1497. off to see the wizard

 

all of a sudden

a yellow brick road appears

for us to walk on 🦊❤️

Our walks together are often a time that we talk about “lofty life stuff”. Sometimes it is like we are on the yellow brick road looking for the Great Oz.  Some days we get a glimpse of Him… 🦊❤️

1496. eye of the beholder

 

glistening blacktop

it’s the perfect canvas for

a fresco of leaves 🦊❤️

The more that you immerse yourself in art, regardless of how, the more that you will see things around you become art. 🦊❤️

1495. meteoric meow

 

like a meteor

you streak across the meadow

three feet off the ground 🦊❤️

Every once in a while I snap a photograph that captures things I don’t realize until later.  That is the case with this sleek kitty that caught my eye as it streaked across the meadow.  “Three feet off the ground”. 🦊❤️

1494. imaginary friends

 

on this early morn 

two mourning doves start the day

just like yestermorn 🦊❤️

For as long as I can remember there have been two Mourning Doves occupying the tree that is adjacent to my deck.  I especially like seeing them perching there just before dawn.  When the limbs are bare and snowy is another favorite time. It’s really special when they build a nest there. I like to pretend that they are the same two doves that first showed up many years ago. Two timeless and everlasting Mourning Doves that like being near my home. There they are again as I write today’s post.  I wish I could show it to them. 🦊❤️

1493. willow

 

moving stealthily 

like a furry roomba vac

spirits need not eyes 🦊❤️

I have added a new cat to my exclusive club of  “cool kats”. Meet Willow who is totally blind. She doesn’t allow not being able to see to stand in her way.  She comes and goes quietly like a spirit - all of a sudden she is there.  She makes her way through the rooms like a furry Roomba Vacuum robot.  She is a lesson in life to watch. 🦊❤️

1492. unplugging

 

sitting… being still

my “do switch” toggled to off

the world just went on 🦊❤️

Sitting still is hard for me.  But when I do just sit still and resist “doing things” I like to sit in a quiet little corner of my apartment. I like to turn my head and look out the window while I am still.  I can see the branches blowing, cars going by, rain falling, neighbors walking their dogs, etc. etc.  It all goes on without me just fine!!!! 🦊❤️

1491. zen via zoom

as the buddha looks on

the yoga teacher prepares

to zoom out the zen 🦊

Whether it is cooking, folding origami paper or preparing for the zoom Yoga classes that she teaches, Yulan  is always totally “in the moment”.  Even Buddha looks on in admiration.  🦊❤️

1490. change of perspective

 

a hodgepodge of trees

growing here - there - everywhere

then i turned my head 🦊❤️

I was wandering around in a beautiful stand of pine trees admiring them and being touched by their collective energy.  Initially the trees appeared to be arranged in no particular way - only randomly like nature does.  Then I turned my line of sight and was surprised to see that they were really in orderly rows arranged by planters long ago.  What a difference a slight change in perspective can make… 🦊❤️

1489. on the lake

 

poppy on my lap

and griff snoozing on my leg

worries in the wake 🦊❤️

The fun weekend with friends continued.  Our friend Rob captains his boat as his two chief mates Poppyseed and Griff chart the relaxation. 🦊❤️

1488. morning on the lake

 

through a frame of trees

a still lake reflecting fall

the lone goose mourns 🦊❤️ 

We are visiting friends for the weekend. The lake was perfectly still except for the honking of a mourning goose. 🦊❤️

1487. lucky shirt

 

people came and came

not a photo did we take

mike penn saved the day 🦊❤️

Our joint exhibit opening was last night.  It was a wonderful event with lots of people.  It was so busy that neither Yulan or I took even one photograph of the event. Our friend Michael Penn (accomplished photographer and artist) saved the day by sending me a photograph that he took of one of the “lucky shirts” that Yulan folded and gave to all of the guests! Thank you Michael!! 🦊❤️

1486. her origami

 

her origami

resting… ready to hang proud

anxious to enchant 🦊❤️

Yulan and I collaborated on planning our first joint art exhibit “Celebration of Paper and Paint”. We made a great team in that we allowed each other to fully utilize our own special skills in the process of making it happen. I have always been very proud of Yulan’s artistic gifts and I am very happy that others will have the opportunity to experience the magic of her artistry with paper folding. 🦊❤️

1485. term limits

 

summer’s reign is done

vegetables almost picked clean

marigolds now rule 🦊❤️

The seasons come and go. How gracefully they enter and depart. 🦊❤️

1484. free babysitting

 

while mom and dad talk

baby and device enjoy

their time together 🦊❤️

It seems more and more to me that babysitters will soon become obsolete.  Electronic devices do the job so well and for no cost. 🦊❤️ 

1483. empty vessels

 

empty containers

left on the treelined path by

empty containers 🦊❤️

Litter… Litterers…. I work hard at understanding/accepting both.  I am failing I am afraid…🦊❤️ 

