Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

Commit Poetry: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

May 29, 2019 By Sandra Heska King

Since I turned 70 earlier in the year, I’ve had to accept I’m way, way past midlife. But some say that 70 is the new 40 (or is it 50?), and my own midsummer night’s dream is one of looking and feeling young(er) for lots of years. So I’ve started walking again–at least two miles a day, sometimes four miles.

Okay, maybe more like occasionally four miles. Or, seriously, once in a while I might walk four miles. That would be two miles in the morning and then another two miles in the evening. Never two miles midday in South Florida. Definitely not four miles midday. I’m working up to four miles most days–during the cooler hours. I’ve even jogged a little bit. I love to see my Fitbit tracking my pulse in the fat burn or peak zones.

I’m also eating more healthy. Less sugar. Less bread. Less simple carbs in general. My breakfast this morning consisted of a smoothie swirled in my new Ninja with crushed ice, raspberries, spinach, some plain Greek yogurt, a scoop of Jay Robb’s unflavored whey protein powder and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I did add a spritz of Swerve to sweeten it up. I’ve lost 10 pounds on my way to more (I hope) before my daughter’s wedding in October. But I’m stuck. I’ve never been very faithful with strength training, and my upper arms prove it. But I’ve fallen victim to a couple social media ads for a SoAlpha ball and bands and some Body Groove videos and love them. I’ve been working on pushups, too. I mean there must be something to them if they’re used for sport and service discipline, right? My husband and I have started dancing in private, but shhh… it’s a secret. So don’t tell anyone, k?

Sometimes I exercise brain and body at the same time. Like with this section from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Act II, Scene I. It was easy to memorize on just one two-mile morning. Eight lines with four twin end rhymes. There’s also the alliteration of the w’s that infuse the poem with a lulling and even mysterious quality. I’m pretty sure it held my feet to a slower pace. I posted it on YouTube a month or so ago but failed to share it here.

I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania some time of the night,
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamelled skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:

How are you caring for your health these days–physical, mental, emotional, spiritual? Have you memorized any poetry lately?

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Blog, Commit Poetry

Comments

  1. L.L. Barkat says

    May 30, 2019 at 9:59 am

    I love that you listen to the birds and attend to your surroundings while memorizing and walking! 🙂

    • Sandra Heska King says

      May 30, 2019 at 10:03 pm

      MultitaskersRUs. 😉

  2. Marilyn Yocum says

    May 30, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    You’re an inspiration!

    • Sandra Heska King says

      May 30, 2019 at 10:07 pm

      Oh, I hope so. There are so many (like you) who inspire me.

  3. Laurie Klein says

    May 31, 2019 at 9:40 am

    Dancing in private! That sounds downright delicious, Sandy. 🙂 I too, despite tick season, have been jogging most days (be it ever so s l o w l y) and riding the exercise bike (as fast as I can). My morning smoothies resemble yours except I use kefir rather than almond milk. Thanks for this post. You inspire me, yet again, to memorize poetry.

    • Lynn D. Morrissey says

      May 31, 2019 at 4:00 pm

      You both inspire me. Oh, it sounds as if you are feeling better. And Kefir? Yummy. I must try that again. Wish I had thought about it for Mother when she endured something smiliar. Sooo happy to know you are improving precious Laurie!

      • Laurie Klein says

        May 31, 2019 at 4:14 pm

        Lynn, some improvement, YES! Still a ways to go. Thanks for celebrating with me. 🙂

        • Lynn D. Morrissey says

          May 31, 2019 at 6:01 pm

          Will pray for total victory over this! It’s on its way.
          Love you so
          L

    • Sandra Heska King says

      May 31, 2019 at 5:21 pm

      Laurie… you always inspire me. And oh, how I hope you are getting better.

      You wouldn’t use kefir and yogurt, would you? With the yogurt, it’s thick enough without a banana or avocado. Though sometimes I go that route.

      • Laurie Klein says

        May 31, 2019 at 7:08 pm

        Ooh, good to know. So far I’ve used plain kefir, banana, some frozen berries or mango, spinach sometimes, and always some protein powder. Yesterday I tried white miso for the first time. Yikes, what a strong taste. I ended up spreading it on a grilled cheese sandwich and adding a little seedless blackberry Simply Fruit. Sounds kinda cuckoo, but it I ate it all. 🙂

        • Sandra Heska King says

          May 31, 2019 at 8:28 pm

          Oh, that sounds yummy! I often use spinach.

          Also, there’s a drink we had at Laity Lodge called “green chocolate” a few years back–with spinach (or kale), avocado, vanilla almond milk, vanilla and agave–though I would use a different sweetener now. Yum.

          I adore mangoes, but I’ve been trying to stick mostly to berries cuz they have less sugar. I’ve never had miso, I don’t think, but I like your creativity. I’ve been kind of hooked on brie cheese lately on a thin sesame cracker with a touch of fig spread. I love food.

          • Laurie Klein says

            June 1, 2019 at 1:47 pm

            I’ll have to try both of those, thank you for the ideas!

            I’m steering clear of sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and (almost) no gluten. I really enjoyed this yesterday: Vegan GoVeggie cream cheesy bliss (made with coconunt) on Mary’s Gone Crackers Organic & Gluten Free REal Thin Crackers.

