Gratuitous

Gratuitous, an adjective, is Latin in origin from the year 1650.  It means to give voluntarily, unjustifiably without expectation of anything in return.  To give freely without benefit or to receive something without obligation.

To me the word gratuitous represents pure acts of kindness. To give without expectation and to receive without obligation does not seem to come natural to most of us.  Did you receive an unexpected gift during the holidays and felt obligated to buy and give a gift in return? Or did you give a gift with expectation that you would receive something in return?  We live our lives filled with responsibility and obligation and may at times miss the beautiful spirit of gratuitous giving.

Pinterest has a page called Gratuitous cuteness.  A free gift we can all enjoy! 

http://pinterest.com/charming1/gratuitous-cuteness/

“To want friendship is a great fault. Friendship ought to be a gratuitous joy, like the joys afforded by art or life”  Simone Well

Happy New Year!

Myrmidon

Myrmidon (noun) is a faithful follower or subordinate who carries out orders unquestioningly and unscrupulously.  The word originates from the legendary Greek people, Myrmidons or Myrmidones, who were highly skilled and courageous warriors commanded by Achilles during the Trojan War.  

Example:
  
The boss offered more promotions and raises to her myrmidons than those workers who occasionally questioned her and provided alternative solutions.

Other Uses:

“With unabated ardor the vindictive man of lay and his myrmidons pressed forward.” W.H. Ainsworth.

“An impediment and a slaver,” she said, involuntarily allowing her own teeth to emerge in a long-suppressed expression of hostility as she used the maneuvering thrusters to dislodge the hated second myrmidon.” Simon and Schuster: Star Trek: Typhon Pact: Seize the Fire

Firmament

Firmament, a noun (origin 1250-1300 Middle English) refers to the arch of the sky or heavens.  It also refers to a field or sphere of interest or activity.   In the bible, in the book of Genesis it says that God created a space or firmament to separate the waters from above from the waters below and called the space heaven.  

A few examples for use in a sentence:

“The stars shine brightly across the firmament"  

“Oprah is more than an institution.  She is a bright star in the firmament.  I can’t imagine a greater success than she has enjoyed”  Phil Donahue

The spacious firmament on high, 
With all the blue ethereal sky, 
An spangled heavens, a shining frame 
Their great Original proclaim. 
Th’unwearied sun from day to day
Does his Creator’s power display;
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty hand 

Joseph Addison - In The Spectator

Wassail

Wassail a noun (1275 earliest known use), is Old Norse ves heill (be well) meaning to toast or give a salutation to someone wishing them health.  It also refers to a festive occasion where there is too much drinking. 

The Middle English word waes hael (good health) referred to an ancient southern English drinking ritual.  Hot mulled cider was the traditional drink for wassailing to ensure a good harvest of apples for the next year. Over the years, wassailing became most associated with the Yuletide in the tradition of singing Christmas carols going from house to house. Today the drink is somewhat equivalent to beer and wine.      

Wassail! Wassail! All Over The Town - A Christmas Poem in Olde English by Author Unknown

Wassail! Wassail! all over the town,

Our toast it is white, our ale it is brown,
Our bowl it is made of a maplin tree;
We be good fellows all, I drink to thee.

Here's to our horse, and to his right ear,
God send our maister a happy New Year;
A happy New Year as e'er he did see
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.

Here's to our mare, and to her right eye,
God send our mistress a good Christmas pye:
A good Christmas pye as e'er I did see
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.

Here's to Fill-pail (cow) and to her long tail,
God send our measter us never may fail
Of a cup of good beer, I pray you draw near,
And our jolly wassail it's then you shall hear.

Be here any maids? I suppose there be some,
Sure they will not let young men stand on the cold stone
Sing hey, O maids, come trole back the pin,
And the fairest maid in the house let us all in.

Come, butler, come bring us a bowl of the best:
I hope your soul in heaven will rest:
But, if you do bring us a bowl of the small,
Then down fall butler, bowl, and all.

