1542. looking from a higher place

 

from my bridge-top perch 

i witness the heron rise

my heart skips a beat 🦊❤️

Everyone needs a special elevated vantage point where they can look down on the earth and become excited and captivated by what they see.  My place is a humble bridge over a creek. My heart has skipped many beats there. 🦊❤️

1541. another butterfly effect post

 

yesterday…

today…

butterfly wings flapped 

way across the big blue sea

winds arrived today 🦊❤️ 

I love the concept of “The Butterfly Effect”. This is probably the 3rd or 4th post I have done on it. The first picture in today’s post was taken Monday. The second is a photo of the exact spot Tuesday.  I stood in the whipping wind and smiled as I looked at the bare sidewalk and thought of the butterfly that flapped its wings long ago and far away. 🦊❤️

1540. seeing it your way

 

you’re perfectly free

to look at what you’re seeing

and see it your way 🦊❤️

Looking is the physical act of directing your eyes. Seeing is becoming aware of what your eyes are perceiving. If it isn’t miraculous enough that we are able to look and see… we are then able to take in all of that visual stimuli and make sense of it and go beyond the obvious and experience our own personal interpretation of it.  What do you see? 🦊❤️

1539. a silent place

 

red glow of votives

incense in the silent air

holy saints stand watch 🦊❤️

Yesterday, we made an unplanned visit to the shrine of St. Rita of Cascia while in Philadelphia visiting a friend’s art show closing.  The shrine was silent. Two people sat in prayer in the small chapel. We wrote prayer intentions and placed them in a basket that held hundreds of other requests.  I bought a medal of St. Anthony, the patron saint of my childhood parish. I bought Yulan a medal of The Infant of Prague because that is her city of birth. Then we left and walked quietly to our car. 🙏❤️

1538. dancing with the sun

 

as the sun retires

delicate flowers ready

themselves to turn in 🦊❤️

I love observing the dance that the sun does with all things in nature. Flowers open and close on cue because that is what flowers do.  Birds start chirping and stop at its signal.  These are the things that you can count on… 🦊❤️

1537. our sailing ship

 

an island of trees

a high tide of waving gold

under a blue sky 🦊❤️

We stood in silence looking at the autumn meadow. It was awash in a sea of golden waves that were breaking on a tiny island of naked trees. We visited the vision for a short time… then we pulled up anchor and sailed on. 🦊❤️

1536. silly pumpkin haiku

 

pumpkins gathering

for a late afternoon treat

none will order pie 🦊❤️

Every now and then I just can’t come up with a coherent haiku that will sync up with the photo. Today is one of those days. So the haiku is simply silly.  It has no meaning. It has no lesson. It has no clever twist. So… go ahead and conjure up some crazy thought as you enjoy today’s best effort. 🦊❤️

1535. what’s your story?

 

through the mean dark sky

a ray from a spaceship blazed

made me run away 🦊❤️

through the cloud filled sky

a ray of sunshine escaped

just to light my way 🦊❤️

The story that you tell yourself is up to you. Write it well. Life is short. 🦊❤️

1534. being in autumn

 

he’s an autumn leaf

one with the golden carpet

perfectly at home 🦊❤️

I absolutely love watching Tommy be in the moment of every season of the year. Autumn is my favorite season however. He truly becomes one with his environment as the landscape morphs to gold. He becomes invisible, only being seen when he wants to be seen.  🦊❤️

1533. “post no bills - or lies”

 

ye olde town crier

was once a pole and staples

oh how times have changed… 🦊❤️

We live at a time when it is very easy to propagate useful information to our little worlds.  More importantly it is FAR too easy to spread useless, distorted and untrue information.  Be a discerning recipient as well as a prudent purveyor of “facts”. 🦊❤️

1532. “signs, signs everywhere signs…”

 

i ran a long race

my car climbed mt. washington

my kid aced preschool 🦊❤️

I was talking to someone recently about the tendency of some individuals who do really heroic and consequential things in their lives to never talk about them. Examples are WW2 veterans who earned Purple Hearts. Brave citizens who saved scores of people from death. Generous people who contribute greatly to those in need even though they have little themselves.  We now live in a time where we are predisposed to advertise and proclaim just about everything we do, monumental or mundane, with a sticker, sign, logo, badge, tattoo, t-shirt or facebook post. I am guilty of what I write about today.  Thank God for those who do what they do and are simply quiet about it. I admire you… 🦊❤️

