Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Side Effects of Soup


Chopped carrots and celery
tossed into the bubbling pot
leave the counter bright strewn 
with yellow and orange confetti,
tops and tails for compost.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Crone Tree


Shriveled trunk and branches
disappear against dark, wet forest
leaving small red apples 
suspended in midair.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Post Chickenpoxalypse


The school bus flashes to a stop.
“Well,” he grumps, 
This should be fun.”
and slouches across the road
under his red backpack.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Another Day


I’m the filling in a cozy blanket sandwich,
ruthless Morning peels back the layers
and eats me plain.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Trickle Creek


Upstream a dribbling fall flowing 
beneath a green-mossed log, 
a rocky gurgle chattering beside me,
the shoooshing spill below the trail --
how many voices between 
mountain top and sea?

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Cocoon Day


Grey rain veils obscure the valley
damp cold creeps in at house corners
crawls through old single panes.
Behind the iron door of it’s workshop
the blazing fire cries defiance  
“Pffft-snut-tii-tippt-pnuff--SNAP!”

Monday, September 10, 2012

Heater Time


First blowy, cloudy fall day
fingers chilled on keyboard.
Push, wiggle, wiggle -- 
plug firmly seated in socket. Check.
Orange glowy Power light. Check. 
Twist -- dial slides round a quarter turn.
Now, wait for it....yes!
Smell of warm dust!
“Tounk” thermostat switches off,
“tic, tic, tic” of momentary cooling,
“tounk” thermostat switches on.
Everything is a cycle.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Alpine Strawberries After Breakfast


Hunkering in the garden 
sorting through dewy foliage 
lifting red half-a-bite gems 
to my dazzled tongue. 
One kitten climbs my back 
sits between my shoulder blades 
purring in my ear, batting my pony tail,
another stalks the berry seeking hand
and pounces wildly on wet fingers.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Breeze Through Ponderosas


Whauuuuu-huuuush-auuuuuuuuh...
Rush of Earth’s breath 
through her pine honeyed lungs.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Meditating With Zeeba


Kneeling on my zafu,
the cat who was terrified of us
creeps between my knees 
curls himself into a dozy circle.

Monday, August 27, 2012

At the Bottom of a Windowsill Jelly Jar


Vacant beetle carapace faded from
sepia and burnt sienna black
to golden burnt and raw sienna brown 
head gone, one rear leg at odd angles.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Listen Longer


Draw a straight line in the dark 
from this window out past 
the neighbor’s tinny radio
up the hill into the pines
where the great horned owl calls
“WHO-TO-DO...WHO-WHO” 
still further out, a muted reply
Who-to-do...who-who-who.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Mindful Hydration


From prayer position, breathing deep
my hands arc slowly into outstretched
upturned bowls pausing to receive,
slowly release the lung stretching breath
slowly arc through the hands returning.
When my hands touch I notice
wrinkled finger tips, tight dry palms.
The old cobalt blue bottle is warm 
against my lips, the sun sweetened water 
glurp glurp glurps onto my tongue and
slides down, slides down, slides down.
I replace the cork, reposition my feet
right by that knothole
left three boards over,
watch out for that splinter,
bend the knees.
Now.  Begin again. 

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Friday, August 10, 2012

Motivated


A horse blowing, somewhere out of sight,
thub-thubity, thub-thubity of hooves
then dust and snapping twigs. A white mare
skitters through the trees and down the bank,
clatters splash-splash-splash across the ford,
gallops thub-thubity-thub-thubity
up the slope to the barn and neighs
like a steam engine coming into the station,
stands chewing, long stalk of hay dangling.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Looking Up From a Book


Idling in the garden swing I try
to twist my mind round Existentialism. 
Down near the creek a tawny doe grazes
between daises and stalks of yellow yarrow,
swish swish-swishing  her white tail.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Found Design


Long shampooed-out hairs
stuck to the shower wall tiles
in parallel curves like woodgrain
or topo lines on a map.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Dinner Time Sky


Flat bottomed clouds 
with mounded tops
like Grandma’s drop biscuits 
on a blue plate.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

