HUMBLE OLD MAN By Valerie Alston

There once was an old man who slept on a bench in the park after dark.
This old man was a kind hearted soul who loved to see the children play all day long.
But when it was time for them to go home, this old man would hum a sad song.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

Day after day he watched the children come and go, to leave him alone in his own home.
The winter came and the air was chilled, but not a change in his cheery heart
For all he lived to see in his world was happy children playful in the park.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

The sunshine warmed him while sleeping on a park bench
One day he woke up to find the children had gone for the day.
He sat up, folded his blanket placed it where he lay.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

Soon there were no more children in the park.
All the children went away and they never came back again to play.
The old man stayed on his park bench where he lay
And closed his eyes for another day.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

In the light of the shining moon
He decided only too soon
That he should move on to another place
That may be somewhere away from the park
Where he wouldn't have to sleep in the dark.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

Loud noise of traffic and fumes from another part of town
The sounds around him made it hard for him to get used to.
He sat on the sidewalk in front of a strange big bus
Where people passed by and began to fuss.
They cursed as they threw coins his way
Only hoping to make his day.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There is not much joy in the world for me."

The old man just sat and watched the people pass by
Wondering why they would drop money on his hurting head.
But not knowing what to do
He hid the money in his shoe.
And days gone by he found an old hat, put it on his lap, not his head
Where people dropped the money instead.
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. There may not be joy, but there's money for me."

A happy man came out of the store with lots of money in his hand
He shouted how he had won the lottery.
So that is where the old man went to buy a ticket just to see
What was this thing they called the lottery.
Without a doubt and nothing to fear
When the old man won he bought a beer.
"Dum diddle diddle how good for me. There is a place in this world for me."

He won again and this time it was big.
The attention he got was not what he wanted
The media and the camera in his face.
Along with that came a family he never knew that took him home to another place.
This was all so sad. It was all so wrong
And the old man began to sing his song...
"Dum-diddle diddle how humble I be. This is not the place for me."

And he was put out on the street when the money was gone.
There he sat on the curb with a whiskey bottle in his back pocket, singing his favorite song.
"Dum-diddle diddle how thankful I be. There is a world full of wonders for me to see."

The old man continued to watch the people pass by on the street
It was all he ever wanted in life to see.
The people walked by with their happy feet.
"Dum-diddle diddle life is sweet."

Two Weeks Ago by Valerie Alston

The man next door used to rise early in the morning for his walk around the circle in our apartment complex everyday. He was a retired soldier from the Vietnam War and everybody in the community knew him. He always spoke to everyone, stopped to talk to the people who lived there. When the sunset in the evening, there was a very young girl who lived up the hill who used to stop by to see him sometimes. He would give her money and she handed him something back. Since I worked most of the time, I was always on the go and never got to know this man personally. But as I'd come in from work, I only had time to shower, eat and sleep before reporting for my job on the graveyard shift again.

One day when I came home from work, a strange odor was in my apartment. I paid little attention to it. A week later, the smell got stronger and I thought it was outside. Again, I kept on going, not taking it as being a problem, maybe it was the sewer outside my window or coming from the drain pipes in the bathroom or the garbage disposal in the kitchen.

Two weeks went by and the scent got outrageously strong. At that point, it was coming through the walls into my apartment. Something decayed and rotten was floating around and I called the office of the property management to report a dreadful fowl odor somewhere in my apartment. Maintenance came to look but found nothing. I insisted they find out where this terrible odor was coming from since it was beginning to give me headaches. 

A few days passed. I was getting ready to leave for work, when I noticed the ambulance, two police cars and a grey hearst parked outside in front of the neighbor's door. After the ambulance left, the two police cars remained talking to some people, writing something down. The grey hearst was still there. Then I saw the Old man's body being brought out on a stretcher and placed inside the grey hearst. He  had died in his sleep and I believe his spirit was restlessly wandering around until I reported it. How could nobody know he was dead! Everybody in the community knew this man by name, except me, yet his spirit wandered over to my apartment to plead for help. I was so moved by the incident, I talked about it at work to a co-worker and she said, "I know his spirit must have been glad you helped and he probably thanked you for calling somebody, now he can go into the light and finally be able to rest in peace." 

A FAIRY TALE ROMANCE by Miss Mazique

Loved by every man who ever looked her way, the chemistry of her attraction  was so rare. They all felt she belonged to them in their midnight dreams. And to this, no other man shall ever really be with her to love for real.