1531. “butterfly effect” - part 1 (google it)

 

a long time ago

it left its mark on the world

a mighty oak leaf 🦊❤️

EVERYTHING leaves an impression and contributes to how life unfolds. Some impressions and effects can be seen clearly, some faintly, some not seen at all. 🦊❤️

1530. keep on keepin’ on

leaning into life

pushing forward through the days

days that become years 🦊❤️

You will know persistence and resilience when you see it. 🦊❤️

1529. dreamy start to the day

 

the morning’s dampness

gently enveloping you

“are we in a dream?” 🦊❤️

The morning air was heavy with moisture. The conditions were perfect to create a dreamlike scene for a mysterious horse to make an appearance in. There is nothing better than starting the day by being captivated by a magical scene created by nature. 🦊❤️

1528. hope

 

we entered her “now”

for a few moments of gab

a hopeful doorway 🦊❤️

As we sauntered through the streets of Lambertville looking at Halloween displays, we were lucky to run into an artist named Hope. She was busy painting a beautiful garden on a store’s side door. She was as pleasant and interesting as the work of art that she was creating. As I look back on that day’s visit, I have decided to award Hope the prize of “The Most Friendly Stranger” of the day! Friendly people make our world a hopeful place. Thank you Hope!! 🦊❤️

1527. empty window

 

the storefront window

filled up with lots of nothing

scary emptiness  🦊❤️

We spent the day walking around Lambertville looking at the array of store and residential Halloween displays. They ranged from cute to blood curdling.  As usual I found myself most fascinated by the artistic statement of an unintended display. 🦊❤️

1526. frost on the pumpkins kind of day

 

today’s frosty morn

put me in an autumn mood

baking seemed so right 🦊❤️

There is something about frosty mornings that brings out the domestic side of me.  No better way to let it loose than making pumpkin pies. Yummy. 🦊❤️

1525. mad mad world

 

“the smothers brothers”

“laugh in” and “hullabaloo”

“mad magazine” too 🦊❤️

Yulan and I sat at our neighborhood pizza joint on Friday night eating a coal fired pizza.  The place was crowded and people on their way to various Halloween parties stopped by for a quick bite. We watched a mother and daughter hippy team. Visions of the 1960s and 1970s filled my mind. Where are Alfred E Neuman and Pat Paulson when you need them. 🦊❤️

1524. the garrett

 

mysterious light

beams from the tiny garrett

on this starless night 🦊❤️

Some scenes are simply mysterious…🦊❤️

1523. night owl

 

at the crack of dawn

the tuxedo makes it home

time for a cat nap 🦊❤️

Cats are mysterious and you just never know what they are up to in their travels.  One thing for sure, they sure know how to sleep when they are done  doing whatever it is they were doing!!  🦊❤️

1522. magnetic gaze

 

when i saw you there

your eyes became brown magnets

they drew me closer 🦊❤️

What a magical experience… two big brown eyes that were looking intently at me seeming to say,  “Get closer to me.”  And I did…🦊❤️

1521. sitting in stillness

 

a day of too much

doing, talking and thinking

antidote… stillness 🦊❤️

Yesterday was one of those days of overindulging in doing too many things. Scurrying from here to there. Talking more than I wanted to talk. Thinking too much about this and that - then and when. A mad dash to the finish line of an empty theater and a blank screen - a few wonderful moments of stillness. 🦊❤️

1520. the word “patina”

 

a patina of leaves

all yellow, orange and crimson

makes its way down stream 🦊❤️

I love the word patina. I have used it many times previously in my blogs. Here is another one! 🦊❤️

1519. gimmi shelter

 

huddled in the cracks

fallen acorns seek refuge

from unseeing feet 🦊❤️

There was something touching about a group of fallen acorns nestled in the crack of a sidewalk.  Lots to think about here. 🦊❤️

