Month: June 2023

We wait and wait through the

Cold winter; waiting for spring

And the flowers and birds that

Come with it. Winter is gray and

Bitter and must laugh at those

Who freeze in the trail and then

Say they are having a good time

The good time lasts until the

Blackberry brandy runs out, then

Suddenly the world is cruel. Spring

Gives us a brief promise and then

This year disappears. It is cold and

Damp and the wood two wet to

Burn. A few daffodils and lilacs have

Bloomed but the quantity is not

Sufficient to get us excited enough

To get us to go after landscaping as

Though there were no tomorrow.

So we plug away when incentivized

And eventually the yard is ready for

Norman upkeep. Then the months slip

Be and again we face the winter months.

All of the outings were fun but there

Were too many days of gray. The birds

Seem sullen and the chipmunks and

Squirrels stayed busy collecting their

Stash of food for the winter months.

We have hope that next year will be

Better, but we will taken what is given to us.

Stanski

June 15, 2023, ^

No sun today but that

Doesn’t mean that we

Can’t go out and play.

The sky is bright, almost

Blinding, and there has

Been a little rain intermittently

The little animals of the woods

Are quiet. They are not running

About or squealing. There is

Much yard work to do and it

Will be days before we get

It cleaned up. I need someone

With a trailer and a chipper in

Order to make light of the work.

After the gardens are cleared I

Will have cedar mulch to cover

The ground and slow the weed

Growth. Some call this work but

I call it play, much like golf. Four

Hours of hitting the ball and then

Lugging your clubs to the next shot

All in all it is an enjoyable pastime

You need sunglasses for protection

And also bug repellant. The bugs,

Especially mosquitoes make a

Buzzing noise which drives you

Crazy, the noise is worse than the

Bite. It is nice, though, when finished

You can look at what you have

Accomplished and glow in a sense of

Pride. You quickly make plans for

Your next venture and then go in

And stretch our for a while. Life is

Good, even on bright days.

Stanski

June 14, 2023, ^

In life, you try to do your best to

Do your assignment in a way that

Pleases most. When working over

Ten years as a committee of one

with 200 pieces of art at hand,

And needing an okay from the CEO

For each piece, you intend to hang

And getting approval for where it

Will be hung. You feel a little dismayed

When all the art is taken down, the

Walls were repaired and then a new

Committee of thirteen is selected

To second guess the work I had done.

No one piece of art is going to please

When only about fifty

Are chosen. The rest were rejected for

Various reasons, including a couple

That a few thought looked like a

Vagina. They were from the art deco

Period and I am sure there was no

Desire by the artist to leave that

Impression. Be what may, they were

Rejected. Some were too dark; some

Abstract, and others disliked by a few.

So what was wanted was kept and

The rest dumped into the 0ld

Physical Therapy building. It feels

Strange that after ten years over a

Dozen people on a new committee

Can undo what I did and what was

Liked by the majority of workers in

The hospital and by many of the patients.

It is another story of mankind and how

A few can stop progress. I wonder how

Many of the thirteen can create art.

It looks easy until you try to imitate it.

No one likes all art for various reasons.

Not everyone likes the designs of all

The art museums but we keep them

And do not tear then down and rebuild.

Life goes on and what happened is not

The worse thing that is. I am thankful

For what we have.

Stanski

June 12, ^

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices are now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked at them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without many rings

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

 

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

 

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

 

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

 

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

 

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

 

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

 

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

 

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

 

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

 

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

 

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

 

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

 

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

 

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without much ring

 

Stanski

June 11, 2023

THE PROCESS

Pain and anxiety

Seen on faces

Late in their seasons

When serenity should prevail

They are not claiming

To have been blessed

Wearing some victory badge

On their arms

Hard workers and

Willing participators

They endure prejudice

Are quiet about

Being misused by

Their doctors and

Providers, having watched

Others pass them in line

They remember personal battles

Fought for the benefit of others

And voices are now lost

That cheered them on

People who looked at them

In the eye and thanked them

Now, dreams are just echoes

Voices dull without many rings

Stanski

June 11, 2023

There is a song we all know

“June is busting out all over”

It is so true this year

We walk through the clover

Look at our shoes and then

Look at each other.

The mess we made of them,

We can only say “Oh brother”

On we trod down to the creek

Looking for broken colored glass

A jar of them collected,

Is what we call first class.

We divert into the woods.

See flowers of many kind.