Sweet Love touched her heart in the way she never felt love before. It was in the air that day when Prince Charming kissed her tender lips then held his hand out for her to step out of the carriage. She felt a heartbeat with the nearness of his broad chest, and it warmed her inside. She stepped so elegantly in her scrubby white tennis shoes and heather grey sweat pants while gazing into his deep set romantic eyes, he was the perfect gentleman.

The others watched with wide eyes, steam blowing out of their ears, the envy of her new romance sent flaming arrows into the air. Such intimacy had never been shared with any of them that way. Never, was she ever supposed to fall in love with a real man, only in her imagination, but this was really real, the way she began to feel, not just a walk on the clouds.

It would come to past that all the foggy grey dogs had left the bitterness of her lonely heart scorched and damaged, not loved at all. But her new love affair would fill in all the empty spaces, romance was there in all the hidden places.

Days gone by, turned to weeks while drifting sadly along, where was Prince Charming, where could he be, what had she done to make him not want to see her anymore. She gave her love where it didn't belong. She gave her heart to someone who couldn't love her back. Clinched hard to the hurt she began to feel, the pain was deep inside that brought her tears. Through darkness and despair she'd come to realize it was foolish to think he really cared.

So she decided to take the love back she gave to that charming actor who was by far the best gentleman she knew. It was just a fairy tale romance. The chance she'd taken to find true love, this was not meant to be for her. His Love was so sweet and gentle, he'd kissed her lips and the taste of sweetness remained long after. In the heat of his own passionate desires for her and all she let him receive sent her into ecstasy. But when she realized what is was and what it would be, made her feel it so deceiving of him to make her believe it was real. That's when she took control of her own heart, she took the love she gave to him, feeling it was all wrong, not all good.

He arrived on time that day, dressed in a very casual way. The charisma she felt coming from him as she took a seat inside his vehicle. The laughter was shared and it was all good.

She waited patiently for him to open her door where she stood strong forever more, and with a stern look in her eye, heart to heart she said good by. She walked away through the fog, the clouds full of rain poured down and washed away her pain. She walked through a sparkle of sunlight never even looking back. The chills had made her blood run cold, and numbed the pain forever more.
She decided it was best that way, for in her heart his love would stay.

SPIRITUAL POWER by Miss Mazique

The spirit moves in mysterious ways...
An evil spirit came to me the other night. It buzzed around my ear like a swarm of bees, a dark shadow drifted above my head, I called on Jesus to have mercy on me, for I rebuke the devil, I will not accept any bad omens that are sent my way, then the evil one moved swiftly out of the room, it vanished, and I felt safe. I am protected by the spirit of God which is good. I am blessed to have the powers of good in my favor, no evil shall overpower me, for the Angels always watch over me. I am aware that the evil spirit moves like a serpent. But I fear no evil for thou art with me. I may not have all the earthly possessions I so desire but I am blessed in other ways. Such strong will to hold deep seeded emotions of one's soul takes a toll of sacrifice in order to achieve that kind of security. Only one who had done all the Lord asked him to do would be graced by the almighty to receive his favor in all that is done. And one must do it willingly, without complaint, or resentment towards others for any short comings he feels he had to encounter. For all is fair in love not war, but only in the Kingdom of God ....  where all faith shall be put to the test, man is not to be judged by another man before he receives God's rewards, for there is no power greater than he who created everything on earth. ~ 

The Red Dragon

Green eyes stared at the princess with passion. He was a fire breathing dragon from the woods. His roar was fierce and frightening but his kiss was hot as she felt weak in the knees. Before she fell to the ground his long spiked tail whipped around to swoop her up. The passion inside the monster came as softly as he made her body shiver, and then he tussled the princess in the air and whirled her around, he roughed her up until she hit the ground, and the fall was hard. He left her broken in a million pieces and never turned back to see if she was alright.
A knight in silver armor riding on a white horse in the darkness heard the quiet moans in the distance. As he neared where she lay, he stopped to see if everything was okay. When he gave her a drink of bloody red wine from his flask, she awakened to feel the tenderness of his warm arms wrapped around her broken body as she took her last breath in a peaceful moment of serenity.
The knight placed his coat over the princess then be on his way.
Down the road he heard the roar of the fire breathing dragon from the woods. The white horse trotted along the roadside as the sound got closer.
Smoke filled the air up ahead when the knight on the white horse stopped to stare in the distance a huge red dragon came out of the woods. The dragon whirled his long tail at the knight, and the white horse threw him in the direction of the red dragon. The tiny sword in his hand was no match for a mighty dragon fight, but the brave warrior dueled anyway. Climbing up to the dragon's top over spikes in his back, the mighty knight reached the eye of the dragon where he jabbed the red dragon's green eyes blinding him. The red dragon roared a screeching sound like never before until he dropped to the ground, his fire went into a sizzle and he died.

