This issue's pictorial focus is on my recent trip to Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. This month is Part 1 of that trip.

Poetical Journal © by Bob Casey

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Mission: To provide poetical and thoughtful comments on life

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My newest novel, What's Next~An Epic Journey, is available to the general public. The book is a sequel to the The End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey. You can purchase now by clicking here. (Scroll to the correct title.)

A picture from the successful book signing on Saturday, June 25, at Re BOOK. David Riggs joined me in the signing.

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To the End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey is available via Amazon and Kindle. It will grab you from the start and carry you to places you have never been. The book contains many diverse ideas and is a great love story filled with adventure and intrigue. Questions? Email me. To read more click here. To go to Amazon, click here.

A number of individuals have sent some wonderful reviews. You can read some of them in the Forum Section below.

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This month there are no new geographical destinations to be added to my demographic list.

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VOLUME XV – Issue 6: Sunday, July 31, 2016 (179th Issue)

  • Welcome & Online Version
  • Opening Comments from Bob
  • Two Poems: Now and The Slate
  • Please support my efforts for this publication by donating or purchasing merchandise.
  • Vignette this Month: Exploring
  • Recommendations
  • Quotable Quotes
  • A Bit of Humor
  • PJ Forum
  • PJ Demographics – Subscribers in 20 states and 10 countries
  • PJ Online
  • PJ Policies
  • Subscription information

     

    Welcome

    I am pleased to have you as a reader. If you enjoy the PJ, please encourage others to subscribe.

    If your country is not listed in the demographic section at the end, please let me know so I can update the list.

    The next Poetical Journal will be out on Sunday, August 28, 2016.

    Powell's, Portland, one of the largest bookstores in the world, over a million books available

    Opening Comments from Bob

What's Next ~ An Epic Journey and Beyond Time and Back: An Epic Journey: Both novels are available on Amazon. What's Next is a sequel to Beyond Time and tackles a topic that impacts us all. Both books are intriguing reads.

This Issue: We recently traveled the Northwest including Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The focus this month is on Idaho and Oregon. Next month will be on Washington State. The two poems, Now and The Slate, focus on more serious ideas. The vignette discusses exploring.

Subscriber Residence: PLEASE let me know if your state, providence, or country is not listed in the demographic section at the end.

Next Month: The next issue will be out on August 28, 2016. We will continue our Northwest tour, Part 2.

To follow me on Facebook, click on Poet Bob, and ask to befriend me.

Echo Reservoir near the I-80 & I-84 intersection

Snake River Gorge, Twin Falls, IA

 

.Two Poems this Month

Now


The roads traveled
      are sometimes straight–
      others filled with hairpin curves.
The views fade
      into vestiges of our past.

Where they lead
      remain unknown.
Only of the now
      are we aware.

Senseless time spent
      worrying about this and that.
Why not delight
      in what we have?
Wrap our arms around
      this moment, our treasure

Comment: None needed.


The Slate

All would enjoy continual days
      of wine and roses
      where life is flowing perfectly,
      and we are on a high
      which no drug could compete.

Sadly, life rations
      these everlasting moments.
Instead, we must deal
      with the lows
      that cause our hearts to ache
      and generate frustrations
      that make us want to scream.
Alas, we cannot run
      to escape
      for they are part of us.

Our hope is that the perfect days
      will return more often
      as we transcribe the slate
      that describes
      our daily lives.

Comment: None needed

Enjoying the Portland Rose Garden

 

Jake's, Portland's oldest seafood restaurant

 

Crossing into Washington from Oregon (much more next month)

 

 

My books and products are purchasable online.

My work currently appears in seven books. Four are offered for sale online. To order any of the four, click here. The newest books, What's Next? (2016)and Beyond Time and Back (2015) are currently available through Amazon.

