped with unagi, dragon sauce,
orange and black tobiko, and spicy mayo

I Like This (for Beth)

quite Wednesday morning
warmed by a cup of tea

My Deepest Fear (for Jeff)

it rests there, deep, down
in the gut of my existence
penetrating every thought
perpetrating every inaction
lurking in the darkness
of a single person, stood
alone in the kitchen
barely dressed, bare feet
on the cold linoleum
at 2:37am on a Thursday
in a colder month
of any year
my deepest fear
is getting caught
drinking the last sip
of milk
from the jug

The Recurring Bout (for Jenni)

it only happened once
to me
but others suffered the same
soft symptoms
in succession of age
from oldest
to youngest
where no other factors
played a part in the chance
we all died
one after another
of nothing other
than willingness
to make space
for the next one
over
and over
recurring
repeating
renaming
replaying
remaining


 

it could go either way (5/100)

some days have a talent for bringing you down.  others are better at lifting you up.  and it's not all to do with the weather. 

 

it might be determined by the health of your cat.  if he gets sick in the hall way or curls up on your lap. 

 

if a show you like is cancelled or confirmed for another season.  or you find out that little dog you like is in another episode.

 

maybe someone you like ignores you.  maybe they don't.  bets are they don't know how important they are to you, at least not on that day.

 

for two (4/100)

there are two fine English tea bags in the floral-decorated pot.  there are two china cups already splashed with skinny milk perched on the two matching saucers.  there are two little, silver spoons.  there are two lumps of sugar waiting to be dropped into hot breakfast tea.  there are two eggs in the frying pan.  there are two pieces of slightly over-done toast on two little white plates.  there are two forks and two butter knives resting on two napkins on the table in front of two chairs.  there is one salt shaker and one pepper mill between them all.