Mystery In The Dark by Valerie Alston

The air was filled with a grey mist of smoke, the smell was gun powder, the silence felt so stiff yet so alarming that it left a ringing in her ears. In her moment of shock she felt paralyzed then started screaming as she ran down the street in her bare feet. Her pretty white lace dress made of cotton was spattered with blood. She cried out, "Help!" she kept crying and never looked back. "Somebody help me please!"

The old Ford pick up truck had the motor running as it went putt-putt. He was gasping for air when he took his last breath. After his head slumped over the steering wheel the horn sounded off. A woman dressed in black was standing in a dark doorway nearby. She was inconspicuous. The sounds of sirens in the distance approaching fast, bright blue lights flashed. The mysterious woman in black disappeared.

A trail of blood led to the nearby tavern down aways where the woman in black went in and sat at the bar. She spoke to the two men who looked her up and down then told the bartender to fix her up with a drink. The two men laughed loudly at the drunken couple on the dance floor. The fat guy with the dark beard ordered another round of beers for his friend and the woman in black.

At the stroke of midnight the woman in black got up to go to the restroom. When she came out, the two men had left the place. The dance floor was almost empty except for the couple. The lights were dim but the music was loud. The couple on the dance floor kept bumpin' and grinding, and when the woman in black turned to watch, she saw the lady in the white lace cotton dress in the man's arms. When the music stopped, the man dropped her to the floor and walked away.

Outside flashing blue lights appeared in the dark of night. The man walked out and the cops stopped him to question the blood on his clothes. The man did not speak so they handcuffed him and put him in the backseat of the police car.

Inside the tavern the woman in black finished her drink while the bartender called an ambulance for the lady down on the floor. The woman in black disappeared somewhere out a door in back of the tavern, the door opened to a dark alleyway.

The ambulance arrived and carried the lady on the floor out strapped to a stretcher. Upon arrival at the emergency room entrance, she was announced dead.

The man who danced with her was taken down to the police station for questioning but was deaf and knew nothing. Two people were dead and the mysterous woman in black was never seen again.

Rose Musk by Valerie Alston

Cougar on the prowl:
As well as she knew herself, she felt she shouldn't trust it. So much for unwanted attention, its like an itch in a place that's hard to scratch in public. The eyes were on her and yes, she could still turn a few heads, even at that age. As she walked down the street she smiled at the gentlemen and kept on moving. They watched her as she walked so gracefully, whispering to one another like she was a diamond in the rough waiting to be polished and refined to perfection. They told her she was a poor man's dream. If she was all that-- then why was she so lonely? They said. Prince charming would come  someday, but when? Too many wrong turns that never made it right. But she kept on moving, as she learned to love her self more which is the greatest love of all.
The fantasy:
She purred like a kitten, he stroked the inside of her silky thighs, kissing her neck softly as they cuddled together in a romantic way. The moistness of her inner parts made her want him more. They rocked from side to side while he glided his very masculine body against hers and they began to move like the motion of the ocean. She drifted her thoughts to a place so green, crisp and clean in the meadows riding a black stallion so sleek and strong. Her legs wrapped around his waist while riding the hills until the sunset went down with an orange glow where the earth met the sky and it was all good, in the heat of the night. She moaned, he kissed her neck, she responded well to his passionate yet loving motions. The quiet came after the storm as she laid resting. The romance was still lingering in the air, the scent of the ocean fresh and pure, the waves had stopped, and when she'd awaken, Prince Charming was gone.
The Cat Walk
The city was full of rats hiding in the dumpsters that's not where you'll find her. She valued her
 life, her love was not weak, she was true to herself and her love for that special someone remained in a place where her heart belonged. A broken heart may be hard to mend but it is better to had loved and lost than never loved before.
Days Gone By 
When nightfall came, her bed was warm with her own love of peace for the grandchildren. Happy thoughts of them laughing, playing, making noise that brought joy to her heart again. Only from a distance would she ever give her heart to another lover. She would not share her private space with any man, ever, a heart gone cold as ice.
Fine Wine & Aged Cheese 
They called it out, B-4, I-8, N-12, G-34,O-72 =bingo! 
She's always a winner! At the senior recreation hall, they sat next to each other holding hands under
the table. He ran his hand up her thigh, she rubbed hers on his knee, he looked at her with those adorable teddy bear eyes, she winked, he smiled.

