EMPIRE /QUEEN VICTORIA DAY

This was the 140th Annual May Queen Crowing. I had the please of meeting the 20006 May Queen. She was a beautiful, clever and delightful girl. Then on Friday was the crowing of the 2007 May Day Queen and her attendents. There were Maypole dancing, ballet performances, Highland dancing and Bagpipes. Members of parliament and the Mayor's office were there too. I was interesting to me that traditons so old and long forgottren by most people were still being held in this age. Though, ay one time the May Queen was sacriiced for a good harvest, i was careful not to tell the Queen any of this. We had the tradional small parade and fireworks at night. The start of many week-end festivites here. I took photos, but not too many are very good. As always, i do try... There was a 1930s firetruck in the parade. Pierre would have liked that. I planted my flowers this morning, it is traditional to do that on this week-end in most of Canada. Here on the island we really do not have to worry about the weather. A few haiku and tanka: Her young eyes fill with tears tonight May Day Queen year over Robe of purple a diamond tiara a glowing Queen Old chestnut tree white candles sway Spring wind Highland dancers young girls twirl thier kilts swords at thier feet The Colour Guard holding the many flags old backs still straight The dark sky full of colours and sound fireworks bring me outside to look with delight

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

a HAPPY mOTHR'S dAY TO ALL OF YOU!!!!! I am on my way to meet mine for a buffet lunch and a bottle of bubbly. There is so much to say about my Mother...2 much So , all i will do is her favourite haiku today Regal looking Lady more silver in the gold of her hair

MERRY MONTH OF MAY

May has many important dates.

May 1....Oma callls first thing and says, "That Korean wife of his killed him you". Well May 1 is my Father's birthday. He married a lovely Korean lady and had a stroke, a year later. Oma is convinced that she gave him herbs to kill him and run off with the money. Well,, after his stroke, yes she ran off, but i was made his trustee... He died 10 years later with another stroke. He was finally going to write his life story. He had refused to talk about his life in Hungry until the communists left. It would have been an exciting story full of Princes, thieves, lost castles and who knowas what is fact or fiction. I really do not know anything about his family in Hungry at all....only hints. He did mention a beautiful place close to Lake Balaton. I found it and it had been turned into a luxury hotel. In 1989, after the communists lot power...they gave back land and property....but i had to prove what his family owned. Well, he was caught in a fire working up North and all his papers were lost, so now change of a castle on Lake Balaton. It is there and beautiful and that is fine...i can go anything and stay there. Though Dr. Pavel will not allow me to travel through time zones in fear of inducing my illness. So i can only only in North America fo the time being. May 6 is also a birthday of a person who was once very special to me. I am happy his heart is still ticking over, 41 is too young to die. Though this modern day Renaissance man has had a life filled of all the things he has wanted to do and experience. It is not the quantity but the quality, but i pray for him. It is Jeffrey's fathers very large birthday this month also. he has been very ill too, so he is in my daily prayers also. It seems once a man reaches 40, his body starts to send messages... Well May 13 is Mother's Day...and always a happy day in our family. The women live on and on!! For Sandor On Lake Balaton the room of his birth a warm glow Restless river the fire-coloured maple beckons the Magyar Sunrise she places haiku over his ashes For J A blue-irised man sends her a post-card on his honeymoon His four children gather around his bed he is content For Oma Spring morning more silver than gold in her hair Her singing fills the old house and odour of 4711 For Robert (Bob) His milestone birthday drinking Veuve Clicquot counting his years in bubbles wonder where the time has gone And what would have been a special Wedding anniversay On the small island memories of thier life fill the shadows

EARTH DAY 2007

NANAIMO EARTH DAY 2007 A very loud clap of thunder and then the Pineapple Express hit us in Maffeo Sutton Park. A spectacular start to the day. My group of vlounteers did a splendid job and we all enjoyed the day. i was in charge of of the colouring contest. I handed out the picture to colour...damp but joyful entrants kept me busy. During the most powerful downpour i coloured too. Aw well, it is fun to be child-like, i make it a daily practise. The best part of the day was a swing music group. Everyone liked the music of that era. I have 3 festival tatoos that will not budge from my arms. A few haiku and tanka (free-form and childish) A loud clap Thor in the sky today the rush of wind and rain children cry as the paint face decorations run down in many colours Japanese exchange students volunteer for Earth Day they run in the rain giving out bottles of pure island water Earth Day rain drops on the Smart Car In the rain on Earth Day the government ministers cheerful in the rain many people running to their booth for free coffee and donuts On Earth Day we discuss how "green" we are proud of our efforts hey, i gave up my german tank and still miss it, but not the price of gas Earth Day at the end of the day tents dripping rain a man comes along with 2 dogs that look like mops

DON HO DIED YESTERDAY

Don Ho Donlad Ho Tai Loy, August 13, 1930- April 14, 2007. He die dof hear failure yesterday morning. He will be sadly missed by all and his show in Waikiki. I had th epleasure of meeting him and found him a wonderful, charming man. Well known for his song, "Tiny Bubbles". He was an icon who well represented the State of Hawaii. White flower lei the scent of rain in the air her tears flowing The heart of Waikiki will forever beat in song blue-great pacific In the wine those tiny bubbles she lifts a glass of Vevbe Clicquot to his memory

EASTER SUNDAY

A wonderful Easter service today. The sun was out for only a little while...nothing new about that here on this island of rain forests... I realised today that i have unconditional love from two men in my life. Jesus and Jeffrey!!! I have turned off Yahoo and MSN and am spening the day in contemplation. MY EASTER TANKA (FREE FORM) Angel sitting on the stone the women named Mary not believing the news that will bring joy for two thousand years first Easter

EASTER WEEK

FORGET-ME-NOTS I was carrying 10 pounds of groceries on each arm. I stopped to take a breathe. I looked down in to the flower bed and there almost hidden where forget-me-nots, small blue star-like flowers with a yellow center. My heart stopped for a moment. Flooding with memories, thought were long gone. I felt a great wave of sadness. Two wonderful, but also painful memories of two blue-irised ones. I later found that one of them is very ill...more sadness and un-ease. In church tonight i prayed. FREE-FORM TANKA FOR O The night you left i placed some forget-me-nots on the windshield of your bus knowing that we would never share special moments again In the store your music in the back ground i smile and remember years ago, the same music knowing you are happy FOR J Forget-me-nots i saw them suddenly on the path my thoughts turned to him with my heart filled with sadness Forget-me-nots my thoughts return to your eyes so many years ago then tears in mine wonderment and a deep sigh Forget-me-nots a tear starts to flow knight, poet and coffee lover your heart stop-go... i say a prayer