The Mist and All

I like the fall,
The mist and all.
I like the night owl's
Lonely call -
And wailing sound
Of wind around.

I like the gray
November day,
And bare, dead boughs
That coldly sway
Against my pane.
I like the rain.

I like to sit
And laugh at it -
And tend
My cozy fire a bit.
I like the fall -
The mist and all!

(Dixie Wilson)

Topaz, November Birthstone

In shades of yellow, brown, honey, green, blue, red, pink and sometimes no color at all, Topaz has a mass appeal. Topaz is often found in an amber gold, yellow, or a blushing pink orange, and a pale pink or a sherry red Topaz are very exceptional. The most prized color of Topaz is called Imperial Topaz and features a magnificent orange with pink undertones. Blue, once a very rare color of Topaz, became the most common, due to man’s ability to enhance its color. Topaz with a naturally blue color is very unusual. The ancient Egyptians and Romans associated this golden gem with the Sun God that provides the power to protect and heal. Legend says that Topaz dispels enchantment. With its worldwide mass appeal throughout the centuries, once the person finds that perfect Topaz, he or she may be under its spell.

Arthritis Today

Discover the secrets that can change your life:

• Walnut secret that lowers arthritis inflammation
• Sleep secret that helps you wake up with less pain
• Diet secret that "tricks" your body into burning fat - without exercise

Arthritis Today is a periodical that is published by Arthritis Foundation that shares medical breakthroughs that could improve someone quality of life.

Late Harvest Season

 

Photographer: Ida Tomshinsky, 2016

Autumn Flowers

"Those few pale Autumn flowers,
How beautiful they are!
Than all that went before,
Than all the Summer store,
How lovelier far!

And why? - They are the last!
The last! the last! the last!
Oh! by that little word
How many thoughts are stirred
That whisper of the past!

(Caroline Bowles Southey)

 

 

 

On Poetry

"Poetry isn't a profession, it's a way of life.

It's an empty basket; you put your life into it and make something out of that." (Mary Oliver, b.1935-)

Opal, October Birthstone

In ancient times, the Opal was known as the Queen of Gems because it encompassed the colors of all other gems. Each Opal is truly one-of-a-kind; as unique as our fingerprints. Some prefer the calming flashes of blues and greens; others love the bright reds and yellows. With its rainbow of colors, as you turn and move the Opal, the color plays and shifts, giving a gem the rare opportunity to be worn with a plethora of ensembles. Australia’s Lightning Ridge is known for its rare and stunning black Opals. The ideal Opal is one that displays broad patterns covering the surface, with all the colors of the rainbow, including red.

Recommended list for reading and discussion:

                Etan, Eric. (2011) Opals. – Gareth Stevens Publishers. – 24 pages. (Gems: Nature’s

                Jewels).