1080. knowing what you need and getting it

 

when the sun is high

he lays low and chills in shade

he knows what he needs 🦊❤️

I admire how Tommy takes care of himself. As I hike in the heat of the day I see Tommy tucked under a bush, resting and just being still. He gives me a quick glance then he closes his eyes and continues his chill. Tommy lives on Tommy’s terms.  We humans abide by his terms.   🦊❤️

1079. lotus blossom leaves

 

lotus blossom leaves

transforming beads of water

into quicksilver 🦊❤️

While lotus blossoms are very beautiful, I found myself being more fascinated by how the light, misty rain collected on their leaves.  The wet sheen would gather into large pool of water that looked like quicksilver… then simply slide off the leaves and into the pond. It was such a haiku observation.  🦊❤️

1078. lucky ladybug

 

lucky ladybug

please! please! won’t you land on me

let me count your spots 🦊❤️

There are many versions regarding the  good luck of Ladybug sightings. One I just learned is that if a Ladybug lands on you, count its spots. That will indicate how many years of good luck are coming your way.  (The papermache Ladybug featured in today’s post mysteriously showed up on the trails recently) I’m hoping it means super duper luck is on the way. 🦊❤️

1077. indian cigars

 

catalpa tree pods

called them indian cigars back then

 like a blink ago 🦊❤️

It is wonderful that some childhood memories are so very vivid. Often it’s not the big events of childhood that keep coming up so clearly,  but the little insignificant ones.  For me one that keeps arising are my recollections of Catalpa tree seed pods.  Go figure… 🦊❤️ 

1076. the old caboose days

 

the clacking caboose

rocks the flagman off to sleep

his coffee grows cold 🦊❤️

In case you haven’t noticed, there are no more cabooses on trains.  They have been replaced by a blinking red light for other trains to see. As a child, I loved watching the coal trains grind through my hometown. When the caboose finally arrived I hoped that the flagman (rear brakeman) who rode in it would be visible. They would be standing there in their greasy, pinstriped overalls and cap.  Often leaning on the railing smoking cigarettes or drinking coffee from their thermos cup.  I often thought about what it must be like to be in the caboose in the dark of night as the train wound its way through the coal and steel towns in western Pennsylvania.  Such good memories.  🦊❤️

1075. red tailed hawk of andorra meadow

in a made up tree

the red tailed hawk painted still

real life… different  🦊❤️

 I was very happy to complete the largest painting of the Wissahickon trails that I have every done. As I look at it I realize that my paintings are just another example of my “flying by the seat of my pants” approach to doing things.  I thank my Grandfather for showing me how to do things successfully with little or no formal technical knowledge. 🦊❤️ 

1074. do you have a quarter mister?

 

i can hear the voice

“deposit twenty five cents”

i’m out of quarters 🦊❤️

It used to be that pay phones were there to allow people to talk to others when they did not have access to their landlines at home.  Now people are able to talk to anyone,  at anytime, and anywhere with their cell phones. And they don’t even need to have a pocket full of quarters to do so. Sometimes that’s a good thing… 🦊❤️