  • A Respite in Time (2012) This 184 page book consists of vignettes, mostly one or two pages in length, which provide thoughtful comments on life. They have appeared in this newsletter over the years. The costs are $15 (PB) and $24 (HB) plus shipping. To order, click here.
  • Lit Bit (2011) is a small anthology that includes three of my poems and three of my photographs. The cover photo is also mine. The cost is $10 plus shipping. (No longer available.)
  • A Slice from the Apple with the Taste of Poetry (2010) is an anthology of poems written by members of the Apple Valley Poets, a very talented group that formed almost eleven years ago. This book contains a wide variety of poetical genres and will appeal to all lovers of poetry. The cost is $10 plus shipping. (No longer available.)
  • An Oasis in a Cluttered World (2006) is a book that allows you chapter by chapter to immerse yourself in a quiet refuge as you forget the chaos of the world. Through poems, vignettes, and recommendations it beckons you to let go, relax, and savor life’s many riches. The cost is $11 for paperback and $18 for hardcover. To order, click here.
  • Wisdom from the Journey (2004) As stated on the cover leaf, “My wish is that this reading journey will provide you with a bit of respite from everyday life, generate a few laughs, cause good feelings about yourself and humanity, encourage introspection, and at certain times twinge your conscience on critical issues and thoughts. Upon reading the last page, I hope you will smile and say, That felt good! The cost is $10 for paperback and $17 for hardcover. To order, click here.
  • The Wanderer: A Poetical Journey (2002) is my first book. You join me on my around the world trip that I took in 2001. The cost is $5.50 for soft cover. (I have sold out of the hardback version. It still can be ordered through Author House.) To order the soft cover., click here.
  • Enjoy the convenience of shopping online.

Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! To support, click here.

To view the product page of other unique gifts, please click here.

Of course being the month of the U.S. 4th of July celebration, we needed at least one fireworks shot.
Columbia River in Oregon. Picture was taken just outside of the River Lodge.

Vignette this Month: Exploring

How do you view life? For me, it is exploring, sometimes taking roads well-traveled and other times less traveled. Allow me to use the analogy of a recent trip we took in exploring the Northwest of our beautiful country. For speed and distance we initially took the interstates, I-80 and then I-84. The drive was beautiful as the miles flashed by. Once in Oregon we chose to travel a portion of old US-30. Suddenly, time slowed down as well as distance covered. The switchbacks required speeds of less than 15 mph versus 75 and 80 mph. Yet, the beauty that unfolded before us including crashing waterfalls and majestic views made one forget about traveling miles and instead focus on one of the reasons for the trip, exploring majestic beauty. Isn't life like that? Traveling the roads less traveled offer many challenges and sometimes trying situations. However, I have found that they are often worth it from the rewards one receives in enriching life from the mundane to a journey far more spectacular. Alas, for my personal survival I choose to travel both types of roads but usually receive the most joy from the one where speed slows down and savoring occurs. What about you?


If you have a guest vignette you would like to submit, please do so. Not only will I enjoy reading it, but if agreeable with you and space permitting, I will print it in a future issue. The vignette should be written in paragraph form and relate a personal story or event. Equally important, it should fit the overall tenor of this newsletter. Ideally, it should not exceed twenty lines. Please send to bob@poeticaljourneys.com.

.............................................Columbia River Gorge taken off of old Rt. 30


Recommendations

River Lodge in Boardman, OR: This renovated lodge at a bargain price is worth an overnight, especially for the view. While the service in the restaurant was rather slow, the food was excellent.

Much to recommend on the drive to and in Portland! Here are just a few: Take old Rt.30 in Oregon; visit Powell's Bookstore; enjoy the seafood–Jake's downtown is excellent; and enjoy Blue Star Donuts (pictured below)–the best I have ever devoured. (Jake's, Powell's, and Blue Star are within a block of each other.)

   

Please take a look at the online book and gift pages.

Scenes taken from the Japanese Garden in Portland

–..Quotable Quotes

"The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experience." - Aart Ven Der Leeuw (Ed.: 20th C. Dutch historian and philosopher of religion.)

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein

"A poem has secrets that the poet knows nothing of." - Stanley Kunitz (Ed.: 20th C. American poet; recognized as one of America's greatest modern poets.)

"There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life." - Tara Brach (Ed.: Psychologist, author and teacher of meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening.)

