Here are some not-so-odd oddballs for this week:
Cannon, Fort Ticanderoga, Adirondacks Region, New York
Lord Ganesha at the entrance of an Indian restaurant with ?menu sampler
Chilling in the cart- at Old Town, San Diego
First blush of love
Years ago that moment sublime
Preserved like a monument through time
In the innermost sulci of my brain
Close to the centers of pleasure, and pain
How the magic that happened that day
Changed the axis of my earth, I cannot say
An avalanche of emotions descended on me
Making me plunge in a tempestuous sea
On a psychedelic trip I seemed to embark
With distorted perception I stumbled in the dark
Never knew what this passion could do
Borne out of first love, this fire just grew
Alas! Unrequited remained my desire
Your coolness extinguished those embers of fire
Devastated, I raved and raged all alone
Such unspeakable restlessness I had not known
It does still amaze me, to this very day
How love can captivate you in its sway
The memory of first love is fresh in my mind
The vortex of emotions though I’ve left behind..
Travel Theme: Smooth
Smooth like a vintage wine
Like a performance flawless
Like a polished table with some shine
Like the surface of glass colorless
Like a lie spoken without a trace
Of regret, or remorse, or conscience
Smooth like the impassive face
Of the liar with no repentance
Smooth like the web of a spider
Spun with thread, sticky and silken
Smooth like the words of a writer
Artistically crafted with a pen
Smooth waters of the San Diego harbor
Glass fruit platter- smooth and shiny- At the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
Giant Christmas ornaments- smooth and shiny! Near the Rockefeller Center, New York
Break free
Fettered by regulation,
Chained by tradition
Weighed down by expectation
Bent over in submission
Narrow norms of society
Create needless fear
When to standards of propriety
The heart refuses to adhere
So most of us learn
To suppress our inner voice
While secretly we yearn
For the freedom of choice
To break free from the tether
Of society’s expectations
Break barriers made by others
Follow our aspirations.
So gather the courage
To follow your heart’s vagaries
Turn to your life’s next page
Write your own life’s series.
A Photo a Week Challenge: Muted
The title says “a photo” but I cannot help including multiple pictures:)
Colors of life appear faded
The brightness of enthusiasm is muted
My heart and mind feel so jaded
Red color of passion is desaturated
Oh Lord, ignite in my soul a fire
That illuminates the dull colors from within
Bring back in my life the joie-de-vivre
I’ll welcome back brightness with a grin.
Chrysanthemums at the Mum Festival, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Yellow orchids
Vasari corridor, Florence, Italy
New lease of life
A new lease of life is what I need
The daily grind is wearing me down indeed
A brilliant sun unveiled from the cloud
An idea that lies buried beneath the shroud
Old passion unearthed from the cave of childhood
If I could recreate that magic, I certainly would..
Or in a new-found love to take a steep plunge
To fill me with hope, so forward I lunge
To bury depression deep inside me
New hope on the horizon I need to see
Inspiration around me I hope I shall find
That will infuse positive ideas in my mind.
Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge: 2015 Week #13
A couple of photographs from recent travels..
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Colorful Monotones
This one’s interesting- and none of these photographs has been photoshopped. 
Underwater anemone
Sand castle
White flowers, white background
Muddy geyser known as “Fountain Paint Pots” at Yellowstone National Park, WY
First Church of the Christ, Boston
One word photo challenge: shamrock
Linking to :http://jennifernicholewells.com/2015/03/31/one-word-photo-challenge-shamrock/
Sculpture of three schoolboys, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia
Shamrock balloons (for St. Patrick’s day celebrations)
Experience the world!
This poem is inspired by the following article, which explains why one should spend money on experiences, not things:
One day both you and I
We go to the store and buy
The same expensive object
We both individually subject
Ourselves to momentary pleasure
Of possession of a treasure
The novelty wears off soon enough
Our mood then experiences a trough
The cycle repeats endlessly
We go on buying mindlessly.
**
One fine day when the sky is blue
We venture out, both me and you
We hike the hills, we pause and stare
We swim in the streams without a care
With some money, we rent a boat
In the quiet river, blissfully we float
At the local cafe we eat a meal
Sharing stories, mirth and common zeal
Spent, we go back home and rest
Spending the day this way is the best
Months later we would probably remember
That gorgeous day from sunny September..
**
Now tell me, if we were together
Which one of these activities would you prefer?
Money we can spend in more ways than one
On buying objects or on experiences awesome
Both will give us a high for a while
But a great experience will always make us smile
Even the most prized material possession
Derives its value from emotional association!
Senseless violence
Tears of frustration
Tears of helplessness
As a sign of prostration
Before the callousness
Of those wielding power
Unchecked and untamed
As they choose to shower
Atrocities, unashamed
Protests silenced
Voices suppressed
Display of shocking violence
Against the oppressed
Why is this world
So deeply divided
How did hatred unfurl
How was this fire ignited?
There are a million
Excuses for violence
Any rational explanation
Demanded, draws silence
Those in possession
Of absolute power
Hungry for domination
Make the weak cower
Was this how mankind
Was supposed to live?
Were we not supposed to be kind
To each other, and selflessly give?
I see the world around me
And feel pangs of regret
We are losing the opportunity
To make each life the best
We all exist in collaboration
By fighting each other we cannot win
No one succeeds in isolation
We need to stop violence against our kin!
Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge: 2015 Week #13
Fake cow with udders that can be milked- at a milk farm in Manheim, PA
Peacock kite- wonder how it flies- at Seaport Village, San Diego, CA
This contraption is made out of “bathroom fittings”- can anyone decipher what it means?- At the Museum of Art and Design, New York City
Passion...unbridled 