Glowing Light by Valerie Alston

I sat by the window staring out at the trees. A moment of tranquility was felt by me and I looked at the hazy blue sky and all the birds that were flying by, I bowed my head in a moment of silence, and gave thanks to God for creating me. I told him how good it was to be alive and ask that he keep me safe and warm when the winter comes.

The sunshine sparkled between the trees as I lifted my head for another view.

If I am right, if I am wrong, I have few regrets over the life I chose to live, and if I had to do it all over again, I would do the same.

The tall Redwoods looked down on me, I held my head high gazed at the blue sky.

Since the years have gone by, rolling clouds cover the sky as I feel my life is not my own. Living on borrowed time my friend, that part of pain is hurt.

It is what it is, and that's the way it is.

The ground below was full of debris, furthermore the past could not be changed. I loved my life way back when, till something happened then the sorrow began. A wrong turn on a One Way Street had seriously injured me.

The price of freedom was all in vain as I held my head down in the pouring rain. I lay there on a green park bench, resting. For the price of freedom is costly my friend the road is rough till the bitter
end.

OSCAR by Valerie Alston

There once lived a wonderful man, his name was Oscar. He was a doctor at the clinic where I visited once a month to get my blood work done. Oscar was a very funny little old man with a gorgeous head of white hair. His sultry voice was relaxing which made you feel slightly sedated under his care. His eyes were like crystal blue pools of water that sparkled, his dimple as deep as when he smiled, and he was cute like the Pillsbury dough boy on one of those commercials you'd see on the big screen TV. His nose was round and red like a cherry, and when he laughed, it wrinkled.

I sat in a wooden chair at the door and waited for the nurse to come in to take my vitals. She told me to stand on the scale, then wrote something down. She tightened my arm with a heavy grey armband then pumped until it was tight. My blood pressure was good, she told me, I was fine. I squirmed just a little while she took a little sharp thing and pricked my finger. She smeared some blood on a tiny glass plate to test for something. The thermometer under my tongue kept sliding out of my mouth and I tried to press my lips together to keep it in place and held it for less than a minute then the nurse said my temperature was normal. Before she left the small room, she told me the doctor would be in to see me soon.

As I sat and waited for Doctor Oscar Redwood to see me, I glanced around the room at all the colorful pictures on the wall. The anatomy of the human body always fascinated me. Each individual body part, every organ and its function, how the blood vessels transport blood from one connecting to the others which shows how it works. Oscar talked about my condition. He explained in detail the stages of my chronic illness and the effect it had on my life and body changes. He always made it clear that there was no cure, and eventually, it would stop bothering me.

I continue to see Oscar for another three years. We became close friends, on a first name basis and I could talk to him about anything that bothered me. But as Oscar grew older, I too grew older, and as I lost weight so did Oscar. I watched the foods I ate, I walked regularly, I took precautions on what I put into my body. But one night, I was awaken by severe abdominal pain with contracting muscle spasms throughout by body. My temperature was feverish, green foam started coming out of my mouth, the throbbing pain in my head ached as I began to tremble. So I called 911.

The flashing blue lights swirled on top of the emergency vehicle as they got there in time. Something covered my face, and everything went dark after that. Beyond floating in my head was the white light that shined brightly ahead, I was sucked into a powerful vacume of dry air then something spit me out into the open room where I lay in a bed with a lot of noise going on around me. The curtain was drawn but it sounded like a familiar voice in the bed behind it next to mine. I heard my name being called. Again, it was calling me. I screamed in agony. The nurse came in and gave me some morphine to quiet the pain I was feeling.

Three days later, I woke up in the same bed, same room. The hospital staff was taking someone out of the room and I looked over my toes to see what I could see, then I went into shock when I saw who they had taken out of the room.

It was two days later when I went to see Oscar at the clinic. I arrived on time.