Wassail! Wassail! All Over The Town

Here are a couple of wassail recipes, one of which is non-alcoholic.  Enjoy!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/wassail-recipe/index.html

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Wassail-Punch-I/

 Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving a compound and proper noun (origin English 1533) means giving thanks, a prayer of gratitude and a public acknowledgment of divine goodness. 

The beauty of the Thanksgiving holiday is often glossed over as we gather with friends to feast with an  eye on Black Friday and the Christmas holiday.  For me, the Thanksgiving holiday is a date to pause, recognize, reflect and give thanks for all of the blessings of life. A time to enjoy the harvest and benefits of our hard work. It is a time to come together with family and friends in peace and with gratitude.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all!! 

May God Bless! 

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

By Karl Fuchs

Pervicacious

Pervicacious is an adjective (Latin early 1600) used to describe someone as being obstinate, refractory and extremely willful.  A big fancy word to describe someone who is just plain stubborn. Not commonly used today, you will impress your family and friends with this one!  I prefer the word tenacious...  

Here are some examples of this word in a sentence:

In fact, I'm a word nerd. I get a kick out of tossing a few odd ones into my column, just to see if the pervicacious editors will weed them out. 

 Michael Hawley, "Things That Matter: Waiting for Linguistic Viagra", Technology Review, June, 2001

The language of the bureaucrats and administrators must needs be recognized as an outgrowth of legal parlance. There is no other way to explain its pervading, pervicacious and pernicious meanderings.  New York Law Journal, May 27, 1909

Now don’t you love this pervicacious face?  Enjoy your day!

Copacetic

Copacetic, an adjective, means harmonious, in sync, satisfactory, and acceptable. The origin of the word is subject of debate, but many believe that the word originated in the early 1900’s in the Southern US in the form of African American slang.  It was used by Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and by Jazz musicians in Harlem.  Irving Bacheller also used the word in his 1919 biography of Abraham Lincoln titled -  A Man for the Ages.  Other suggested origins are Italian, French Creole and Latin.  

In a sentence: 

When the doctor entered the room, her smile told me that everything is copacetic.  

Here are a few more:  

“Now there’s the kind of a man! Stout as a buffalo an’ as to looks I’d call him, as ye might say, real copasetic.” Mrs. Lukins expressed this opinion solemnly and with a slight cough. Its last word stood for nothing more than an indefinite depth of meaning.   A Man for the Ages, by Irving Bacheller, 1919

The first stages of the flight of Apollo 10, like most of the flights that led up to it, have gone like clockwork. In the words of ground control at Houston, everything has been “copacetic” — a term of undetermined origin which means perfect.  Chicago Tribune, 20, May 1969

Stumping

The stump is what is left in the ground after you cut down or top a tree. According to the dictionary the word Stumping means to reduce a tree to a stump, to truncate or lop.  Stumping also refers to walking heavily, as if you have a wooden leg.  Stumping is also a term used in the sport of cricket. 

In politics, stumping is when the candidate goes on the campaign trail delivering speeches and participating in rallies.  The use of the word in politic’s came about in the 19th century, because a stump was considered a useful platform from which to deliver a speech. 

Right now there is a whole lot of stumping going on and it won’t let up until election day.  Clinton is stumping for Obama, Eastwood is stumping for Romney, Ryan is stumping in Colorado and Michelle Obama is stumping in Racine.  We are in the final leg of the race and right now it appears that the candidates are neck and neck.   

For many of us, political stumping is entertainment at it’s finest as the two candidates battle it out before the camera’s. 

Here are some quotes using the word: 

“A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation” Adlai Stevenson 

“The best time to listen to a politician is when he is on a stump on the street corner in the rain late at night when he is exhausted. Then he doesn’t lie”  Theodore White

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 6TH!

Jeremiah

Jeremiah (noun) means a person who complains about everything and is pessimistic about the future. It is someone who is always focused on doom and gloom.  

It also is a book in the bible written by the Hebrew prophet by the same name.  Jeremiah became known as the weeping prophet, as he correctly prophesied the destruction of Judah by Babylon. He warned that if the people did not change their sinful ways of living that they would be scattered from their homeland.  Babylon took over and ruled Judah for seventy years before people of Judah were able to return home.  

