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It snowed again overnight. With the snow comes the quiet: muffled sounds, fewer vehicles on the road. The pure notes of birdsong pierce the silence as myriad birds perch on snowy branches and survey the altered landscape. It’s an unusually peaceful morning, and one I am enjoying immensely as it recharges my spirit. May your day be filled with the soothing sights and sounds of nature, too.
It snowed recently – just an inch or so – but it was the kind of snow that makes even the ordinary (or poorly-lit and muddy) look, briefly, extraordinary. It also tells stories of real drama and intrigue, of unseen passersby looking for a meal on a cold night.
Continue reading “Haiku: Concealed And Revealed (Snow Series #1)”
Temperatures have been bouncing up and down here, and the last vestiges of snow have been shrinking from the approaching sun. This tiny pile of ice crystals was in a shaded alcove on the exterior of the chicken coop, looking as though it was doing its best to hide. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was successful.
It sounds like a thousand squeaky screen doors being opened and closed: metallic, raspy, and loud. The unusual noise accompanies huge flocks of acrobatic birds that darken the sky. These large groups of starlings visit our area periodically, and despite my worries that they’ll empty the bird feeders in five seconds flat, these travelers don’t even seem to notice them.
Continue reading “Haiku: Murmuration’s Mystery”
This was, for me, today’s reminder of resilience: overnight snow and frigid temperatures may have battered the dandelion, furling its tender petals, but I know I’ll see its cheery countenance once again. Further, I know many other blooms lie covered in snow, just waiting for the sun’s restorative touch. We may see Nature as – at times – shockingly harsh, but for natural creatures like plants and animals it simply is…and they don’t have a choice about rising to the challenge of survival. Resilience.
You’d never guess that this photo started out as a colorful capture of shadows on a sunny morning, right? Though the original photo was appealing, as I began to think about how it could be “flipped” into a scene of darkness, it became – at least to me – much more interesting. Who is really in that shadow? Me…or someone else? Does she just play along, humoring me, letting me think she does my bidding, while she watches silently? Does she go rogue when out of my line of sight – dancing, gesturing, laughing? Maybe I’ll catch her in the act one day.