1482. nuclear reaction

 

off in the distance

twin plumes of water vapor

over reacting 🦊❤️ 

I stood looking at the plumes of water vapor rising from the two cooling towers of the nuclear reactor over 20 miles away.   Then I noticed the utility poles lining the street I was standing on.  The wires stretched from pole to pole were filled with the energy emanating from the plant. My amazement grew as I pondered it all. I have a tendency to “over react” I have been told.  Lol 🦊❤️

1481. marlboro man

 

under the street lamp

looking back to long past times

the marlboro man 🦊❤️

Some photographs say it all.  I love his individuality. 🦊❤️ 

1480. the maestro

 

in a shady patch

morning glories turning in 

say goodnight to day 🦊❤️

The sun is truly the maestro of the orchestra of all things big and small.  🦊❤️

1479. dressed to impress

 

fishies decked in gold

mikey sports her tuxedo

all dressed to the nines 🦊❤️

Just a silly post today. Enjoy the photo and haiku. 🦊❤️

1478. under a lucky moon

waiting patiently

for b-14 to be called

b-i-n-g-o !!!! 🦊❤️

We were big winners at the church carnival last night. I won a whopping $27!!! Yulan eclipsed my winning total with a $30 win!  As you can see from the photo, a lucky moon was over my shoulder!! 🦊❤️

1477. how can i resist

 

foxy and coco

sense me coming from afar

world class biscuit hounds 🦊❤️

I generally have a dog biscuit or two in my pocket as I walk around my very dog friendly apartment complex. Needlessly to say I am just about every dog’s “best friend forever” there. Two of my very best BFF are Coco and Foxy. It’s good to have so many good friends to keep happy everyday. 🦊❤️

1476. fall and bingo are in the air

 

carnival week is here

rides arriving one by one

time to yell “bingo” 🦊❤️

It’s that time of year again - The Holy Martyrs Catholic Church Carnival in Oreland. It is good being in the midst of small town fun - rides, food, impossible games, loud and clangy music and kids of all ages.  But the thing that we enjoy the most is playing BINGO!!!! Hoping to win big this year! 🦊❤️

1475. enjoy the show…

 

in the angry sky

a black balloon floats up high

up - up - and away 🦊❤️

We were at a huge local art festival with our friends. It was a dreary morning with threatening skies.  I looked up and saw one of the black balloons that were being handed out by a festival vendor as a promotion escaping upward.  The angry black sky was the perfect backdrop for the balloon.  The rains finally came and the festivities became less festive.  Hours later after the rains subsided the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen spanned the sky for what seemed like forever.  It finally left the sky like the rain, angry clouds and black balloon did. Everything comes and goes.  Enjoy the show.  🦊❤️

1474. “no joe for you?”

 

lots of time to spare

not a customer in sight

cups of coffee stew 🦊❤️

Nothing makes for a longer day at work than having no work to do. But with the presence of cell phones in our lives, that probably is not the case any longer. 🦊❤️

1473. giddy up!

 

astride her pinto

her gay colors… his feathers

round and round they go 🦊❤️

I remember the days when riding on a swing while looking at the moon allowed me to travel there myself. And those were the same days when riding down a steep street in a homemade soapbox derby car I could hear the engines of my competitors lagging behind me as we streaked to the bottom of the hill.  Those were the days…🦊❤️

1472. looking upstream

 

in the rocky wiss

poppy stands firm… looks upstream

crisp chilly morning 🦊❤️

My friend Rob sent me a photo of his pooch Poppyseed standing like a real Boss in the Wissahickon Creek yesterday morning. I think that everything about this photograph of Poppy screams “in the moment”. Hope you think so too. 🦊❤️

1471. for the sake of haiku

 

we walk and we look

things pop out and sometimes up

all to write haiku 🦊❤️

It is safe to say that for Yulan and I, we spend a lot of time everyday looking and seeing with writing haiku in our minds.  When the day’s haiku blogs have been posted, our minds shift gears to start planning for tomorrow’s. 🦊❤️

1470. stop searching to be found

 

when i simply look

not trying to find a fish

then it will find me 🦊❤️

Every time we cross the bridge we look down into the water to try to locate a big old carp.  It is usually only when we stop searching with our eyes and just allow our gentle gaze to “behold” the water below that the fish will make themselves visible. The fish finds us when we are ready to be found.  🦊❤️

1469. silent song

 

like notes on a staff

birds behold the angry sky

not singing… at rest 🦊❤️

Birds… what amazing creatures they are.  Flying here to there.  Sometimes thousands of miles only to return to where they started.  But one of their most amazing feats I think is whenever they do their tight rope walking routine on utility wires.  A real feat of strength, balance and agility.  🦊❤️

1468. forest family

 

mom on right… dad left

their skinny child feels its roots

forever family 🦊❤️

Being out in the woods allows my mind to muse about things that are not really there… but then again maybe they are there.  🦊❤️