Song of the Red Birds

Listen to the songs
of the red birds perched
on the highest branch
of the naked tree,
the east wind tosses
their feathers,
tilting their heads
to the snowflakes twirling
across the woods,
the Red Birds trill,
"Cheer!  Cheer!  Cheer!"
on the grayest day
of the New Year,
they do not hear
the other creatures
complaining and shivering
in the cold winter,
the Red Birds keep
a cheerful song of their hearts
as they bob and sing.
          --Brenda Kay Ledford

This poem appeared in "Pancakes in Heaven,"
                                       January 2020 issue

I wish all my blogger friends a very happy New Year!

Christmas Presents

                                 My great-niece, Reagan, and her Grandma Barbara



Little hands rip the paper
from the Christmas presents,
Reagan jumps up and down with glee.

Decorations sparkle on the tree,
surprises tumble from boxes,
little hands rip paper.

The adults laugh and clap,
a puppy sings merry tunes
from the Christmas presents.

For awhile peace reigns,
we celebrate with childish eyes,
Reagan jumps up and down with glee.
                --Brenda Kay Ledford

I wish all my blogger friends a blessed Christmas and joyful New Year!

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Day,
I gaze out the window,
reflect upon my blessings.

Beauty unfolds:
layers of blue ridges rolling,
ancient Appalachian Mountains.

Home of the Cherokee Indians,
feather clouds floating
through the azure skies.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice leaves
flutter in the wind,
poplars wave their gold palms.

A wedge of geese
trumpets above corn shocks
and drives down on the pond.

Maples reflect like cinders
on the aqua waters.
White-tailed deer appear

like ghosts from the laurel thicket,
the last rose scents the cove;
I'm grateful for many blessings.
                     --Brenda Kay Ledford

I hope all my blogger friends will have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
Brenda

Punkin Chunkin

Thousands of people trek to the annual Punkin Chunkin held October 19-20, 2019 off Settawig Road in Brasstown, North Carolina.  Clay County Chamber of Commerce sponsors this event.

Pumpkins whiz thousands of feet through the air from catapults, air cannons, trebuchets, and other mighty machines.  Teams even from Michigan traipse to the Blue Ridge Mountains to compete with world champion chunkers.  It's a big deal if you've never seen flying, flipping, exploding pumpkins.  What a way to haunt in Halloween!

Besides the Punkin  Chunkin, other activities are held during this shindig.  There's a pumpkin pie eating contest with whipped cream smearing the chins and nostrils of competitors.

Additionally, there's a zipline, airplane rides, live entertainment, a climbing wall, carnival rides, a kidzone with fun games, lots of food, arts and crafts.

Everyone young or old, will find plenty to stimulate the senses at this sensational Punkin Chunkin.

For information:  www.claychambernc.com/punkinchunkin or call:  828-389-3704

by:  Brenda Kay Ledford

The Orange Lady

Oh, October!
You put on a show
dancing over the mountaintops
dressed in bright garments
of orange, lemon, and cranberry grape.

Oh, October!
You are a sassy month,
stopping carloads of folks
flocking to view the fall foliage;
you twist, turn, and somersault
with rain showers of leaves.

Oh, October!
You are a naughty child!
On Halloween you deck
out in spooky costumes,
and trick-or-treat
throughout the eerie night;
the barn owl resounding,
Hoot!  Hoot!  Hoot!
             --Brenda Kay Ledford

Some call it autumn, others call it God!
                              --author unknown

Wishing my blogger friends a very happy and beautiful fall.

Cicadas

Autumn creeps into the Blue Ridge Mountains,
nature dips her paintbrush
into a bucket of gold
and highlights the walnut leaves.

The morning sun shimmies
through the tree-filtered light,
three white-tailed deer
forage in the cornfield.

On Brasstown Bald,
the buzzing of cicadas,
males shake their drums;
each makes its own song.

Golden rods sway on a breeze,
stars shine in dusty lilac asters;
beneath the Full Harvest Moon,
katydids saw their fiddles.
                                Brenda Kay Ledford

I give my sister, Barbara, credit for doing research on cicadas.

                 I wish my blogger friends a happy and beautiful fall!
                                            Brenda

School Days

                                                          A one-room schoolhouse


School days have changed,
laptops in each room,
doom stalks the hallways.

Prayer and Bible reading removed,
the core curriculum rules;
school days have changed.

No longer jumping rope
or doing finger painting,
laptops in each room.

No Dick or Jane books
or children feeling safe at school,
doom stalks the hallways.
--Brenda Kay Ledford