ITSY BITSY TEENIE WEENIE YELLOW POLKA DOT BIKINI

The color of buttercups and lemons...my choice of a color theme for summer is YELLOW. Yellow is a vivacious color : energizing in the kitchen and warm in the bedroom-especially when it is drenched in morning sunlight. Yellow is a sophisticated color when paired with white, and dynamic when finished with black edges.

Whether it be amber, butter, mustard, ochre, or saffron, for me, yellow always evokes a sense of pure joy and memories of long, lazy, sunny summer days.

A HEALING POEM FOR SCARLETTE

My friend Scarlette lost her husband a few days ago (and her son just months ago). My heart aches with her suffering, for I remember well how it feels to be in that lonely place of sorrow and loss. When my brother died a little over a year ago, I found some comfort from this poem by John O'Donohue about death. I am hoping that John's words will likewise bring Scarlette a tiny bit of peace in the terrible days ahead.

On the death of the Beloved by John O'Donohue (1956 - 2008)  Original LanguageEnglish Though we need to weep your loss, You dwell in that safe place in our hearts, Where no storm or might or pain can reach you. Your love was like the dawn Brightening over our lives Awakening beneath the dark A further adventure of colour. The sound of your voice Found for us A new music That brightened everything. Whatever you enfolded in your gaze Quickened in the joy of its being; You placed smiles like flowers On the altar of the heart. Your mind always sparkled With wonder at things. Though your days here were brief, Your spirit was live, awake, complete. We look towards each other no longer From the old distance of our names; Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath, As close to us as we are to ourselves. Though we cannot see you with outward eyes, We know our soul's gaze is upon your face, Smiling back at us from within everything To which we bring our best refinement. Let us not look for you only in memory, Where we would grow lonely without you. You would want us to find you in presence, Beside us when beauty brightens, When kindness glows And music echoes eternal tones. When orchids brighten the earth, Darkest winter has turned to spring; May this dark grief flower with hope In every heart that loves you. May you continue to inspire us: To enter each day with a generous heart. To serve the call of courage and love Until we see your beautiful face again In that land where there is no more separation, Where all tears will be wiped from our mind, And where we will never lose you again.