Thursday, October 31, 2013

Monday, October 28, 2013

Shadows

In my woods at this time of year the sun bows low like a Chinese man carrying a heavy load with determination.  In the early morning hours it squints into my eastern windows like a tradesman seeing if I am at home before showing his wares.  The sales pitch is subtle and polite and if my coffee is too seductive and I am feeling too cold, I may miss the whole show as he carries his wares to another hillside house.  But sometimes I am intrigued and I carry the steaming cup across the kitchen to the library room which is on the eastern side.  I set the cup carefully on a book shelf and take my camera to capture the sun's painting on the opposite wall for posterity.

But as I am captured by this mystical talent the vendor moves the top wares to one side and I become blinded by the shiny objects that are for sale and that blast through my collection of eagle's feathers making me wonder if I have can find enough change for this tradesman before he moves on. 


Friday, October 25, 2013

Orange You Smart?

It is amazing how many orange hues fill my world these days if I open my eyes and look for them!  It is the official color of fall after all.






Wednesday, October 23, 2013

A Crack of Thunder

Fall is fully here with sticky wet leaves spinning their way to the ground between the gray rain drops leaving better and better views through the woods.  It is our first really cold day today, hanging in the high 40's F.  Last night as we sat watching television we heard a large crack like that of thunder or a rifle firing.  The sound seemed to come from across the river.  Hubby is an outdoors-man and said right away that it was the dying oak down by the dock that had finally fallen.  It was this tree's base where I had taken a picture of the Jack-O-Lantern fungus in the prior post.   This oak had started to die within months of our moving into our house, and for some reason, we felt a bit intimidated by that death as if we had caused it in some way.  It had lasted so many years and we wondered if we were we the ones that pushed it over the edge?  It spared the oyster cages which we laid at its feet.



There were the remains of a hunter's stand nailed into the tree...which was perhaps the work that had eventually killed the tree.  We cut away all the dead limbs (widow makers)  that hung over the trail to the dock when we started living here.  Thus when this marvelous behemoth released his/her hold on the earth it fell away from the dock and toward the salt bush at the edge of the river.  It looked so much bigger when pushed to the earth.



A new meal for our resident pileated woodpeckers through this winter.

On a happier note, the last male osprey, Fred, left for warmer weather last week and I missed seeing, while sipping my coffee, his silhouette against the sky each day as he sat on the snag above his nest.  When the sun was out most days I saw the resident blue heron taking possession of the abandoned nest while grooming himself/herself.  (It is a terrible photo...taken in a rush!)


This morning as the gray day broke I saw the silhouette of larger bird on the same tree snag. At first I thought it was a vulture resting.  Then as the light grew brighter I grabbed my binoculars and saw that it was an immature bald eagle waiting for the heaviest rains to diminish or perhaps just waiting in a new place.  I hope he comes often in the months ahead even though they are very shy, but he/she will certainly move to another part of the woods when the osprey returns in the spring.  The arrival of nesting season in the spring will make these two top 'dogs' dangerous enemies.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Time for Dinner.

The hours grow closer to All Hallows' Eve
When spirits can dance and sing and shout Boo!
The colors are bold and dark
And the shapes are strange and amorphous.

The small creatures run rapidly to hide
Even carelessly slipping through white pools
They would otherwise avoid.

The Witch has her cups fulls of nectar for guests
Each cup more potent than the last
With all witches' favorite potions.


Mortals call this one the Jack-o-Lantern mushroom
With Gills being the harbinger of the poison
And an ability to light the way with bio-luminescence at the witching hour!



The Witch's bouquet
Sits scratchy and harsh and dying
In the center of the table


And then she lights the candles
And with her toothless grin
Invites us to join in her interesting repast.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The Gulls!

Many years ago, perhaps before some of you were born, there was a director that could terrify people with his movies. They still are somewhat thrilling when watched, although they do not have the blood and gore that makes one want to hurl nor do they have the psychopathic reality that makes you wonder if people are so crazy.   It does still have the horror.  The man's name was Alfred Hitchcock and one of those movies was "The Birds."  It was about an attack of birds on a small Northern California town, an attack that seemed to have no reason behind it which made it all the more terrifying.   The birds in my area have not seen this movie...thank goodness. 

Just stand and pretend she does not see you.  Don't move.  Patience is a virtue.

Its only the salad and wine.  Yuck!  Hope she is not on a diet!

Pretend you are waiting for someone.  "Oh, Hi, Evelyn, nice day for a fly about, isn't it?  Can't beat this fall weather!"
Walk ever so slowly and look every so sweet and gentle and maybe she will throw me that shrimp tail!


OMG, that looks so good!  I don't think I can control myself! Give her the 'cute' stare.
Look away...look away...she is getting ready to wave that napkin at you!

Patience....patience.
"Hey Freddie, this family has abandoned ship and they left hamburger buns!!"
"Outta my way, Dude.  I'm starving!"

Monday, October 14, 2013

Pretending

Pretend the world is not spinning out of control.  
Pretend it is the warm and resting season 
When you can take your best friend out for some exercise.



Pretend that the golden sunset is not colder than usual
Pretend that you are not alone as all of your clan has joined anothers
And you are left alone.



Welcome the arrival of the reapers
Even though they will take it all and leave nothing
As they party like tomorrow will never come.


Or you can do something about it and quit pretending.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Mum


The passing of years has faded
the red in her cheeks
and thinned the skin of her thighs.
The lines near her mouth
and the drag of her breasts
all tell the tale of a life lived
well or not so well.
She bravely strips naked before all
and lifts her bare arms
dancing exotically
before all those she knows
and others she does not know.
She dances as if many are watching.
She grabs the red boa
and wraps it seductively
around her her arms
and between her legs
before we notice
she was once very beautiful
and
she still has
the twinkle in her eye.

(This poem came to me after reading a somewhat disturbing article about a young man who takes photographs of his mother having sex with men his age.)

Monday, October 07, 2013

Patience



These butterfly weed seeds, progeny of the food for butterflies, are so eager to fly and find a new home, but they hang tight for days, and weeks and almost a month on silken arms before releasing into free base jumps to some more friendly pasture or garden where they can duplicate their parents' beauty in spring and summer of the coming year. "Patience my little ones, your time is coming soon." 

Patience is a virtue? Hardly. 
It is the speed limit on a road map 
To the best and most authentic place for you. 

Patience is a virtue? Not really. 
It is a tool that when used with skill 
Can build a monster of a goal.

Patience is a virtue? Maybe. 
But without the energy of stamina 
And the sugar of optimism 
It may be no more than a suspension of time.

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Falling into Days

Just a selection of images welcoming fall:




Or you can fake it inside: