A Mother's Love

MAGPIE 199

Madonna with the Milk Soup, 1510, Gerard Davies

Courtesy Tess Kinkaid

http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2013/12/mag-199.html

I wrote the following in response to Magpie 45 in 2010. Nothing changes.



A babe in arms
Helpless
Dependent
A mother's love
Strong
Assured
No matter what

A growing boy
Defiant
Independent
A mother's tears
Flowing
Unseen
No matter what

A adult man
Realizing
Caring
A mother's thoughts
Knowing
Blessing
No matter what




Barbara M Lake  ©

Trinidad WI
December 2010

Thaw Wish

MAGPIE 198

The Ice Cutters 1911 Natalia Goncharova

Courtesy Tess Kinkaid

http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2013/12/mag-198.html

They chip away

Cracking here

Dislodging there

The glacier mass

Sheets of glass

Thick but

Crystal clear

Hard as rock

Await the thaw

Holding breath

Bringing hope

Hearts will melt

                                                     

Barbara M Lake  ©

Trinidad WI  Dec 2013

Food for Desire

MAGPIE 197

Photo from The Guardian, Eye Winess

Courtesy Tess Kinkaid 

http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2013/12/mag-197.html

If I feed you

Will you

Feed me

With 

Heart and soul?

Will you nourish

Every part 

Of me

Just

As I desire?

Will you stay

To comfort

And hold

Me

For ever?

I will feed you

Every pore

That needs

Breath

And life

Barbara M Lake  ©

Trinidad West Indies

December 2013 

A Repost: Feast of St Barbara

Today is the Feast of St Barbara although she was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Roman rite in 1969 by Pope Paul VI because  there is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings.  I grew up knowing that the 4 December is my 'Name Day' and it was always celebrated.  This was down to the Austrian side of my heritage because in Europe, 'name days' are seen as being important.
 
There is a great deal written about St Barbara and she continues to be a popular saint in modern times. She is known to be the patron saint  of artillerymen, military engineers, miners and others who work with explosives because of her legendary association with lightning and mathematicians.   Our association stops with mathematics as that was my worst subject and she did not help me in that area at all!  It has also been said that she is the patron saints of masons.

Barbara was the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus who kept her shut up in a tower in order to preserve her form the outside world.  Unknown to her father, she had become a Christian  and rejected the man that her father proposed be her husband.  Legend has it that her father before leaving on a long journey had a bath house built for her. During her father's absence Barbara had three windows installed as a symbol of the Holy Trinity although only two were intended.  

Upon her father's return she revealed to him that she was a Christian at which he pulled his sword to kill her. Miraculously through her prayers the tower wall opened and she was transported to a mountain gorge where two shepherds watched their flocks. Dioscorus pursuing his daughter was rebuffed by the first shepherd.  The second betrayed her after which he was turned to stone and his flock, to locusts.   Taken by her father before the prefect of the province, Martinianus, Barbara was cruelly tortured but she held onto her faith.  During the night the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred,  Every morning her wounds had healed. Torches that were lit to burn her immediately went when they were put near her and finally she was condemned to death by beheading.  Her father carried out the evil deed  but there was punishment for him.  On his way home having beheaded his daughter, he was struck be lightning and consumed by fire was burned to death.   Barbara was buried by a Christian, Valentinus and her tomb became the site of miracles.

In the 12th century Barbara's relics  were taken from Constantinople to the St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev where they were kept until the 1930s.  They were then transferred to st Vladinimir's Cathedral also in Kiev.

Orthodox Christians including Anglicans have never ceased to venerate St Barbara although I think it's a little sad that she was removed from the 'official list'. 

Artillery regiments throughout the world celebrate their patron saint on this day.  The US Artillery Associations both army and air defence  maintain the Order of St Barbara and in the mining town of Kalgoorlie in Australia, she is venerated in the annual St Barbara's Day Parade.  St Barbara's Day is also celebrated throughout Latin America.

I don't look much look like her, do I??