1518. coffee in deep space

 

as the rents go up

the farmer’s market echos

like deep, empty space 🦊❤️

My regular Friday coffee meeting place is slowly becoming an empty field. The vendors are closing one by one.  Their seed banks are being picked clean by escalating rent. Its once full and bustling atmosphere has been replaced by the feeling of being in the isolation of deep space.  It may be time to look for another galaxy for my Friday coffee gathering.  3,2,1 blast off!!! 🦊❤️

1517. olfactory sight

 

from the missing pane

the smells of yesteryear leak

breathing deep… i see 🦊❤️

Sometimes the sense of smell sees more vividly than the sense of sight. 🦊❤️  

1516. a picture worth posting

 

on the frosty grass

a forgotten rag puppy

bright eyed and sweet smile 🦊❤️

There are some insignificant sights that are worth taking a picture of and writing a poem about. 🦊❤️

1515. sit awhile

 

sometimes i am stumped

got the shot… but no haiku

i just sit… and wait 🦊❤️

Yesterday an empty chair sitting in a meadow of hay caught my eye. My mind said, “Oh! There is my photograph for tomorrow’s haiku post!” But for the life of me I could not come up with a haiku that I felt suited the photo! I silently sat and sat on my couch and nothing showed up. Sometimes I get hopelessly stumped! 🦊❤️

1514. long noodles = long life

 

bowl of long noodles

to celebrate my birthday

slurping down more years 🦊❤️

After meeting Yulan many years ago my new birthday good luck tradition is eating “long noodles”. This practice is to hopefully bring more birthdays in the future.  So last night we went to our favorite Pho Restaurant and ate long noodles. Our regular waiter Long brought us a surprise dessert of  steamed rice with nuts and almond milk sauce and sliced papaya after Yulan alerted him to my birthday.  When he asked how old I was I asked him to guess.  Well to my disappointment he guessed correctly… lol.  I was tempted to order another bowl of Pho to slurp down more long noodles… 🦊❤️ 

1513. my best sunrise yet

 

at seventy-three

each day’s sunrise is the best

today’s is pure gold 🦊❤️

Today I am celebrating my 26,663rd sunrise. (That includes 18 extra due to leap years.) I am grateful for each and every one of them.  But… today’s is the best of all. Happy birthday to me.  🦊❤️

1512. feeling warm colors

 

outside my window

a five alarm fire blazes

the chilly day warms 🦊❤️

I have the most spectacular tree in the whole apartment complex right outside my windows.  Today was a windy and chilly day and the warmth of its brilliant colors could be felt. 🦊❤️

1511. today was the day

 

in all my days

i’ve never seen such a sight

today was the day 🦊❤️

Every time I cross the stone bridge I look down into the water to see what there is to be seen.  Today I saw a very large school of Carp swimming in circles.  Included in the school was a very large white and golden Koi.  (Not visible in the photo above ). I was so surprised and delighted that I immediately reached out to Yulan and my son Kevin to report my sighting. Life is good when the smallest of things “flips your switch”.  Today my switch was flipped! 🦊❤️

1510. everybody’s favorite pumpkin

 

fall is on its way

pumpkins taste the year’s first frost

it’s tom-o-lantern 🦊❤️

When the cold mornings arrive and bring frost to the pumpkins, Tommy puts on his pumpkin costume to get ready for Halloween! Boooo! 🦊❤️

1509. haiku… a healthy alternative

 

off in the distance

with thoughts of haiku brewing

she snap - snaps away 🦊❤️

We (Yulan and I) are lucky to have haiku as a focal point in our lives.  It serves as a filter through which everyday things become important and “worthy” of attention.  It is also a practice that has an intrinsic goodness to it that can be shared with others. I like to believe that sharing our haiku serves to neutralize some of the bitterness and division that is so present in both the virtual and real worlds that our lives touch.  I’m not blowing our own horns… I’m just sayin…. 🦊❤️

1508. path

 

a serpentine path

slithers through the browning field

i pause… my mind strolls 🦊❤️

What could be more enchanting than a leisurely trek  along a twisting and turning trail? I say an imaginary stroll that takes you to where ever the mind decides to explore.  🦊❤️

