Reality

We move through life as if we’re strapped
Onto a wagon wheel,
In constant motion, with no time
To pause or rest or heal.

But if we’re lucky, we can take
Vacation for a while
And get to live a different life
And do it up in style.

Yet all good things must end, they say,
And that includes vacation.
We’re tied back on our wheel
To deal with all life’s aggravation.

Still, nothing’s ever only bleak
And though this may sound cheesy,
I’m back now in reality
‘Cause Henry* made it easy.

*my baby grandson

Tulip Time at Keukenhof

At first you see the flower fields
Of yellow, white or red,
Though soon machines will do their job
And clip each tulip’s head.

For that’s the way to save the bulbs
So they’ll be best for selling,
A fact that must make sense, I guess,
Since no one is rebelling.

But then you enter Keukenhof,*
A floral park so vast
It’s hard to comprehend how many
Tulips they’ve amassed.

The colors take your breath away –
You’re dazzled, awed, amazed;
And as you stroll, each vista’s better
Than where you’ve just gazed.

Varieties you’ve never seen
Are artfully arrayed,
With hyacinths and lilies
Intermittently displayed.

The tulips only bloom for weeks
So I was thrilled to visit
And get to view what Nature’s made
With palette so exquisite.

Such beauty’s there for all to see
But sadly, just a few
Will have the chance to make the trip
And get to tiptoe through.

*flower garden in Holland, known for their tulips

Birthday in Bruges

At birthday time, I was in Bruges
And what a treat for me,
For it's a place as charming
As a city gets to be.

The streets are paved with cobblestones,
Canal boats drift between;
The churches, castles, towers
Are among the best I've seen.

Each block has chocolate shops galore
And beer for every taste.
Indulging in a waffle's also
What should be embraced.

And if you like to shop, my gosh!
The stores are cool and hip,
Enough to keep you occupied
On any shopping trip.

So here's the way my birthday went -
Meandering the streets,
A lovely cruise on the canals
With beer and chips for treats.

A visit to a special store
And splurging on some shoes;
An ice cream cone, my husband there -
I really couldn't lose.

A birthday's only once a year -
To celebrate's a must;
And birthday time in Bruges
Left all the others in the dust.

Windmills

A windmill, charming as it seems,
Requires a lot of work.
The millers get to live inside -
That's not much of a perk.

The rooms are small and tight and spare,
The stairs extremely steep
And every night the windmill's blades
Might interrupt your sleep.

The windmill folk are volunteers;
They even pay their rent.
Their keeper duties, though,
Must in their day make quite a dent.

I've long admired windmills
And to tour one was a thrill,
The kind of wish it's nice in life
To actually fulfill.

But as our guide admitted,
Such a life he'd never lead
And seeing how the millers live,
I certainly agreed.

Yet still, that field of windmills
Looked as lovely as could be
And seeing them was wonderful,
A privilege for me!

Riverboat Cruise

In a tiny Dutch village
Where windmills await,
I relax on the deck
In a sweet zoned-out state.

Though the sun dapples through,
I sit under some shade
And reflect on the choice
Of vacation I've made.

We have sailed on the rivers
And traipsed through the towns,
Met some fellow explorers -
Much laughter, few frowns.

There's been sunshine and sightseeing,
Refills of wine
And lots of companions
With whom we can dine.

Though the time's passing quickly,
There's much left to see
And from worries and problems,
This week we are free.

So the verdict's not in
But it seems you can't lose
If you choose to sign up
For a riverboat cruise.

In Common

We all have things in common
And at times we'll intersect;
A simple conversation
May then cause us to connect.

It only takes one common thread
To get a friendship going
And soon enough, the laughter comes
While stories keep on flowing.

We share the details of our lives -
Our backgrounds, families, travels;
The wall we've woven to protect us
Rapidly unravels.

For though a new acquaintance
May not pose a threat of danger,
It wasn't long ago that person
Was a total stranger.

Yet if there is a chance at all,
Then people should converse;
Ignore the opportunity
And wouldn't that be worse?

The world is overwhelming
But it's wonderful to know
That sometimes we can all connect
And that's the way to go.

Dutch Hospitality

In the city of Hoorn,
On a cobblestone street,
We were taken as guests
So some locals we'd meet.

It was charming, the house,
And the ceilings did soar;
There were children and cats
But much more was in store.

For the hostess' dad
Brought us each out, with pride,
Quite a big slab of pie
With some whipped cream beside.

From the very first bite,
I was over the moon.
I'll not taste pie that wonderful
Anytime soon.

There were flowery mugs
Filled with coffee or tea,
So we sipped and we savored -
How lucky for me!

To be welcomed and fed
Homemade baking and cream
And converse like we knew them -
It felt like a dream.

When you step off the path
Where the tourist traps lie,
You'll find friendship and maybe
A great piece of pie!