Let's enjoy a May visual walk through a few of the world's gardens.

 

Poetical Journal ©by Bob Casey

_____________________________________________________

Mission: To provide poetical and thoughtful comments on life

____________________________________________________

PLEASE! Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated!
Any amount of donation is appreciated. To support, click on the link and scroll down
. click here.

 
My newest book combines my trilogy into one traditional novel. Additional content has been added. Click on Amazon to learn more. Cost: Paperback $13.99 Kindle $3.50   The Blast Series is the newest series of books. They are actually mini paperback books of about 50 pages. Each poem is accompanied by a colored photograph. The cost is $12 per book.

To learn more, click on Amazon. Reviews also appear at the end of the newsletter. Questions? Email me.

Also during the pandemic, I wrote two novels under the pen name Leon Pashi. Both are romantic in style and have a tinge of eroticism. I especially like the second one, Zahin and Anoop. Recently, I received the following rave review for this book from M.L. of Kansas "What a beautiful, eloquently written love story. . . a bright spot during this time of isolation . . . hot, passionate intimacy with incredibly warm tenderness which validated its sacredness."

All my books are available on Amazon. Reviews appear at the end of the newsletter.

Questions? Email me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were no new geographical information at this month.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VOLUME XX – Issue 4: Sunday, May 30, 2021 (237th Issue)

Welcome

I am pleased to have you as a reader. If you enjoy the PJ, please encourage others to subscribe.

If your country is not listed in the demographic section at the end, please let me know so I can update the list.

The next Poetical Journal will be out June 27, 2021.

Enjoy a break at Kingwood Center, Mansfield, Ohio

Opening Comments from Bob

This Issue: Pictorially, the focus is on pictures I have taken over recent decades of favorite gardens, some famous and others less well-known. Frankly, the poems, The Pond and Solitude, are two I really like and the messages inherent in them. The vignette speaks to healing and change.

Subscriber Residences: PLEASE let me know if your state, providence, or country is not listed in the demographic section at the end. There currently are subscribers in 27 states, 3 provinces, and 13 countries. See complete list near at the newsletter.

Next Month: The next issue comes out on June 27, 2021.

To become a friend on Facebook, click on this link.

------------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE! Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! Any amount of donation is appreciated.

To support, click here.

 

Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia

Two Poems this Month

The Pond

Walking the trail,
    the familiar pond
    in its stillness appears.
A sight pondered hundreds of times.
Its majesty
    seldom changes.
Green lily pads
    float among the moss
    where mini creatures
    explore their chosen home.
A lone frog
    enjoys the never-ending feast.
The heron takes to the air,
    and peace ceases.
Moving on,
    the lesson remains.

 

 


 

Solitude

Meandering the mountain glades
    high above the endless cacophony
    becomes a passage
    to a fabled place.
The sounds of the chickadees and finches
    the occasional rat-ta-tat-tat
    of nature’s carpenters
    comfort the ears.
Far off, a fox
    slinks behind boulders
    angered by human intrusion.
Yet, two deer gaze
    merely yards away.
Fragrances of lilies
    soothes the mind.
Mother Earth
    again bestows her
    seldom appreciated gifts.

This respite
    restores sanity
    from the insanity
    far below.

 

 

 

My Walden Pond in the poem

Walk at close to 8,000 feet

Even a big higher at 8,300 feet

My books and products are purchasable online.

My work currently appears in seven books. Four are offered for sale online. To order any of the four, click here. The newest books, What's Next? (2016) and Beyond Time and Back (2015) are currently available through Amazon.

Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! To support, click here.

To view the product page of other unique gifts, please click here.

Devonport, New Zealand: Though technically not a garden, in a sense this entire resort community is a floral showplace.

Vignette this Month: Recovery is good.

An obvious statement. Surprisingly, having lived with serious pain for fifteen years takes adjustment to having it gone. Certainly, a challenge I am up for. However, the most difficult one has been dealing with the aftereffects due to the elimination of the mind altering drugs that were originally prescribed to help control the pain. Now that I have weaned off of them, I realize their impact was what created much of my personality for the last decade and a half. As one drug lost its effectiveness and a new one was assigned, each modified and impacted my thought processes. At the time and in most cases, I was oblivious to their effects. What I thought and imagined became my realities. Little did I realize that many were chemically and artificially induced. As I adjust to this new phase in life, I am relearning who I am. At 77, that is quite fascinating.

 

If you have a guest vignette you would like to submit, please do so. Not only will I enjoy reading it, but if agreeable with you and space permitting, I will print it in a future issue. The vignette should be written in paragraph form and relate a personal story or event. Equally important, it should fit the overall tenor of this newsletter. Ideally, it should not exceed twenty lines. Please send to bob@poeticaljourneys.com.

Schnormeier Gardens, Gambier, Ohio: Ranked as one of the top Asian gardens in the world.

