make much of something small

Robyn Sarah has another poem on Writer's Almanac this morning. Her poem Riveted, on the right sidebar, is one of my favorites and was my first gratitude poem. Oh, in fact, I used her line "spellbound by our own imperfect lives" as my title.

I love the message of this one...make much of something small.

Bounty by Robyn Sarah

Make much of something small.
The pouring-out of tea,
a drying flower's shadow on the wall
from last week's sad bouquet.
A fact: it isn't summer any more.

Say that December sun
is pitiless, but crystalline
and strikes like a bell.
Say it plays colours like a glockenspiel.
It shows the dust as well,

the elemental sediment
your broom has missed,
and lights each grain of sugar spilled
upon the tabletop, beside
pistachio shells, peel of a clementine.

Slippers and morning papers on the floor,
and wafts of iron heat from rumbling radiators,
can this be all? No, look — here comes the cat,
with one ear inside out.
Make much of something small.

"Bounty" by Robyn Sarah, from A Day's Grace. © The Porcupine's Quill, 2002.

Last night, Regis and I sat in the quiet of pre-Christmas Eve with a hot brandy made with Courvoisier cognac. Someone gifted us with two mini-bottles ages ago and they have sat in the hutch, waiting for the right moment and this was it. Hot water, a lemon slice, honey, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Perfect.

I made a River Rock style salad with baby spinach, butternut squash cubes roasted with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and blue cheese. I am rockin' the kitchen the last week or two.

Turns out my distaste for coffee was due to my head cold and not to the chemo. Oh, thank God. I would have missed coffee. White wine...not so lucky on that one.

We have lovely birds at our feeder. Most nights, a family of four cardinals comes together and takes turns on the feeder while the others wait in the apple tree or feed on the ground. I couldn't figure out why the bird seed in the feeder wasn't disappearing. I went out to check today and with all the freezing rain we had a while back, it all frozen into one big bird seed popsicle. I had to bring it into the house to thaw. Poor birdies.


On to the family Christmas celebration. It will be quiet here for most of the day, then pandemonium will break out about 3 o'clock although today, I think only two small children and one large dog. Minimal chaos. Merry Christmas to all. Make much of the small things in your day.