Times They Are A Changin'

 



Don’t  Tread  On  Me
 

Sabers rattle, drummers drum,

as something  wicked our way comes. 

Turn out the lights boys, close the door.

This is the one you’ve waited for.

  

This time they come to steal our souls,

our homes, our lives our baby boys.

To kill our brothers  in the streets.

False eyes to Allah must concede.

This time the signs are in the skies,

so choose the lines of truth and right.

No longer will we bend at knees,

but remember our fathers' “Don’t tread on me”.

 

We will not flinch. We’ll forge as steel.

Death to enemies of good and will. 

We’ll stay the course and tow death’s tines.

God help the ones, who cross the line.

 

We’ll die for what we know is true,

Seeking FREEDOM in all we do.

God bless this fight and see us through.

America forever … red, white and blue!

 

jb Sept 11 2010

 



 

I wrote the above on the 10th anniversary of 911. And even sadder now is that the same date is etched with more bloodshed in Benghazi a year ago. I will never forget those men and their bravery.

 

As we approach September 11 again, with anxiety I might add, please pray for a peaceful day of remembrance and that no more horrors occur on this now sacred day, now known as Patriot's Day. Whatever the truth about the whole story and who is or is not responsible, many innocent people are dead and at what cost?

 

As many have said previously, " the cost of freedom is NOT free"

 

May God bless the United States of America!

 

 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013

You Know You're From Tupelo

Brick Kilns, Tupelo, Mississippi

 

Without the title above, many of you would be saying just what in the world is this?

 

In Tupelo's past, several of these brick kilns used to set alongside the railroad tracks at Crosstown (corner of Gloster and Main). I really never knew much about them, but for the fact that bricks were actually made here, but this history is getting fuzzy now with time. I would love to know more. 

 

My brother and I used to go on photo shooting binges and we photographed so much of old Tupelo. Problem is with our families many moves and life I seem to have lost a vast array of what we had captured. I am still searching through things that have been stored over the years hoping to find my goldmine. Not that these pictures would mean anything to most anyone else, but they mean a great deal to me as we captured something that is no longer available for the most part. That "something" is a part of me and seeing some of these things again assures me that I actually did live this wonderful life and that it was not a dream.

 

Life was so much richer then, so vibrant and clean. Colors so pure, air so fresh. Honor, respect and a good name ruled the day. Big deals between men closed on a simple handshake with no need for lawyers.Old family and colorful stories still overflow with bright and shiny memories. Things that can never be replaced and are priceless.

 

So from time to time I will share my wonderland with you as I rediscover its bits and pieces. If you have old photographs or some interesting story about Tupelo that you would like to share here, just send it to me.

 

I am part of this land, as were my ancestors just up the road. And sometimes when the moon is bright you can almost hear them whisper on the breeze. . .

way down South.

 

 



 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013



Solitude of Sorts

Did you ever have one of those days when you felt like you were walking the road of life totally alone and misunderstood?

It's been one of those days when nothing has gone quit right. I'm really not feeling sorry for myself or about the day, for God has been good to me.  This day just made me very sad and weary. I feel isolated and quite alone, and just want to curl up in a fetal position and sleep for a week.

And it amazed me at the folks who contributed to this mood. Friends, boss, work, even family all got into the act at one point or another. Surely hope that I don't make people feel this way. I am making a note to myself to try to be a better person and think before I open my big fat mouth or assume I know a situation when I am actually clueless. Or to ignore people, make them feel invisible by my actions or make fun of them because they are not my idea of perfection or beauty. To ask people around me how they are feeling and to actually listen.

Have you stopped to think about the person sitting next to you right now? What have they been through today? Did you add to their burden or did you make it lighter? Did you think about anyone other than yourself today? Do you care?

And mostly, what do you think your Creator would think of you this moment, if it were your last and how you went about using  this simple, quiet, precious  day of life you were given?

If you are allowed to wake tomorrow, what will you change?

