I Saw So Far

I went to the mountaintop.
He bade me not to go,
Concerned I would not
Come back.

I was clueless in my cold trudging.
The numbness in my body and
The blinding snow complied with danger. 

It took the fullness of time
To climb and be back
Safe in my bed. 

I did not know he cared,
Till after I found, that
In my going up, he
Did not sleep,
Until he knew of my
Coming down. 

                                                                                                  Susan Patterson

Mt. Hood is located in the state of Oregon, where I live.  It is about a two hour drive from my house.  Mt. Hood, about 12,500 feet high,  is stunning in its beauty and calls many climbers from all over the world.  Even though it is not an exceedingly difficult climb by some standards, the mountain can be very dangerous and it is not unusual for people to get lost in white-outs or to get caught up in some other type of dangerous weather condition.  130 people have lost their lives on our mountain.  Some have never been found.   

In 1985 I decided that I wanted to climb Mt. Hood.  One of my running partners, who was an expert climber, was leading a group to the top, so I joined them.  May is the best month to climb Mt. Hood.  The weather is warmer and more stable.  The snow is still relatively firm and even though you often sink to your knees in the white stuff, it is maneuverable.  The winter storms are usually gone and if there is clear weather, you can see, it seems like forever.  We went up in May. 

The Mt Hood climber usually starts around 1:00 am, ascends to the top in about six or seven hours, has the breakfast that he or she has carried up in a pack, and then descends back down in about three or four hours.  It is an absolutely breathtaking experience.  The beauty is unforgettable, but so is the danger.  So is the cold.  So are the sulfur gasses coming up out of the ground of the dormant volcano that Mt. Hood is.  Some people in our party couldn't make it and turned back.  Climbing the Hogsback ridge at the very last point to get up and over on to the level place at top of the mountain was frightening.   Looking down over the edge of some of the glaciers was mind numbing, not to mention that much of your body was numb already.  But looking out over all the other mountains for miles and miles took one beyond the immediate. 

I could go on and talk more about climbing Mt. Hood, but this is Causerie and the subject really is poetry.  Today's poem is about climbing Mt. Hood.  I made the trek without knowing the terrain or the dangers.  I didn't know all that was expected of me, let alone how to use an ice axe.  I was excited for the experience.   I didn't even think it might be worrisome.  But, someone worried.  So much so, that from the time I started driving alone to the mountain at 11:00 at night, to getting back the next day to his house around 4:00 in the afternoon, he did not sleep at all.  When I finally slept and he could hear me safely breathing, he napped.   

I saw more than jaw dropping, tear producing scenery that day.  I saw with surprise that someone cared enough to let me go and to be adventuresome and then to be waiting for me when I came back .  I saw into the future.  skp

Whew, that was a long discussion!   I won't bore you with other trivia this time.  Remember, books are on sale at the Earlene Grey web site, www.EarleneGrey.com  Shipping is free.  Books are not, but they are at a very good price.  And, as always, it is nice to have a book on hand that makes you feel happy.  If you don't want to buy, check out the website and just listen to the intro music.  I won't mind. 

Remember, the Open Studios of Beavercreek is coming June 21, 22, 23.  If you are in the area, please stop by.  I would love to visit with you at my studio pictured on this blog page. 

I hope that May has been a good month for you.  It is usually a pivotal time for me.  New phases of my life often start in May.   I believe great things happen in May more often than in any other month.  But now our merry month is almost over, so enjoy her last few sweet days and look forward to the warming of summer and the glory of June.  skp 

Keep climbing.  skp

As I See It
 

I am just a little girl from a small town near the       woods.
Born of parents who adored me,
but who moved too often for my tolerance.
Their adoration, surprisingly not embraced
by the rest of the world, only carried me so far. 
Though they found me, they never found themselves.
My father, leaving this earth at the right time, left far too soon.  
And my mother, never finding her peace and prosperity,
left too for the higher plain.     

I  am woman who toiled because I was taught to do so.
Working kept me whole and tore me asunder.  I was envied and pitied. 
There were the mean spirited and evil, gracious and good. 
I mothered with pain, but the responsibility of joy held me. 
I married with strife and waited for peace.  
In all, battles begged for understanding.
Then future, carried by angels, came without fanfare.
It brought the sweetness of a havened life and
my cherished and kind love. 

I am a woman who has been blessed with many good friends,
with men who have loved me and with beauty that has surrounded me. 
I am a woman whose strength and style and grace
has impressed many and fooled most of the same. 
I am a woman aging with effort, slowing with care,
still trying to cipher the points;  where to go, what to be,
and in that paradox, content where I am.   It is enough.

