1052. blue supermoon

blue supermoon

once in a blue moon

isn’t blue

Last night’s moon was a blue supermoon, but it wasn’t blue! Here’s the scoop: 

A blue moon means two full moons in a single month, though they rarely are really blue. A supermoon happens when it’s exceptionally close to the Earth. Last night it was 222,043 miles. Once in a blue moon means a rare but nonetheless recurring event. A blue supermoon occurs once in a blue moon, the next one expected in 2037.

Last night’s moon wasn’t blue but it was especially big and bright and beautiful—though my picture doesn’t do it justice. A shout out to Liz, who told me last night to go outside and check out the moon.🤗

1051. killing time

laid out 

on the grass together—

we’re they lovers?

Killing time—what a strange expression, but there I was killing time waiting for my appointment, like I had all the time in the world to amble along, just walking leisurely while looking around at the row of old stone houses with their tiny gardens brimming with flowers, lining the sidewalk. It was pleasant. Then I saw two sunflowers in the middle of a lawn, stems carefully cut, laid down on the grass together side by side in a tender embrace. I paused a long while and wondered….who did this? what does it mean?  I looked at my watch. It was time to go. Everything comes to an end.

1050. just think

umm sushi…

sushi, pickled ginger, wasabi yum—

hey, there’s Elmo!

 

Walking around the neighborhood, preoccupied with thoughts of what to eat for lunch and thinking of sushi—yess!….sushi with pickled ginger and wasabi—umm…yum!😋 I heard a giggle and looked up….and there he was: Elmo! 

Just think, you don’t even have to ask, just think and ye shall receive. Thoughts are powerful! By the way, in case you’re not a Muppets fan and you didn’t know, Elmo’s favorite food is wasabi!

1049. still life

on some wild night

a raccoon screamed, one more time

and now a feast

 

The first time around walking on the trail, I saw what appeared to be the remains of a chicken—in the park? Hmmm. It wasn’t until I circled back and saw the bits and pieces of fur scattered about that I recognized, realizing this had been a raccoon caught in the struggle of life and death that is an intrinsic and necessary part of living in nature. I thought about the raccoon giving up its life for the hawk or fox or owl, or some other predator in the night, and then the ants and insects who were now feeding on pieces of flesh and the bones, and then later, perhaps, some birds who would come and take away pieces of fur to warm their nests for eggs and fledglings to come. I bowed in gratitude. 🙏

1048. worms!

after the rains,

all the birds are clamoring—

worms!

Birds: a swan, a duck, a pheasant, a red bird, a grey heron, another swan and a partridge, too.  When she was a girl, she played with paper dolls. Now she plays with birds and hats and planes and boats and rocket ships….horses, elephants, cats and dogs, and fishes. And there’s lamps and boxes and clowns and trees and seashells and socks and shoes and dresses and shirts….and on and on. It’s never ending. What fun! After all these years, this girl still loves to play.😘

1047. chill & chuckle

hey look!

there’s Chill & Chuckle—

have fun!

I opened my phone this morning and looked at the forecast: temperatures climbing up and up again, another muggy-hazy-hot-humid day. Ugh. So I scrolled through my pictures just for fun. Look who I found to cool things down! 

1046. yellow

a thousand faces,

i had to stop….

and bring them home

 

On the way home from acupuncture and driving through quiet neighborhoods, enjoying the scenery of comfortable old houses set in gardens with oaks and maples and colorful crepe myrtles still in bloom, I stopped the car. This patch of golden rudbeckia, like a thousand smiley faces, beckoned. They made me smile. Their bright cheery personalities made me feel happy and contented. I had to bring them home.

1045. a summer poem

just a dog,

but look how he runs and runs—

a haiku master.

*

flowers ha!

you can keep your flowers,

throw me a stick.

A day at the park or even a moment or two….trees, flowers, the pond and the fountains, the ducks, the great lawn, and that dog….such fun.  Ahh yes, the simple life.

1044. stop!

summer spider

stopping me dead in my tracks—

glad i’m not a fly!

I mean it… I’m glad I’m not a fly!

1043. for the love of trees

worlds

within

worlds

 

James McNabb loves trees. He is a wood sculptor living and working in the neighborhood. Working with pieces of discarded wood he uses an intuitive process of  “sketching with a band saw” to create worlds within worlds. Take a look:  http://mcnabbstudio.com/artworks

In his spare time McNabb volunteers for the city’s parks commission, working with fallen trees to “explore the limitless possibilities of the urban landscape and our human relationship to it.”

1042. too perfect

little umbrellas 

popping up in the rains

overnight

turned inside out

take a look at this mushroom—

too perfect to eat!

After late summer evening rains, a family of button mushrooms had grown up out on the lawn. Some were as big as my palm and this one, turned upside down, caught my attention. Like a mandala, it drew me in to its beautiful perfection, captivating my mind….how did this get so perfect? I couldn’t pass it by without a picture to share.

1041. pinky

smelling flowers,

pink whiskers and nose, 

her haiku eyes!

 

“Pinky” - 10x8” - Mixed Media Origami

I once had a siamese cat who lived to be more than 20. She’s out there now somewhere beyond the rainbow. Her name was Pinky, she was so sweet. I sometimes think of her and can see her roaming around through tender grasses, forever chasing butterflies and smelling the pretty flowers.

1040. yelp!

no doubt about it,

the paw patrol 🐾 was here

to save the day!

 

We spotted these PAW Patrol sunglasses near Pastorious Park in Chestnut Hill, known for its summer concerts and dog-friendly atmosphere. 