 

 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013



Missing Blue

 

 

I have been fortunate to know and love some great animals in my time. Everything from cats and dogs, to possums, barn owls and even Mocking birds. Many odd creatures have graced our humble home, and I have learned much from these friends on our journey together. Many have come and gone and I never quit missing the ones who leave, whether they pass, find new homes or disappear, as did Blue. I still have seven rescued furry kids that live with me along with some fish.

 

Blue Dog came into my life by chance. Everyone in my neighborhood knows how I love animals and will not tolerate their mistreatment. One day I came home to find two dogs cowering in the corner of my backyard. They were sick and hungry and I was a bit disturbed that someone had put them over my back fence in the yard with some of my other dogs. I have no idea why they didn't fight except that my dogs are very gentle and only seem to have interest in the yard squirrels and birds.

 

One of the new recruits was a small female black Labrador and the other a male, was a pit bull, at least mostly pit. I named the lab Sugar Bear and the pit with one blue eye I named Blue Dog. I could tell they had been abused and starved and I fed them, took a great deal of time with them, gave them medicines to heal them and gave them lots of love. They adjusted well to being fed on a regular basis and were soon healthy and playing with the other dogs like they had been together from puppyhood.

 

I love all my dogs very much, but Blue just stomped right into my heart. His hind quarters were strangely marked. When he was walking away from you, it looked like he had on pants. I don't know how many times I smiled or laughed at that crazy dog with the pants on. He and Sugar had obviously been together from birth. That, or they had been roaming together for a while. They were always together and shared most everything in life. Best friends, or partners. I was never sure.

 

Then one day I came home and Blue was gone! It was like he just disappeared back to wherever he had come from. I don't know which was more upsetting, the fact that Blue was gone, or what it did to Sugar. I don't know if who ever left them in the first place stole him back (as my yard is a fortress because I love my animals), and there is no way to get out unless someone takes you out or lets you out

 

At any rate I was heartbroken, but poor Sugar was devastated! She looked everywhere for Blue and cried and laid around and would not eat. She was so pitiful. Why they left her I still wonder, but fortunately I have a big red golden retriever named George. George is so loving and picks up on a lot of things even people miss. I wonder if he knew how badly she was hurting somehow because he had experienced his owners moving off and leaving him tied to a fence with a one foot rope (with no food or water). I had brought him home several years before.

 

Whatever the reason, George started being Sugar's new friend. He picked at her and played with her and oh so slowly she came around. She will not eat unless George takes a bite first and always looks at him in new situations as if to say, " is this okay"? I don't know what will happen if anything ever happens to Georgie.

 

But anyway. If you are somewhere and see a pitbull with one blue eye and pants on, say hello Blue Dog, your Mom sure misses you and then give me a call.

 

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend, and remember to hug everyone of your furry babies, and your human ones too, every day. They are a blessing. And oh the love they give...

 

Peace and Love *

 

  © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013





I'd Rather Be Sailing

Aboard the True North IV in Cozumel, Mexico

 

This was one of the best days of my life. I was on a cruise from  the Cayman Islands to Mexico and took an excursion for a sailing regatta. Turns out the ships we were racing turned out to be a former America's Cup of Dennis Conner fame from years back and a Canadian ship the True North IV.

 

All deck hands were vacationing souls led by a hearty crew of sea loving sailors. The place was Cozumel, Mexico on a bright , shiny afternoon. All the crew were assigned tasks and each was given a crash course on what to do. Then we set sail.

 

The course was set for a 12 meter regatta. Ships had been chosen by a coin toss and off we went. Nothing on this Earth can compare to the feeling of flying over the deep turquoise ocean as fast as a ship can go with the wind in your face and your hair blowing out behind you.. All worries and cares drift away and you are one with the water. Dips and turns so far over one could almost dip a hand into the water if the hands were not so busy grinding and listening to commands. Tags and more tags and what was a short race felt like time standing still. Strangers bound forever by an experience like no other. Then at last America's Cup dipped in front of us to take the race.

 

But everyone here was a winner. No losers were had this day.

