Winter Wonderland of Whiteness

Yellow daisies sunbursting from a milkshake glass.

Pink rose at the tippy top on the head of the whipped cream--a Marischino cherry--
Like a cherry blossom protected like a baby in a cradle of green leaves.
The sipping straw is bent at the perforations and is limp and faces downward.
There is no milk in the milkshake.
But everything is beautiful so who cares?

Shining glassy artist's beret, cap, head covering, lying on dresser facing toward the window--reflecting moonlight.
Golden embroidery on tefillin bag quivering like a bowman's arrow bag--a warrior's emblem.
Temperatures outside dropping below freezing. Computer keyboard again is warmth. No bandage on my wrist--just tapping keys like music and all is well.

She built a sustainable garden with her income. I will be eating kosher meat--she will be eating veggies. I will be carnivorous; she will be herbivorous. My teeth sink into bloodless animals, I can defend myself with my teeth. She will be washing her hands of the soil and dirt of the earth as she picks radishes and cleans them off; but not of poisonous pesticides. She uses integrity to let the bugs live as she lives. Her house has a kosher kitchen free of bugs. Bugs bug her outside--so she comes inside during the winter months and feeds off of bugless soups of jarred vegetables. Her fruit trees are dormant--but the fruits of her labors are not.

Smelling perfumes of "Lilac Flower Water" while she waters her lilac flowers. Sniff, sniff, sniff beautiful aromas and I am davening for growth. Green leaves of hope on winter trees covered by snow. There will be a new season.

Now this is a new song. A new way to look at life. My earrings dangle but not off my ears. I hear Israel. Shema. Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad. Whisper it to me. I will hear it. Can I phone you again next week? Shalom.