To Seed

approaching earth
touches cheek
ear to ground
I listen for the rumble
of emerging seed

©Michele R. Strub, 7/2011

Hemi the Watch Cat

Update, May 12, 2012 -- 

Hemi went MIA two days ago -- found out late last night he passed away in next door neighbor's back yard -- he was my best pal and I'd already begun missing him -- he sat on the porch with me every night as I played the strings -- he paid attention to the music and sometimes rubbed his ears against the fretboard after I'd finish -- when I worked evenings at the hotel, after work, he'd be waiting for me at the edge of the yard without fail. He was the sentinel of the corner of William and Catherine and was the toughest son of a bitch on the island, but he was also my dear and loving friend.

Hibiscus and Bird of Paradise at the fence

reflection in the glass covering one of my black and white prints from back in the day

Message from Elizabeth

Hello! I have been writing to you in my head for weeks...

have you heard me?

I found this photo tonight when I was looking for something else :)

This man is Mr. Phillips. I met him while he was painting a 

neighbors house last year. He sang the whole time he worked. He 

let me photograph his hands for my sign language project and I must 

have shot this in between. I thought you might like to see it.

Hope all is well with you and Key West. Love, Elizabeth

[Elizabeth Faubert, Photographer/Artist/Bibliophile]

What’s in a title?

What’s in a title? A procrastinating author’s worst fears are realised | Irish Examiner --Terry Prone

12:41am eastern time. I am quietly laughing out loud.

I found above link having searched the phrase "what's in a title?",

having just titled one of my web pages on Mikalogue "that" because I didn't have the desire to name it just yet, and in so doing, named it.

Enjoy. This is funny stuff.

excerpt: 
"Selecting a title is one of the points at which the relationship between writer and the editor in the publishing house can become severely fraught. F. Scott FitzGerald drove his unfortunate editor Maxwell Perkins (who, God bless his little cotton socks, also had to cope with Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe and lent all of them money) mad wanting his magnum opus to come out under the title Trimalchio in West Egg. Trimalchio, as every reader will remember, being the rich patron of Petronius's Satyricon. Perkins pointed out that nobody knew how to pronounce Trimalchio, adding that to put a prospective purchaser through the hassle of asking for an unpronounceable book might not be inspired marketing. FitzGerald eventually caved in and went with The Great Gatsby, but never liked it as a title."


Go on now, link the article. I know you want to.

a visit with Monica and the Yarden at Seidenberg Ave

the hibiscus continue couture

more at more other

In the air last night

May 22, 2011

Its been calm and kind of hot, no moisture falling (or screaming) no storms no violent weather - But tonight I feel a breeze of foreboding. The moisture is going to come - the storms will come  [o storms be gentle with our island] -

thinking of Joplin today, thinking there weren't enough convenience store walk-in fridges to go around.

Shooting the Moon through the Poinciana -- 17 May

oh moon fill my bag!

For artist Stroman -- Brugmansia before the moisture departs

up the trumpet

later on... 

04/09, 12/09, 10/10 and 05/11 - crossroads, critical timing and thanks to Monica and Karen and many more...

I believe I could have made a career out of just what I was finding in the Yarden while living at Monica's -- her garden magic gave me plenty of material. Being and thriving there was much of the impetus for where what and who I am now and shall be. I am ever grateful I landed on Seidenberg Avenue at the moment I did.

Then time came to move on and that timing was perfection -- I was able to move into Karen's guest house in Old Town, introduced to the galleries in the upper end of Duval, and Dan Cocco in particular, who viewed my work and invited me to exhibit in his and Jim Salem's gallery -- my run there was short but satisfying, such a beautiful space to show; 

and then Karen introduced me to Onett Johnson, who runs Sippin' Internet Cafe -- those five pieces are hanging in his cafe now -- she wrangled his attention to my work with her wonderful eccentricities and more important a chocolate bar laced with chili peppers -- good thing Onett liked my images -- otherwise my frail artist's heart... -- Onett also allowed me to stock 12 x 12 prints for sale -- they're not exactly moving like a freight train, but they're there and people are seeing them. (I wonder who they are?) 

Around the same time I started going to Sippin's Sunday Mic Night, getting on stage, tentatively playing one string, bluesy longings [I had only recently been reacquainting nightly with my 33 year old Yamaha L10-A in my front porch living room garden], reading some poetic observations and singing an occasional song, a cappella to be sure - it was enjoyable and a pleasure to meet and hear and collaborate with local musicians. The Sunday Night thing is in hiatus for the season. In the meantime I am faithful with my attention to playing every night in my f.p.l.r.g. and suspect I may be making progress. One string at a time. ["follow the monochord"]

I have fallen into a horn of plenty here in Key West - right place, right time, right on. Lucky me, I say.

Yesterday, after a year of being down, I resurrected  the website that I began shortly after my mother Ruthie died. I'd taken to the road with camera, laptop with mobile internet access and only what fit in my 2004 Kia hatchback. I eventually headed out west only to be drawn back to Florida after six months, to this island of rich color and mystery and risks worth taking. 

stop by for a visit

Mikalogue - Part Deux

Young Orchid

Paths crossed and attention was paid to the moment

Maracas Poinciana

Hanging over my front porch living room 

shak shak

A Series in the Life of Poinciana

more on more other

the cure for my mid-life crisis at 35...

...was entering the Theatre program at Cleveland State University - photo is from student ID...thoughts of this time brought on by recent email conversation with college mate from much earlier attempt at higher education - reviews of the past - the next phase was born not so much from crisis as need for a clarifying experience, when, at age 44, I gave up driving a car for riding a motorcycle, specifically a 1998 Triumph Trident (which became a six year affair) -- but first I had to have that pesky brush with death -- (which ultimately brought me to Key West) -- another story for another time

For vantage point I'll need to either a) climb this Poinciana or b) score a better camera

Royal Poinciana

Mikaloguer: Reliving Ruthie's Death, but Differently

Mikaloguer: Reliving Ruthie's Death, but Differently: "Ruthie died with dignity. That action was the last and greatest gift she gave me in this world. That dignity: complete lack of fear. She pas..."

In Memory of my mother, Ruth ~ March 25, 1933 - April 24, 2009 and my brother, Michael ~ August 12, 1952 - October 23, 1983

Me, Mom and Michael