We keep on treading deeper

And deeper. Curiosity has its appeal

And you never know what we will find

The tundra is beautiful, with many

Shades of green and blue

We are dazzled by the view

A few birds are flying around

Chipmunks and squirrels on the ground

Are squealing and dashing form tree to tree

They look for food they had hid away

They chase each other to no avail

Up and down and all around

Energy we all wish we had

Daffodils and dandelions cover

A lot of the ground

Outside the woods are lilacs

White, pink, purple, and blue

The fragrance is overwhelming

June is busting out all over and

It is my favorite month.

Stanski

June 10, 2023, ^

How did I come this far?

A question I cannot answer,

In only one sentence

I started young and kept

Ongoing, while growing.

I competed with my group

Avoided trouble, at least.

Stuck up for the underdog

Showed up for my assignments

Never strayed from duty

Accepted responsibility

Avoided anxiety as well 

Endured many unpleasant things

Kept the rules as a boy scout

Had an early morning paper route

Every day at five A.M.

It was shut off the alarm and get at it

Sold subscription to the paper

Cut grass and shoveled snow

Was a soda jerk, the best, I’m told

Worked at a wholesaler for a summer

Then at Pepsi Cola stacking cases

Worked at Drug Stores to earn money

College was cheaper in those days

I did need on student loan

Was president of my senior class

Finished studies at the Pharmacy

School in Cincinnati. Did well for once.

Took my State Boards in Escanaba

A long drive from Ohio, but I met

My future boss there, who asked

Me to intern for him in Adrian.

Then I worked in Sparta, MI and

After a year bought my own store

I married and we had six children

Bought a house in Ada, where my

Store was located. The house was

In the country and needed a lot

Of updating. I brought it around to

Excellence in 30 years. Sold the

Store after 38 years. There were

Many who hated to see us go but

We gave the town all we could.

Our children all moved west of

The Mississippi. We moved to the

Upper Peninsula. A great place to be.

Stanski June 9, 2023,

You see people hobbling

Slowly moving forward

Using a cane and you are

thinking about passing them

but then resolve to just follow

and help them if they should

need it. You pray for guidance

and patience. Then one day

it is your turn. An injury has

you hobble along using a

cane and usually in pain.

You say hello to those you see

And most are kind in their

Response and wish you well

When you were told that it

Would take two years to heal

And to exercise and take it

Easy especially in crowded or

Congested areas you feel

Downhearted, but accept

Your fate. It is what it is and

There is no going back to

Before your accident took place.

There are reasons for everything,

A saying with a familiar ring.

You learn what you can and

Can’t do. If you fall you get

Up with the hope that no

Further damage was done.

You try not to bore people

With your problem as they

Usually have a list of their own.

You become sensitive to others

Needs and help them if you can.

You pray for patience and healing

You want to be your old self again

By His grace you shall be.

Stanski

June 8, ^

 

.

It happens. Confusion. You think

Today is tomorrow and hustle to

Make an appointment. A lab test

Is needed and inquired what for

You mention a Thursday appointment.

Your other appointment is for

Tomorrow, not today. You arrive on

The correct appointment day and

Are told to go to the specialist’s 

waiting room. You wait. There are

three people ahead of you. Finally

you are called and proceed. Everything

is in good condition, but another blood

draw is need and the blood drawn

the day before is no longer available.

You go for the draw and only two are

ahead of you. You are called and the

process goes flawlessly. I drive home

park and go to my bedroom for a nap

My chef wakes me and I have my dinner

While watching the news and cowboy

Shows. I learned a lesson. Check your

Schedule so you know for sure what

You are doing. I couldn’t blame the

Weather. It was sunny and in the mid

Seventies. I shall learn. You are never

Too old.

Stanski

June 7, 2023, ^

Many miles traveled along Highway 2

Nothing to see except pasture and green

Fields. Then standing alone was a house

It had been abandoned for years. Even

Though well built it showed its age

The siding was down to bare wood and

The roof line sagged toward the middle  

And the porch was tilted and appeared

Unsteady. My mind wandered back to

The days when this farmhouse was

Vibrant and something to be proud of.

Where did the people go. Did the old

Folks pass on with no children to take over

Where was the school, churches and town

The barn was gone but you could imagine

Noise coming from their stalls with horses

Moving about and restless. Each day

Presented an abundance of work to do.

This was fatiguing as well as lonely.

Where did the people come from and

Where did they go when farming became

Too much for them. The soil was arid and

Each year was different. There were no

Cemeteries on either side of the road.

One day they must have decided to move

On and try a new location. This was not

Uncommon, but the house looked to be

Above average and must have been a

Difficult decision to just pick up and move

From such a nice place. Sometimes you

Had to make tough decisions. That part has

Not changed. We all have to make choices

And often it is difficult. Life goes on. We

Will never know all the troubles they had.

We do know they were hard working

People who were brave and resolved to

Live a good life.

Stanski

June 5, 2023, ^