dayspring early bright
a palette of green
spills across the pond
nature
All posts tagged nature
sheltering in the arms
of an old spruce
watching the rain fall
as the pine cones grow
and the new growth of spring
ablaze in its verdancy
bows towards earth
In the meadow
Dandelions
Become stars
In a spring-green sky
A spot of color
on a snowy day
The male cardinal grandstands
It looks, it smells, it feels like springtime. The air is warm and moist, not cold and dry, with a green and earthy scent instead of the odor of decaying vegetation usually present during the fall and winter months. The daffodils have sent up green shoots, responding to the sunshine and the unseasonably warm temperatures. The birds are twitterpated, but skeptical. I bet even Punxsutawny Phil was confused and confuzzled in his prognostications.
The Great Groundhog has predicted 6 more weeks of winter. What winter?
At sunrise this morning I watched a red squirrel climbing up one of our maple trees in the front yard. We don’t often see squirrels except for the occasional glimpse of one back in the woods. The rest of the property — near the pond and in the meadows — is too open for them, and the hawks would likely find they make a tasty meal. This morning’s visitor lives across the road near the old farmhouse. I watched as she scampered up the tree, easily and quickly making her way from ground to top, following the sun from horizon to sky.
I hope she made it home safely, back to the trees across the road where the sun makes its first appearance during winter mornings here in the Bogs.
being blown about by the winds
of everyday life
no time for the last small stone
Day 31. Throwing the last small stone of January into the river. I’m sorry to say I had to rush through this last one as my day has been almost filled with appointments. Happily, the last one involves meeting a friend to go hiking and then to dinner so it’s not all dentist and other health-related activities.
It’s been fun, and a good experience for me. Will I continue? I think I will. The small notebook I started to use for this project still has many blank pages left to fill, and I like the idea of taking time out to be mindful of at least one small thing each day. It’s a good practice.
Thank you to Kaspa and Fiona, from whom the idea originated, and to Kel who invited me to join. And thank you to those who stopped by to read and/or comment. I appreciate it.
When she looked up, she closed her eyes against the brilliance of the sun, feeling the warmth spread across her face. The brightness was still there, penetrating the darkness behind her eyelids. Bright, bold yellows radiated outwards in star-like patterns. Miniature suns in blazing reds and hot oranges danced and sparkled, the skin protecting the eyes unable to keep out the dazzling sunlight. She thought, “How wonderful to spend time with the sun once again!” as she felt the light fade and the warmth withdraw. The winter clouds had returned.
I used a prompt from A Writer’s Book of Days for today’s small stone. While standing at the kitchen window, soaking up the sunlight, I wrote (in my head) something similar although more like a poem, prior to reading the prompt I’d be using for today. After reading the prompt, I ended up with a longer version of what’s above, and chopped it down to a few sentences to make it a small stone.
The sun makes brief appearances here in the Bogs during the winter months and I’ve learned to mimic the cats, and follow the light around the house when it does come to visit.
blown about by the North Wind
the tang of woodsmoke
drifts in and out
sparrows spiraling
weaving
black polka dots overhead
meandering across a drab gray sky
mobs of snowflakes arrive
silently rioting and gathering
in patches and drifts
the blue jay in the woods
screeches
in a counter-demonstration
A small stone for a snowy Day 28. Boreas, in Greek mythology, was the purple-winged god of the north wind and winter. I’m far from Greece, but can’t seem to find a North American equivalent.
Bountiful Healing 