Wine Art Music Poetry Project- Outdoor Festival

Or known as WAMPP- "Poetry and Music can be wondrous healing factors in one's life"- This is something I have wanted to get off the ground since my open mic, Cultural Art Expression group began a year and a half ago.

• Musicians
• Artist
• Poets
• Writers/Authors
• Children Performers
• Playwrights
• Wine
• Food
• Children Activities
• Art Gallery
• Sculptures

All will be available for your pleasure, and entertainment will collaborate upon two stages while the public enjoys their works for free in Pennington, NJ. 

The photo above is the muse for the artwork being designed for our posters and signs, as well as an idea I had when reading one evening. Between Bryan Borland.com, Jessie Carty @ 58 Inches, Annmarie @ Vox Poetica , and many others I now read and follow, I feel it was appropriate to place their books together for the photo. Well, along with one of my favorites, Shakespeare.

BTW- not to interrupt this programming for us ADHD readers, but Annmarie host a weekly Thursday Podcast each week, go check it out and you can hear past guest read their works which I believe is the coolest show, and a good way to hear how a poet intended for their works to be heard!

Things are moving along with WAMPP, as we are waiting for some zoning permits, and such. Alisandra W. at Straube Center is the most delightful girl. She initially contacted me to hold the event on her bosses property, and is an Art Major and has the passion to help make this possible. Straube Center is a non-profit Art and Sculpture Garden located on a sprawling few acres or more of land still housing the original Contreau Distillery. Such a cool space for the hopefully 'annual' event!

I need more poets. Plenty of musicians available, but I am hoping, so cross your fingers more poets will want to come out and be a part of this great cause.

This event will be raising money with a partnership of The American Heart Association, Straube Center, and I for Children's- Congenital Heart Disease. Something close to home, as most of you know my daughter Anelisa Diane Dillion passed away almost ten years ago from this birth defect.

Thank you everyone for making this possible. I believe Charity is part of what makes us caring human beings. Not just the money, but giving our time, outside of work and family. More details as they come...

Peace,

Elizabeth Dillion-Stelling

I also would like to thank Brooke S. Rochon, Web Designer/Graphic Artist for her charity in designing artwork for WAMPP, among other things she has done for me lately. She is an awesome graphic artist, and artist. Brooke You Rock!

Napowrimo #27 & #28- Read Write Poem Prompt

I wish there were more hours in a day- I miss doing these prompts from Read Write Poem (on my side bar) that usually lead to other works, words spreading across my page, and opening up cans of forgotten feelings, stolen moments, hard times, and streets with a different kind of pavement to rock my feet. -E

Arthur Koestler wrote: “The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of a new insight, is an act of intuition.” Akin to a “sixth sense,” intuition brings pieces together. It gives the gift of heightened awareness.

Six Sense

Maybe things are born
to die for a purpose

life lines, memory kinds
daughter to daughter

intuition filled sad eyes
saving a life for a life

contained all in a moment
doctors muffled voice

noises of the street
blender and juicer beets

be sure when storms arrive
awnings are wrapped up tight

useless, standing in the rain, cold
waiting for the light, already on

almost never, dead wrong...


Take a word that’s part of you — your name, your birth month, your favorite animal, your guiding principle. Write that word vertically down a page and use the letters to start the lines of a poem. When you’re done, you’ll have an acrostic poem. (Though the prompt could be as simple as “write an acrostic poem,” the word sounds scary this late in the month. This prompt is designed to ease you into the final stretch. Don’t stress too much about the word you choose. NaPoWriMo is just for fun. Are you having fun?)