This is painting from the Sistine chapel depicting Jeremiah by Michelangelo.

Perhaps we should listen to the Jeremiah’s of today a little more carefully before dismissing them so quickly.  

Colloquialism

Colloquialism (noun) is an informal expression; words, phrases and aphorisms that are common in conversation, that differs by region and not used in formal speech. It is similar to an Idiom, but different from  Jargon or Slang. Colloquial language is unacceptable in formal writing or speech. The following are examples of colloquial words, phrases and aphorisms.

Words: wanna, gonna, y'all, gotta,

Phrases: "old as the hills", "raining cats and dogs", "dead as a doornail", "kicked the bucket", "rubs me the wrong way", "say what"  

Aphorism (a short pithy expression) : "It ain't over till the fat lady sings",  "There's more than one way to skin a cat", "A good man is hard to find", "A friend in need is a friend indeed"

Here is an example of colloquial language in literature: 

Excerpt from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

"I didn't want to go back no more.  I had stopped cussing, because the widow didn't like it; but now I took to it again because pap hadn't no objections...but by-and-by pap got too handy with his hick'ry and I couldn't stand it.  I was all over with welts.  He got to going away so much, too, and locking me in.  Once he locked me and was gone three days.  It was dreadful lonesome."  

If you listen carefully, you will recognize the use of colloquial language every day.  See how many words or phrases you can pick up today!

Omnipotent

Omnipotent is an adjective (Middle English - 13th century) that means having unlimited, universal authority and power. The word is used most often to describe the authority of God, the Almighty.

Not to be confused with Omnipresent or Omniscient. Omnipresent means being present everywhere at the same time.  Omniscient means having complete, unlimited knowledge or understanding; perceiving all things.

The concept behind these three words can be difficult to understand, yet most of us believe in some form of higher power, whether it be God, or other deity. Many believe that god is all three. Perhaps this is because the world and life is far to complicated for our minds to comprehend.

Some good words to ponder.  Here are how a few people have used these words:

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.  Calvin Coolidge

“Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God burst through everywhere”  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

“Mystery is another name for our ignorance; if we were omniscient, all would be perfectly plain”  

Tyron Edwards (1809-1894)

Autumn

Autumn, also known as Fall, is a familiar word to all, but I chose it this week because it is my favorite time of year.  Autumn is defined as the period of time from September 22 to December 21, in the northern hemisphere and March 21 to June 21 in the southern hemisphere. It is the time of year between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. The word is also used to describe a time of maturity, such as in the autumn of your career or life; but I prefer to focus on the season. 

Despite the fact that the days are still warm here in southern California, the leaves are starting to change color and drop from their branches. A change is slowly drifting in on the wind. As we draw closer to Halloween, the temperatures will start to drop, bringing relief  to those who have grown tired of the heat and long to wear sweatshirts and shoes.  As the hours of daylight draw shorter Autumn launches a season of festivities with family and friends.  A time to look back on the year and celebrate life with new wisdom to prepare us for the coming year.  

I will breathe in deeply and experience the fullness of Autumn.  

"Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow."
-   Author Unknown

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." Stanley Horowitz

Autumn Fires by Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Mellifluous

Mellifluous is an adjective (1375-1425) which describes something that has a smooth, rich flow or filled with something that sweetens.  It is something soothing, poetic and flows like honey.  The English word came from the Latin word Mellifluus, which means “dripping with honey”.   It originally referred to honey flowing over the tongue.  A romantic word when spoken, sounds like its definition. Here are a few examples:

“The poet enveloped his audience with a mellifluous wave of words”

“Her words flowed softly from her mellifluous lips like sweet nectar from the honeysuckle blossom”

“The politicians mellifluous speech was intended to convince people to vote for him”

“The melody of the song filled the air with mellifluous sounds that lulled me to sleep”

The man’s southern accent disappeared, and his voice morphed into a deeper, mellifluous whisper.  Dan Brown - author - from the book: The Lost Symbol

A mellifluous voice, as I am true knight.   