1507. cat’s meow

 

mikey looks and mews

“what a dandy cat puzzle -

it’s the cat’s meow!” 🦊❤️

Yulan just completed building a very cool cat puzzle.  After re-boxing it to return to the library she placed it by the front door so she would remember to take it with her.  Mikey took a real interest in looking at the sweet images of cats printed on the box.  I think she was wondering which of the cats looked like her!! 🦊❤️

1506. less is more

 

there’s nothing better

than shedding unneeded “stuff”

i have seen the light 🦊❤️

I have spent an intensive week of emptying unnecessary, unwanted, and “stuff” I forgot that I had from my apartment.  My closets are like caverns.  My drawers are like the table of contents of a book.  My cabinets boldly proclaim what is stored in them. My apartment is like a breath of fresh air. I love walking around taking in deep breaths of its clean, organized air.  I have seen the light and feel so light!!!! 🦊❤️

1505. goldenrod

seems like yesterday

the goldenrod glowed so bright

now… brown… seeds fall down 🦊❤️

The brightness of this year’s summer is quickly fading and the seeds for next year’s pageant of colors are falling to earth. Did you know Goldenrod is native to Pennsylvania and that it has many medical/health applications? 🦊❤️

1504. these are the days

 

poles and bait in tow

talk of snagging some big ones

these will be the days 🦊❤️

It was refreshing to see three young boys walking quite a distance to get in some Sunday afternoon fishing in the local creek.  It brought back good memories for me.  One day in the distant future I am sure these three boys, now men, will have some of those same type of memories of their fishing days.  🦊❤️

1503. apogee lesson

 

5-4-3-2-1

ignition - blastoff - ascent

then comes apogee 🦊❤️

Yesterday we went to a model rocket launch with my son Kevin’s girlfriend’s family.  It was a blast.  Pete launched two rockets, one over 7 feet tall and a three footer.  It was a perfect day for rocketry except for when I tried to cross a drainage ditch on a soybean field to retrieve one of the  rockets.  My foot sunk into a stew of very disgusting goo.  

Apogee is the maximum altitude reached by a rocket before it descends.  🦊❤️

1502. a call to be still

 

hurt praying mantis

a gentle touch to the wing

and then he was gone 🦊❤️

I had been thinking alot about stillness the other day when I encountered a Praying Mantis seemingly marooned on a guardrail beside the road. I picked up a stick and the Praying Mantis hopped onto the stick. I placed the stick into the grass away from the road and I was gone. A half an hour later I encountered another Praying Mantis on the trunk of a tree. Its wing appeared to be damaged.  I gently touched its wing and it fell back into place.  Then it was gone. I googled the meaning of seeing Praying Mantises. It said encountering them signified stillness and calm… 🦊❤️ 

1501. cussing at the checkout

 

prices are so high

even the cash registers

find themselves cussing 🦊❤️

You know the prices are high when the cash registers are displaying the totals  as expletives just like cartoon thought bubbles.  🦊❤️

1500. ufo (unearthly fungal object)

 

an alien orb

 encircled by rings of gold

planet amadou 🦊❤️

I love Amadou, otherwise known as  Horse Hoof Fungi.  I have been watching this beautiful specimen growing on an old fence post for months. It is velvety to the touch but is as hard and durable as wood. It has a strangely alien look to it, in this case like an abstract Saturn! 🦊❤️

1499. mush!!!

 

ahead on the trail

a team of huskies mush on

dreaming of some slush 🦊❤️

Yulan always refers to herself as having lots of “dog energy” in her.  I can tell that is true because of how she lights up when she encounters canines on our travels and how they respond to her.  Yesterday the team of Huskies we met on the trail were pulling hard to get to her!! 🦊❤️  

1498. if for only a day

 

from a rotted log

a stand of mushrooms rise up

tomorrow… they’re gone 🦊❤️

Nature offers so many wonders to behold.  Some endure for countless ages.  Others for the blink of an eye.  Pay close attention to enjoy the ones that speed on by.  🦊❤️