Equally fulfilled
Lighthearted, full of memories
Inside, outer beauty
Zealously pursues perfection
Alcoves scattered about worlds
Bewitching ones self
Enchanted with life
Things left unsaid shall not change what is apparent, but
Hence the need for words to move the day…

Muse Monday 20- Mixed Media Garden

Landmine

Why would a mother who lost
her first seed, feeding off genetic strength

a spring bud busted through hard ground-
the patch of un-kept soil hanging out

next to the redneck projects where self doubt
potential is shot directly into the veins

with silver bullet tongues- place a masterpiece
self portrait of her angel over the porcelain structure

Dressed in transparent pinks, orange, and beige
shroud; only the very observant will reflect

a presence just above the out of date vanity cabinet;
sitting over the hand sanitizer, where just to the right

behind one more jewel, antiquity find of simplistic wood
framed mirror holding up silk and plastic bouquet

of spring flowers. Never faded by artificial light
or snarky looks, just part of a shrine,

five by seven room reminding a renter of where she came,
what she is capable of, and what life holds no matter

what was plucked- beauty no longer seen to the naked eye
fills more than just a small space, but has to walk

out the door- time after time, and plant a seed
in another lonely plot of ground

watered by much needed tears from every passerby.

Five A.M. Poetry

Periodically when I cannot sleep- I read, speak poetry, journal my thoughts, as music flows from my CD player... Citizen Cope, and so many other (new to me) are finding there way into my mind...

A while back, and recording some poetry for a fellow artist friend Dash Deringer @ The Deringer Files, I threw in a few of my own, and he so kindly published one, and of course it is entitled...

Sleep Sleep be my jailer Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep be my romeo Sleep Sleep  Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep  Sleep  Sleep

Sleep   my own violent wind       Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep     seize me       Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep

Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep your balcony a-waits    Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep

...go over to his site, view and listen...

 

Friday Shoot Out- Earth Day 2010

Green is in today. From cleaning supplies to paint supplies everything is being promised as ‘making our world greener’. This is wonderful, I can find no fault in bringing green into focus but we have always had a world of green right in our own back yards. ~ GingerV

I have chosen a smaller stalk that grows in so many backyards, and yields such sweet reward. My friend Daily Spud shows off her garden yield and shares with me. Think of it as a mini tree for the wee creatures and fairies that roam the low ground...

I can't help but to tell you to pour your self a cold glass of Porter or pint of Guinness and sit down, because the Irish in me is taking over...

Back in Ireland, the spring of my youth, on the cusps of beautiful April. I met this nice lad, a bit young for me, but he had good intentions. I was never to pass up a good social. His friends arranged to meet at a pot luck with good food and a local band at play.

Most of the night he informed his friends how beautiful and enchanting I was. True love had entered his door, and lonely he would be no more! He also brought me a wee  rhubarb pie,  for which- I had never tasted. When he had learned I was visiting, he says, he made it himself, a welcoming gift, and just for me!

Never having had rhubarb, with all the thought put into it, I did wonder "had he grown it himself"? I figured it was special and had magical ingredients. We cut the pie and spread its blessings around the room. The night continued on as the lad only had eyes for me, so I gave him a good deal of attention in return.

As the night rang on, the more the drinks flowed, stories,  truth be told, and THAT is when I discovered there was no magic in that pie, except upon the tongue. His friends made sure I knew the whole story of ruby rhubarb love intentions.

For the lad had lied and brought me a pie made by another women, one for whom he had no feelings at all. Then I slammed my pint down, threw back my chair, downed my whiskey, and informed him I had eyes for another!

I have been in love with rhubarb ever since...

Yes, tis a true story... ~ Chef E

FYA- For Your Amusement

A sizzling video of m'E cooking Duck Egg l'orange Crepes-

Black Horse Riding

While walking along fields of green
hands sliding along summer wheat
winds rose up and brought with it;
a black horse with no rider…

“Could I be of assistant” I asked
Wanting a drink, and
a good roll in the hay he’d state
We began to discuss his purpose, and
good Christian ways…

He warned me of dark skies
shots ringing out like thunder
riding in on east winds
making our way through streets of hate, and
judgment…and then he sang…

We’ve Left children crying
Fathers, sons, brothers are dying
Mothers left in pools of red
Death is all around us
No reason for war hurling in our heads…

Off he rode, black stead, no rider
back to a hill of white stone and rubble
winter coming… peace to sow
light shines now, to the north east
where streets once flowed with clear water

Children will walk the fields of green
winds may rise up
bringing messages from the north east
peace and songs they will share
“Bless my lucky star, a black horse will take you only so far”…

We’ve Left children crying
Fathers, sons, brothers are dying
Mothers left in pools of red
Death is all around us

No reason for war, a black stead once said…

© E Stelling, 2/13/08

Friday Shoot Out- Things that make us smile!