William Shakespeare - Twelfth Night

  

Bedizen

Bedizen, a verb, means to dress up in fine and showy attire.  It also means to decorate something in a gaudy, vulgar or tasteless manner.  

It is a great source of fun for me to watch the stars as they walk the red carpet for the award shows bedizened in fabric and jewels.  Many entertainers have gained great notoriety based on how outrageous they dress, such as Madonna, Elton John, Cher, Lady Gaga and many more.  Who is your favorite?   

How we decorate our homes or ourselves is a matter of taste.  Something that seems gaudy to one, might be gorgeous to someone else.  Ultimately how we decorate ourselves and the things in our lives allows us to express ourselves in a unique and creative manner.  A great freedom.

"At 18, he attended a party "frizzled, powdered and curled, in radiant pink satin, with waistcoat bedizened with gems of pink paste and a mosaic of colored foils and a hat blazing with 5,000 metallic beads,” according to Michael Battersberry in "Fashion, The Mirror of History."

-- Donna Larcen, "Details Details: Everything Old Is New Again", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1994

“Prithee, young one, who art thou, and what has ailed thy mother to bedizen thee in this strange fashion?”  The Scarlett Letter by Nathan Hawthorne

Here are a couple of my favorites from the red carpet: 

Fog

The word Fog, can be used as a noun or a verb. As a noun, it refers to a cloud like mass or a collection of liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air or near the Earth’s surface, that reduces visibility.  It also refers to a confused mental state. 

As a verb, Fog refers to covering or enveloping one with fog or to confuse or obscure a situation. 

“After the accident, he was in a fog like state for several days”

The steam from the boiling water, fogged her glasses so she could not see"

We experienced fog each morning this past week staying on the beach at Bodega Bay.  For me it felt like a soft blanket of cool air.  It was very quiet and peaceful and reminded me of this poem. 

The Fog - by Carl Sandburg

The fog comes 
on little cat feet. 

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on. 

Translucent

Translucent is an adjective (Latin) used when light is permitted to pass through an object in a diffused manner so that you cannot clearly see the people or objects on the other side.  

Some examples of objects that are translucent are stained glass, net curtains, colored plastic cups, frosted glass, honey, fog and a leaf. Translucent is sometimes confused with Transparent which means you can see through the object clearly as opposed to the other extreme with the word Opaque, which means that you cannot see through the object at all.  

A quote: 

Sabrina fair, 
Listen where thou are sitting
Under the glassy, cool, translucent wave
In twisted braids of lilies knitting
The loose train of my amber-dropping hair.

By John Milton 
English Poet, Historian and Scholar.  
He ranked second to Shakespeare among English poets (1608-1674)

Bupkis

Bupkis is a noun (Yiddish).  The word means, absolutely nothing, zero, zip, zilch, nada, squat.  It is a slang word, used mostly in conversation and the spelling will vary.  Sometimes spelled bupkes or bupkus. In Yiddish it literally means “bean”. Also, from the word kozebupkis it means “goat pellets”  Huh?  Okay, I could go many places with this, but I will take the high road.

Some examples of use:

“After pulling the business back off of the brink of bankruptcy, my friend got bupkis for his efforts.”

“When my brother asked me for a loan, I told him that he will get bubkis from me.”

“It is apparent that you know bupkis about planning a vacation."

Okay, kind of a silly word and I don’t really have anything clever to add.  Do you?

Olympian

The word Olympian comes from Greek mythology referring to the greater gods or goddesses of the Greek Pantheon. The Twelve Olympians, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes, were the primary deities ruling from mythical Mount Olympus. The word refers to one who is majestic or superior to others, but also refers to someone who is a native or an inhabitant of Olympia, Greece.

An Olympian for most of us today references someone who participates in the Olympic games. The first Olympic games were held in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece.  During the games an Olympic truce was called so that the players could travel safely to and from the games. The original games involved running and lasted only one day, but soon grew to one week. The prize was a wreath of laurel leaves.

The four year period between the Olympic events is called the Olympiad.

This week we celebrate the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London. The Summer Olympics last 17 days with 29 events and includes 10,500 participants from 204 National Olympic Committees worldwide.  The United States has 530 participants going for the Gold. This is clearly a time when all countries can come together in the spirit of athletic competition in a peaceful setting.  

For me it is a time of little sleep, as I find myself staying up late to watch the events. Go USA!!!  

“My goal is one Olympic gold medal. Not many people in this world can say, “I’m an Olympic gold medalist”  Michael Phelps   


“Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”  George Bernard Shaw, Irish-Born Writer

Onomatopeia

Go ahead.  Say this word three times quickly!  Yes, this is a real word.  It is a noun (1577-Greek) and it is a word whose pronunciation imitates it’s meaning.  Common illustrations of this word are animal sounds such as meow, chirp, oink, roar, quack, moo, woof, cuckoo and ribbit.  Other English language examples include: buzz, clink, thump, slurp, beep-beep, splash, sizzle, honk, boom and hiss. 

It is used often in jokes, children’s songs (Old MacDonald), poetry and literature.  Here is an example in a beautiful poem and an example from “The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe.  


Cynthia in the Snow  - by Gwendolyn Brooks

It SUSHES.
It hushes
The loudness in the road.
It flitter-twitters,
And laughs away from me.
It laughs a lovely whiteness,
And whitely whirs away,
To be
Some otherwhere,
Still white as milk or shirts.
So beautiful it hurts. 

The Bells - Edgar Allan Poe
And who tolling, tolling, tolling,
In that muffled monotone,
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart a stone...


What examples do you have?  

Dog Days of Summer

Here we are, deeply immersed in the Dog Days of Summer. The phrase refers to the hottest, most humid days of summer.  In the Northern hemisphere, it takes place in July and August and in the Southern hemisphere it takes place in January and February.


In summer, the brightest star in the sky Sirius, also known as the Dog Star,  rises and sets with the sun. The ancient Romans believed that the heat from Sirius added to the heat of the sun creating the hot and sultry weather.  In reality, the hot weather is related to the earths tilt.  In the dictionary, this phrase also means a time of inactivity.  Ah, I wish I had more inactivity!   Stay cool!


Nat King Cole anyone? 
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Here is a cute video for you dog lovers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6BfvuAZhDQ

Rapscallion

Not a word you hear everyday, is it?  But kind of fun!

Rapscallion - rap-SKAL-yen (1690-1700) refers to a person who is thought to be a scamp or a rascal.  It is an alternate use of the word rascallion (French origin).  Today, it is more common to hear the work rascal in place of rapscallion. The definition changes in context in tone slightly depending on the age of the person for which you refer. It is refers to a naughty child who is mischievous and playful. When an adult is called a rapscallion it refers to someone who is a scoundrel, a rogue and a deceitful, disreputable person.  Here are a few examples for how it is used: 

“That little rapscallion loves to hide my eye glasses and then watch with delight as I search blindly for them” 

“You must be careful walking downtown at night, for the pick pocket rapscallions are there looking for an easy target” 

Have a lovely week and be alert to the rapscallions who may be lurking around the corner.

“Take it all around, I was feeling ruther comfortable, on accounts of taking all this trouble for that gang, for not many would a done it.  I wished the widow knowed about it.  I judged she would be proud of me for helping these rapscallions, because rapscallions and dead beats is the kind the widow and good people takes the most interest in.”  Mark Twain

Apollonian

Apollonian (ap-uh-LOH-nee-uhn), is an adjective from Greek mythology which means serene; harmonious; disciplined; well-balanced in character.   The word refers to Apollo the god of the music, poetry, plague, oracles, sun, medicine, light and knowledge. When someone is described as Apollonian, it often refers to a quality or ability that they possess in art or science.  People who are Apollonian are stoic, use restraint and reasoning.  

Here is an example of how the word is used in a sentence: 

“For their happy customers, these two radically different personalities offer radically different dining experiences -- a mood of unbuttoned indulgence at Babbo as compared with an apollonian serenity at the French Laundry.”

The Wall Street Journal: Fat Chef, Thin Chef

Apollonian is the opposite of Dionysian.  Dionysus is the greek god of wine, nature, fertility and agriculture.  Someone who is described as Dionysian is thought to be more emotional, romantic and spontaneous. They are reckless, uninhibited and undisciplined. 

I am not sure how I came across this word this week or why I was compelled to use it, but it was fun to review a little Greek mythology.  If you want more information check out this website: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonian_and_Dionysian

Hoi Polloi

Pronounced hoi puh-loi.  Hoi Polloi is a noun (Greek origin - 1825) that means the masses or common people.  Hoi means “the” and Polloi means “masses” in Greek.  It is often incorrectly used today to refer to the upper class or the elite, perhaps confusing the word with hoity-toity.  The term was used disparagingly by the wealthy about the lower class or commoners.  In a sentence: 

The young movie star had a private jet to avoid traveling with hoi polloi.

      

In 1935 the Three Stooges made a short film called Hoi Polloi. You remember the Three Stooges, don’t you?  The movie is about a professor who bets that he can turn the three stooges into gentlemen. After teaching them etiquette, the professor brings them to a fancy society party and well, you can  probably guess how that turns out.   

"The exchange of roles in "The Prince and the Pauper" suggests that a man of the people can be a benevolent ruler because of his humble roots, that a prince can become a better ruler through exposure to hoi polloi."

-- Michiko Kakutani, "In Classic Children's Books, Is a Witch Ever Just a Witch?", New York Times, December 22, 1992

If you want to learn more about how hoi polloi has been used in the 21st century you can check out this link at Wikipdia: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoi_polloi#Appearances_in_the_twenty-first_century

Sanguine

The word Sanguine is an adjective with related yet different meanings.  The origin of the word is middle English from approximately 1325.  It describes: 

• Someone who is cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident.  
• Something that is a healthy reddish color or ruddy; like someones complexion
• Bloody, blood-red or red

It is also a noun meaning a red iron-oxide crayon used in making drawings.

This word should not be confused with the word Sanguinary which means blood-thirsty.  We will save that one for another day.  Here are a few examples for how to use it in a sentence:

Her sanguine personality draws me in and makes me cheerful.

His complexion was sanguine after working out in the hot sun all day.

For more information this word, you can check out these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Temperaments

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanguine

Chocolate Love  by Emily Rose

In youth, there was hope.
When the footprints in the sand did not clear so easily with the tide.
If you built a sand-castle and promised forever,
The wind would kiss your cheeks and vow the same, taking your
Optimism to the
Sanguine, pink sky.

Thirty years later,
When people and promises are severed,
The wind returns.
What does it carry?
Sorrow, pity or joy—
At the hints of love realized in precious fleeting moments…
Like chocolate—so sweet,
That melts, too quickly, on your tongue.

Panoply

Panoply is a noun (1570-80 Greek) which means a wide-ranging, magnificent and impressive display.  It is also a complete suit of armor or full ceremonial attire or paraphernalia and/or something with a protective coating or covering. Today's word is brought to you compliments of Grandma Clifford.  She has been doing the crossword's everyday for the last 50 years and came across this word in a recent puzzle.   Here is an example of how the word is used in a sentence:

"You know that you have reached the embassy when you see the panoply of colorful flags" 

"The internet is filled with a panoply of famous quotes" 

"At the Marine Corp ball everyone is dressed in full panoply for the occasion"

"The porcupine has a panoply of quills" 

Finally, a short poem by the Irish writer Ormond:  

The Kestrel (Ormond) 

Flies in the haze morning sputter and splay.
Water drops from leaves rolling with the blown
Blades. The windy whoo of the owls fade,
Blue buried eyes cradled in the hollow
Trees, the swamps seeker is quietly rustled,
Wings of panoply, spangle-speckle the wind,
Over the flames of autumn, talons thistle,
Crown the dominion of the fall, fade in
Sporting meadows colour, till the dive,
Balm of field, marsh, all ignites. Lever pale
Winds finger through the leaves gravely
And rake as you raid, shoulders that burning vale,
Casualties of insect, the lemming song sings
Mouse and vole flash, dark, sparkles the clearing.