Shrouded Shore: The Many Musings of Thom Singleton

  Frost Bite Today, the coldest day of the year so far Minus eleven degrees, minus thirty with the wind chill Frost bite in less than ten minutes on bare skin I get bitten just thinking about it They closed the schools today That frost is not going to chew on me Think I’ll just crank-up the heat and settle-in with a good book It’s supposed to be twenty degrees tomorrow Heat wave!

  Pilgrimage Surf’s up at Niagara Falls. The St. Lawrence Seaway has become the St. Lawrence Sea. The East Coast has retreated west in the breezy, tropical winds of climate change. Sea foam licks the new Appalachian shore as coastal cities are flooded to oblivion.  Americans retreat with the flood, a grim pilgrimage.

  I Predict Climate is changing. The South this winter is moving North, as blizzards’ bull’s eye is Kentucky, and snow days are predicted as far South as the Gulf Coast. Orange you glad, Florida, as temperatures there drop to the 30’s. Meanwhile, out West, whirlpools, what’s left of them, are becoming like dust devils. Singing the blues, yet, America? While oil barons at their black tie events celebrate their fortunes, wearing haloes as if they're doing something good. I predict that this modern day Sisyphisean boulder, with oil on its own slippery slope, will befall these errant barons ending their reign.

  This Is How It Will All End? Ancient pyramids shaped like volcanoes. Why? Perhaps to portray the volcanic power of Earth, and that of the pharaoh buried within. Exploding mountains still occur, as do deep-sea vents. Are these hot potatoes how it will all end?  Man has no control over magma coming from deep in our planet. Man does have control over what he does or doesn’t do on Earth’s surface causing climate change.The Los Angeles wildfire is a smoke signal for the rest of us. Many dead, and 1000’s of homes just smoke and ash. What provided the kindling? Dry conditions for the vegetation - fiery tumbleweeds - and hurricane-force winds. Mankind dried the kindling. After the fires, mankind must end climate change, or climate change will end man. 

  1 Degree I don’t want to open the thin, gauzy drapes today. It’s not like they seal off the cold. I don’t want to look out at the cold, white snow. I have enough trouble keeping myself at 98.6 degrees without reminding myself that it’s 97.6 degrees colder outside. I still like the change of seasons, especially when they change to warm.   

  What My World Needed Out of the blue sky flew a blue bird, a blue jay at the bird feeder. It was a blue ribbon event for me because he got me out of my blues. “Just because I’m the color blue doesn’t mean I have to be bummed,” he seemed to say. And I had to agree. After all he is a colorful bird, just what my world needed at the moment.   

  Life is Love In my 78th year… My heart keeps beating My lungs keep breathing My eyes keep seeing My nose keeps smelling My ears keep hearing My tongue keeps tasting My hands keep touching My brain keeps thinking My emotions keep emoting My life keeps living What powers these gifts? My heart not just beats, but loves The power of love Given to me to share

  Far, Far Away A brook flows vividly through my memory While I munch a sprig of mint Beside my favorite waterfall For me it is like a breath of fresh air Near in my reverie, but far, far away in reality As a blizzard of ice and snow approaches

  In a Parallel Universe         By Patti Ramponi In a different world, I’d walk along the cliff’s edge In a whirlpool of fresh air, only to come upon a waterfall In a different world, perhaps a different universe, I’d stroll with my robin’s-egg-blue picnic basket And look over the bluff to the cliff dwellers below Gathering driftwood in the setting sun, with the moon rising  Casting shadows on moonstone along the shore

  Snowflakes and Humans No two snowflakes are alike Every one, one in a billion Every one, unique Every one, in essence, shining like a star No two humans are alike Every one, one in a billion Every one, unique Every one, in their heart-of-hearts, shining like a snowflake

  Gray and Gold Sky blue yesterday Today just shades of gray Even the trees gray in the cloud-dimmed light Today only the snow is bright My outlook dim, visage grim, if I look only outside Good thing I’ve got gold inside In my heart of hearts gold abides

  She: Answer She takes care that what needs to happen in the moment happens. She attracts people naturally by giving them and their interests her undivided attention. She cares for others, their woopees and their woes. She knows how. She was big sister in a family of loving parents and six siblings. Who is she? Tune in tomorrow to find out. Answer: She is my beloved wife, Patti.

  She She takes care that what needs to happen in the moment happens. She attracts people naturally by giving them and their interests her undivided attention. She cares for others, their woopees and their woes. She knows how. She was big sister in a family of loving parents and six siblings. Who is she? Tune in tomorrow to find out.

  White Carpet The meadow has a white carpet of snow today. The milky hue covers summer’s now-brown grass, and brightens the landscape beautifully. The sun’s arc is imperceptibly higher each day. Streaks of the rising sun filter through the leafless trees and cast light on the white. Only a few little feet have crossed the wide expanse, a rabbit and, perhaps, a red squirrel. Our deer herd, likely huddled for warmth, have yet to appear from the woods in their perpetual search for provender. No wind disturbs the peaceful, yet chill, setting.   

  White Wind A wind you can see?  How can this be? Tiny snow flakes fly this way and that Come to rest on tree limbs and anything flat Gusty wind turns the air white Blowing snow makes quite a sight A snowstorm follows a snowstorm all about Only this one is a total white out