diving in
first thing in the morning
sipping saki
*
losing her mind
diving in again and again
ambrosia
Ahhh yes—waking early, composing haiku, sipping saki….lingering into stillness. 😘 The little bugger getting her fill.
1723. happy 4th!
ohh, the heat
bubbles and foam by day
fireworks tonite
Another hot day, and life goes on. I was heading to the library to pick up a book and a DVD. Outside on the lawn, people coming out for a bubble party, pretending it’s snow, having a blast to get cool, keep cool, be cool. If I had known, I could have brought a bathing suit and jumped right in for a selfie!😘 Happy 4th!
1722. a good thing
smothered
under a blanket of green—
yellow dandelions,
like butterflies fluttering
across a summer field
Life isn’t meant to be all black and white. That’s a good thing. I occasionally like to try things in black and white. It can be interesting. This time my thoughts suggested using a tanka, a longer form of classical Japanese poetry.
1721. two feet….two fishes
two feet, in the street
two fishes, twiggy and greeny
waterlogged
All I wanted to do was get home. I was 45 minutes away when the skies opened up and the rains poured down in sheets. All those cars, rushing bumper-to-bumper on City Avenue with blinkers on, wiper blades ratcheted up to high….then a big pick-up truck hotfooting by flooded my windshield. I yowled! It was an interesting ride all the way home. Finally stepping out of the car I saw these two fishes down on the road, befuddled. Breathing easy now, I stopped for a pic.😘
1720. looking back
folding paper
daydreaming poems
just a kid
When I was a kid, no one talked of my potential or of having a job or a career or growing up and getting ahead….or growing old. I did go into business. I sometimes wonder who introduced me to paper and poems. Was it the book that read, do what you love….and don’t forget to play, or the fortune teller who said, “…you ought to write.” Who would’ve thought that now at 79—after years in the busy world—I’d still be here, working with good satisfaction, waking up before the sun to read and write poems, folding paper, married, grateful, and at times daydreaming just like a kid wondering, ‘what’s next?’
1719. chameleon
red maple🍁
turning green to fit in
chameleon
From red to green to red. Tender leaves of the red maple tree grow, turn green as they mature and then, at the end, turn red again. Makes me think of how children grow to become adults, then near the end go back to childhood ways. In one way or another, we’re all here to grow, it’s just a matter of time.
1718. the little tiger
not much to say
viewing blue morning glories
under the stars
“The Little Tiger” — 19x12” — Origami
Here’s my latest origami composition. This is a tribute to all the orange tabby cats everywhere and a special remembrance of my “Willey Boy,” who lives on in my heart forever. 😻
1717. who?
log cabin
tucked away in the woods—
who lives there?
Returning to gaze from time to time, finding a fresh moment of peace.
1716. contemplation
the taste of coffee
especially good this morning
here comes the sun
The house next-door waking up with the early morning sun.
1715. fireflies
i saw my first firefly
but have no picture to show….
please forgive me
Yesterday, I saw my first firefly. I have no picture to show, but I do have these lilies. Aren’t they pretty?
1714. cooling off
fir trees
covered in snow….
cooling off
When times get too hot🥵….slow down….be still….close your eyes and picture this….🥶
1713. they’re back
good as gold
surprises never end—
they’re back!
Yesterday‘s walk around the neighborhood: I looked down into the creek and there they were again: goldfish! Top picture is from last August, my post #1415 which featured goldfish in this very same spot. Thing is…the creek bed here is narrow and most of the time dry, it occasionally gets some runoff after a rain. These can’t be the same goldfish from last year….can they? Where did they come from? Why are they here? Oh, I just love nature’s surprises!
1712. army of angels
army of angels
gathering momentum
without a sound
We never know when they’ll show up. Be kind to strangers….they might be angels sent down from above. It’s good to have holy places close to home.
(These were strange to me, my first time seeing white jelly mushrooms.)
1711. super!
red poppies
dotting the green meadow
nodding
*
poppies in bloom
lifting faces to the sun
seven feet high
😘
1710. cool cat
cat
on top of the ac unit
keeping cool
Two days ago a big storm hit at sundown, tripping thru, whipping trees and power lines everywhere—-hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings without power, without lights, air conditioning, fans, fridges or freezers in 90-degree temperatures!🥵 This cat next door knows how to keep cool, no matter what!😽
1709. peek-a-boo
peek-a-boo
yes, you—i’m talking to you
i see you
What’s this? Something’s brewing…. She must be working on her next composition.😘
1708. hello summer!
me! me! me!
like it’s talking to me—
take my picture!
First sunflower—it must be summer!
1707. sneaking a peek
taking a picture,
a picture inside
from outside
I was on my way into the library when I was stopped by stuff piled up inside a car. Books, games, books, puzzles, a pair of shoes, books, a yoga mat, and more books! I guess one can never have too many books….TGFL!😘
1706. stillness
that cat
perched on top of the rail
what’s on his mind
Sometimes all it takes is the stillness of a cat to slow you down, calm you down.