There is a New Kid at Our House

He looks just like the other eleven year old,
the one that lived here last week,
but instead of whining about being bored
this kid pesters me for paying yard work.
He has already weeded the corner garden bed
taken up a career in invasive mint abatement
washed all the main floor windows
and cleared fallen twigs from the south yard.
So, today we dragged out the red gas mower
and commenced power tool training.
No sandals, put on your boots!
Gas goes here, check oil there, 
set the choke like this.
Hold down the red bar, 
grab the black tee handle
and...
PULL! ... PULL! ...PULL!
OK, let me pull.
Pu...pu...PULL!  Brrraaaahhhhhhhhh!
The vibrations runs up both of our arms,
mine around him from behind,
I try not to step on his heels
as we stumble along together
him learning, me relearning,
to operate this growling, grass eating beast.
It’s really too heavy for him to push
but using the power drive to the wheels
makes it hard for him to control.
Back and forth and around in the heat
(thank goodness for the overcast!)
Once I do the fiddly bits you get 
in a country yard, 
odd shapes around woodpiles, 
parked snowmachines
flower beds and a huge trampoline,
he practices turning corners, 
emptying the grass bag
and overlapping swaths 
in the central rectangle.
Then, that’s enough. We quit.
Neither of us want to tackle the bits 
around the garden and back of the house.
We’ll leave the rest for the grown men.
I don’t want to discourage the new kid
but I’m thinking 
next summer will be soon enough
for him to try mastering the mower.
We’ll find other work for Mr. Motivated.  
It’s not like we are running out 
of weeds to pull!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Looking Up


Winding river of blue sky
flows between green banks
of elder boughs and lilac leaves.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Observing the Observer


White breasted nuthatch on the window screen
it’s creamy underbelly inches from my face;
inside my head sister natures clash -
“Scientific opportunity!” Martha insists,
“Note the brown speckling around the vent
not visible when the specimen is observed 
foraging for insects on it’s native pine.”
“Oh, hush!” Mary cries, breathless  in wonder
at the fearless nearness of a small wild soul.
The nuthatch tilts it’s head and peers at me
peers at the bug on my side of the wire.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Spent Petunia


Violet fabric of wilted blossom
drapes like yesterday’s dishrag
across it’s vibrant magenta neighbor.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Ambushed Reader


Bombarding rain woke me in the night
but sun has dried the Adirondack chair
(just a few drops left between seat boards)
and I settle with my mug of tea and book 
sip, read, read, sip, turn the page, sip,read
PLOP on my forehead!
PLOP on my hair!
Stragglers, covering the storms retreat,
were lurking in the lilac leaves!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

One Sound


Fllurring of bird wings
rises into the rumble of thunder -
I cannot tell where they meet.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Big Mango


Yellow gold hunks piled 
on a small cobalt plate
top slice nearly sliding off -
slide that sweet tart custardiness 
across my tongue!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Thursday, June 21, 2012

June Afternoon


Rich brown smears of summer warm Valrhona
imbedded in the whorls of my fingers.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Fleeting Impression


Bloom laden shrub rose
resolves into an abandoned red pickup 
behind a scruffy alder.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Sampler


Northern flicker’s 
Churk-churk-chirk-churk-churk!
Black headed grosbeak’s 
Whoop-de-whoo-de-do-de-who 
brightly embroidered over warp and woof 
of crickets and breeze-in-pines.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Cameo


She stands sideways at the window
sunlight radiating through the fine
fringe end of her one long braid. 

Monday, May 21, 2012

Crossing Paths With Coyote


Her lope halts in the trail
each of us surprised and peering
I at her dark sided coat
she at my black umbrella.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Stalking a Hidden Singer

Reach for wordlessness
be harmless as a wild thing
open focus, include the rushing stream
the dancing green stalks
top-laden with grass seeds
feel sky above
feel through boot sole to earth beneath
seek the bird, yet seek all, seek nothing
scan the pine with binoculars but stand easy
listen purposefully but loosely
a few steps closer
there is the first glimpse -
a small silhouette 
winging off into the forest
unidentified
taking up again it’s wordless trills.
So much to learn
about oneness and letting go.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Furnishing


The violet green swallow wings away
from the nest box on the utility pole
alarmed, I observe a tatter-edged feather
longer than the residents beak to tail
hanging half out the round entrance.
Intruder?  Nestlings under attack?
The feather jerks, twists vertical
upside down, backward, forward --
it appears the newly weds have bought
a thrifted couch too big for their parlor!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Light Framing


A 4"x 8" beam of freshly risen sunlight
slants from slightly parted curtains
smoke from morning fire building
swirling into translucent woodgrain.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Late Frost


Blackened leaves of false bamboo
dangle limply on their stalks
like gentlemen’s silk pocket squares
hung by their corners to dry.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Wild Apple Tree in Spring


Hunched old Granny Apple 
has been knitting a new green shawl,
switching needles she embroiders
blossoms in amaranth and rose.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Downpour


Fat rain drops at terminal velocity
slam into my sixty mile per hour windshield
shattering to thumbprints of aqueous lace.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Love Is


Sometimes love looks like a middle aged 
guy in boxers doing dishes by hand
in a cold kitchen at 5:30 AM.

