pensieve.me

Inspired by Google Doodles

An Ode to Google Doodles

They're King of the World

Alexa says so

Much to Mark Z-berg's chagrin.

I've figured it out, I know what it takes

For Google to squeak out this win.

 

Hot in pursuit, top ten on the list:

Facebook and You Tube and Wiki

Amazon, Yahoo, Twitter, three more--

Oh, the internet's web is so sticky!

'S'not just about brains

the others have those

#1 demands that you're clever.

Creative and artsy, yes these are a must

if you stand a chance whatsoever.

 

So, why is it Google sits on the throne

the King of internet traffic?

I'm convinced it's their doodles, they make searching FUN--

Brilliance captured in graphic!

  

: : : : : : : : : : : 

Sometimes interactive, often historical, occasionally cryptic but always witty or whimsical, Google Doodles make me smile.  I'm always a little disappointed when it's the plain ol' Google search box, but I suppose it makes me appreciate doodle brilliance all the more.

It's the little things...right?  

Do you have a favorite doodle that made a lasting impression?  Search through the Google Doodle museum and share your favorites!!

The stranger in the emerald hat

In the shadow of Lucerne's Chateau Gütsch, I was spellbound by the lady in the emerald hat. 

It wasn't one thing about her, it was everything that begged question.

 

Cocksure posture.  Fiery statement handbag.  Head-turning cutout wedge platforms.

And that cigar...cigarello?  The way her hand articulated her thoughts.  The long ash impassively disregarded.  Sophistication or security blanket?  Addiction or pacifier?  

The wrinkled trench, her hurried cinch, and a peek of emerald hem she never intended to show.

Wouldn't she just die if she knew?

And her hapless companion--a lover?  Another habit?  Her husband?

Contemplating a walk through Mühlenplatz (Mills Square), the old site of Lucerne markets, she would never have known I was looking at her and not Spreuerbrücke, the ancient Mill Bridge just beyond her. 

A spy.

Voyeur.

Wanting to know her story, making up one instead.

I never saw her face.

What a pity.

On this Memorial Day (and always)...

My sweet friend, Kristen, a military wife, write a lovely post about sacrifice and obedience today at {in}incourage.  Won't you click through, read it and share the names of your family or friends in the military the {in}community will pray for?    

When love overwhelms

between the lines

it's impossible for them to know

this tender desperation

insisting, impetuous

be still, my heart!

 pounding pounding

each wisp of time

skin to skin, sweet assurance

still here still here

for a while not for an ever

looking at them, curious   

sensing the familiar

seeing the new

growth, perceptible

the outside kind

sometimes and always

but the inside kind, too  

slow down! a plea

on deaf ear falls

and in this, a discovery of motherhood:

my hope for long life

has become less about adding years to my own

and more about

seeing them

m e n

b e c o m i n g 

filled out and full

laughter and love

lessons learned well

watching them

still

sometimes and always

tend, work, empty, fill

for good for great for god

this all this

and, yes, more than this

is shouted

and shrouded 

in every hug til then.

Like riding a bike...

One aspect I most appreciate about living in Tiny-Town-with-a-Castle, Germany is the ability to ride a bike everywhere.  Not the case in our hometown.  

There, it is required by law that motorists defer to cyclists.  Here, cyclists are often looked upon with scorn, particularly when they DARE to ride in the street, and heaven forbid if they're in front of you at a light!

I know...because I've had muttered a few words when someone on a bike dares to slow me down.

I'll return, soon, to my little German bike, where now with much warmer weather than before, I'm sure to get my tail into shape.

Hopefully the rest of me, too.  

(I saw Kelly's photo prompt this morning and immediately thought of this iPhone pic; not the best but it was taken after a morning spent with new friends, who discovered it was my birthday and celebrated with cake, flowers, chocolate and art therapy.  I imagine a birthday I'll always remember...!)

Present reminders

It gives me hope that God knows people are very forgetful.  No wonder he tells us to write his words down - on our walls and bodies, no less! - and even to wear them.