Below: A winter scene at Schnormeiers'

 

Vienna Rose Garden

Melk Abbey, Austria: English stylized gardens

Recommendation

Take time to savor the beauty that surrounds you.

Please take a look at the online book and gift pages.

 

Gardens at the Salzburg city government building

Thanksgiving Point - Tulip Festival

Thanksgiving Point - Tulip Festival

Quotable Quotes

"For me, the writing life doesn't just happen when I sit at the writing desk. It is a life lived with a centering principle, and mine is this: that I will pay close attention to this world I find myself in . . . "My heart keeps open house," was the way the poet Theodore Roethke put it in a poem ..." - Julia Alvarez

"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true." - Soren Kierkegaard

"Whether you're in the fields or working in the city, take these words of mine and reflect on them. Ask yourself, "Why was I born? What can I take with me?" Ask yourselves over and over. If you do, you'll become wise." - Ajahn Chah

Above and below: Portland Rose Garden

A Bit of Humor

A bit of laughter is healthy for the soul

FOR SALE BY OWNER...

Complete set of encyclopedia Britannica.
45 Volumes. Excellent condition.
$100 or best offer.
Reason for sale: No longer required.
Got married last weekend.
Wife knows everything.

Compliment of A Joke A Day

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

br2

Tropical Plantation, Maui

br1

Garden of Eden, Maui

 

Tai Chi Corner

Take some time to learn tai chi. Contact Bob.

PJ Forum

If you have comments, recommendations, or suggestions for the PJ, please e-mail them to bob@poeticaljourneys.com. While I often cannot print everyone's, I personally respond to all. (When editing the comments for publication,I often eliminate the paragraphing to save space.) .

A BIG thank you to all who expressed good wishes on my recent surgery and recovery. Frankly, and to my surprise, I received more comments than any other time in my twenty years of publication. Some of the comments were extremely private so I could not edit them to even include a snippet. I even received traditional mail on the topic along with a couple phone calls. At least I know someone is reading the newsletter.

---------------------------------------------

"I'm just reading of your brain surgery!!! I hope you're doing well, from what I read it seems as if you're in much less pain? HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!." - C.O. from Ohio (Ed: Yes, thank you for your concern. As you read in the vignette, life continues to improve.)

"Bob, I must have missed your earlier writings about your condition. I'm so sorry that you've had to endure something like that for so long. I hope that your procedure puts a stop to it or, at the very least, reduces the level and frequency of your pain." - Don from Wisconsin (Ed: Don and I go way back. Thank you for your concern. Yes, I feel like a miracle has happened.)

". . . I loved the poem about the MRI, and you are correct.  I have a problem with holding still.   I love it when they ask, "What kind of music do you like?"  I tell them soft rock, but can I hear it in that contraption? No!  Then, my nose begins to itch.  Now what do I do?  I try counting backward, then I tell  myself jokes that need to be shared.   No one is laughing.  I have a zillion things to do before I begin a pilgrimage to find unanswered questions." - OJ from Troy, OH (Ed.: Love the response! Your other comments were much appreciated.)

" Thanks for sharing your story of pain and suffering that have gone on for years. I'm sure it will be of value to others out there as well. Do hope you are continuing to find comfort from your pain. . . . Love the beautiful pictures shared in your newsletter. They always brighten my day." - A Reader (Ed. Yes, pain free is wonderful. Thank you for your comments.)

"Bob, just want to say I am so thankful you got your surgery done and are doing well. Was really worried about you - lots of prayers! . . . I look forward to reading your Poetical Journey each month. And have really enjoyed all of your books I have read so far plus all the beautiful pictures and not to forget calendars and such. We need you to be healthy. Really hope to be back in class soon." - Tai Chi Sarah (Ed.: So much appreciated! Sarah is an amazing person who has weathered with a smile on her face far more storms than me.)

"Sorry to hear about your brain!  Oh my!  How did you settle on Pittsburgh?  Was Jan able to be with you? The whole ordeal is just beyond my imagination!  I hope you stay well, please!  . . ." - Marialice from Ohio (Ed.: Thank you for your kind comments. Yes, Janice and our son Craig provided extensive support. Marialice also updated me on what was happening in her "neck of the woods.")

"Sometimes I forget to thank you for the journal . Especially during the pandemic. It’s a wonderful escape from all that’s going on around us now. . . .Once again thank you for the beautiful pictures and inspiring poems." - Billie from Ohio (Ed.: Billie, always good to hear from you. Your kind thoughts are greatly appreciated.) 

"To say I’m sorry to hear about your surgery is to express my initial reaction. Rather, I’m so happy you were able to have this chance at respite from your pain. I hope it lasts for the rest of your much improved life. Take care. - Nancy from Carey, Ohio (Ed.: Thank you for your response.. I appreciate your perspective on the issue. Yes, I too agree.)

