much to remember and reuse

 keepers 

Plastic Aprons

I was finishing my lunch.

The volunteers were getting ready to leave.

As I watched, they torn off the white plastic aprons.

The regular staff had dark colored cloth aprons.

That phase of the community outreach was complete.

Just then I appreciated how that cleverly shaped garment is so useful.

The covering of the front of each person that served allowed them to stay clean.

They could work with foods that might get messy yet leave without any spots.

One could argue that each article of clothing is a silent servant.

And in most respects that is correct.

But it was the tearing of the white plastic that made me notice the utility of this item.

I see you there silent servants.

Yellow Umbrella

There in the middle of the downtown intersection was a yellow umbrella.

It was mounted on a metal stand over an open manhole.

Nearby was a truck with signage of a utility company.

There were wires running from the truck into the hole.

That yellow umbrella was casting a shadow over the open hole.

This caught my attention because I rarely see yellow umbrellas.

I do not recall seeing such a device used like that for shade before.

Then I noticed the umbrella itself.

There were a few metal ribs that were stretching some fabric.

It was an efficient way to cause a shadow.

Then it was easy to minimize the size for storage and use on another day.

Normally I see umbrellas used to shield from rain.

Mostly they are black.

That yellow one at that location grabbed my attention.

I have used umbrellas many times over the years.

They kept the rain off me.

I did not notice or appreciate the value they offered me.

Clearly umbrellas are silent servants.

I see you there silent servants.

Pigeons in Formation

Over the streets downtown the pigeons sometimes soar together.

There is a very special elegance as they gracefully turn together.

They seem to have a common mind as they dance through the air as a team.

Many times, as they glide in for a landing together. it is breath taking.

Bed

I have slept on the floor before

I have slept on couches.

I have slept in bedrolls with and without a cot.

I have slept on the decks of sail boats

I do not recall ever just sleeping under the stars with no bedding.

When I was in my 20s it did not matter much where I slept.

But now in my 60s I have some preferences.

I notice that a bed is a silent servant that I have taken for granted.

I see you there silent servant.

Stairs

I was leaving my residence in the morning.

Then I noticed another silent servant.

Those stairs had faithfully allowed me to move up and down to the third floor.

The steps and railing had been there for me daily.

And at the library I have used the stair more often than the elevator.

I had never thought of the usefulness of this provision.

The stairs are built sturdy and will long lasting.

Little by little I am becoming more aware of the world around me.

I see you there silent servant.

Candle Holders

I was in the library enjoying the oversize books.

Those shelves with huge coffee table books have lots of excellent pictures.

I go there sometimes for a visual treat.

I was enjoying the lovely images of the paintings of Michelangelo.

It was stunning to me to notice how he used candle light in his works.

That was normal for his era but odd for these days.

Then in the paintings I recognized another silent servant.

The candle stick holders made lighting those places possible.

There were a wide range of them in the many beautiful works of art.

A case could be made that candles are silent servants too.

I feel generous in naming those and any neglected part of modern life as a silent servant.

I see you there silent servants.

gist 7

bus driver
stewardess
customer service rep on phone - chat
ticket agent at airport
rental car agent
ambassador
CELEBRITY


Where were you
When did it take place
Who was with you
How did it take place
Why is it relevant

What is the moral

In the city park i noticed 2 orange butterflies.

they were going round and round the many flowers

at that hour of the morning they were not stopping 

i stood amazed at how quickly they moved

their erratic flight path was done as the breeze rose and fell

then i considered their tiny bodies between those lovely wings

i imagined how much nectar they might harvest per day

i pondered how super potent that nectar must be for them 

and i realized they must have an amazingly efficient digestive system

that much movement that fast in those breezes costs use of fuel

yet they did it yesterday and will do it again tomorrow

they do not have a freezer at home with spare food

they cannot lean on coffee, tea or energy drinks to get an extra boost

sprinklers sprayed showers of life giving water on the lawn of the city park.

then just as suddenly as they began the water fountains ended

these sprinkler heads and the systems behind them keep the lawn green for the dogs and me.

Bulletin board

Scale

Nail file

Clippers

Dental floss

Silent servant kitchen utensils

Car antenna 

Security cameras

silent servant
mirror


cotton in OTC meds

ac ducts

water bottle

folding chairs

Shoe laces

HOT summer morning means another sweaty day.

7 word Sunday

cricket crawled across the park bench quickly
SUN

Female and Male Communications

The longer I live the more I learn about the differences between how women and men communicate, process information and view this world.

I have been collecting and sharing links to short videos and books about this subject for years http://www.pinterest.com/teachinglearner/female-male-communication/  there are far more than a hundred links there.

Every month or two I learn more and find that the subject is excessively wide, deep, complex, fuzzy, strange and it changes from generation to generation.

It seems a little amazing to me that marriages last beyond the lustful newlywed stage. It seems that it must take a great deal of adjusting, learning, forgiveness and patience to remain married for more than a decade.