I sat in the cushioned chair at the door and waited for the nurse to come in to take my vitals. I stood on the scale like I usually do, she typed something into the computer, then she tightened my arm with a heavy grey armband then pushed a button that made it tight. My blood pressure was good, she told me, I was fine. I squirmed just a little when she took an object in a white plastic case and clamped down on my middle finger. It didn't hurt a bit, not at all, it just took me by surprise. No more smeared blood on a tiny glass plate, new technology made it easier to test. The thermometer under my tongue was slippery, wet and kept sliding out of my mouth. Then the nurse said my temperature was okay. After that she told me the doctor would be in shortly.

All of the pictures on the wall had changed and I watched the computer monitor as the colorful lights flickered about the screen sending an unknown signal. A minute later, a tall lean man entered the room. He reached out to shake my hand and introduced himself as Doctor Brown. His youthful face let me know he was new to the staff but the stern look he had on his face and the seriousness of his character made it clear that Doctor Oscar Redwood was gone. I didn't ask any questions, but something strange made me feel I would never see Oscar again.

THE PRISONER HIDING OUT by Valerie Alston

In the still of the night, I wait, I listen, I wonder what might be going on in the place I stay, as I know, I can't see, but I hear, and I smell blood in the barnyard where I sleep. The horses are restless tonight, Drake, the oldest seems jittery. I wait, I listen, I wonder who will be the victim tonight.
Odessa the cow is in her corner resting, nothing is bothering her tonight.
Wally is on the prowl, searching for food again. Some of them, not all, become victims of a rat attack. My heart is on ice, my emotions run deep, in the silence of the night.
I hear a rumble outside, a rat attack for sure, wonder who its victim will be tonight, hope its not me. The mystery of darkness awaits it's unsuspecting victims, the innocent, in the still of the night. Who will be his next victim, I wonder.
Yellow eyes glow in the dark, I feel frozen, the horses are restless but do nothing unusual.
A shadow crossing over the top of a haystack in the barn, what if its lurking for me this time. I hold my pants, feels like I might wet them, then I let out a dreadful loud sneeze.
A small animal standing in the doorway makes a noise, it is Nadine the goat, I breath easy. "Old Wally won't get me, no not me, not tonight." I arise to finish taking a leak when a shallow pool of water or something wet soaks my shoes.
Nadine, the goat runs away, the horses are starting to make noise, stirring around the barn till Drake leans back on its hind legs, trying to break loose to get out. Odessa is in a hurry, she almost knocks me down while moving towards the doorway.
I hear a helicopter above circle the area, it flashes a bright light down where I buried myself under one of the haystacks. A loud voice, a man who calls himself Leroy, speaks through a megaphone, he's telling me to come out with my hands in the air. I don't move. Not me, not tonight. Leroy, the man in the helicopter drops a smoke bomb down on the ground. I start to cough, then Wally the rat attacks Odessa. I move fast, run for my life to a water well in the back of the barn but before I get there, Leroy drops another smoke bomb between me and Nadine who is standing at the water well taking a drink. The smoke bomb has me choking, I'm coughing and Nadine runs away where Odessa and Wally are in a standoff. Nadine runs head first into Wally giving a butt so strong it hurls him in the air, then Odessa runs away. The attack is off, that gruesome rat is injured, hope he's dead. I smell blood, I see, I hear, I stand up and raise my hands in the air but something strange, a bright orange beam from high in the sky is flashing  and the helicopter whirled away. "Not me" I said, "not tonight, I'm getting some sleep," as I walk back to the barn where the animals have all quieted down in a peaceful moment, but I know tomorrow is another day. 

SWEET HONEYSUCKLE ON THE VINE by Valerie Alston

Honeysuckle sweet on the vine, smelled so good, as I walked past the bush and the trees, wooden picnic tables nearby.

A gentle breeze brushed around my face, soft yet gentle upon my skin, I breathed the air so fresh and clear, noticed it aroused my senses of sweet honeysuckle on the vine.

Blue Jay birds fluttered above my head, a red robin sat upon the tree branch tweeted then flew away.
Sunshine warmed my cheeks it glistened highlights between green leaves of the trees.

A quick glance at the sky, I thought of what heaven might be like when I got there someday.
Didn't know what to expect when I'd get there but sure it would be a family reunion with the ones long gone.