"Hadn't received the last 2 journals, Mar. & April. . . . Chronic pain of any kind is hell on earth. So glad you won't be looking over your shoulder waiting for the next jab of pain to come. . . . Happy for you" - P.D. from Hawaii (Ed.: Thank you for your gracious comments. I am also glad you discovered the missing issues!)

======================================================================================

Reader Demographics

States - AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, NC, ND, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, and WI     

Canadian Provinces - BC, ON, and QC;   

Countries - Albania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Turkey, UK, U.S., and Venezuela.

........Changes to this section will be updated each month.

If your state, province, or country is not mentioned, please let me know.

______________________________________________

Book Reviews

General: JJG wrote: I've read Bob's "To the End of Time" trilogy twice, each time gaining deep and deeper insights into the human condition. The three small volumes hold their own as good stories but also provide a unique glimpse into a new religious paradigm. Would that it could come to be.

Specific Book: To the End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey

David from Utah: "The new novel, To the End of Time and Back is a skillful account of two lovers on an 'Epic Journey,' racing through time and history to learn life-changing truths. Their spectral mentor, Arundel, sends them through difficult travels, but their relationship endures and remains strong despite physical, and psychological stress. Powerful emotions such as fear, anger and happiness, combine with lust, pain and sexuality to help them learn. Written in verse form, the story is an epic poem, painted to portray the duality of mankind throughout dimensions of human history that is sometimes cruel and horrific. The reader will come to know and understand what is being described and will certainly enjoy the stimulating elegance of the story and the philosophy. A thoroughly enjoyable read that is certain to make you think."
______________________

Jim from Mt. Vernon: "I finished your book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was much easier to follow by having the whole thing in front of me, and reading as much as I wanted at a time. I felt pretty weary after bouncing around in time for many hundreds of years, but I was relieved to know that at least part of the world survived 'Armageddon'. What a feat you have performed."
______________________

Kimberly from Ohio: "Well, Bob! I am rather blown away by your book. Finished it yesterday, and it only took four days, which means I was intrigued and wanted to know how the book ends. I'm a slow, deep reader and since my profession is writing and editing, I edit continuously as I read. Can't help it! But this book was worth dropping everything for and reading to the end. I admit to cynicism about your claim that it would change me, and I don't know that it has just yet but it won't be leaving my heart and head for a long time, and change could happen. I'm impressed that the book actually lived up to your claims for it. . . . I'm intrigued by this book because it rings so true, and I am therefore tempted to believe you actually were given the gift of this dictation. But if not and this is fiction, you have written one hell of a book, masquerading amazingly as non-fiction ... which is indeed one of the goals of fiction."
______________________

An Ohio Reader: "WOW! WOW! WOW! I read it in one sitting and found so many things you wrote about 'true' for what I know and feel about past lives I've lived. Actually, the chapter about the Holocaust was something I couldn't bear to read–too sad and painful. (I've always felt that way about that period of history.) . . . it was very well done, Bob. Just beautifully done. I'm looking for the movie. . . I'm sure others will feel connected to this book just as I did. AMAZING. Just AMAZING. I couldn't put it down. There was so much anticipation with each chapter it hooked me from the very beginning. . ."
______________________

Specific Book: Adelyn: An Epic Journey:

Ohio Reader: "In his book, Adelyn: An Epic Journey, Bob navigates the reader through a challenging journey in the time space continuum while exposing both the weaknesses and strengths of humanity. As Adelyn is exposed to the infinite love of The Source, the reader is challenged to understand how personal beliefs and actions often have more to do with cultural rather than spiritual influences. In a time and world filled with political anger and personal indulgences reading Adelyn offers the open-minded promise. It would make a great book study."

Specific Book: The Tao of Momentary Thoughts

Doug from Ohio: ". . . I was not prepared for page 116 Should have been because of the extremely personal nature of the entire book. Please understand that the unusual length of time to finish your book (especially for a binge reader like me) was because it screamed to be read thoughtfully in increments. For me that was 10-15 pages every weekend, often in quiet . . .Thank you for "putting pen to paper" and sharing your soul. Those of us who have followed Poetical Journeys will recognize much of the content. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to share part of your journey really feel a part of it."

Charles from Park City: "Hi Bob….I just picked up your The Tao of Momentary Thoughts.  It’s wonderful . . I love your book."

Ed from Seattle: The Tao of Momentary Thoughts: "I was smiling all the way through the reading . . .I think I will reread it again during the next week."

______________________________________________________________

PJ Online

To read some of the back issues of the PJ, go to here.

The next issue will go out on Sunday, June 27, 2021.

Until next time - joy and peace,

Bob

 


Subscription: To unsubscribe, click on your individualized unsubscribe e-mail at the end of this newsletter. (Not appropriate for this web page.)



Bob Casey
Poetical Journeys
P.O. Box 319
Midway, UT 84049

bob@poeticaljourneys.com

If you are reading this and have not signed up for your free subscription
to the Poetical Journal, please click here.

Top

Click on the icon to go to the homepage.