"The reality is that we live in an age that works against poetry. Poetry is an act of attention and we're in a time where having an attention deficit is the norm. We're bombarded with images and information, but images and informal are not knowledge–and they're certainly not poetry." - Carol Muske-Dukes (Ed.: Professor of English at the University of Southern California and author.)

 

The vast farming regions along the Idaho and Oregon section of I-84.

There are a number of falls along old Rt. 30 in OR. Pictured is Multnomah Falls

Collage from the Portland Rose Garden.

A Bit of Humor

A bit of laughter is healthy for the soul

Animal Joke:

A jogger running down a country road is startled as a horse yells at him, "Hey, come over here buddy!" The jogger is stunned but runs over to the fence where the horse is standing and asks, "Were you talking to me?"

The horse replies, "Sure was, man I've got a problem. I won the Kentucky Derby a few years ago and this farmer bought me and now all I do is pull a plow and I'm sick of it. Why don't you run up to the house and offer him $5,000 to buy me. I'll make you some money cause I can still run."

The jogger thought to himself,"Boy, a talking horse!" Dollar signs started appearing in his head. So he runs to the house and the old farmer is sitting on the porch. The jogger tells the farmer, "Hey man, I'll give you $5,000 for that old broken down nag you've got in the field."

The farmer replies, "Son, you can't believe anything that horse says. He's never even been to Kentucky."


............................................................Courtesy of A Joke A Day

Below are additional pictures from the Portland Rose Garden

PJ Forum

If you have comments, recommendations, or suggestions for the PJ, please e-mail them to bob@poeticaljourneys.com. While I often cannot print everyone, I personally respond to all.

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SPECIAL thanks to my friend and subscriber in Venezuela who never fails to send special greetings on a special day in my life.

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"Finished the second book in A~ & Z~'s journey which deals not only with the past but how they visualize transforming the future. A very interesting concept, and a journey that will keep you reading to the very end. . . But your books certainly prove you have a very creative mind....though with your poetry and great vignettes I already knew that.

Loved the P J 's tour through the gardens! Hope to make it back for another visit as they keep getting more and more lovely! It's nice you do a yearly PJ of them as the time frame for visiting is a very narrow window and they are so beautiful!" - G.L. from Cincy (Ed: Thank you for the kind review and the comments on the PJ. I always enjoy hearing from you. Perhaps another vignette might be on the way.)

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"Hi Bob - I'm late again!. . . Wonderful issue this month - the gardens are heavenly." - Bobbie from Texas (Ed: Bobbie, you are never too late. You are the most faithful in providing feedback. Always appreciated!)

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Some Book Reviews

To the End of Time and Back: An Epic Journey Review taken from Amazon

"The new novel, To the End of Time and Back is a skillful account of two lovers on an 'Epic Journey,' racing through time and history to learn life-changing truths. Their spectral mentor, Arundel, sends them through difficult travels, but their relationship endures and remains strong despite physical, and psychological stress. Powerful emotions such as fear, anger and happiness, combine with lust, pain and sexuality to help them learn. Written in verse form, the story is an epic poem, painted to portray the duality of mankind throughout dimensions of human history that is sometimes cruel and horrific. The reader will come to know and understand what is being described and will certainly enjoy the stimulating elegance of the story and the philosophy. A thoroughly enjoyable read that is certain to make you think." - David from Utah
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Other Reviews (They have been edited for length. Thank so much to each of you.)