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php? saint_id=166

A Time That Was

MAGPIE 195

Autumn on the River - 1899  John Singer Sargent

Photograph courtesy of Tess Kinkaid

 http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2013/11/mag-195.html

Men wearing whites

Giggling flappers

Played here

By the lake

Long hot summers

Blissful idleness

Open Intimacies

Heady days

Heavy picnic baskets

Champagne and oysters

Prepared by

Those downstairs

A time that was

Pseudo intellectuals

Gone now

Another era

Barbara M Lake  ©

Trinidad WI

November 2013

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

To all my American friends,  a very Happy Thanksgiving.

May your lives be filled with blessings and an abundance of all things good.

May your day and holiday weekend be filled with joy as you give thanks and may you all be surrounded by love, peace and fulfillment at this special time.

All Souls,Another Birthday and Divali!

Yesterday, Saturday 2 November was All Souls.  For those who may be interested, I have done quiet a few blogs on this Feast so here is a link to save me repeating myself regarding the  Feast Day itself!!http://expatbeesblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/all-souls-and-happy-birthday-wishes.html

Yesterday was also a Public Holiday in honour of Hindu Festival of Lights, Divali.  Again instead of repeating myself for those of you who are interested, the link is here:http://expatbeesblog.blogspot.com/search?q=divali

Divali actually falls today Sunday 3 November and normally because the festival fell on a Sunday. the Monday would be a Public Holiday.  But because we have a bye election here in Trinidad on Monday, the holiday was given yesterday.  

So we had All Saints on Friday, All Souls, the Divali Public Holiday and my husband's birthday yesterday and today the celebration of Divali.  

Yesterday I had a lunch for the birthday boy - intimate and cosy.  Son with his wife and daughter with her boyfriend joined us together with a friend of my daughter's.   The menu was roast leg of lamb cooked with garlic and rosemary; cauliflower, broccoli and carrots au gratin,  garden peas tossed in mint and roast potatoes.  It was a good thing I did two legs!! A couple of cakes including a Black Forest Gateau drenched in alcohol followed with New York Vanilla ice cream!  It seems we went through a great deal of red and white wine too after the aperitifs!!  Lunch was served at 2.30 pm and our last guests departed at just after one this morning! I love long lunches - and so do they!  My 'children' are certainly my children when it comes to a good party - and my husband is a natural host.  The daughter's boyfriend has dubbed me " Gordon Ramsey"  as he has never seen me in full flow in the kitchen before!!  Something to do with the shouting I believe!!

I cannot believe that I did not take any photos of the actual meal. Not like me at all but I did capture the birthday boy!  He didn't want me to put it up but I cheated!! So here are followed by the children, both of whom were in full flow, long after lunch was finished!!

Today we were supposed to join my daughter and her boyfriend at a friend's home for a Divali celebration.   For one reason and another we didn't make it but daughter did and this is the photo that went up on Face Book earlier this evening.  The hostess is second from left and my daughter, second from right.  They all went to University together.

To everyone celebrating this Festival of Lights, all good wishes.

Willow Manor 6th Annual Ball (2013)

Well folks, I'm off early tomorrow morning to Dublin, Ohio for Willow's 6th Annual Ball at Willow Manor being held on Sunday.   This year I decided to dispense with commercial airlines and just have the jet standing by.

Actually I am making a stop over as I have a couple of things to do  so I definitely won't get there until Sunday.

But I have sent a few kegs of aged Trinidad Rum ahead.  It was a great hit last year!

First stop is South Beach, Miami as I have to attend a polo match.  That will be fun.

And then onto Washington where I have a meeting with a friend who has managed to make time for me. No he is not my date!!

Then a flying visit to New York  for further meetings.

Then some shopping.

Dinner and an overnighter in Manhattan!

I have no idea what the weather is going to be like in Ohio but for Miami, something simple and light will do. A Diane Freis perhaps?

Or maybe I could get away with this?  

I don't think so.  It's been done before!

I do know that it may be a bit nippy in Ohio - or as they say in England, ""autumnal". After temperatures of 100+ degrees here in Trinidad, I think a Donna Karan brushed jersey coat may do the trick in keeping me warm.