Susan Patterson

This is an autobiographical poem.  It is my birthday today.  Indulge me.  Suffice it to say, I will not be explaining too much of the poem.  Most of it is personal.   You will notice, however, that it is a story of innocence, struggle and then to a life that is sweetened by relief and contentment.  But, you know,  it might not be only my biography.  It could be yours too.  After the battles, after the mean spirited, peace can come.  Sometimes it can be a choice.  skp

🌐 Let the best of the calendar be the compass for your time travels. 🌐   Earlene Grey

Dear Causerie Aficionados, 

Thank you so very much for reading my blog.  Thank you for your comments and emails.  I am absolutely thrilled that my poetry speaks to you.  May our paths continue to cross through the written word but, more so, in person every now and then.  skp


À biéntô. 

An Undeniable Attribute of the Human Species


It is characteristic of the human nature,
Of the human environment,
Of the human evolution.

Change, that is. 
We can.
We shall.
We do.
We will.   

On occasion, it thankfully causes
Us to be tolerable,
Even tolerant.

It is an unending circumstance,
Like the ever surging
Of the oceans.
And the constant sailing
Of the winds.

It is the very condition of
The earth that we are,
Waters and winds
Swirling around us,
Unfailingly
Moving us
Forward,
Whether we ever notice
Or not.    

How then are we to benefit from
This humbling condition?

Notice
More often. 



Susan Patterson

This poem is one of hope.  If you read my writings consistently, you will notice that I often write about the stupidity of humanity and conversely, the hope of humanity.  I am one who believes that we can and certainly should do significantly better.  Originally I wrote this piece about mankind and how we should notice that things do change and that we are becoming more civilized. 

But this poem is also about individual change.  Change is inevitable.  Some people enjoy change and look for it to make things better.  Some people abhor change and look for it to make things worse.   Regardless of which camp you are in, being a part of the change will give you strength, one way or another.  skp

If you live in the Clackamas County area, start making plans for the Open Studios of Beavercreek, June 21, 22, 23 from 10 am - 5 pm.  This is the 10th anniversary of the Studio Tour!  To participate and find fabulous art, simply download a map online, put some snacks in the car and enjoy a leisurely drive to thirteen artist stops.  It's great fun.  Talking to the artists personally, seeing where they work and, best of all, getting great prices is a treat.   I first became aware of the event a few years ago, drove my old 4 Runner following the tour map and discovered some of the most beautiful art anywhere.  Who knew this was right here in my back yard!  Now I open my studio in the tour as well.  I am stop number 2.  (We're number 2!  We're number 2!)  This spring we will have three other artists at our stop as well.  So please come visit.  There will be more information in the next few weeks, but make plans now.  skp

❈ Art is anointed imagination. ❈    Earlene Grey

Cheery-bye! 

If Enough of Us Believe…

It’s all too much
All of it. 
All of us. 

Well, anyway, it’s too much for
Me.

I will therefore deny today
And claim a future that
May not be,

But is mine to say.

I will think of the time when
Earth will not be run
Over by human animals,

Of the time when flora
Will be the means to fuel
Our existence.

When we will casually discuss
Weather and politics with the
Other creatures.

When we will not hit with our
Hands nor trample
With our feet 
Nor poison with
Our breath.

When we will be good.   

I will say, ‘It is coming.’ 


Susan Patterson

What I am talking about in the poem is my dream, possibly fantasy. It is a dream for a time when we humans will have evolved to the point where we will not feel the need to take anything and everything that we want.  We will understand the value of sharing, not just using.  We will understand the intelligence of others living on Earth. We will understand how to live in harmony.   Humans have evolved this far because our of aggression and need to dominate.  Now it is time to learn how to get along. 

I'm pretty tired of seeing dead animals along the road.  It exhausts me to hear of the abuse we commit on animals, children and women.  I'm tired of hearing about the millions of acres of forests cut or burned down each year so we can use the land.  And, I'm very tired of reading about how commerce and industry must always come first.  There must be a better way.  Thank you for listening.  skp

This week I would like to spotlight Bonnie Merchant, a very talented artist who makes the most unusual and interesting metal jewelry.  http://FabulousStuff.com/

I am not a person who wears a lot of jewelry and when I do it is pretty traditional, i.e. pearls and such.  But, of late, I have thought that I needed a more modern approach to my look.  And so Bonnie came into the picture.  I have purchased several pairs of her earrings and every time, and I mean every time, I wear them, someone comments on their beauty.  She doesn't just string beads on wire.  Each piece that is made "tells a story," as Bonnie puts it.  Also,  I do not have pierced ears.  No problem, Bonnie can convert to clip-on earrings. 

Bonnie also makes necklaces, bracelets and all kinds of other fabulous stuff.  It is best if you can catch her at one of the shows or galleries in the area so that you can get the best choice of her work.  But, if you miss her,  I'm sure that she would love to hear from you via email.  skp

Be well, do good. 