Topic choice for April 16 by Kerry Bliss

A Picture that Makes You Smile

- The headache of taxes is now over. The seasons are changing. This week should be easy, fun and painless. Look through photos from your town and pick out JUST ONE that brings a smile to your face. Share it with us; tell us about the picture and make us smile too.

To be honest I cannot think of anything that makes me smile more than using photos I have taken with my new camera the past couple of years (yes, its still new to me)that have sat in files unused; until Kerry brilliantly suggest this theme! Chef E

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pine (English author, d.1851)

So, I hope they make you smile, like this photo I so cleverly took while amusing myself as my sweetie stands near the dam fishing, as I was writing poetry...

Or how about when I see my favorite flower (all of these are from the fall) in the fall, Orange Origami Dahlia- two kinds exist, the small, about the size of your palm, and then the large, which in the mid-west is grown for flower shows! There are the small to medium variety...

Once again my sweetie- who knows how much I love the color orange, so to entice me to go to an Airplane Museum to see the Spruce Goose, but in the end he gets a smile out of me...

...or when he has to stop at EVERY winery to taste wine as I am the DD in the relationship, but is he not so cute with his 'wine face' on...

Memories like this one, as we were fishing our way up and down New Jersey rivers near our house, and we stumble upon old places like this that make my imagination run wild. Maybe I will use this for an old west story, or poem...

Okay, this one is for my sweetie (he suggested this photo for you today), and you who came over here and put up with my silly sense of humor...I found my favorite section in a local restaurant...the Whining for attention section...*rimshot drum set here*

Thanks for joining us this week for our Friday Shoot Out theme!

Dust off your photo files and join us each week here at our MckLiny site...

If You Go Swimming Try Not To Drown

Mothers become friends with their children around six,
pointing out clouds like art, sharing affections, and

the same awe for aquariums, mimicking fish, underwater
worlds through thick plexi-glass, playing hide and seek

with animals at zoo’s, even though they sleep, or
keep to themselves like fathers who read, hoard

books; endless stacks of recycled papers that
attract rats, and unsightly garage parasites- lowlife

memories resonate, others we swallow
like the pond water near the house where

birthday parties were held, old friends and childhood
playmates laugh, running down endless paths that lead

to muddled water, where danger keeps everyone on edge;
until fires cook burgers and hot dogs, smoking out

grandparents hungry for more, wiping mustard while
photos capture ineffable moments, often published

in local papers representing families, real life
appearing happy, fulfilled, but at a price

nothing, more than what you see- helping shape
children into the parents they are meant to be-

like their own, who fell in love- a beginning,
eventually waged a war that neither could win;

bedded regrets which only scream ‘let’s slip away'
to the memories of much happier times...

© E Stelling 2010

If your going to go- go all the way...

Reading, hearing Bukowski's work in the past week, is like remembering advice my dad would give about wasting time by going to college, traveling the world, love, living life...'roll the dice' to him meant the bottom of the bottle, seems a similar path Charles took...a loosing game, no matter how you rolled it...

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.

go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a
park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you’ll do it
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like
that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it, do it, do it.
do it.


all the way
all the way.

you will ride life straight to
perfect laughter, its
the only good fight
there is.

- Charles Bukowski

Friday Shoot Out- Country Roads

Gordon's choice- Country Roads, a song popularized by John Denver

We traveled many country roads in Texas, and I show you a few in New Jersey- with a little 'E' humor as well...

When my little sister and I were very young we did not have our own record player or radio like most kids today. We were very poor, and for entertainment in happy situations our family would sing and dance in the kitchen. At night Mary and I took it a bit further and would take our dad's flashlight into the room we shared, under the covers and someone gave us this tape recorder, so we would sing.

We coordinated taping this on my computer with her on the speaker phone. I remember when I crossed the border of Ohio into West Virginia when I moved to New Jersey, and this song rang out in my head and I could see John soaring with the eagles and God...







I just noticed Gordon let the cat out of the bag with a Heather, so I will share- I am flying down with hubby and friends to see Gordon and go fishing, and will post that trip after the end of April!