I have never been married but I am coming to respect those who are more. 

Fireplaces

I was sitting in a park doing my journaling and praying.

While doing those healthy habits I sought a topic for another small stone.

Then I noticed a replica of an historic log cabin.

That primitive building is an oddity and stark contrast in downtown Dallas.

The millions of residents in the greater Dallas Metroplex did not show up here instantly.

There is always an historic context for anything we observe.

That includes huge office buildings, luxury condos, suburban houses and apartment complexes.

The crude cabin I saw is smaller than most bedrooms.

Such humble abodes were the way pioneers and settlers survived.

The rough cut timbers had some substance to fill the gaps.

This kept out the cold and rain.

What struck me was the fireplace.

There were many crudely shaped rocks held together by mortar.

This simple structure allowed the fire in the fireplace to fulfill its purposes.

The fire brought light, heat and the ability to cook.

Based on my childhood memories it also was a memorizing companion.

The fire was useful and safe when contained.

Yet it was located very close to the wooden floor of the cabin.

The danger of the loss of things and life due to accidental fires was contained.

That assembly of rocks with mortar made life possible in an unfriendly setting.

The modern fireplace is just as wonderful in its own ways.

It too serves purposes that are not tied directly to survival.

I see you there silent servants.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cherriesmixednuts/9262493656/

Wheel Chairs and Their Family

Recently my life has had more wheel chairs and walkers than before.

I noticed a man with one leg in a wheel chair.

He was using that leg to move forward as well as his arms.

I reflected on how useful that clever collection of parts is for him.

His mobility is greatly increased due to such a device.

I recall when I was in rehab from a major collision.

I was struck from behind while on my bicycle.

It was a hit and run incident.

My neck, back and ankles were injured.

I was in the hospital for 1 month and in the rest home for 2 months.

I slowly graduated from crutches to a walker and left the rest home with a cane.

I left the can behind a few weeks later.

Those devices were my silent servants as my body repaired.

I say that wheel chairs, crutches, walkers and canes are related.

They are related as silent servants in a family to aid in mobility.

There are motorized scooters that are cousins but there are not totally silent.

I see you there silent servants.

Power Cords

For the last few months I have been on the move much.

That has required me to work from my laptop instead of my desktop computer.

I have needed to attach the power cord to the laptop repeatedly.

Before the power cord was draped behind my desk and I rarely unplugged it.

This season has brought me to notice and appreciate this simple device.

A few times a day I attach it then remove it to move to another location.

One time I forgot and left it behind and that was a wakeup call.

The battery will last a while but without the power cord I could not work a full day.

I see you there silent servant.

Blue Flowers

In the gutter the pretty blue flowers decorate the landscape on the tops of what they call weeds.

Spilling Over

Ivy runners are spilling over the edges of the container seeking more soil to occupy. 

Popsicle Stick

On the sidewalk there was a Popsicle stick with a little coloring on half of it.

It is evidence of a treat that was consumed.

The wooden stick had served the purpose it was made for and was discarded.

I could say that the Popsicle stick is yet another silent servant.

Would that person or I eat a frozen ice cream in my hand without it or a cone?

I see you there silent servant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_pop

Shower Head

I was standing under the spray of the hot shower.

There I was considering what to write about.

And then I noticed the shower head.

Without that device it would be like standing under a garden hose.

The same water would pour out but the enjoyment would be lost.

That unit of hardware is another silent servant in our modern world.

I see you there silent servant.

Stop Slow Stop Slow

At the intersection of the major freeways I noticed the brake lights going on and off.

The pileup of cars and trucks are progressing very slowly this morning.

The parade of vehicles continued in jerky fashion.

They stopped and started many times.

I had been there before going from stop to slow to stop to slow to stop over and over.

If those bright red lights had not been working then there would had been many minor collisions.

So I consider those brake lights as silent servants.

The brake lights are part of a team of silent servants.

That team includes the turn signals, back up lights and head lights.

The team prevents wrecks and other troubles.

I see you there silent servants.

RR Rails

I was at the commuter station of the light rail system for Dallas.

I looked down and noticed those long steel rails

They were rust colored on the sides and shiny on the top where they were worn.

I had just traveled fast for many miles along with others thanks to them.

The rail road rails are firmly attached to one another and to the track.

Clever engineers had planned the technical parts of my commute.

Diligent contractors had followed the detailed blueprints.

Lots of managers, administrators, operators and others kept the system going.

I arrived at the birthday party on time due to these factors.

Those rail road rails are just humble slabs of metal.

But still they are silent servants that help citizens move around day and night.

I see you there silent servants. 

First fall leaves spiraled gracefully earthward. 6 word Saturday

Pop Pop

Under the tree, 2 grey mushrooms, suddenly popped up overnight.

How fast mushrooms can appear is a little amazing to me.