Late Ripeness
“Not soon, as late as the approach of my ninetieth year,
I felt a door opening in me and I entered
the clarity of early morning.
One after another my former lives were departing,
like ships, together with their sorrow.
And the countries, cities, gardens, the bays of seas
assigned to my brush came closer,
ready now to be described better than they were before.
I was not separated from people,
grief and pity joined us.
We forget - I kept saying - that we are all children of the King.
For where we come from there is no division
into Yes and No, into is, was, and will be.
We were miserable, we used no more than a hundredth part
of the gift we received for our long journey.
Moments from yesterday and from centuries ago -
a sword blow, the painting of eyelashes before a mirror
of polished metal, a lethal musket shot, a caravel
staving its hull against a reef - they dwell in us,
waiting for a fulfillment.
I knew, always, that I would be a worker in the vineyard,
as are all men and women living at the same time,
whether they are aware of it or not.”
~ Czeslaw Milosz ~
My name is Cristina Jill Mosqueda Cooper. I pause looking at my name, and think about how much there is to explain with those words alone. My mother gave me a name to use in each of my worlds, Cristina for my Cuban life, and Jill for the American life. I suppose it is there were the paradoxes of my life began.
I have been many things in my life, from a housekeeper to a high school history teacher; but no matter what else I did, I was always a writer. I love words and the power and passion which they can be used to create. I love reading words, writing words, speaking words, and listening to words – especially words from people that I love and respect.
It is my desire to live life on my own terms, and willingly or not, I have paid the price demanded, by the world, to be myself. I share my life with Kate, with whom I have lived for the last 23 years, and Miss Merry Margaret, our little mutt who really is the world’s most perfect dog. I also travel, cook, garden, sculpt, and make large messes doing all of the above. Welcome to my world, that is all for now.
Web Site: http://thatisallfornow.com
The Compass Rose Detroit Museum of Art, Detroit Michigan Portland Headlight, Cape Elizabeth Maine Aloha Clock Tower, Hawaii United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland In front of the William Penn Hotel in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Fairchild Gardens, Miami, Florida Welcome Center off...
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Ground Hog We have German immigrants to thank for Ground Hog Day, when the hope that winter will end early rest with whether or not a ground hog sees his shadow. Oddly, one wants a cloud day, when the ground hog does not see his shadow, and we are all spared another six...
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Bittersweet “The Lord moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to behold.” I am waiting for the delivery of my new refrigerator, by Sears. My first new appliance was a Kenmore, and I hope this will not be my last purchase from Sears; nevertheless, the delivery men should be here any moment. We had...
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The Zimmerman House At Least the Exterior I love touring historic homes, there is always something of interest, whether the home is historic because of its occupants or architect matters not all to me. Last month, we took Christine, who is an outstanding student of architecture, to see the Zimmerman House. I must...
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The Sun Rising in Maine I love the ocean. I do not know why I do not feature it more often, on these pages, or why I do not spend more time on the beach. This is a series of photographs inspired by Christine’s desire to see the sunrise in Maine. ...
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Taking Advantage of the Sun Kate spotted this turtle sitting on a rock, warming up a bit; and then noticed that he was not alone. Sure enough, there was a lizard, sitting on the bank of the canal, also sunbathing, as well!
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It Cannot All Be Relative Can It Is there any point In seeking perfect order In life or love Should we simply embrace the chaos Preached by those with the loudest voices And pretend to be at peace Do we go with the proclaimed flow Even if it appears stagnant In our sight I...
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Everyday Garbanzos I love garbanzos (chickpeas), they are extremely versatile, and of course delicious. For a fast meal, with little fuss, these can be whipped up in the time it takes to prepare a pot of rice, in the rice cooker. Ingredients: 1 large can of Chickpeas – drained and rinsed 3...
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To love a painting is to feel that this presence is… not an object but a voice. ~ Andre Malraux ~ White Rose with Larkspur No. 2 by Georgia O’Keefe “I have a white rose to tend In July as in January; I give it to the true friend Who offers his frank...
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The Reverends As I have shared in the past, my Mother would literally hand copy books and endless notes, into spiral notebooks. Going through one of her notebooks, I came across this notation. What is so fascinating to me is that this is private material, never intended for anyone else to see;...
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