Today is Pippin's Third Birthday

My cat Pippin turned three today, and unfortunately I couldn't be with him most of the day, since I had church this morning, and then I was at Berea's Spoonbread Festival all afternoon. I wanted to share with everybody this spring photo I took of him and some flowers from a flowering bush that was hanging over my back deck this past May. Pippin was looking up above my house. He was probably watching a bird or squirrel.



The picture below is a better view of the bush and my big tree beyond. I loved these flowers when they were present. I'm now getting ready for fall.

My Beloved Clown Mask That I Painted and My Poem Honoring It

Back when I was in Humanities class in high school, I was given the assignment of coming up with a mask design, and my first choice was a clown, because I love clowns and I felt that they reflect my inner personality. The mask itself was formed over my face and I painted it afterwards. I have since then placed it on top of a teddy bear graduation bank that I received upon graduating from Berea Community School. My high school graduation cap and previous glasses of mine complete the look. My clown is a bit shabby looking from several falls it had, and the glasses have a loose lens, but I don't mind these imperfections, and I don't think my clown minds either, always smiling. I'm really attached to my clown. My clown is holding his diploma, and I imagine him as the class clown, much like I have made my teachers laugh. In my mind, he is really happy that I treasure him in my life.



Just this summer, I decided to write a poem to honor my clown. I wrote it when my family was away and I was left alone for a week. Writing the poem made me feel better.

An Ode to My Clown

I have a great love for smiles and humor,

And so when I was assigned to paint a mask,
I immediately wanted to paint you, my dear clown.
I knew that painting your face would be a happy task.

It doesn't matter that I painted one eye a bit narrow.

What matters is the big smile on your face.
Although you have suffered several unfortunate falls,
I have picked you up again and held you with grace.

Even with your paint chipped off in several places,
You haven't lost your sense of humor.
You know I will continue to care for you.
My affection for you grows all the more.

Sometimes when I'm upset or lonely, I turn to you.
You remind me so much of my friends who love me.
My friends lead me to smile during our times together,
And we console each other when we feel dreary.

May you and I continue to enjoy our relationship,
And may you bring joy to others as well.
It's been eleven years since I formed you.
May the rest of our years together be just as swell.

I placed the photo and the poem together in the silent auction at Cumberland Dance Week that took place in July, and the finished result proved to be well liked. I loved showing it to my friends and any other people who came by. They were very happy to see my clown and read my poem. Just a few friends of mine bid on the poem, but a couple of those friends wanted it so badly that they kept bidding against each other, and the price of the poem eventually reached $40.00. However, George Paul, the winner of my poem, decided to make a copy to give to Eric Schreiber, so now they are both happy. All the money went to the Lloyd Shaw Scholarship Fund, and I'm happy to support it. Like my poem says, after enjoying being alone with my clown all these years, it's wonderful to be able share my clown with people and let everyone get to know him. My clown's smile does mean a lot.