The Tough Skin Rhinocerous Wrangler Company

There is a new sheriff in town, and his name is Jack. He is no ordinary peacekeeper of the old west; not the kind that rules his territory with fear and power of a tin star, heck you don't even see him flash a gun, but Jack is a 21st century kind of law who keeps things in check with creative thinking. He could be 5, maybe 10, and he could be as old as we feel at the moment.

At one time or another we have all put on our favorite 'tackle the world' suit. When we do we can accomplish many things and feel quite good about ourselves. Jack does this when he puts on his rhinoceros costume. His favorite place is the zoo. Hanging with the rhinoceros is his favorite thing to do. Eventually others realize the power he has over them. They call upon him to wrangle up a few.

They can do the silliest things in Jack's world, and only a super rhino wrangler like this can use his imagination to make the worst circumstance into a fun adventure!

Thomas L. Vaultonburg and Jenny Mathews conspire together to bring Jack and his Rhinoceros friends to life. It is a fun book for kids of all ages. I enjoyed exploring the poetry and the artwork. I can't wait to read it to my clients children and see what fun Jack will bring to our day. Thomas is a poet/writer whom can be found at Zombie Logic Press. Jenny Mathews is a talented, and I should say VERY talented artist, and she can be found at Tiny Drawings.

Follow them on Facebook, and buy the book on their site- The Toughskin Rhinoceros Wrangler Company. 

There are a few changes I would have made before releasing this book, minor cosmetics here and there that I have spoken with Jenny about, but otherwise I recommend you giving this book to your favorite 'Jack' along with a marching CD, because I guarantee you will be dancing with the rhinoceros!

I was not paid a fee to review this book, first of all it was my idea for gifting me the book via artist Jenny Mathews, as we are friends and working together on other ventures.

Did I mention they offer two poster choices to hang on your children's wall? How fun!

Whoot Hoot to Feathers

JerseyTomato

I'm feeling better. I have had a lot of distractions from writing lately, so I decided to go to a dark place, like many artist in history have done. Actually, many people call it resting.

This week I had some tests done, still waiting for the results, and figure it all boils down to resting. I was sick with kidney stones two weeks ago, took a heavy duty antibiotic...we all know what they can do...kill anthrax. This time it almost killed me. Not really, but felt like it. I'm fine.

What really lightened up my drab day...hubs walking in with this weeks Wednesday's US1 filled will Summer Edition 2012 Poetry, Prose, and Flash Fiction. And one was moi!

'A Summer's Kiss', Annmarie Lockhart's favorite! Well, she has tried to submit it for me via some venue's she is part of. I also submitted it to a few. Should have known the ...Jersey kiss line would get'm in the ole puss. Uh huh.

Take a look in US 1- Page 33


NOTE: This was not my fav and one of nine poems submitted, two files, one five and the other four poems. Funny how after you go back to a file and see what they chose, you realize the others just really didn't fit the editors taste. You know, just don't ask me how.

(title relates to: another feather in my cap)

BACK...

...in the saddle again...(Aerosmith lyrics, but..)

A mini vaca on Long Island. Tired. Extremely. Sore. Tummy issues, maybe from food poisoning, but not sure yet.

More to come, after I rest up a few days. The boating got me. Issues with vertigo maybe. The running around with Mom Val and siblings Jim and Angela. And the boat whose name shall remain un-named. Could it be the teenager they let drive it that scared me a bit? Well, more than a bit.

Have a fantastic week everyone that visits here. And Peace.

I'm Fine

Matter of fact, I'm freaking great,

and looking for a good time!

What?

Oh you didn't hear me?

The corn is ready, and I'm taking as much as I can carry!

My son and I have been talking about invading a corn field. He wants to drive through, but I want to run. Does anyone else think about this when they pass corn fields? Is it the inner child in us that calls out?

So, I pulled over and went for it...

Have a great week. I will be reviewing a few books this week, so sit back and enjoy your own ride...