Peace was knocking at my door, better get rest and prepare for the unknown, a time that would come another day
.
Oh and how rested I was when I heard a noise sounded like a buzz in my ear, instead of fear I felt the joy of nature's finest lady bugs, toads and frogs, and then he came, my lover to me, he was no prince charming that I could see, yet the love I felt having him near, was the only thing I needed and made it clear.

So sweet the kiss on his lips, the taste of honeysuckle on the vine, and closed my eyes, it was my time.

THE PESTY LITTLE BUG by Valerie Alston

 

A creep he was, with his slimy ways, his slick hair and grubby clothes! He sat next to me on the streetcar that was going uphill to a view beyond the bay. The clang, clanging of the trolleys bell being pulled by the brakeman on the streets of a fair city full of people who came to visit from everywhere. Clang, Clang! The brakeman brought the trolley car to a complete stop to let people on as some got off and continued to travel by foot. At the top of the steep hill, the trolley car  paused so we could get a good look at the boats and Fisherman's Grotto below, this was Pier 1, the finest seafood restaurants, gift shops, marketplace, wax museum and other sights of entertainment. As the brakeman released the clutch, downhill slowly we moved ahead. We reached the bottom, the end of the line where the magnetic plate beneath the trolley car would turn around before going back to the other end. The pesty little bug hopped off and began to walk towards the Pier. I took my time moving along the busy street on the Pier. The sidewalk had crowds of tourists, some in groups speaking other languages. I continued to be pushed and shoved by the people who seemed in a hurry to get nowhere fast! I stopped along the marketplace to get a shrimp cocktail, then moved to a spot close to the entrance of a video game arcade with lots of noise and buzzed energy. My eye saw a green bench nearby where I sat down to rest while eating the shrimp cocktail. A stranger sat down next to me, I didn't look up, but I felt the energy coming my way from this strange person. The sunshine felt warm, the breeze was good, and I just sat for awhile meditating on this fantastic day. Before moving on, I pulled out a map and decided where to next. The Wax Museum was just around the corner, so I proceeded to go in the direction that the map showed. I paid for my ticket to get in then sat in a small wagon that traveled on the rails through a dark tunnel. Lights, flashes of light, sounds of laughter, screams and then silence as the wagon came to an entrance with a sign that read "Enter At Your Own Risk." Was this the house of horrors or what? I wondered! As I continued to read the sign, a message appeared. "This is as far as it goes, get out and walk from here." A hand touched the back of my neck, I screamed, he laughed. I ran to the waxed figure of Michael Jackson and hid in a corner close to it. I held my breath hoping whatever it was had gone away. Silence, complete silence, then I made my move and ran all the way towards the exit sign ahead. A light, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and bam! There he was, the pesty little bug waiting for me at the door that led outside. Without question, I pulled my little pink pepper spray out and sprayed his eyes. He started coughing, and rubbed his eyes, I ran as fast as I could to the cruise boat that was headed out on tour of Alcatraz Island. After boarding, I blew a breath of relief from my aching belly. But as we approached the place where former prison inmates had been incarcerated for some of the worst, most horrifying crimes in history of the century, I caught a glimpse of a hand waving in the distance on the Island. It was behind bars, but frightfully familiar. I blinked, it was gone. I'm just tired, I thought and closed my eyes for a quick nap. A fly buzzed around my head, then I felt something touch the back of my neck. It was time I sprayed this pesty little bug. It dropped to the floor where I stomped with my shoe, then I picked it up with a tissue and threw it overboard. "Now! You Pesty Little Bug." And on my way back to the trolley car, I hummed a little tune in my head by Michael Jackson, "Beat It, Just Beat It!"~  

LAVENDER LOVE

Let her cry for she's a lady, let her scream like she's a child who has a lonely heart, but let the raindrops fall upon her nose during spring when the breeze blows a warm scent of lavender in the air to allure her sensuality letting everyone know romance is in the air.

Just like the seasons that change, spring at its best, we met at the park around the lake where sailboats floated on water, couples hand in hand and at first glance we saw each other's face, second glance we looked into each other's eyes, romance was in the air.

We sat on the bench as we watched the activity going on around the lake. He talked, I listened. I felt loved. I talked, he listened. He looked like the one in my dreams.

We walked around the lake for awhile, we stopped to buy some cotton candy swirled in hues of lavender, rose petal pink and soft blue. We shared, we laughed, he kissed my forehead, I just smiled.

Children at play, what a beautiful day it was for us to have met. Unspoken words expressed emotions of sincerity. And I felt loved.

