All beauty exhausted, duck in winter

With apologies and respect to Yosa Buson. Milwaukee circa 2016.

A galaxy of snowflakes descend

Asheville, NC circa December 2010

Clock tower on a snowy day

Milwaukee City Hall building circa 2015

More Thanksgiving leftovers – playlist

For the holiday season, listen to the In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond show: Autumn and Thanksgiving.

You may also enjoy going through the archives of the In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond podcast:

Episode Dec 14 2025 In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

The core of this episode has some of the best tenor sax players from today and yesteryear. I'm speaking of Potter, Kirk, Rollins and Trane. They are bookended by a new release from Out Of/Into and Zawinul's In A Silent Way. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Out Of/Into ~ Nacho Supreme ~ Motion II Chris Potter ~ The Mind's Eye (For Michael Becker and Joe Lovano) ~ Gratitude Roland Kirk ~ Alfie (Live at the Penthouse in Seattle September 1967) ~ Single Sonny Rollins ~ Alfie's Theme ~ Alfie John Coltrane ~ Moment's Notice ~ Blue Train Herbie Hancock ~ Watermelon Man ~ Head Hunters Weather Report ~ In a Silent Way ~ 8:30 (Live) Miles Davis ~ In a Silent Way (Rehearsal) ~ The Complete in a Silent Way Sessions
  1. Episode Dec 14 2025
  2. Wonder Jazz
  3. Post Thanksgiving 2025
  4. Autumn and Thanksgiving
  5. All Jack D

Thanksgiving feast leftovers – playlist

Gratitude for a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Feast

The pressure to perform and succeed at holidays stresses everyone. The lists of things to do, people to see, and places to go is overwhelming. That is the simple and delightful plot of the 1970s film A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. A favorite scene is when the Peanuts characters prepare the Thanksgiving feast: buttered toast, popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans, and an ice cream parfait.

One year, our family put together a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving feast of toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks and gummy bears (could not find jelly beans at the convenience store) to share. The snacks were placed in brown paper lunch bags and shared at gatherings. The disappointment was that most of those who received the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving snack bags had never scene the film. Or did not remember the feast items. But I am grateful for the lesson.

Are you thankful for a challenge or disappointment that turned out to be better than expected? What teaching or teacher are you grateful for this year? Name a person in your life currently who is a blessing. Who is a person in your past for whom you are grateful? What is something you learned to do that is a blessing?

There so many things and people to be thankful for that an individual might be able to fill a bare November maple tree with bright red paper thanksgiving leaves.

Grove Arcade decorated for the holidays

Source: Grove Arcade circa 2011

Nothing says home like public transit

Source: Nothing says home like public transit

He never wanted to leave this place

One November night we warmed ourselves with poetry

Illustration of roll up pen and brush case

Pen and ink illustrations

November sky

Source: There’s something about these clouds

A perfect day for reading books and drinking tea

Instagram montage
Source: The only way for human beings is to choose

Autumn in the Piedmont

Source: These autumn mornings

Lost confessions

Searching for lost confessions

Some days all you need…

Over two months of writing a poem a day
Interested in the November PAD (Poem-A-Day) Chapbook Challenge?

October quickly fades

I raise my cup to invite the bright moon

Raised cup to invite the moon

Haiku a morning in a thousand pixels

Haiku a morning in a thousand pixels

Gather ’round the radio

Time to gather ’round the radio

Legend

Inktober — Day 15

After the storm

Asheville after the storm
Asheville, North Carolina

What is the story?

Meformer or Informer

A picture is worth a thousand words. A common expression. Or common illusion. The story behind the image used in a post, “Meformer” (vs “informer”), does not tell the whole story. Not even part of the story. The post deflects the writer’s fears and anxiety. What do you see in the twenty minute sketch captured by an outdated iPhone photo?

DSCN3428[sqr-tilt-dallas]

Another images portrays an artist’s workspace. An unfinished ink and watercolor painting. The related post reveals part of the story. Fear motivates. But there is a whole story arch of dreams and desires. Hopes and aspirations. And failure. If you were to write a thousand words about this photo, what story would you tell?

DSCN6003[DSCN6002[sqr-basic-lomo-dusk-tilt]]

Notepads capture interesting details. To do lists. Contact information. Grocery lists. Project tasks. Appointments. Or this photo of an anatomy of print advertising. Why this list? What story does this relate?

The illusion of these photos is the framing. The information that is cropped out of the image is equally as important as what is framed within it.