For Ann who sent her walk across the oceans, & who makes me smile - every time (the first of several "odes")

Lovely Ann, with your generosity & garden heart are a constant, everyone sees them here, petals bright & foliage fresh green among this lovely comment above, wonderful woman. Your forest walks take you to such delightful visions & you capture them so carefully & so preciously that they contain the magic of you as well as the lovely nature you have framed so perfectly. You inspire me so, & I do feel kin dear one, did from the time I first read of you here. I am recovering somewhat & so have to be spending more time immersed in work & other life, though at the same time feel unusually fatigued when I return from work, sadly these things keep me from Neo far more... But you are with me daily all the same my friend, as so many here on Neo are. Thank you & my love to you abundantly as you know. ~ Anni ~~~ "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" Henry Miller

Thank you my gorgeous Beki, whose wings & sweet warm heart bloom so vividly for us here. You, of course will be among the "odes", I composed such a sweet ode to you whilst returning from the otters (3 hour drive), but sadly life enveloped it (should have stopped to write it, but at the time there was no convenient place to pull over) & I shall have to start from scratch (I have written a few Beki inspired works, but none that I am happy enough with for here) This is a beautifully written comment Beki... "lovingly clustered together these magic words of yours", well my darling winged one, you would know, my sister in gratitude & care, sweet selfless mamma. Brightly jewelled with the sparkling output, the outpouring of goodness. Our lovely diamond clear connections here, Neo is such a palace of jewels & sweet textural pleasantries. So glad we found each other good woman. Glowing love to you~ Anni ~~~ "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" Henry Miller

What a delightful gentle man you are... & yes, I am blessed more, thank you. It is so clear to me here that without intent of receiving anything, when we give out generously, so much goodness comes back to us. I wrote this for Ann in pure gratitude, & yet once more I feel so showered here with generous warmth in response. Well, I thank you also, there is nothing more wonderful than to be in the company of other good hearted & generous people, it just makes me more certain that I am heading in the right direction. I sadly have less time for Neo now, I will find that difficult, but will always try to ensure a presence & will always apprecate it so deeply.... & I look forward to reading your version of grateful acknowledgement for our dear Ann, as you say, she deserves it abundantly. Love to you~ Anni ~~~ "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" Henry Miller

Dear Brian, thank you, I feel you are so close sometimes, it must be the clarity & depth through which you touch us all. You have fast become such an incredible force of inspiration & encouragement here. I fear my own addiction to your input (chuckle), since I look forward to a bjp comment on any of my work (& actually gage my writing at times as to whether it might be worthy of one!), & have on more than one occassion, written with your standards & refined sensitivities in mind. You must know this is a great thing, the blessing we of such ilk would prefer, that the gifts we bestow in our critiques might be compost & nutrient for brighter blooms & fruitful delight, I know my work improves under the influence of your presence. I have less time as I recover & less energy for Neo after work just now, I must stay with the belief that this will improve, it is just slower than I expected. In any case, it is warming that you look forward to my words as I do yours, a lovely, healthy interaction, something I love about Neopoet. Thank you for taking the time to note the changes I make, I would do it even though I feel sometimes these things go unread, this is thanks to you, previously I would take the lesson of a less successful write & try to apply it to a new work. But this has merrit, to improve on what we already wrote, I see it now & thank you. I can't know the nature of the restraints, but at least you must feel free to critique my work as harshly as you wish, I know it's gift & am grateful, for the rest, these have wings & exist as phantoms, benevolent dust mote dancing goodnesses I feel, I know this feeling I think, the melancholly of unexpressed sentiment & wishes. If it helps, I know not the story or the detail, but I choose to love the picture anyway as if it were one of warmth & quiet river dreaming silence & pleasure. Neo brings us friends unexpectedly across these expanses of the world, who might sit together in such silence & just know some unspoken treasures within. I feel you see me Brian, this alone is gift beyond my expectation & brings a quiet blooming joy. Thank you - again. Warmth, care, love & appreciation~ Anni ~~~ "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" Henry Miller

Dear Cat, I love your articulate precision & warmth. You are instant comfort, I think, here on Neo. Heh, the image of a cat indeed, you know, those lovely ones who come to you with leg bunting familiarity & still manage to retain the grace of nobility whilst engendering great affection... that's you I think. Thank you with love~ Anni ~~~ "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" Henry Miller

Dearest Ann,of course I agree, which is why I have called this the first of several "odes", since I have begun penning some to those who have reached me specifically... though it might take forever to really do the whole lot justice since there are so many here on Neo that are deserving as we know. But you, my sweet muse, have been there since the beginning of my Neohood, & you have been so very generous as you well know, especially in trying times for me... & you dear Ann are one of very few in my life privvy to some of those circumstances, & always you have been kind & warm & giving, so this I wanted to reach you especially for everyone to see... & as you see, we are all heartilly in agreeance that you are such a wonderful generous presence here on Neo. This time you may want to deflect, but I am firmly placing the spotlight (of friendship & gratitude) on you, just let it shine for a little so we can honour you my friend!!!~ Anni ~~~ "I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels." Pearl S. Buck:

Hi Richard, ahh well I know her worth, hence the "ode" to our dear Ann, she is very special to me & I know I am not alone, now she knows more clearly... & you see above she attempts to deflect the acknowledgement, but we have pinned her just this once, so I am so glad you have come to add your voice to this praise of our lovely forest nymph. love ~ Anni ~~~ "I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels." Pearl S. Buck:

Ah, back at you dear Nina (which sounds terribly American now I've written it, but still, it's true!... no prob with that except that I am Australian!). Thanks & yes, we are among such lovely creative folk here, I feel deliciously surrounded on Neo by such creative abundance. I hope you have been painting Nina, & am looking forward to some new poems from you. I agree this one may be too long (always my challenge I know), but yes, I could have gone on & on, singing the praises of the remarkably talented, sweet, generous, unassuming Anushka of Norway we love so dearly! xxx~ Anni ~~~ "I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels." Pearl S. Buck:

Darling Anushka, is it so hard for you to be praised you must feel you have to let the storm pass? Sigh, I apologise if I have made you feel uncomfortable, I just wanted to formally acknowledge what so much of us feel, set up a platform for others to do so, which you see has happened as I knew it would... You are so very precious my lovely one, & so gifted (or rather you have chosen so wonderfully these ways to express your life... Hallelujah I say! More than YAY indeed. I feel it is always a good thing to celebrate goodness where we see/know of it, & you are filled to overflowing with it my friend. Recently it has struck me in my slightly oversensitive state, how it feeds us when we acknowledge each other & how some are so bullied by the spitting of accusation & bitterness some like to put into the world. I ask myslef, "why bother to do the latter when the former creates so much more goodness & joy, & the latter makes us all feel smaller & more fearful & less trusting etc." I love you because I know you know this, you feel safe & you contribute which is enormously valuable in the world, if I die having had half the influence of positive contribution I will be happy... actually, I already am. Much love dearest Anushka xxx~ Anni ~~~ "I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels." Pearl S. Buck: