Creative Expression, herbs, and a poem…
Greetings!
I am almost finished with my book and its current title is Peering Into The Iris: An Ancestral Journey. It has all been a journey–the writing of it, the collecting of it, and now the desktop publishing part of the book. Oh dear! More computering. With so much work on the computer and at the desk, the wonderful world of herbs, in the garden, in the teapot, and on my neck and temples has come to my rescue. So, I have decided to link one of my favorite businesses to my website: Mountain Rose Herbs! Oh, they are delightful!
I hope you will visit and click into their website from here (after you leave me a comment, of course). As an affiliate, I will benefit from the sales and then, I can keep my blog afloat and continue to share my paintings and poetry with all. The banners and link to their site should be up and available in a few days. Come back to see. While you are here, please take some time to explore my website and look at my book cover and other surprises. Our desire for creative expression sometimes means we have to work diligently. Add that to the weak economy when most of us have to work harder to live well and we are under more stress. This is a reminder to remember your herbs! Remember to sip a wonderful cup of herbal tea for a restful sleep and a moment of enlightenment and relaxation.
Tell me about your favorite herbs in your garden, your teapot, and on your temples!Lemon balm will make a headache vanish! Lavender oil on my temples gives me restful sleep. Rose oil takes me to heaven and the pungent Rosemary picks me up.
TO POST A COMMENT: Scroll on down below this poem, click COMMENTS, then POST A COMMENT. It’s easier than it seems. I look forward to hearing from you!
Here’s a poem from Peering Into The Iris: An Ancestral Journey. I hope you enjoy it.
Today This Jar of Pickles Is My Poem
I struggle with domesticity
as I sterilize jars, clear
pack fresh cucumbers, garlic
sharp smelling dill
breathe steaming vinegar
vapor that unclouds the brain
Lids bounce in boiling water
I fish for one and quickly seal
each jar, this could be a poem
each jar, this a painting
each jar, I question
and justify
An early April morning I worked in the dirt
shoveled compost cursed flies
organic clumps on my heavy boots
I imagined lavender blooms turning eggplant purple
Later, I shaped mounds to protect tender roots
planted tiny dill seeds and the rains came
planted dill and they came again
planted dill that flourished
I bordered the plot with marigolds
giants, yellow and orange
basil and sage
I penciled plans
hammered stakes ran strings to mark my rows
hoed a long pain into my spine
On gray winter days
sculptures in glass on my shelf
green peppers and cayennes twist in to form
zucchinis and crookneck yellows
wind, curve around each other
speckled beans, mosaics
I take down jar after jar
chill or heat the colors
shapes, lines
patterns that turn to food and are eaten
Jacquelyn Markham
May your garden be fruitful!
Jacquelyn
Gay wrote:
Thank you for connecting me to the Mountain Rose Herbs website. I was not aware of them before but will visit often, as I am a great lover of herbs and herbal products.
Your paintings and poetry are beautiful, Jackie. This web page is one of my favorite places to find peace and inspiration. I look forward to reading more of your work. Thank you for the inspiration!
Posted on 05-Jun-08 at 10:14 am | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Wonderful Gay! Mountain Rose just approved my site as and I will now be an “affiliate.
Please come on back and visit. I’ll install their banner and links this afternoon.
Thank you for your kind words about my poetry and paintings!
Share some of your own, if you would like.
In creativity,
Jacquelyn
Posted on 05-Jun-08 at 11:08 am | Permalink
Dianne, your sister wrote:
I am anxiously awaiting the publishing of your book so I can see its entirety.
I will have a personal interest in your poems & photos, that I know.
I am very proud of you and know your mother would be too!
I will check out the herbal website.
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 3:58 pm | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Thank you, sister Dianne,
I hope the book will not disappoint you. As I say in the introduction, the book is not a memoir and not a family history, but it is an imaginative work in tribute to my ancestry.
I better go proofread the book now. Then, off it goes to the publisher.
Enjoy your teas and herbal products, and thank you for your kind words.
Sis
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 5:25 pm | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Hi Timmi, I found your post way back in the archive, so I brought it forward!
TIMMI wrote:
SURPRISE,SURPRISE! GUESS WHAT? I HAVE BEEN ORDERING STUFF FROM MOUNTAIN ROSE AND I LOVE THEM TOO!
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 5:27 pm | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Timmi,
I appreciate your taking time to visit the site. Now, I hope you will navigate around a bit and read some of my poetry and general posts too.
Have you tried some of that make your own incense that Mountain Rose has available?
I am tempted!
(in my spare time).
Thanks again!
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 5:29 pm | Permalink
Alma wrote:
Hi, Jackie,
I had never heard of Mountain Rose, but will give it a view and go from there. I have enjoyed reading your poetry, memoirs and such…always a pleasure. I look forward to viewing your book once published!!
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 9:35 pm | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Thank you for visiting my site Alma!
What I especially love about Mountain Rose is that they offer nearly every herb you can think of and many of them are organic. I know you will enjoy visiting their website.
I had a little technical trouble with my book cover today, so I hope you will drop back in and look when I can work that out. I have the book cover designed and ready to go, but the link wouldn’t cooperate with me. Technology!
I’m sure pleased to hear that others are awaiting the book. You have probably read some of the work in various other forms, but it is great to pull it together between two covers!
Come again. Post some of your own poetry, if you’d like.
Enjoy your life,
Jackie
Posted on 10-Jun-08 at 10:08 pm | Permalink
TIMMI wrote:
HI!
I HAVE NOT TRIED THE MAKE YOUR OWN INCENSE BUT I HAVE BOUGHT THEIR ALREADY MADE INCENSE AND ITS VERY GOOD. I USE THEIR RAW SHEA BUTTER FOR MY SKIN AND I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIMENTING WITH THEIR CALENDULA OIL TO REMOVE SOME SUN DAMAGE SPOTS ON MY FACE. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING BUT TAKES SOME TIME. I HAVE BEEN ORDERING ALL MY HERBS AND SPICES FROM THEM AS WELL. THEY ARE A GREAT RESOURCE!
HAVE A HAPPY DAY!
Posted on 13-Jun-08 at 1:38 pm | Permalink
Jacquelyn Markham wrote:
Greetings Timmi,
I am going to have to give your suggestion a try: using Calendula oil for sun damage on skin.
Remember to come back to visit my site and place your order here! That would be great.
Also, I want you to be a regular visitor. I’d love to see some of your recent artwork.
Have a creative life!
Jacquelyn
Posted on 15-Jun-08 at 12:29 pm | Permalink