Evening came, the glow of orange in a sunset, hues of lavender rose petal pink and soft blue filled the sky. We gave each other a warm embrace as though in a dream a moment filled with delight. A tiny drop of rain touched my cheek we went our separate ways.

SPINACH NOODLE CASSEROLE from Valerie's Kitchen

Gather up the necessary ingredients for this hearty-- light on the calories dish.

4 Cups extra wide egg noodles
1/2 Cup frozen chopped spinach
1/2 Cup finely chopped onion
1/2 Cup Parmesan grated cheese
1 Cup evaporated milk
3 Tablespoons Canola cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon  ground Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Oregano

In a medium 2 quart pot bring 8 cups cold water to a boil. Add egg noodles. Cook until tender about 10-12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water, drain again, then set noodles in a buttered casserole dish.
In a small saucepan bring  1/2 cup of water to a boil covering bottom of pan with chopped spinach. Cook until done and drain juice. Set aside.
Over medium heat using a small skillet, sautee chopped onion in 3 Tablespoons Canola cooking oil. Add all remaining seasoning. Blend, add spinach and remove from heat.
Heat evaporated milk over low heat, stirring constantly as milk will scorch if left unattended, add grated Parmesan cheese gradually while mixture thickens. After it comes to a full boil, remove from heat. Slowly pour hot mixture over cooked noodles in casserole dish.
Gently toss together in casserole dish the spinach and noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, bake in 350*F oven for about 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.   

Pineapple Chicken from Valerie's Kitchen

With the holiday season nearing, good food is always welcomed when we get together with friends and family. I'd like to share some of my special dishes and delights.

4 medium chicken breasts  
8 oz. can sliced pineapple
1/2 cup NAKANO seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Carribean Jerk Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons seasame seeds (optional)

1. Rinse and clean chicken under cold water then drain on a paper towel.
2. Sprinkle both sides with salt,  black pepper, oregano and ground turmeric. Use Carribean Jerk Seasoning on bottom side.
3. Marinate seasoned chicken breasts in 1/2 cup NAKANO seasoned rice vinegar in a covered container overnight or at least five hours before cooking.
4. When ready to bake in a 350 degree oven, before placing chicken in a shallow baking dish, drain on a paper towel first. Add one pineapple slice to each piece then sprinkle seasame seeds (optional). Bake one hour and fifteen minutes.  

THE EPITOME OF MY HEART by Valerie Alston

I cried out loud, I could not refrain~ The intensity of what I felt over and over again~ I knew love was much of life~ Bitter sweet roses laced with pain~ Ask the lonely and you will feel~ The difference between what is fake and what is real~ I tried to explain, I tried to be true, but only the wind listened, brisk as it blew! As my lover left a throbbing sensation of what was inside~ I was on a trip that shifted into overdrive~ Forever more my heart denied~ My tear stained face, I cried and cried! Fan the flame of burning desire~ For what I am I will inspire~ A love put in its perfect place after all those lonely nights~ A heart so cold, as cold as ice while we grew distant in a heated fight~ And when I saw my lover with her that day~ I knew it was just another power play~ His ego allowed him to be head-strong~ As he played the part in another lover's sad song~   

Touched by the Rain by Valerie Alston

Does it really matter whose fault it was that everything fell apart?  I felt your heart, I felt your pain, Our eyes met that day in the rain~ And I never felt the same, I never knew love like this before. Together our energy was as one. It was our time, our place, our hearts that met and a love was shared and it grew inside of me. The rain felt good against my skin, fresh as the morning dew. The touch I felt from you, to me, opened my eyes to see what a romance clearly can be. As gently as the drops rolled down my cheeks, it was the rain I felt, it touched me in a way that remained with me all that day! 

CONNECTIONS by Valerie Alston

A stagnate piece of mold floated on top the swamp water in a wooded area. It kept trying to connect with all the other mold that drifted by but couldn't. One day it rained so hard till the swamp water over-flowed onto a grassy patch under a tree. When the water went back down, the small mold clung to the tree with all its might! Then the sun came out and gave new life to the mold. As it begun to grow, it wound itself around the tree and reached the top. All the leaves had fallen to the ground, the tree dried up, but the mold never let go. It was happy wrapped around a tree so big and strong. Together, they made a perfect union. The mold and the tree grew to love one another since they had made the right connection!

ALL THERE IS by Valerie Alston

The essence of life is to love and it shall be returned to you.