            And now I’d better stop hijacking your post with food ideas. 🙂

  4. Lynn D. Morrissey says

    May 31, 2019 at 3:59 pm

    Sandy! I listened several times, just awed. Wish I could write more about how meaningful this was to hear you, but 30 women descending Sunday a day early to celebrate my b/day and a baby shower combined. Running here. But just know how much I appreciate you and your gifts… and love your new focus on health. I need to follow in the sugar dept’, and I adore walking! Sending much love!
    Lynn
    I hate snakes, but Shakespeare makes me do a doubletake–breathtaking!

    • Sandra Heska King says

      May 31, 2019 at 5:24 pm

      You are so dear to me, Lynn. Happy early birthday (I know it’s the day after my grand girl Lillee), and I do hope you aren’t treading water up there.

  5. Lynn D. Morrissey says

    May 31, 2019 at 6:00 pm

    Oh Lillee… how pretty! A June baby too. Congratulations to her. Another friend of mine, who will come Sunday, was born June 2nd. So we will sing to her too. And her daughter is Lily! I always have some kind of devo talk + special music and hymns (or carols at Christmas). I actually found an old hymn called Lily of the Valley, and will dedicate it to Lily! I will be thinking of your Lillee too.
    xo
    Lynn

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

Happy first day of fall from my backyard to yours. Happy first day of fall from my backyard to yours.
Just another backyard photo… Just another backyard photo…
From my backyard tonight. From my backyard tonight.
Just another sunset. Just another sunset.
“I would like people to remember of me, how inex “I would like people to remember of me, how inexhaustible was her mindfulness.” ~ Mary Oliver in “ A Little Ado About This and That.”
Current situation. Current situation.
“This spark of life that wavest wings of gold” “This spark of life that wavest wings of gold” ~ Thomas Wentworth Higginson in “Ode to a Butterfly”
🦋
We pulled all the milkweed because it just could not support all the caterpillars. They were eating it bare and most of them died because they ran out of food. This one butterfly found this one lone volunteer.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright futur "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority." ~ E.B. White (as quoted on today's page in my Franklin Planner)
"May you experience each day as a sacred gift wove "May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder." ~ John O'Donohue in "For Presence" from To Bless the Space Between Us
🌴
Tri-colored heron stalking breakfast in my backyard.
“. . neighbor’s tree hangs heavy with mangoes “. .  neighbor’s tree hangs heavy with mangoes. They are moving in a week. They say a family from Belarus bought the house. I hope they don’t care much for mangoes.”
**
“Beautiful Sweet Things” at https://sandraheskaking.substack.com/
"People do not grow old. When they cease to grow t "People do not grow old. When they cease to grow they become old.” ~ Emerson

It's been a while since I've written anything on my blog. Like 3 years. But I just wrote my first post on Substack. Come see?

https://sandraheskaking.substack.com/p/ten-years-ten-things
Spent a couple hours this morning with friends fro Spent a couple hours this morning with friends from @spanishriverchurch picking up beach trash. Little bits of colored and clear plastic, big bits of plastic, bottle caps, broken glass, strings, ropes, straws, socks, fast food containers, paper, cigarette holders and filters—and a couple unmentionables. Took extra care around the turtle nests. Last count was about 70 pounds, but there were also some bigger things like an abandoned chair and a plastic tent. And a big piece of burlap or something with a fishing lure and giant hook attached. D found a Macy’s gift card that he almost tossed in his bucket. But we brought it home to check the balance—$24.60! We should be able to turn that into something useful for someone. 😊
H Already dead, I am living my afterlife here in t H
Already dead, I am
living my afterlife
here
in the form of a human.
~ Xueyan from Time Peels All to Original White

Thanks to @tspoetry for introducing me to this beautiful collection via an Every Day Poems selection.
The cats attacked the window all night. The dog wo The cats attacked the window all night. The dog woofed all night. This morning we discovered the would-be burglar imprisoned between the screen and the glass on our bedroom slider. 

When I stepped out to release it (no bail), I was surprised by this brief bit of backyard beauty.
For most of us, knowledge of our world comes large For most of us, knowledge of our world comes largely through sight, yet we look about with such unseeing eyes that we are partially blind. One way to open your eyes to unnoticed beauty is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?" ~ Rachel Carson in The Sense of Wonder
#prayformsu #spartanstrong #spartannurse #michigan #prayformsu #spartanstrong #spartannurse #michiganstateuniversity
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faith Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. ~ Psalm 136:1
A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana in the background until I downloaded the photos. That, I believe, is the one that got caught in one of the openings in the neighbor's chain link fence. We tried in several (safe) ways to dislodge it without luck and could think of no other option but to leave it. Somehow it apparently dislodged itself. We also believe this is the pair that was getting into another neighbor's garden. We haven't seen either one since the last cold snap, so we are wondering if they survived. 
🌱
Thinking some may have tumbled from their perches last night. Pretty sure it will be raining iguanas tonight since we are under a frost advisory. It's cold. And windy.
Just sing... sing a song... Singing our way into Just sing... sing a song... 

Singing our way into the weekend.
"We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramse "We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt is in the Wind
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in