Lull

This is part of my prompts series from the blog The Habit of Being. Each of the posts in this series will feature the prompt for that post as the post title. While I may sometimes use the current day's prompt, it is more likely that I will pick and choose as inspiration dictates. If you are interested in following along with the prompts or writing some of your own, here's the link to the page with the prompts: http://thehabitofbeing.com/writealm/

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The huge oak tree in fairer weather.

The huge oak tree sways,
Its stately limbs stretching skyward
Side to side, they fan in the heavy breeze.
The air, thick with water
Hot and heavy, despite gusts of wind.
Clouds above hang pendulous
And ever darkening from gray to patchy ash to soot
Plump with the promise of rain soon to come
And the pleasant smell of petrichor when the rain has ceased.
My hair whips around my face
Strands catch my nose, lips, slightly open mouth
As I assess the sky for signs
Of more than the rumbles of thunder and streaky lightning.
Girls rush inside to escape rain.
My feet follow theirs
Fingers flicking the TV on for more learned advice.
The littlest bear crawls into my lap
Seeking snuggles and my voice to read stories.
My lips find her soft hair and
We rock together through "Guess How Much I Love You"
Her sisters retreated to their room
And in the quiet, the sound of falling rain.
I gaze down, see steady breaths
The little bear has fallen asleep
Lulled deep by raindrops, rocking, and reading,
Her sweet curls moving gently in the ceiling fan's cool breeze.
In the lull between wind and water.
In the lull, my eyes close to rest a moment
And fully feel the weight of sleep against my torso
Keeping this rare moment of quiet close to my heart
Before the lull between chaos and chaos ends.

My littlest bear, GB, sound asleep on the sofa.

Halcyon

This is part of my April prompts series from the blog The Habit of Being. Each of the posts in this series will feature the prompt for that post as the post title. While I may sometimes use the current day's prompt, it is more likely that I will pick and choose as inspiration dictates. If you are interested in following along with the prompts or writing some of your own, here's the link to the page with April's prompts: http://thehabitofbeing.com/writealm/

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M2 and AB, ages 4.5 and 3.5, enjoying the fading sunlight at the beach in 2011.

I had to look this one up. I've heard the word and know how it's used, but wanted to be sure I was doing it justice. To that end, a quick Google of the definition reveals the following:

halcyon (adj) -- describes a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful

Day Seven: Of Water, Wine, and Siren Songs (part 1)

The slightly warm days of spring have given way to the much warmer and occasionally hot early days of summer. It is the first week of June, school is out for the summer break, and we are en route to the beach for a week. As much as I am dreading spending a week in close proximity to my family, I am also looking forward to the sound of the waves, the salt infused air, and the sun on my skin. We are almost there, driving down a smaller state highway, headed toward the coast. Several small towns flicker past the window. I have travelled this road so many times in my life that the names are as familiar as old friends. I know which ones are bigger and which are so small that only a city limits sign lets you know that they exist. Before much longer, the small inland towns give way to the area that is nearly on top of the beach highway. Where there were once city hall buildings, schools, soccer fields, farmhouses, and churches, there are now seafood restaurants, souvenir shops, grocery stores, and an eclectic mix of outlet shopping malls, art galleries, and tattoo parlours.