Out in the Country
Along narrow roads
   near creeks, barns and houses
        within sight of cats and cattle,
             deer, possums, dogs and squirrels
sit all manner of and types of businesses:
Auctioneers
    (sell what mom and dad accumulated over a lifetime)
Bars and restaurants
    (usually in the same establishment)
Bed and breakfasts
    (to avoid hearing the in-laws snore)
Bowling alleys
    (keep teens and trouble separated)
Car lots
    (where folks get a car after theirs no longer runs)
Cemeteries
    (where mom and dad reside for eternity)
Churches
    (give comfort to the living and say words over the dead)
Farms
    (the business, or at least the hobby, of most)
Fire departments
    (run by volunteers to keep people and property safe)
Garages
    (help keep vehicles running as long as possible)
Gas stations
    (keep cars and trucks and tractors running)
Junk yards
    (where cars and trucks and tractors go when they no longer run)
Salons
    (where a gal can get her roots touched up)
Skating rinks
    (see "Bowling alleys," above)
Not seen at all in our community?
    A mall--and that's the truth, Y'all
Life in the country is
    stretched out
         and perhaps inconvenient.
But few would trade our country ways
    for nightly traffic jams
         and the time required to get home
              to a tiny patch of green
That is the suburban nightmare.

Another Day
First thing each morning
I clear my eyes
look out the window
at the beauty before me
and thank God for another day.

Sunflower

Sunflower

Once taller than our house,

forever facing down its namesake,

it now sits in pieces in a wooden bowl

awaiting spring.

Writers Block
What can I say?
What should I write about?
Ducks?
Dogs?
Frogs?
Snow?
Gosh, I don't know.
I guess that's why they call it Writer's Block.
Driving?
Conniving?
Conniving, what?
There you go, again.
What are you talking about?
You can't find ANYTHING to write about?
Not yet.
Well, how about . . . .?
Yes? I'm waiting.
Drum roll please.
Jeeze. Enough already!
Alright then: Writer's Block?

Pictures are Now in the Mix!
After doing this blog alone for just over two months, Jeanine Lister is joining me. Jeanine is a wonderful photographer who has agreed to post some of her photos here on the Country Traffic Jam blog. One of her wonderful compositions is below; the others will require some hunting. (Hint: Check out Buick Winter -- posted January 6th--for Bill's favorite. Jeanine's favorite is below.) There will not be pictures with every poem, but there will certainly be many. So go back through the previous posts and look for pictures. Some were posted tonight, others will be posted in days to come.

Jeanine owns the copyright to all of her photos; Bill owns the copyright to all of the poems. All rights are reserved to the author and the photographer.

Where is Opportunity?
Moscow?
Paris?
Baghdad?
Independence?
Alexandria?
Versailles?
London?
Boston?
New Haven?
Yes, to all.
And all are in Kentucky!

Coming Soon
As my car crawls ever
      so slowly on snow covered roads
            towards the interstate
                  so spring is crawling ever so slowly
                           towards Roxford.