With these Ivanka Trump Women's Jax Boots. 

 The problem now is the gown.

You all know by now that  I'm not a frill lover so this could be a possibility.

On the other hand, I feel like breaking out with something in red.  But am not awfully keen on the sleeves!

Helen Mirren wore this and I have the same one hanging in my wardrobe too so it maybe the blue to save me a few pennies!

Decisions! Decisions!  Whichever the dress, I think this is the mask!   Handicrafted in Venice Italy with special overlays of laser cut metal and genuine Swarovsky crystals. 

Whichever dress I decide on and it may not be any of these, these Benjamin Adams Moscow  Champagne shoes will go with any one of them.  They are comfortable. Please note that they are slightly lower than my usual shoes.

On the other hand I think I prefer this Alexander McQueen pair.

I know - given that I am adventurous in so many ways, I am terribly conservative in certain things.

I need jewelry, perfume  and possibly a bag - oh and a date would help!  He has not responded!  Why do I feel like Bridget Jones???

Here's to the Ball. Cheers! Bottoms up and all that!

See you there!


I checked in late last night when I thought I had finally reached a spot where I could find wifi. Apparently not. Total disaster. Something went wrong with the mechanics of the jet and we ended up gliding into a muddy  field. Managed to save phone but red dress, Benjamin shoes totally ruined. Blasted cow pats! We have been rescued.

Dangerous Owners

MAGPIE 190

dog by scavengercat808

Photograph by Tess Kinkaid, Magpie Tales

Look at them
Watching me
Like I am big
And very bad

Don't they know
That isn't true?
My bark is worse
Than my bite

I've been trained
With loving care
Not to snarl
And not to fight

No such thing
As dangerous pooch
Just owners who
Can't get it right!







Barbara M Lake ©
Trinidad WI
October 2013

I'm Barbara - Fly Me!

I don't know where August and September went to!  I knew I hadn't blogged for a while or contributed to The Magpie, but hadn't realized that my last entry was at the end of July.

Things have happened.  Many of them of little or no consequence but they happened nevertheless and had to be dealt with. Dealing with them took up time.  So when I wasn't dealing with those things I discovered Pinterest which went on to take up more of my time than I had bargained for.  The I remembered that I love jig saw puzzles and so went back to Jigidi!  That took up more of my time than I intended!

And things must have been bad because I began to tweet.

Netflix had a wealth of goodies so i caught up with some movies and British television series.  The last one I watched was the BBC's season 1 of 'Call the Midwife.'

The reality was that I was tired and needed distractions.  Distractions that weren't taxing!  Distractions that would relieve  the stress, frustration and impatience of working with a contractor who has yet to finish the renovations in my department.  It started on the 29 July and to date although it is very much better than when we started it is not finished.  I did the designs, the colour, the layout and now feel that I am in the wrong business.  My blood pressure is rising!

This was day one in the main office area, before the wall to an unused kitchen which was being used for storage,  came down.

This was day one after the wall had come down.

This was a few days later.

And this was the almost end product.

This was the old showcase!!

This is what it looks like now!

Old show cases on their way out!

New showcases on their way in!

This is what one corner of my office looked like before the work started.

Almost finished.

They decided to use my officer as a dumping ground.

This is what it looks like now and it's not finished.

It is a very good thing that for the majority of the work, I was out having had laser surgery to remove cataracts but I was back six working days later.

So all in all it has been eventful to say nothing of the fact that a friend of mine lost her son unexpectedly last month.  That has been a major happening and I needed much distraction from the pain and anguish.

Life continues. The other eye is to be done this coming Friday.

Maybe I'll take up bunji jumping!  

Or maybe I have already!

Out There!

MAGPIE 179

Photo courtesy Tess Kinkaid, Magpie Tales

Save your life

Including files

Where you can't

Hold them 

Keep them safe

Locked away

Within a cloud

Out there

Let them all

Float about

So very  safe

In cyberspace!

Barbara M Lake ©

Trinidad WI

July 2013

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