 

I will keep this feeling in my heart forever and if I am very lucky perhaps I might get a second chance to feel the sea flying underneath me and feel that perfect peace. It may sound silly to some, but I became a forever sailor this day.

 

 



 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013



Meet George Burns

 George

 

Meet George. I have had many, many dogs and cats and various other odd animals that have come to live with me from time to time, but George is the sweetest, most gentle animal I have ever encountered in my lifetime. How anyone could move off and leave a poor animal tied to a chain-link fence with only about a foot of rope is beyond me. He had no food or water. It was very apparent the family had moved from the house and I thought they were coming back for him and just got delayed. I got a comfy collar and a secure long lead and put him up under the car port out of the weather. I fed and watered him and took him for a walk. No one came. The next day no one came and he seemed so very sad and kept cuddling up to me.  I left my phone number and address on the door to the house, and the next day he came to live with me. The people never came back or called. I already had a black Labrador at the time (Baby) that my husband had rescued in the middle of an expressway, and they became the best of friends.

 

This picture was taken in younger days around the time he sired a great litter of puppies (16) for which I learned the valued lesson of "fixing" most all the animals. Fortunately the puppies were all incredibly healthy and we found a good home for each and every one. Now days George, like me is growing old. I sit with him on the back porch a lot and we talk about his day. You never know what George is going to get into, even at his age. One of his favorite things is to eat figs. He also hates hanging flower baskets and will tear them to shreds and jumping on trampolines and into swimming pools. But those are stories for another night.

 

There is a huge old fig tree by the backyard gate. It has some lower branches that he can climb and reach his figs when they are in season. He loves to eat them right off the tree. I think the first time he encountered one on the ground that he might have believed it to be a sticky tennis ball. But after he lapped the first one down he was hooked. I worried about it for a while, but like most things with George his stubborn streak wins out over my guarded concerns. He spends more of his day chasing squirrels and napping in the sun. He hates indoors so you find him out back with the neighbor cat (Sam). They are also great friends.

We have a large fenced in yard that is kind of like a park and when the little house dogs come out they all still have a romping good time. Sugar Bear, another Labrador likes to stay in the back with George all the time. I guess they are the yard watchers.

 

At night both George and Sugar Bear sleep on the back porch. They won't come in. Guess they don't like the confined space, but they love the porch so I let them do as they wish.

 

There are seven friends here now. They all have either been abandoned or have disabilities but there is a lot of love here. No one gets left out or left behind. I love each and everyone but that Georgie dog ... he just stomps right into your heart.

 

May God bless all the animals in whatever situations they are facing, for their love and innocence is pure heart.

 

And the words below came from the love of all.

 

 

Georgie

Old red dog

with the golden, laughing eyes,

so wise in years;

I wonder

what you think

as you run to meet me

with wagging tail

and your big dog smile.
 

We’ve been together for many years now,

since the day I found you

hungry and alone

and brought you

to your forever home,

where you have been

my special friend.
 

So many words

to describe you,

but none of them fit exactly right

as there is no other dog,

quite like you.
 

We are both aging now old friend,

each of us a little slower,

and  a little less frisky these day;

though we still watch moon rises and fire flies

in the stillness of our backyard

on warm Summer evenings.
 

 Whichever one of us

gets  there first my friend,

you know the drill. 
 

In case I haven’t told you enough,

I love you to the moon . . .

my old red dog.

 

 

 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013

 



More Computer Art

Harpo

 

This is another of my computer art pieces. It is copied of sorts from a photo I took in my kitchen once upon a time. I used a watercolor technique for a base and the eyes took forever as I couldn't get them the way I remembered them, but finally I found Harpo in there.

 

She was an amazing cat and someday I will tell you stories about some of her escapades. Later in life she loved to sleep in the kitchen where she could stay warm and always be near a treat.

 

Surely do miss my Harpi-cat. She was unique and such a pretty girl.

 

Goodnight my friends, wherever you may be.

 

 



 © Joyce (Tidwell) Burns, ChynaMoon Creations, Chyna Moon Press,  1997-2013