Teeth of Night


Pine trees along the ridge
jagged against darkening blue 
like a vintage crosscut saw
mounted over the woodshed door.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Runoff


The brown creek
snow fed, rain swollen 
gallops into the pasture
tossing it’s white mane
races round the bend
under the footbridge
away.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Honey Dew?


I’m paused out in the front yard 
verbally running over my chores: 
“Bird feeders filled
cat food out
compost out
firewood in...”
Husband on his way from truck to shop calls, 
“What’s that?”
“Nothing - just going over my checklist.”
“OK.  I was just checking to see 
if it was a Chuck list!”

Friday, April 20, 2012

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Nest Building

Pygmy nuthatch heaves
off the pine forest floor
beak-burdened with something
half it’s own length and 
stutter flies - rapid wings,
glide, stall, rapid wings -
to the hollow aspen knot.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Blue Heeler

The landlord’s loose bitch
dashes snarling
bouncing on rigid legs,
I grip the furled umbrella
shout, lunge
sloshing adrenalin.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Curiosity or Defense?

Today the tiny chipmunk at the concrete pile
has a friend and they are alert to me
the approaching upright animal; 
they dash away to the far end of the ties
then race back.  One comes to the tie end 
nearest me, pauses, little abdomen heaving 
with the flutter of lungs 
or heart (I can’t tell)
twitch-tails and bright-eyes me
then dives out of sight and surfaces fifteen 
feet down the jumble of concrete castoffs.  
I ease along the grassy path beside the heap
six feet beyond I turn to watch 
again one chipmunk scurries boldly near
running behind my heel;  I tilt my head 
searching and it darts away.  Tomorrow
I will bring three or four sunflower seeds, 
not to disrupt their economy, just enough
to show myself a friend.

In  small stone form: 
 
Chipmunk stops to eye me
little abdomen heaving 
with the flutter of lungs 
or heart (I can’t tell.)

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Sacramental Laundry

Snap the tee shirt flat 
bring it to my heart
fold in this sleeve 
fold in that sleeve
gratitude and well wishing
for growing body and spirit
soon to be clothed 
fold up the bottom
precious son, treasured daughter
peace and blessing forever
let the top fall 
stack with the rest
amen.

Cheerful Mess

Carmine red washcloth
butter yellow tee 
rumpled together on taupe tile.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Moving In

“Kchiiirk, chiiiirk, chiiiirk!  Bzreeet!”
and sounds of knocking about
in the dining room ceiling corner --
starlings returning to the unmended eaves.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Make Do Rain Turtle

I forgot the umbrella 
so of course, it starts raining 
as we are walking to the bus,
it dumps even harder as we wait.
I pull the polyfill military surplus
“Liner, Wet Weather, Poncho (One Each)” 
 from the bottom of my daypack,
we drape the blanket over our heads and packs
and stand there like a giant, blind mutant 
camouflage turtle 
sorting the passing vehicles by sound.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Ponderosa Cafe

At the base of the puzzle barked pine
downy woodpecker hammers for breakfast
tunk, tonk... tomp, tump,tup,
chips fly
she twists her head, prying
more hammering,
“Chik!” with two wingbeats
she booth hops to the next trunk over.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Sheltered

Rain tip ti-pit ti-patting all around,
but since I stopped under this pine
only seven drops have struck me.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Two Puddles

Klup-splush, klup-splush, ku-sploink!
Winter shaggy piebald pony 
paws the marsh puddle with her forefoot.
Pondering muddy bubbles frozen
into the puddle’s surface I stand
slowly tapping my toe on the ice edge,
skwee-ka, skwee-ka, skwee-ka.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Unburdening

Snow clumps plummet from pine boughs
trailing drifty powder avalanches,
cratering the snowy ground around each tree.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

No Trespassing

Kr-krunk, .....kr-krunk
the thin, weather bleached steel sign
flaps from one remaining nail
in the creosoted fencepost.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Illusion

Against a backdrop of wind hustled clouds
the pines seem to bend, to lean
forward into earth’s rotation.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Mending in the Making

Feet moving loosely in rubber knee boots,
heels rubbing roughly in favorite rag socks
just where I know the wool is getting thin.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Close the Umbrella

Let the drops strike
the stiff felted hat brim directly,
a faint physical resonance
under ptt-tat-tatting sound.