Weather the Storm

On my way to work yesterday morning I hit freezing rain.

I made it to work without incident, but, on the way, I was delayed by someone else's misfortune. There was a traffic accident along my chosen route.

On my return home another wave of bad weather hit. I woke up this morning to find a blanket of snow on the ground. It is not deep. It is just enough to make the commute to work slippery.

It's mornings like these that make me want to stay home, crawl into bed, and spend the day snuggling with my wife. Of course, I can't do that. I have responsibilities and one of those is showing up at work.

Here is a little poem I wrote on just such an occasion a few years ago.

Snow

by Mickey Maguire

Snow is softly falling
past my window to the ground
Each flake a thing of beauty
that lands without a sound

The meadow is now covered
in a blanket colored white
It glistens like a crystal dish
sparkling in the night

When the storm, at last, is gone
and the moon is shining bright
Trees encased in icy coats
make for an awesome sight

I do not have the time to sit
and savor winter's beauty
I am reminded by the clock
that I must do my duty

For when the day commences
and I must venture out
the snow and ice will hinder me
along my chosen route

I've little time and won't enjoy
the beauty of the snow
In truth it's not so beautiful
when off to work I go

Alas... Work Awaits

As much as I'd love to stay home with my wife, I am afraid that I must venture forth and make my way to work. That only makes my return home that much sweeter.

I am happy to know that my wife works from home. She does not need to go anywhere. She'll be safe and warm in her home office-- ticking away at her computer. Perhaps that thought will keep me warm until I return this evening.

Be safe out there.

Happy Anniversary to My Wife

In celebration of the years we have shared, I am posting this poem written in our early years together. It's called "Love Has Grown" and, truly, it continues to grow.

Welling up inside me
its bubbling rhythms ring
as if it were a gin-clear brook
fed by a mountain spring.

Meandering through the forest
and shaded canopy
bringing life to woodland friends
that drink wantonly.

All around are sounds of life
my spirit it doth lift
It trips o're rock and boulder
a cool refreshing gift.

It maketh merry melodies
there's music in the air
babbling brook and rustling leaf
a song beyond compare.

Your love is filling up the space
where once I dwelt alone.
Life is so much richer
where the seeds of love are sown.

-------- my additional comment--------

Indeed, life is richer where the seeds of love are sown.

Love, like good soil, must be cultivated. Seed is planted and the gardener must tend to the crop. In time, a bountiful harvest is the reward.

Neglect will destroy the potential harvest. Weeds grow and choke that which the earth brings forth-- much like the demands of modern life can weaken love over time. Thus, we cannot simply say "I Love You" and then walk away and expect things to last.

Love Is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe

Don't let a single day pass without telling your spouse you love her (or him). Like the gardener, tend to your relationship and cherish it.

I bought my wife a beautiful card and a bottle of Versace perfume. It isn't cheap, but, neither is she. It is a small price to pay for the love of a lifetime. Neither gold, nor pearls, nor any other treasures can give me so much for so little.

Genuine love is beyond price.

Romance Is in the Air

It is the night of the "super moon" according to news reports. At 3:42 AM today, the moon will be full and at its closest point to Earth.

What is it about the moon that has always inspired poetic hearts. Is it that it lights our way in the night? Is it the mystery of knowing it exists and whether there is anyone there looking back at us? Is it the "face" on the moon-- that so-called "man on the moon."

Love songs paint scenes of moonlit romance. Poets paint visions of romance by moonlight with their verse. Mariners followed the moon across the sea by night. Even lonely wolves sing to the moon.

Yes, it is mysterious. It is a symbol of creation. It is a guiding light. It is beautiful. And now, it is looming large in the night sky.

Somehow, it reminds me of a song... you, and the night, and the music...

Yes, romance is in the air, indeed.

It's Been A Long Time

It's been a long time since my last post on this blog. I've been a bit busy.

Right now I am sitting in a B&B in western Vermont. Leaves are turning. Fog hangs low in the valley to the east. Lake Champlain lies just to the west of me. I cannot think of a better place to greet the sunrise.

On a morning like this one long ago I wrote these words...

I long to watch the sunrise
beside the one I love
First rays of light advancing
stars fading high above

Golden dewdrops glistening
on leaf and stem and petal
Her eyes brightly shining
as if some precious metal

Her hair a golden halo
lit by the morning sun
the Bard and his lady
and two hearts beat as one


This morning, my wife and I will greet the new day as we watch a golden sunrise breaking through a blanket of fog in the east.

It's a new day, a new opportunity to live life to the fullest.

We are blessed, indeed.

Have You Ever Wanted to Say I LOVE YOU?

Have you ever wanted to say I love you with your own special card or a love letter? Fear Not! The Art and Craft of Romance (A Gentleman's Guide to Romancing A Lady) will teach you how.

Painting pictures with words is almost a lost art.

Author, Mickey Maguire, will teach you how to use descriptive language to win the heart of the woman of your dreams with easy-to-follow examples and instructions.

You don't have to be William Shakespeare to find love, but...

Genuine ladies love being romanced. They love feeling like Lady Guinevere when she was pursued by her knight in shining armor, Lancelot.

Are you ready to find your Lady Guinevere?

The Art and Craft of Romance will show you how.

You Don't Need A Special Occasion to Say I Love You

You don't need a special occasion to say "I Love You." If you really want to show your love for somebody, why not make it part of your morning routine?

I knew a guy who was happily married. He adored his wife and she loved him. She went on a business trip to a nearby city and, while she was there, her car was hit by a drunken driver and she was killed.

The poor guy felt guilty afterward because he did not say "I Love You" before he left for work and she went to her out-of-town business appointment. He was never short of affection for his wife, but, he wished he could have traded places with her, or at least been in the car with her.

I have made it a point to tell my wife I love her every day before heading out the door to work, because you never know what can happen. Even though I am a positive thinker, the experience of that acquaintance of mine hit home with me.

Life is a precious gift and it is made better when you share it with someone you love-- especially when that person is your spouse. A lot of people celebrate Valentine's Day with a card, a small gift, a special dinner, or something more, but why not do that without some "Hallmark Holiday"? After all, you should not need some special day to inspire a gesture like saying I love you.

Why not just jot a little note to say I love you and stick it in a dresser drawer for your wife to find when you've gone to work? How about writing a little note on the bathroom mirror that will appear like magic when she takes a shower? Why not come home from the office with a nice little bottle of perfume and just hand it to her saying, "Happy Friday" or whatever day it happens to be at the moment.

Now, I don't expect the Reaper to come knocking on my door-- and I don't plan to cross the River Styx. I truly am an upbeat, positive guy, and I adore my wife, so, I won't wait for a special observance to say I love you.

Today's the day. Tomorrow's the day. Yesterday was the day. 
Mary Rose, I love you!

Celebrate love every day! Celebrate LIFE every day. 

By the way-- Happy Friday every one.

 

Say I Love You In A Unique Way

I am always looking for new ways to say "I love you." This one was my wife's favorite.

A few years ago I created a really unique birthday card for my wife. My wife and I have always enjoyed making birthday, anniversary, and Valentine's Day cards for each other. It's not because we are cheap. In fact, we have both bought expensive gifts for each other in the past, but, saying "I love you" is a personal thing and I don't want to buy some dime-a-dozen card when I can express my feelings in ways that I know my wife will treasure.

My wife, Mary Rose, is a total sweetheart. She adores me and I love her like crazy. Sorry, Hallmark, but not even you can top a genuine, heartfelt birthday card when one pours his or her love into it.

Being an author, a poet, a songwriter, and an artist I decided that it was time I out did myself. I wanted a truly unique way of saying I love you to my sweet and adorable wifey. What better way than to make a card that tells Mary Rose's life story from birth to the time she finally found the love of a lifetime. THAT was my goal. And THIS is what I can up with:

http://www.tricornpublications.com/bonus/birthday_times.pdf

I hope you enjoy it as much as my wife did.

It's A New Year and Love Is In the Air

It's Monday, January 2nd, and love is in the air.

2016 leaves us with a lot of people mourning the loss of family and friends. We had an unusually high number of entertainers and people of notoriety die this past year. What it means to me is that we should make every effort to tell the people that we love how we feel about them every day.

We are ephemeral. We are here today and gone tomorrow. As such, we need to make the most of the time we have. We should take time to be with our family and friends now, while we have time. This past year has shown us that time is fleeting and we should not take it from granted.

I don't want to sound like a downer. It's the opposite. I tell my wife that I love her every morning, every evening, and whenever the mood strikes me. I also show her that I love her in the little things that I do to make her feel loved. Little things mean so much. It takes very little time to make someone feel important and it really doesn't take a lot of money.

So, what do most women want more than anything else? A love letter or love poem--  just a few words to say, I love you.

Have you told your wife you love her today? Well, get on with it. Time's a wastin'.