Several people have asked me about my bracelets (my Adventure and Dream God-sized Dreams) this year and I love to share their significance.  Words matter to me, they mean something to me, and my sister recently stated the obvious, a truth that somehow escaped me-- "Words are your passion...."

Even with all that, it's good to have tangible reminders nearby.  In this case, I need only look down at my left wrist.

Are you prone to forgetfulness?  What reminds you of the most important things you need to remember?

 

 

Eternal oxygen

On the ceiling of my daughter's closet, a child scribed the essentials of the forever life.  Important things, written on doorposts and gates for now, but on the heart for always.  

 

A smelly(good) post

Have you given much thought to the strength of sense-memory?  How a particular smell can immediately bring to mind people, places or events in your life?

Though I demanded very little in the planning of my wedding, I just had to have gardenias in my bridal bouquet. Out of season and costly, my florist allowed three. To the sentimentalist in me, that delicately scrumptious flower paid homage to my childhood and celebrated my Southern roots.

But mostly it honored my grandmother.

* * * * * * * * *

Continue reading at {in}courage where you'll see how in the world I mashed up Grandmothers, Gardenias and Goodness...and not only my wedding bouquet but what I looked like as a blushing bride*.

 

* For some reason I wanted to be tan on my wedding day, despite it being the middle of November and NOT going anywhere tropical for our honeymoon.  I stuck out like a bronzed sore thumb among my wedding party, and ever-after that decision left me shaking my head at my young, irrational self.  

Little German girl?

Maybe I did it to promote a wonderfully fun, worthwhile event.

Maybe I did it as a small attempt to bridge culture and community.   

Maybe I did it because I had a wild hair ('cause trust me, the hair, she was wild...!)

Or m a y b e I just did it 'cause I'll use any excuse to slip on a Princess dress.

Who knows?

In any event, Christian Hoeferle (of Höferle Consulting) and I had opportunity to sit down with Cindy Sexton and WRCB's 3 Plus You gang to talk about all things Germany and what's going on this weekend in Cleveland to celebrate the culture.  

Maifest is in its seventh year and when I'm done slaying  swimming with  riding rowing dragons I plan to join my German expat friends for an afternoon of fun.  

Thanks to Dawn Scowronnek for the link to our segment below; not showing up for you?  Try this.

When did I become a DRAGON SLAYER?! (Oh, yeah...and PLEASE HELP ME!!!!)

A Dragon on a boat, not to be confused with the Dragon Boats descending on Chattanooga on Saturday!

What would YOU do if you had only two months in your hometown before leaving the country?

I, for one, can tell you what I'm doing--cramming as much into 60 days as possible.

Take Saturday, for example.  

Saturday morning I'll be all "PADDLES UP, Y'ALL!" at Chattanooga's Dragon Boat races; I'm joining the BEST team of them all:  Chamber Ambassadors of Hope.

I've known about this event for years and cannot wait to be a part!  Not only is this a fun community tradition, it's a fundraiser for Children's Hospital; we've had many friends whose children have had reason to go to Children's through the years...and they've always been provided exceptional care and service.

Would you PLEASE consider a donation?  Our team's individual goal is $172/paddler; but I'm not satisfied with the minimum and I like round numbers so I raised it to $250.  The competitor in me would LOVE to be the single largest paddler fundraiser of them all, but since that's not likely unless a generous benefactor finds my page, I'll be happy just to reach my goal.  

Donations in any amount will bless my socks off, and you can choose to be anonymous if that's more your style.  Just click the thermometer below; the process is painless and you'll be doing a very good thing.    

One last note:  I really need my friends and readers OUTSIDE CHATTANOOGA to contribute, too!  Many locals are either participating themselves or are supporting other paddlers, and YOUR support of my little effort will mean a lot to me.  A VERY lot  ❤.    

Click Here to Donate

 

(When I say "thank you," I really, really, REALLY mean it.  Thank you!)