Haiku: Alive, Again

The elderberry bushes have been dormant over the winter, only recently pushing out their shiny, dark green leaves. Seeing the new growth adorning the skeletal twigs poking from the soil, I’m suffused with happiness: renewal, regeneration, rebirth, resilience…right in front of us.

Haiku: Peaceful Pines

Through the vicissitudes of life, when uncertainty and turmoil further erode the fragile veneer of civilization, the trees stand watch. They were here before us and will be here after us. Despite our (humans’) attempts to destroy them – cutting, burning, poisoning – they persist. I celebrate them, bathing in their resilience and quiet energy, and I’m thankful that there are still trees to be enjoyed.

Now may be an opportune moment to spend some time with a gentle arboreal giant…may you find peace in these trying times.

Haiku: Portrait Of A Pocket-Sized Pal

Sometimes, we need a bit of levity in our lives, and having a cockerel (young rooster) ride around in your jacket provides it. Of course, it’s risky putting an animal in your jacket (or pocket, for that matter) because they poop. A lot. And wherever they happen to be…and if that’s in your jacket, well, you see where that’s going. Regardless, the risk is outweighed by the sheer fun of having a friendly chicken snuggle into your jacket. And if there’s poop…it happens.

Haiku: A Tree’s Tale

I love the pine trees that grow on our property. There aren’t many, and they’re old and look like they’ve had difficult lives, but they’re stunning, nonetheless. The gnarled, raised bark begs to be touched…but for the pitch! For me, the smell of warm pine needles and pitch evoke good memories of camping in the mountains in the summer, surrounded by towering pines and the most heavenly clean air. Thank you, trees, for playing such a vital part in humans’ survival on this planet!

For those who like hidden meanings…do you know someone like this, whose scars and evidence of suffering are visible? And, even in a society that places such importance on physical beauty, is a truly lovely individual?

Haiku: Under Cover Of Darkness

It snowed yesterday and continued overnight. The puffy morning clouds present in the gloriously sunny morning gradually coalesced into an oddly bright – though thickly cloudy – “snow sky” in the afternoon. Later, the snow fell in big, carefree flakes; watching it float down, swirling, is like witnessing the dance of thousands of tiny crystalline butterflies…mesmerizing, magical moments.

I hope that you, too, still marvel at the world’s everyday beauty – and if you’re able, go play in the snow!