July...

is the month heat takes hold
sweeping down
across Continental Divides
things begin to die

things are reborn
       in time
hopes take flight
hanging on
the tiniest of threads
cottonwoods shake
from the slightest breeze
sending catskin
        to dance

weeping willow hanging so dread
wrapping those lost in its arms

a mother misses
        more ground
than time left 
faces seem blank
        as eyes close to dream
as small hands reach
for new life
on winds of chance.


Anelisa Diane Dillion
March 1st, 1986 - July 14th, 2000

She was my chance to dance on the stage of beauty...

(BTW, this poem is evolving over the course of days; until Saturday, then I move on. Moving on is what it's all about in healing.)

James father adored her...my parents, already heavily aging from a rough life really had little time (also, their own request) with her. It was too emotional for my mother with her mental illness to handle the idea her granddaughter was not going to live with heart disease. Anelisa was like a porcelain doll until the age of five, after her second and third surgery, Dr. Nikado had her more oxygen to grow with the new shunts; it allowed her to walk and explore more. 

We take breathing for granted...having Asthma all my life and my own heart disease, I never will.

The tale of the purse...she carried one everywhere she went, and would ask me for lipstick so she would have something in there. At this time she had grown in height, but her body was still somewhat baby like in form. I miss her hugs...

Just Beautiful

Hydrangea heaven has begun on my patio this week.

I've noticed blogs with photos of their gardens and farms get lots of hits, and I feel if there was a remote possibility of me even getting a farm of place with space for a garden, I might not post at all! There is a small space around my patio that allows for some gardening, but unfortunately the work is more than I can bare when it gets the tinniest bit hot. Also my neighbor and I noticed years ago the cement floor of the patio is way under the level of dirt they brought in, so the minute it rains we have muddy black patios period. Lots of work to keep this clean, and we have had lots of rain lately.

However! I have the best hydrangea bushes around the hood. Last year neighbors began asking me what I did to them. Hmmm what has to be done to produce such great ph balance. I know you can go from pink to blue, but hardly ever go blue (purple) to pink. Nor can you go white to pink or blue. Mine are the pinkest of any that grow around the buildings here. I compost the soil in the winter, and turn it over regularly. This is the first bloom of my two bushes out back, and I'm a proud mom.

My son stopped by a flower shop a few weeks ago and bought his girlfriend hydrangea stems. I laughed as they ohhhd and ahhhd over them. Then I told them in a few weeks they will be all over the back yard for free!

Whats your favorite flower? Mine are Dahlia, origami orange.

I wish there was space for growing those, they would do well here, but my sun is limited to late summer. It is the reason I cannot grow container vegetables and tomatoes. I have the divider walls to do it now, but observing the sun over the course of the years, there is limited sun. This bud above is on the bottom of the bush. I'm afraid it is because the sunlight leaks through the great pines out back in afternoon. I'm hoping more pop up soon.
.

TGIF

I normally don't care one way or another whether it is Friday, but today is different. We are visiting a friend Michelle and her hubs William in Center Valley again tomorrow.  They head back to Texas in a few days and a big north eastern BBQ is taking place in their honor, and his family has invited us. We were told they very rarely invite outsiders into their home. I wonder if it has to do with being from NYC. The neighborhood they were brought up in? My mom was the say way.

My family moved from the trailer out back of my father's parents in Fort Worth, and into a duplex (one bedroom) neighborhood. My sister had not been born yet, and our house was next to a church. Much of the neighborhood was mixed with twenty percent Caucasian, forty percent Hispanic, and forty percent African American family's, and the elderly of all three. I don't remember it being a dirty or trashy place, but remember the night our neighbor called late at night to tell my mom someone was coming through the window over my sister's and I's bed. Crime had began to grow all over.

It was summer. Today I read that the rising heat is causing crime to go up (Philadelphia Inquirer, June 20). People will grow increasingly irritated and angry, mixed with heat, it may cause people to become violent. That fall my parents moved into a safe ticky tacky suburb where it took thirty years for crime to find them again. You can move, but it finds you. Crime crime crime.