Enoch Walked Steadily With God, And Then One Day,
He Was Simply Gone; God Took Him


I walked today and went for miles,
Cultivation that
Should be routine.

It is spring and the sun is out,
Making the temperature just warm
Enough so that one doesn't need
To wrap against the elements, but
Not so hot that one is annoyed.

I was looking down at the road,
Pondering the past as we too often do.
When I happened to look up,
As we don't often do nearly enough,
I marveled at the crowds of trees, with
Birds dashing and chirping from one to another
Of the myriad of brown and green perch choices.

There are wondrous things to notice on a walk.

What an incredible passing, I thought,
Either now or when it is time.
To walk
In the transition of spring,
From this world into the next.
Let me just leave my body behind
And then carry on with the walking that
Should be routine.


Susan Patterson

This is one of four poems in a series about walking.  Each poem addresses walking during one of the four seasons.  This is the spring-walking poem. 

As the story in the Bible goes, Enoch was a friend of God and walked and talked with Him daily.  One day, when he was walking with God, Enoch just disappeared.  God took him.   Enoch was one of the only two people in the Bible that didn't go through the process of death.  Elijah, who was taken up in a chariot of fire,  was the other. 

No matter how we leave this Earth, it will happen.  This poem talks, quite simply about passing to the spiritual realm by taking a walk and just keep on going without the assistance of the human body.  There is no great lesson here, nothing to really think about.  It is just a fantasy.  Or is there really something to think about?  Opinions?  skp

FIRST:  This is for the female readers.  Ladies, do you have quite fair skin?  Does the clerk at the make-up counter say something like, "Oh, your skin is like alabaster."  They tell me my skin is the color of paste, by the way.  And, as I grow older, my skin color is getting lighter still!  I struggled for years trying to find foundation that was a light enough in color.  Found it!   Cargo brand, based in Toronto, Canada, is terrific.  Their oil free liquid foundation #10  is the best thing since sliced bread.  It covers well and makes skin look fabulous.   No, I'm not a sales representative, just sharing what works for us fair damsels.  http://www.cargocosmetics.com/    I'm sure their foundation in a different color would be wonderful for you ladies with darker skin as well.  It's really a very good quality product. 

SECOND:  Some of my readers have advised me that if you have an email account with Gmail, you may have difficulty getting the notices for the blog updates.  Apparently Gmail puts me into spam.  So, if you haven't been getting my notices, check your spam file and get me out of there! 

FINALLY:  I have been doing a little fund raising with my books.  It seems to be working out.   So, if you are interested in significant discounts in the cost of a large number of books for a worthwhile cause, let me know.  Or, if you would like to include one of my books in with the cost of the next tea you give, let me know.  We will talk.  Email, Susan Patterson <susan@EarleneGrey.com>     skp

Till the next time! 

This poem about mothers and daughters is the last in my series for Mothers Day.  It,  of course, recognizes the fact that mothers and daughters do not always understand or appreciate each other.  The words, 'mothers' and 'daughters' can be used interchangeably here.  Taking someone to tea, or even making a pot at home and sharing a cuppa is a powerful thing.  Yes, one could enjoy coffee together as well, but there is something about having tea that brings a softer and a more understated power to the table. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, the following recorded poem might not be something that you would expect in this Causerie.  It is a little piece of erotica, but so well written that I could not resist recording it.  Wils Hamilton is a poet from Scotland who I think has captured the 'man to a woman' thing quite nicely.  Ladies,  be forewarned, you may need to blow down your blouses to cool off. 

À bientôt!

I'm not a sappy or soapy person, meaning I'm not greatly sentimental or emotional.  I hesitated putting this poem online, thinking that people would assume I was doing some great tribute to my mother.  I am not. Not that she would not deserve it.  She did…and does. 

But that is not what this poem is about.  It is about shifting to thinking with a different paradigm or perspective.  I now see things and think about things, differently from what I used to.  It is not better.  It is not worse.  It is different.  I know things now that I am older that my mother knew as she grew older. Seeing things as she did brings a whole new world of appreciation to me.  

Sometimes it takes a while to gain the type of  knowledge or appreciation that can be transforming.  God knows that I still don't know all that much, really.  But I am pretty sure that I know, that I don't know.  It is better than not knowing and thinking that I do know.  😊

Sees Chocolates, by far.  I know that there are some small-batch chocolatiers with to die for offerings, but when it comes to mass produced chocolate candy, it is Sees.  Do you know good chocolate?  skp

As a new feature to this Causerie, I am going to introduce my readers to some of the many artists that have come into my life.  So as not to offend anyone in reference to choice and order of introduction, I put all their business cards in a bowl and simply chose one.  I will feature an artist every once in awhile this way, just to keep things interesting. 

