A thin layer of ice
Covered the ground
A few inches of snow
Covered the ice –
Below-freezing temperatures
Caused a full-stop –
Sitting quietly inside
Wrapped in a soft blanket
Purring cat on my lap
I did nothing productive –
Only sat – watching
As the birds hopped
From trees to feeders
To snow-covered ground
Then back into the trees-
Except for this one crimson cardinal-
He perched on the feeder
A little bit longer-
I’d like to think
It was just for me
Tag: nature
Melting
In celebration of melted ice and snow
Deer pranced and played
In the damp grass
On the hillside
Circling a now-barren tree
That provides shade on warmer days-
Their joy, almost palpable,
Spread to the cars passing by-
Following days of teeth-chattering cold
They were a welcomed sight-
As I continued driving
Sunlight soaked through my skin
Warming all the way to the bone
Melting not only the ice
And snow outside, but also
The frost that had attempted
To wrap itself around my heart
Snow Travelers
A cold morning mystery
Footprints in the snow –
Perfect indentations of tiny talons
Two by two by two
Hopping a playful path
With no apparent beginning or ending-
Perhaps they flew in from
The nearby row of Loblollies-
A frequent layover for traveling
Families of cardinals, doves, and finches-
A peaceful place to refuel and rest
If only for a season-
A cold morning mystery
Footprints in the snow
Though not a mystery
Requiring a Holmes-like sleuth
One that created curiosity and smiles
Still Waiting
Early to bed
Awake at midnight
Is it snowing yet?
Sleepy feet wander
A drink of water
Back to bed
A few more winks
Awake again-another
Curious glance outside –
Still no snow-
Not a restless child sent back to bed
No, the magic of childlike anticipation
Finding its way into this heart –
Years removed from childhood
Yet, staring into the night
Waiting-feeling the joy
Carried by the snowfall
Long before it arrives
Simply Sunday
The warmest of oranges
Disappears into the deepest,
Darkest of Blues –
Perfect backdrop
For a display of
Silhouetted trees-
Their true colors
Temporarily invisible
Yet, they stand tall
As details of their searching
Rewards from their reaching
Are etched into this brief
Window of time-
A reminder that each day
Will come to an end
But on the best of days,
A lingering gratitude
Like glowing coals
From a dying campfire
Holds enough affection
To warm my hands
Leave me with rosy cheeks
All the while, melting my heart
Neighbors
At first glance
I saw a man
Back slumped, head down
Weathering the storms
In this life-
Not giving up
But, oh, so tired-
If only I could see his face
Faces often tell our stories
Our eyes allowing
An elusive glimpse into the soul-
But his back was turned
And I passed by too quickly
For any other possibilities-
One more glance
In my periphery-
Oh, it was not a man
It was an old piece of wood
Worn down from
A different set of storms-
No longer holding branches
That held leaves
No longer able
To reach toward the sun-
It was not a man
But it easily could have been
Back slumped, head down
Not giving up
But, oh, so tired-
Still able to reach
Toward the sun
With a little help
And encouragement
After sharing an elusive glimpse
With a neighbor-one soul into another
Hoping
The entire day
Looked like night
A continuous moment of gray
From the end of a sad day
Stuck in a time warp
Confusing the senses
Of all who took the time
To look out the window –
A confusion so deep
Once the light appeared
It was almost unrecognizable –
But lingering shadows were
Unable to push it away-
My squinty eyes smiled
Soaking in the light
Hoping even the memory
Of this brief appearance
Would continue to shine
Throughout the night
And into Tomorrow
And She Waited
As her petals began to open
Delicate and damp from
The Spring morning dew
Her sweet message was released
Carried away on a gentle breeze-
And she waited
Soaking in warmth from the Sun
Her soft, pink skin stretching
Toward the light-
And she waited a bit longer
Marvelling at the towering tree above
And the green grass below-
Finally, her message was answered-
First, her friend Butterfly
Stopped in for a sip of tea-
Buzzing Bee was next to visit
Grateful for shared resources –
The first of many sacred exchanges
Each one required great patience
And long listening-
All worth the wait
Sharing a poem from a recent poetry circle. A big thank you to Ali Grimshaw. 🩷
Winter Wisdom
Each tiny twig
Like a cold hand
Reaches toward the sky-
Too many to count-
Each held in place
With its larger branch
Securely attached to the trunk-
The roots, always unseen
Yet, their presence felt
With every passing storm
Their wisdom entrusted
In this season when youth
Fades with the falling leaves
And lessons emerge
From an intricate design-
A skillfully drawn
Pen and ink against
A blue-pink watercolor sky-
Teaching my outstretched hand
To soak in the warmth of even
The most short-lived
Patch of Sunshine
Remembering my sweet Dad today. Miss him so much. ❤️
Only Then
After all the leaves have fallen
And bare branches
Are covered in snow
Only then can we see
The precious homes left behind-
Homes constructed using
Carefully gathered materials
Perfectly woven in preparation
For a season of life
Lived in the trees –
A temporary season
Filled with holding
And protecting precious cargo-
Fragile eggs and then tiny birds
Chirping and eating
Sleeping and growing
Until all are ready to fly off
Into their next adventure
Leaving their home behind-
Providing an opportunity
Within their leaving
For us to wonder, reflect,
And possibly even relate
Piano Girl 