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.
Tag: Leaves
Haiku: Fashionable Frost
Everyday beauty: in this case, requiring that the viewer be present at the right time – a few hours later, and the leaf’s icy edging melts in the warmth of the sun. As if it had never happened.
Haiku: High-End Leaves
Finding beauty in the ordinary isn’t difficult when Nature surrounds us with it. Walking across the front yard, the vibrant leaf litter jumped out at me – and this leaf, in particular. In the sunshine, it really was this incredible color (no filters applied). This – like all of the seasons – is an eye-popping time of year. Take time to appreciate it.
Around The Farm: Frosty Fractals For Christmas Eve
After a stretch of warmish weather here, the cold has returned. Last night, the sky had that look: thick, heavy, yet cottony clouds hung overhead – a “snow sky”. Though there was no snow in the forecast, we’ve learned to rely on the signs, rather than the weather app…and flakes fell as we began the nightly animal lockup. Only a few, but maybe it was a harbinger – or maybe that’s just wishful thinking!
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Haiku: Appreciating Autumn Leaves
Like it or not, the sheer beauty of the season inspires me to continue writing verse – and the chill in the air is positively invigorating. Rest assured, I’ll continue to post about cooking, fermenting, and the other content you’re used to seeing here, but there will be poetry, too. Just be aware: I also enjoy limericks!
As someone who believes in the value of clear communication, I appreciate the tidy succinctness of haiku; as “mood” poetry, it’s particularly well-suited to capturing moments in nature. Consider this classic haiku by Matsuo Basho (from the Academy of American Poets website):
An old pond!
A frog jumps in—
the sound of water.
Doesn’t it create a very vivid image in your mind? And sound, along with that image? I “see” a still garden pond, with lily pads floating on it, and a small frog leaping from the bank into the water with a splash that belies the frog’s small size. Then – if you run with it – the concentric circles, ripples flowing out from the center of the splash. Yes, the last part is clearly an extrapolation, but poetry encourages you to let your imagination run wild!
May the wonders of the season awaken your muse, too.
Around The Farm: Burning Bushes, A Steadfast Sunflower, And Something Surprising
While it seems to have taken longer than usual, it’s like a switch has been flipped and the foliage is turning color. We’ve had a couple of beautiful fall days, with frost riming the grass in the morning and the kind of azure skies that only seem to appear at this time of year. Autumn’s beauty is spellbinding – and worthy of appreciation.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Burning Bushes, A Steadfast Sunflower, And Something Surprising”