"I finished your book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was much easier to follow by having the whole thing in front of me, and reading as much as I wanted at a time. I felt pretty weary after bouncing around in time for many hundreds of years, but I was relieved to know that at least part of the world survived 'Armageddon'. What a feat you have performed." - Jim
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"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your latest book To the End of Time and Back. When I bought the book I had no idea what to expect. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. I had fun reading it from A to Z and everything in between." - Art from Park City, UT
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"Your book touched places deep within my soul. I could read it over and over again, Bob. Job Well Done!" - Bobbie from Texas
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"Well, Bob! I am rather blown away by your book. Finished it yesterday, and it only took four days, which means I was intrigued and wanted to know how the book ends. I'm a slow, deep reader and since my profession is writing and editing, I edit continuously as I read. Can't help it! But this book was worth dropping everything for and reading to the end. I admit to cynicism about your claim that it would change me, and I don't know that it has just yet but it won't be leaving my heart and head for a long time, and change could happen. I'm impressed that the book actually lived up to your claims for it. . . . I'm intrigued by this book because it rings so true, and I am therefore tempted to believe you actually were given the gift of this dictation. But if not and this is fiction, you have written one hell of a book, masquerading amazingly as non-fiction ... which is indeed one of the goals of fiction." - Kimberly
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"WOW! WOW! WOW! I read it in one sitting and found so many things you wrote about 'true' for what I know and feel about past lives I've lived. Actually, the chapter about the Holocaust was something I couldn't bear to read–too sad and painful. (I've always felt that way about that period of history.) . . . it was very well done, Bob. Just beautifully done. I'm looking for the movie. . . I'm sure others will feel connected to this book just as I did. AMAZING. Just AMAZING. I couldn't put it down. There was so much anticipation with each chapter it hooked me from the very beginning. . ." - An Ohio Reader
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"I read your book a couple weeks ago. You are lucky we don't live close enough for me to call you to discuss it! It was interesting and easy to read. I liked the format. It reminded me of Many Masters, Many Lives by Brian L. Weiss (which was not that quick to read). Have you read that? . . . Anyway, kudos on the book -- on all your books. . ." - A Reader from Arizona
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"Your newest release takes the reader to places deep within. It makes one ponder all things about life itself. Many authors have written about reincarnation, but yours goes deeper. Through an eternal relationship between two souls, you describe all the human emotions one can feel. The book takes you to historical times and places around the globe, making you feel as if you are part of the beautiful relationship of A~ and Z~. After reading, they will become a part of you." - A Reader


PJ Online

To read some of the back issues of the PJ, go to here.

The next issue will go out on August 28, 2016.

Until next time - joy and peace,

Bob


PJ Policies

Guest Poetry: Often readers send me a poem stating they would like it included in the PJ. Many of the poems are well written. Although I enjoy reading them, at this time I do not include guest poetry as part of this newsletter. Instead, I suggest that they submit them for inclusion in the Guest Poet section of my web site. A number have chosen to do so. However, time limitations and quality govern the number that will be accepted. I currently am not accepting poetry from minors.
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Guest Vignettes: On occasion, I publish guest vignettes submitted by one of my readers. If a guest vignette is submitted and selected, the author understands that there is no remuneration provided; the vignette will be included in the e-mailed and web site versions; and will remain posted until I choose to remove it from the site. In all cases, the guest vignette remains the property of the guest author who has given permission for its usage as described in sentences one and two.
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Privacy: I take it very seriously. Your name will never be sold to a third party nor will we disclose at any time your subscription information.
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Unsolicited Mailing: The PJ is never sent unless requested. If you believe you received the PJ unsolicited, please notify me. I will unsubscribe you.
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Reproduction and Forwarding: While the material is copyrighted, you have permission to forward all or part of this newsletter. You may also quote from it. Out of common courtesy (We will forget all the legal jargon and requirements.), I would appreciate at least a mention or a footnote. -- Much appreciated!
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Recommendations: All recommendations are personal ones offered for your information. I receive no remuneration of any kind from the sources or individuals being recommended – other than when I recommend purchasing my books. Actually, many are never aware of their listing. One may ask, "Why do you provide recommendations for specific establishments or locations, especially since many of your readers are worldwide and may never be able to use the information?" The key word is "may." When I travel, I plan much of the itinerary myself. This planning includes reading and listening to recommendations from professional and personal sources. My wish is that any suggestions provided will assist some readers as they make their plans. (Incidentally, I have already received feedback that readers use them.)


Subscription: To unsubscribe, click on your individualized unsubscribe e-mail at the end of this newsletter. (Not appropriate for this web page.)



Bob Casey
Poetical Journeys
P.O. Box 319
Midway, UT 84049

bob@poeticaljourneys.com

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