april of the ferns

I started this tablecloth years ago when I took a Oaxacan embroidery class in the San Antonino style. Over time it morphed into a wedding present for a friend... that has now become her first anniversary present. But... it's done!

The top right corner was stenciled, but after that I free-handed the design.

What a Miracle what a miracle it is --

in an immense universe

what a miracle it is --

with empty distances

and minimal probabilities

what a miracle is

the collision

of two celestial bodies

two bodies of ice and fire

ash and dew

atoms and breath

what a miracle is

the spark

the nova

provoked by pure chance

perhaps

only an instant

perhaps an entire eon

it doesn't matter

(only the cosmos knows)

so

in a universe -- immense --

what a miracle is

the collision

First attempt at making mooncakes! Far from authentic given my location (I don't have a mold, there's no golden syrup or lye water, the filling is done with black beans not adzuki, and it's a vegan "egg wash" on top). But they don't taste half bad! I definitely want to experiment more...

A couple quick capybara presents for my neighbor's nieces.

When in doubt (or stressed out), dumple dumple dumple!

The wrappers are premade, but I stuffed them with spinach, zucchini, broccoli, ginger, and cilantro, and then brushed them with oil and air-fried.

Finally finished another of my veggie people... Toonah! (They are a tuna, or prickly pear fruit.)

how comforting the muted eddies

counterpoint to the cacophonous choir

in my ears. if only the voices would

swirl as silent if they must still compound,

gath’ring mass and weight and taking up space.

but the lancets ‘gainst my cheek, on my lips,

tell how warmth can soften the coldest touch — 

perhaps, just perhaps, alone with my thoughts 

I will not stop here; if I melt my thoughts

I had some scraps of wire from taking down Stella's fencing, so I played around... Started with bunnies, tried (and failed) to weave, ending up with a vase of flowers, and then started making faces.

What joy there is in singing

escapes my lyric tongue

to float like dandelions

the notes that I have sung.

And if one lands upon your ear

I pray you leave it lie

to sow another little tune