The memory moves me to 1979, when I was robbed at gunpoint, and by a man wearing a ski mask and dressed all in black. I remember the gun he used to rob the 7-11 I worked during college. The cops were curious how I was so sure. My father had all sorts of guns to protect us, and for his own hunting pleasure. We also enjoyed firing them at the river bottom. We as in my sister and brother and I when given the opportunity. In some way we are all criminals to others. But the difference to the violent of other human beings, the ability to respect others property and lives. I've killed fish, insects, and a tree limb or two, but robbing another of their respect is not on my to-do list.

At times I wish there were funds for fire arms and target practice, but honestly I would not want one in my home. That is what concealed paring knives are for. Joking, but if there was a chance at a circus job throwing them, I might run away and join.

My sister often shares her fears of the same topic. Her boyfriend slash common law husband owns a house in a very up and coming rough gang infested neighborhood. She hears guns pop off, night after night. She too has been robbed, but only when they are away. Recently a window was smashed in, and the police were told by a neighbor who did it, but they have not even tried to question the locals. Alfonzo owns guns, but she too doesn't feel safe from knowing they are loaded and ready, and laying about the house. It's hotter in Texas than it is here in the north east where I now live, but crime exist all over. People what shall we do it is only July and the heat is only going to go up!

Thank God It's (this post) Over! you are saying about now, right? Thoughts can go array, just like bullets.

I'll be arriving at my friends family house with loaded pans, and tons of respect.  The only thing I plan on killing any time soon is a pitcher of lemonade...with a splash of vodka! I'm on my way out to look for some really good water guns to pass out at the party.

GREAT WEEKEND!

Okay, I will stop yelling, but we did have a nice relaxing weekend away from home. Hubs has been taking computer (programming/language) classes the past months. He begins another one next weekend, so he felt it was due to get away and give me some belated birthday attention.

We, well I decided to go visit Hershey, PA; we have wanted to visit and I found out my sous chef Michelle and her hubs William were coming up from Texas. I hadn't seen her in over four years, since my last long visit to Texas. William was our handyman for a few years, so we feel really close to the both of them. Our catering and wine company in Dallas used to employ Michelle. She was great in the kitchen and it gave me a chance to council her off campus as a friend. I met her when I worked for Karen Musa, the director of culinary and hospitality over ten years ago.

The four of us went out for lunch. We picked them up at his sisters house, and a beautiful house I must say! And then we went for ice cream. We weren't so crazy for the 'scoop' place we ate, but it was fun visiting. They are talking again about moving up here. They both can find jobs in their fields, and with his family living in PA, they want to spend more time. She is not so close with her own. I understand that one.

It was nice to see she lost some weight. Yes, she was much bigger. Her mother is Philippine, but her father is Caucasian and is over weight. Her mom rides her about weight, always has since she has always been chubby, and I have told her she will do it when she is ready. It is a life choice to eat right and stay away from fast food like she enjoys. I also have gone back to no or little carbs again. You can't see me, because we decided hubs moved over after we posed, but I have begun to lose more weight. A hard thing to do, but I am going to do it one way or the other.

We enjoyed meeting their family, and were invited to a BBQ; it is an hour and half drive to go back, but hubs said yes. He wants to spend the whole time in their media room. Crazy men, but William I am sure will be right their with him. And a cooler full of wine and beer at their sides! Heh!

William and his family are Puerto Rican, or Newyoricans (NYC Puerto Rican), since he and they have lived in the Bronx most of their lives. Willian moved to Texas thirteen years ago, and the sister moved out here (PA) to get the kids away from the city, and his parents moved with them. Okay way over the TMI limit here...

Check out my poem chosen for the Contributor 11 Series in Vox Poetica ''I Came In With My Eyes Wide Open''

The editor has brought in a new editor, Patrick Stevens, so that they only pick some of the best works, rather than put up all poems from their book authors. Still not sure when Pasquale and my book will be published. Sigh. I hate the waiting game. I did get some good feedback on this poem...

Ooops! I almost forgot the photo submissions! Two to be exact ''Referential Magazine''