Oh and all the photos are mine except the chicken in the road, that was my sisters idea, yep she is a chip off this old block, we might even sound alike, we say we sound like our mother...

Birds Of Prey

I know I posted a similar photo some time ago, but I have a more suited poem for it now- Thanks to my poet friend Bryan who posted this poem called 'Gluttony'-

Past images of 'Gluttony', my mothers banana pudding
so sweet, finger licking goodness, over ripe fruit

Pyrex is a sitting duck on morning table
signals 'CAW CAW' ring out, run! she is

lurking, perched, ready to swoop down
scold you for eating too much

of what she herself will, has
gorged upon, no evidence seen- like vultures

who wait for their road kill,
kids unaware playing in life streets-

Mother birds with light sensitive squinty eyes
like Great Owls who perch,

on the wing Griffon- behind waiting doors,
waiting for prey, their

children who fall, stumble into sticky
situations; even when unwanted

the hunter swoops down
stage light shadow interrogations

rapere- pecking bloody mar and damage
uncontrollable urges to swallow their children

whole, a consumption, uncontrolled rage from
memories of bigger prey, wounds licked,

time forgotten; their own turn tail
Makeshift marauders on a hunt

With time, evolution -
creates new world keen sense of vision

tall tail love birds, mating for life
building nests from scraps left to fate

learning to let their babies fall, diversify
the nest, fending for themselves-

surviving on lessons learned, natural
selection skill, heartfelt feathery comforting.

© E Stelling 2010

I am happy!

I am always happy, is there any other reason I should be otherwise?

Nope.

Just freakin' happy! Happy happy happy!!!

I began some Master Wine and Scotch classes today, and things are going well. No negative person in my life is going to stop me from attaining my goal of success.

I was already ahead of many in the class from my previous education and new many of the answers he asked us, and the only one taking notes.

We tried an oak barrel aged beer with the smoky scotch and wines to learn to detect the flavors.

Two online electronic magazines accepted me as a food and wine writer, in spite of the negative remarks Mr. So & So has thrown at me the past year, and I will get paid for my work.

I am doing a happy dance right now, and stompin out the negative baby!!!

My writing has been fine, and will only get better with practice.

When you are raising a family and in the workplace where writing does not really take place, then sure we all have mistakes, but how else do we learn in life if we are so damn perfect???

Well nobody is perfect baby!

Ha! There you asinine trouble makers out there!!! Take my happiness and turn it into some happiness for yourself-

love you anyway negative So & Sos, cause that is the way I roll,


Chef E
E Stelling
Chef/Poet/Writer

Muse Monday 18- A Place to Meditate

Springs Dragonfly

Moving about, camouflaged by dancing leaves
a voyeur soul, on fussy winds they ride
backdrop of timeless color, their secret life along riverside,
back road trails, front yard garden, grandmothers screen door entry
softly in, comes morning light- drifts across landscapes
early morning drips, dew filled tires, lazy afternoons,
a world comes alive, but so still they wait; until a reason to fly
get close enough, lay down your head, hear their quiet

© E Stelling, 10/18/08

Friday Shoot Out- Bokeh

Bokeh by T-

In photography, bokeh is the blur, or the æsthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or (derived from Japanese word "boke", meaning 'blur') - In photography, refers to the creative use of lens blur as a composition.

I took the opportunity to use this in my food photography- like the Mineolla Oranges in the background, used in the fruit cakes...

...as well as last nights open mic, and some familir Easter treats. My 'Peeps' help me in my endeavors.

Some of the open mic friends were curious about using this 'blur' technique, so I used their beers as an example...

Then they caught the 'blur' camera bug...I almost never got my camera back!

I just think this photo was too cool, how the colors came out, and it looks like a cardboard version of me is walking the street out there!

Those poor 'Peeps' were the butt of jokes all night long...

...and then my 'Peeps' caught the Open Mic bug!

I was so tired when I got home in the wee early hours, my 'Peeps' help me put up the post for Friday!

Thanks for joining our Friday Shoot Out MckLinky, click on this link to join us!

Disclaimer- Only a few 'Peeps' were harmed sacrificed gave up their sugar existence in the making of this post...