Christmas cake

I baked a Christmas cake on Christmas Eve Day. I woke up at five o'clock morning to make a dough. I followed up instructions from the cookbook and it wasn't first time when I made this cake. Yeast reacted the way how it supposed to react - it rose nicely. The dough also rose the way how it supposed to rise. Humidity wasn't high, but something happened and the Christmas cake didn't turn right. The family took one polite bite and there was a big piece left only for me, so I decided to treat wild animals and threw the cake out of the kitchen window to the snow on the backyard. I was hoping for the birds to show up. They might be so hungry they will eat it. Then I went to wash dishes. When I wash the dishes I look out of the window from time to time to see what is going on the backyard. There is a little piece of the garden, little bigger than a handkerchief, maybe the size of four bed sheets. I can see the neighbors house, their lean on, our fence and behind the neighbor's fence there is a tall cypress. On the cypress tree I can see my Christmas cake rising. So I dry my hands and go to get my glasses. The cake is still on cypress, only this time little bit higher. So I watch Christmas cake rising slowly, climbing higher and higher on cypress. After a while I can see a gray squirrel caring the cake for its tonight dinner. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Christmas 2007, Stephenville, Texas

Nightmare's caterpillar

So many little tiny legs and one tiny sucker. Something is missing - a tail. What does it eat? Shadows in the bushes. Where is it heading? To my sister's bed. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann 5/15/2010,Pottsville

May Saturday afternoon

Nice breezy day White curtains are moving in the windows The birds are peeping in the distance. Teenagers are listening to the music full of dreams and longing. There is a dance night tonight in town. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 5/10/2010

Holiday blues

Big expectations - favorite cookies are burning in the oven. The cat pulled a fish off the counter and the dog ate whole chicken carcass with half of the meat still on it. Nobody calls from overseas. I guess, it's up to me to make a phone call. Little presents under the Christmas tree, while you expected a cadillac. "I gave you a coffeemaker. I know how much you like your coffee." It's time to make coffee in new coffeemaker and relax. Copyright (c) 3/15/2010 Marie Neumann, Pottsville

Relaxation music

The lake waves are slapping sandy beach. They are not seagulls here but big black birds are circling in the air above a water pipe. Something is moving inside. A beautiful black cat is cautiously walking out. His fur is all dusty. I throw him a stick. He sniffs it hopefully. I am sorry, I have nothing for you. Second cat, also black, sleek and slimmer, moves slowly to the daylight. The birds are circling lower now. Oh, kitties, get back! On the other side of the lake deer are watching. Cello is playing. I stop at visitor's booth at the entrance of the park. "They are two cats in the drain pipe by the lake." "Yes, we know about them." The birds are still circling in the hot sky. I do not hear a flute and piccolo. I hear clarinet and oboe instead. 4/12/2010 Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, PA

Therapies

Radioactive mud on rheumatic knees for three weeks. It doesn't take arthritis away, but it helps. Sipping water while strolling colonnade from the mugs with thin spouts. Three weeks at the sea shore. Just relax, swim,take suntan. Eat and dance in the evenings and listen to the cicadas. Eat ice cream and flirt with your eyes. Do not touch. Relax. Hop on the treadmill. Move your limb to the left fifteen times, again to the right, and in the circles. Listen to the music. Ride the bicycle lying on your back and watch the shadows on stain glass. Keep your thinking positive. Watch bumblebees mating high above white bouquets of blooming pear trees. You are right. I do not know anything about pain. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 4/9/2010

Tomcat

Somebody gave a kitten to my friend. "What gender is my kitten?" "He is a male." An expert farmer declared. "Definitely he is the male." The male kitten grew and did as he pleased. He often wasn't home. Where is he? What do you expect? He is a tomcat. One day the proud cat was walking home with four kittens in the tow. And the cat wasn't their father. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 4/7/2010