sustainability

Beginning of the week – A good time for the beginning of a new mindset!

/ Penny L Howe / 7 Comments

A little reflection over the weekend and it dawned on me, that each of us (more or less) are partially responsible for the mess the planet is in right now. We really are. In our free country of the USA we take so much for granted. In fact children are being taught (by adult example) that it’s okay to take … and take … and take! Greed is a popular icon here as well as in many other “civilized?” countries which accomplishes nothing but more greed!

Time for a new mindset. We really don’t need so much “stuff”. It would be great if we spent more time caring for each other and the natural world we all inhabit while it’s still habitable. Healthier and happier people would make for a healthier and happier environment and economy. Not the other way around. People (all life) and their well being need to come first!

And in this country and any other country where you can vote (even if some politicians are making it harder for you) it is still your responsibility to VOTE. If you don’t like what the politicians are doing, then vote them out of office.. Your country, your government. Your responsibility. Don’t play the blame game with pointed fingers and words but do nothing to assist in bringing about change!

“Personal responsibility and our planet’s sustainability

must go hand in hand for the needed change to truly happen!”

~ Penny L Howe, 2014

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Have a great week ahead, with much affection and love,

~ Penny

Haibun Thinking: Continuity – but not for all!

/ Penny L Howe / 18 Comments

This week the challenge on Haibun Thinking is to use either a literary quote or a photograph as your writing prompt. For more information about how you can also be a part of this Haibun Writing Challlenge, just click here on Haibun Thinking.  The Photograph:

30-c2a9-michael-grogan

photograph by © Michael Grogan

My entry:

Continuity, such an interesting word. The meaning I refer to is the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time. For the continuity of the human species to exist, so it seems, the continuity of many other life forms cease.

As I look out my window I ponder the continuity in my personal life. It’s a good life, the children have a place to play, to grow, to be safe, even though each year our fields produce less crop and there are less bees to pollinate. My husband oversees our farm while I work in the city for the extra income needed to survive in today’s world.

I worry about the weather too. Thank goodness no tornadoes so far, but the weather seems so unpredictable. So many changes happening so rapidly and not just outside my window, but globally.

As I look out the window one final time, before beginning my commute to work, I ponder again the word continuity and wonder, can our own human “continuity” continue on it’s path without completely destroying itself in the process.

ecosystems bane

human life’s continuity

just not for all life

~

The weekend is almost here, everyone relax and enjoy as you can,

~ Penny

Monday’s Finish The Story: The Forever Reminder!

/ Penny L Howe / 20 Comments
2014-10-13-bw-beacham

Photograph by Barbara Beacham ©

The Forever Reminder

The people waved at him from the bridge below. Over the years he had never forgotten. Hardwired to his memory – that particular moment in time. As a hydrologist it was his job to locate groundwater determining depth, quality and most important – the actual amount of water, usually from a place much closer to the ground than he had found himself that day. That eventful day.

Anticipating the groundwater to be shallow, he had not expected there to be – none. And so it came to pass around the globe. No more fresh, clean ground water. As glaciers melted and more fresh water mixed with the ocean, eventually all water was sea water.

Many huge factories and plants were constructed to remove salt from the water for drinking purposes, but it was never the same. Most life died or changed it’s biological nature. Some humans survived. He and his family were among the lucky ones.

When his daughter asked what fresh drinking water was, the image of people waving from a bridge, where fresh water flowed beneath, appeared in his mind. It had became a “forever reminder” of what had been and would never be again!

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Be sure and give Barb’s new flash fiction weekly challenge -” Monday’s Finish The Story a try! The rules are easy to follow: Just write a short, very short, story (roughly 100-150 words) using the photo as a prompt and begin your story with the line that Barb shares with us. This week the line is: “The people waved at him from the bridge below.” 

A good writing exercise and fun too (if you enjoy writing). For more details or to view other entries just click here!

Hope everyone has a great week ahead,

~ Penny

I Thirst – For the Waters of Life!

/ Penny L Howe / 17 Comments

I Thirst

for …

emotional flavors,

beautiful vistas,

unfolding riches,

from the bounty of life.

I find,

exotic sensations,

beauty, wealth, comfort

to surround me.

I am blessed

with the waters of life.

~

But am I worthy of this liquid wellspring?

Am I – greed and grasping,

or

humble, respectful, careful

of Earth’s diminishing resources.

I become fearful,

that I,

through wanton indifference,

will end my days

sipping polluted tears

from my eyes …

a witness,

as

the waters of life run dry,

due entirely to …

my

unquenchable thirst for life!

~ Penny L Howe, 2014

Today is World Water Day. Find out why, and what this means to you and I, and our families future sustainability – before the well runs dry for all of us!

https://www.facebook.com/UNWorldWaterDay