The first artist that I will introduce you to is Reneé Healy,  www.reneehealy.com 

Renee lives in Washington State and  offers fine art watercolors and mixed media originals and prints.  I first met her in West Linn, Oregon a few years ago.  When I saw her artistry, I walked into her booth and knew right then and there that she was all about healing.  Don't know why, but that is what I felt.  Her work is very engaging and beautifully colorful.  It is playful at times and other times dramatic.  Reneé paints outside the lines of tradition and inside the standard of elegance.  I have several of her smaller originals.  Take a look at her website and see what you think.  skp

Take care till next time.  skp

A Feminine Phenomenon is poem about women.  It is part of a little series that I am presenting because Mother's Day is around the corner.  I will change direction in a week.  So, if you tire of the feminine component of humanity, bear with me. 

After I wrote this poem last year, someone suggested that I should not specify female wisdom; that this poem could be referring to males as well, and that I should make it unisex.   Yes, it is true, that both men and women have wisdom.  But, I am choosing here to discuss the female sense.

However, it does seem that in this society men are more respected as they age, women are often considered out of touch or silly.  Whether this true or not is up for debate, of course.  Women are certainly more respected than they used to be, but I believe there is a ways to go yet to gain appropriate consideration. 

Simply put, this poem says that women have a great deal of wisdom and that we should pay attention when it is available to us.  Do you agree? 

In this very fast paced and often thoughtless modern time, it still happens that children deliver flowers on May Day.  Yes, it is true.  This year again, two neighborhood children made me feel very special.  They wrapped flowers in paper, put them on my doorstep, rang the bell (a number of times, so that I about jumped out of my skin), and then ran off.  So thank you Rylee and Corbin for keeping the old tradition alive.  Thank you for being good neighbors. All of us who received flowers appreciate your thoughtfulness and your energy.  Thank you to your parents for raising such great children. 

My gratitude for your interest in Causerie!  I routinely get comments from readers through email and phone calls.  I do appreciate hearing from everyone.  But, don't worry if you do not want to comment publicly.  I certainly understand.  However, if you do have something to say, don't be afraid to say it.  If you comment on the blog, it doesn't sign you up for Facebook or the like.  Of course, if you like Causerie, spread the word, tell your friends.   😊     Thanks.  skp

Cheery-bye! 

An Analogy:
Lovers Are to the World
As Shoots Are to the Landscape


Up, from the scorched earth
Where a volcano has
Laid down acres of cypress and cedars;

Up, out of the blackened forest where
Burned ghosts of trees
Stand silhouetted against.
The cold sky;

Up out of the cracks
In roadways and pathways
Where cemented slabs
Cover the birthing soil;

Up, out of all of these,
Green shoots grow,
Waving towards the blue.

Sprouts that make
New cedars to stand straight.
New willows to bend.
New grasses to feed upon.

These
Are the lovers
Who stand tall
Among us and
Dare to inherently
Know what light is
And to reach for it.


Susan Patterson

I was thinking this springtime how shoots are growing everywhere.  Then my thoughts took me back to 1980 when a volcano in Washington State, Mt. St. Helens, blew her top off.  It was a tremendous shock of nature.  Forests were literally laid low like match sticks.  But, you know what, it wasn't all that long before little green shoots  of this and that grew up through the ash. 

That is the way with people in love, either in love with another person, or with life itself. Don't we stand just a little straighter when we are in love?  Lovers sometimes grow through the hardness or muck of life, reaching up to the light, waving like green shoots. They are so beautiful, changing the landscape around them. 

If you live in the Oregon area, you may be interested in the Clackamas County Arts Alliance website.  http://www.clackamasartsalliance.org/

Clackamas County Arts Alliance speaks up and steps up for all the arts throughout the county.   CCAA knows that our local arts industry is good for business and good for healthy communities -- and they spread that message widely.  In fact, you can sign up for a weekly email notice announcing art events happening in the County for the upcoming week end.   Pick and choose what fits your tastes and interests, then have a wonderful time attending! I always look to see what art affairs are taking place in our county.  Now, being a somewhat 'stay-at-home' couple,  my husband and I don't get to many of the events, but that should not stop you and yours from taking part.    ;-)

CCAA is a unified voice for Clackamas arts and culture.  Help make that voice loud and clear by adding your own:  sign up on the Arts Alliance list and enjoy Clackamas art. 

Just so you'll know...I'll never sell your personal information, including your email address. If you ever want to stop receiving these announcements, please just reply with REMOVE as the subject and I'll stop sending them to you.  Thank you for reading.  skp

À bientôt!