PAW Patrol is an award-winning Canadian computer-animated tv series for pre-schoolers featuring action, adventure, and comedy. It focuses on a young boy named Ryder who leads a pack of search and rescue dogs.  Ryder’s motto is “Whenever you’re in trouble, just yelp for help!”🐶

1039. signs of the times

a rainbow flag

and bell bottom jeans—

signs of the times

Revolution or Evolution?

1038. Bill

“this time of year

the sunsets are beautiful,”

said the grease monkey 

 

My auto mechanic is new to me. He’s warm and friendly and real down-to-earth. I like him. His garage is close to home, 50 yards down the road, an easy 3-minute walk. The other day, I dropped off my car for a new set of spark plugs and when I picked it up later, Bill and I kibitzed a little about business, about the neighborhood, about the weather. “I don’t mind the heat too much,” he said, “I’m used to it, glad I don’t have to work out in the sun.” Bill paused then, for a moment, looked over to the west at the sky and smiled, “You know, this time of year the sunsets start to get especially beautiful.” Then I told him I write a haiku-photo blog. Think I’ll print this one out and give it to him.

1037. just do it

pick pocket

turn it around—

pocket pic

*

my best effort—

it’s something from nothing and

17 syllables

I have nothing to post and I didn’t take this picture—my camera did. It’s a picture of something, but I don’t know what. So I’m pairing something with nothing and 17 syllables. Forgive me….that’s it! When in doubt, just do it and do your best! 😘

1036. having a little fun with food

two peppers

one purple, one yellow and

a plump tomato 

*

growing up 

on the farm, fast friends

until the end😋

Nothing more, nothing less. Just this. That’s haiku!

 

1035. what a dream!

last night’s dream

i woke up with a smile—

california!

I woke up smiling. Last night in my dream we were together again, on the road driving all the way to California….me and mom.

I took this picture the other day. It looks like a brand new Corvette. Back in 1965 or ‘66, I was working my first full-time job in a General Electric factory and had earned enough money to buy a car. I wanted a yellow Corvette. My mother said…No! You’ll kill yourself!  Now every Corvette I see brings a vision of my mom. Maybe that’s where my dream came from.😘

1034. best friends

at the barn sale

i warned her: ‘don’t lose your head!’

she didn't listen.

END OF SUMMER SALE!  BUY 1, GET 1 FREE!   EVERYTHING HALF OFF! 

Friendly reminder: When things go on sale, don’t lose your head!!

 

1033. amazing!

one, two, three,

four, five little acorns—

amazing!

 

Google says:  The fruit of an oak tree is an acorn. In a strong reproductive season, a single giant oak can produce anywhere from 2000 to nearly 10,000 acorns. Amazing!

1032. remembering

spring has gone

lilies of the valley, too—

her tender smile

Scrolling through my pictures this morning, I saw these lilies-of-the-valley. I smiled. She was married holding these flowers in her hand. They were her favorites. Whenever I look in the mirror, I see my mother and smile. 

1031. in the pink

in the dark

it’s easier to be seen….or not

pink lotus

I wanted to share a picture of the lotus flower in full bloom, full of life, full of blood, in the pink. Lotus flowers typically bloom 1 to 3 days. Each day the flowers bloom, at nightfall, they close up and sink back into the water, and return to bloom the next day. 

 

1030. not afraid

not afraid to die

the lotus lays down its head

in cool waters

The lotus flower is a symbol of beauty, also enlightenment, transcendence, and rebirth. It is the national flower of both India and Vietnam.

1029. catnapping

there she is again

under the cherry blossoms

catnapping 

*

this old cat

taking a break….

dreaming of spring

 

Happy to have not much to do, catnapping. After all these years, coming to appreciate and enjoy taking time to smell the flowers and taking an afternoon nap.

“Cat Napping” - 10 x 8” - Origami Paper Painting

1028. lily pond

orange and green

in the dark wet water

like a poem—

like a wishful dream

forever young

 

Watching over the lily pond, orange lilies bending and blending into the water. Pondering. 

1027. cheeze

four feet

and a bowl full of flowers

saying cheeze!

 

They were so pretty, those flower petals floating on the water. I just wanted to savor them with my camera, and then those feet squeezed in too!

1026. smile

foam and bubbles

don’t be afraid to smile

life is short

 

“I feel that a genuine, affectionate smile is very important in our day-to-day lives….Smile at others and keep the world smiling.” Dalai Lama

1025. songbird

no pretty picture

but oh, just listen—

i could die happy

….well, almost.

 

Last night, this was the view from my bedroom window. This morning, there was little to see in the early dawning. It was dark out there, but for the songbird. It sang and sang and sang, and sang. Who needs a rooster!

1024. Yulin

in my dream

i close my eyes and see

my brother

The giraffe is a legendary creature of benevolence. In Chinese mythology the giraffe, known as qilin, was said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. It was seen as a symbol of goodwill, gentleness, and integrity. My brother Yulin, a variation of qilin, was so named in the hope that he would grow to cultivate those qualities. He did. 

Whenever I see a giraffe, my brother returns to me.

1023. dream

across the meadow 

billowing in the breeze

summer wheat

*

black & white night

fading in the distance 

fireworks 

 

Color pushes the mind out into the big picture, black and white draws the mind in to the details.  Things look different in black & white. I look closer and see more….and dream. Contrasts, shapes, textures, dreams….reveal a whole new story. 

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”Anatole France.

1022. life goes on….

ashes to ashes

from trees to paper to trees,

life goes on….

*

so many trees

around the world—

logging in

“Hidden Life of Trees” -  15” x 18” - Origami Paper Painting* 

(from a book review of The Hidden Life of Trees) “Living together with their children, communicating with them and supporting them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the impacts of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. As a result, trees in a family or community are protected, and can live to be very old.”

If only more people would do the same. 

*This is third in a series of my blogs featuring origami trees. Others are: 1007. Hidden Lake and 977. This is It