Apple for the Pony

My last novel in progress Soothsayer is in the submission stage.
I'm waiting for answers from Publishers.
Query is not fun. My pitch is simple and straight.
Buy this book.
Put that coffee down C G - coffee is for closers.

Meanwhile I'm working on two short stories and
about 20000 words into the next long form novel.
The next novel, working title Missing is about
life after suicide.
One short is completed - the other just a draft.
By the time I have heard back from publisher
I will have the next book first draft and five short
stories for an anthology.

Images taken on Tejon Ranch. The landscape is
like the Great Drought the location of Soothsayer.
This brown pony found me hiking on the wrong
side of electric fences (also like the novel).
A Golden Pippin apple was in the bottom of my day pack.
I cut it in half thinking we would share then along
trotted another full sized mare. She got the other half.
Rather than hear solo footsteps echo I was joined by the
pals for about three miles until the end of the gate.
They let me give the horse a soft rub down the
ridge of her nose, a stroke and a nose to nose
with the pony.
As I walked on I could hear them call me to
return.
Wish I brought more than one treat for myself.

Caroline Gerardo
Copyright 2/8/2016

Fog Lifts

Seed Catalogs pile on the coffee table. 

Not throwing them out with the clutter purge, yet.

By this time of year I clone roses, clematis vines, 

and hydrangeas. Winter is seeds purchasing time. Start them in sunny

kitchen windows, then move gradually to the "greenhouse." 

Greenhouse doesn't have heat. Normally in Coastal California nights

don't freeze. Last couple, however; harsh dry winds and 

cold threatens to burn tender projects. Mild freeze turns chartreuse new

sprouts to red. Frost makes the cells turn to mush as if desiccated

then liquidated. The tingling feeling in fingers when exposed

to snow too long. 

Since the plan is in pen to sell and move I haven't traded seeds on

heirloom seed swap and garden web seed exchange. 

In the garage sit paper bags full of smaller brown parcels of seeds. 

An idea came to mind to plant them in my Mother's 

and sister's gardens in hopes they bloom

and produce seed for 2017 

when I plan to be settled in a new home. 

I'm downsizing from a huge high maintenance castle. 

I plan to rent for six months to a year.

Find the ideal cottage with a small yard. 

Everywhere I lived I changed an ugly plat or acreage into a stain glass church of flowers.

Come over before the smell of paradise disappears.

Will I stay here? Perhaps renting is a change that frees time.

No longer will I be weekend warrior.

Scrubbing the pool tile, painting ceilings or repairing plumbing. 

Did I tell you about the six foot glass panel shattering over the

pansies Sunday? I'm still picking up bits. 

Save Honey (Golden Retriever) from harm with tangled contraptions.

Will this give me the desire to fly? 

After living in suburbia and owning a ranch to give my children a great

life start maybe I will move to New York or back to London or Mumbai?

My necklace clasp hits cross and hair entwines. 

It's a sign.

Morning fog lifts. 

Time to pray for all.

Cells below fingernails have minuscule shards of glass.

Becoming a part of my spirit

It's not like sand in eye scratching.

It's that missing feeling when I think of my son at college.

Or when someone mentioned Lacrosse on Facebook.

No more running to High School games to work the stats.

But it's in my heart.

Fog before hiking Yosemite 2016 Caroline Gerardo

morning Yosemite snow and fog Caroline Gerardo

Chain link fence and morning sun

Caroline Gerardo Copyright 2/6/2016 

Empty Nest Thoughts

Railroad Poem

Desert
in margin 
in silence
in death
pass columns
Doric, Ionic, Corinthian order. 

Donkey 
no mule
no shoes
no saddle 
sky shatters
soft, long, stormy sounds.




Necklace
is spirit
is cross
is gold
fix tangle
hair, skin, metal collide.


Railroad
of dust
of memory
of hearts
whisper prayers
creosote, copper, concrete joy.

Railroad Poem 2016 copyright Caroline Gerardo

Ahwahnee Belongs To Me

Yosemite 
Hiked Yosemite 

yosemite fog in snow

Yosemite mossy trees in snow

John Muir cries

Railroad Delaware North Corp sued USA over loss of Ahwahnee Hotel, Curry Village... 
as business property

Who does Yosemite belong to?


Chief George Dick is my ancestor.

Canyon live oak, choke cherry and golden brodiaea are my sustenance.


Past years Delaware North (DNC) filed copyrights of
historic names, federal protected National Park lands in Yosemite.
DNC lost the contracts to concessions to Aramark.
Ha Ha they think.
Aramark will have to rename and re-brand every sign, napkin and rock in Yosemite.
"Go climb a rock,"  no more ~ patented words not allowed to speak on lips. 

March 2016 Ahwahnee Hotel becomes Majestic Yosemite Hotel. 

I alone brand Mariposa tulips.  

Shower in the fire of Horsetail Falls.

Employees at the hotel  know nothing

Decline to comment in shame.

Who cares if they paint over the hand 

trimmed borders in the rooms?

Who cares if greed walks off with the

hearth andirons? 

Who owns the names of history?

Copyright

Whose right?

Filing my claim. 

Ahwahnee belongs to me.

#saveyosemitenames

Poem photographs and video copyright © 2016 Caroline Gerardo

Do you think a Corporation (DNC) should keep our national treasures?

Missing

MISSING

A familiar mug.

Not a tea cup. 

A sturdy arm.

Old boyfriend

threw it away.

Kids blamed

missing toys

on Tidy Bob.

"Tossed shit

on trash day"

Sneak stuff

out when the 

truck comes.

Miss that mug.

Our Halloween

decorations sit

in a landfill.

Breaking down

compost into

sunflowers in 

a new vase. 

sunflowers

graveyard hydrangeas

bridge to past

burned motor home

Poem and images
 copyright 2016
Caroline Gerardo