1705. la de da
STOP!
look out! look up!
in the nick of time
1703. top dog
sniffing flowers
one after the other….
arf! arfchoo!
*
you’re the greatest
no doubt about it, dad
you’re the top dog!
“Top Dog” — 6 x 6” — Origami Composition
Happy Father’s Day to all the top dogs out there everywhere!🐶
1702. namesake👋🏻
a kitty sighting—
stopping to say hello
hello kitty!
On the way home, driving by along the main road that leads into my village, there she was in the front window—Hello Kitty. I stopped the car walked back to the house, took my picture and waved, hello and goodbye!👋🏻 BTW in case you don’t know, Hello Kitty came out in 1975 and by 2010 was worth $5 billion a year. According to her backstory, she lives in a suburb in London and is close to our twin sister, Mimmy!😘
1701. formidable
down below
under a belly full of feathers
such handsome feet!
Watching a gaggle of Canada Geese and several young broods of goslings feeding on grasses by a nearby pond, my attention followed the easy swagger of one particular big bird. I was especially taken with the sure, sturdy step of its formidable feet.
1699. oldie but goodie
it’s my birthday
if i could have just one more wish
let’s all live in peace
one by one
“Ole Ola We Are One!” - 18 x 13” - Origami
1698. earth, wind, water, fire
fresh mushrooms
on the lawn, plump and juicy
large as saucers!
*
family of mushrooms
surrounding a rotted out tree
tenderly
*
rotted out tree
hosting a family of mushrooms
plump and fresh
Seeing life from different perspectives. Life goes on. Earth, wind, water, and fire contrive together to keep life going. Always.
1700. this and that
hey! it’s her again
that lady tom, sneaking
a peep 👀
This morning, I read of the craze for winning haiku prizes in late 17th century Tokyo. Reminded me of a t-shirt that I won years ago entering a Japanese haiku contest. That t-shirt was cool, too bad I don’t have it anymore. This picture has nothing to do with that—it’s just a fun picture. My winning haiku went something like this:
snap crackle pop, pop
chiropractic adjustment….
ahhh!
1697. the moon disappeared
the moon disappeared
when the fireworks started
the sky turned black
Honestly, I don’t know how my camera took this picture. The sky just turned to black. And when the fireworks were over, the moon came out again in yesterday‘s blog post.
1696. up in the sky
quiet night
a hop, skip, and a jump
before the fireworks
I never thought I’d see it, but there it was—the sun, the moon, and the stars all strung out together across the sky!😘
1695. steps
i step, he moves
i step, then he moves again
i step and he’s gone!
American toad. See his handsome coat—he’s not just a country bumpkin. You know what they say…. “Clothes make the man.”😘
1694. free seeds!
opening the window
bird sings….train whistles by
empty seed pods
They once were red. The cyclamen flowers are all gone now and their seed pods have finally opened. There are plenty to share. Would anyone like some seeds to plant and grow?
1693. turn it up!
cool sunny day
skipping down the street
a carrot-top
Cell phone in hand….head bobbing….hair hopping….skirt swinging. Wowee! Zowee! Turn it up!
1692. a matter of time
yard sale
stuck on pins and needles
ouch!
Treasure? Trash? Which is it? Wait long enough and treasure turns into trash. Or wait long enough again and trash turns into treasure!😉 Things change—it’s all just a matter of time.
1691. miyuki
in the studio
time out for a photo shoot—
miyuki stops to pose
*
such a good dog
she sits and stays—
that’s miyuki
Miyuki means ‘deep snow’ in Japanese.
1690. blue or green
late spring
stepping out to the meadow
it’s all green
*
morning meadow
catching my eye….
the blue sky
So I asked him, “Why is the sky blue?” “It’s not blue,” he said, “it’s all an illusion.” Hmmm. What about the grasses and leaves…what if they aren’t really green?
1689. goodnight snooze 💤
a visitor
appears in the dark
just hangin’
I was getting ready to go to bed and settle in for a good night snooze. Look what I saw…👀
Though it did look like a daddy-long-legs spider, it’s more likely a cellar spider. Either way they’re peaceful creatures and beneficial for managing household insects, so I didn’t freak. It’s been said that cellar spiders are acrobatic specialists. This one sure seems to be proving the point. Look at how it’s hanging upside down in the air, like holding on to some invisible swing. And look how it appears to be cozying up to its shadow, settling in for a good night snooze. 💤
1688. soft as silk
tied up, it loosens
untied, it tangles so—
my husband’s hair
*
in the morning breeze
silvery blossoms, soft as silk
flutter to the ground
*
cherry blossoms
tumbling down
to the ground
From the introduction to Kokinshu, anthology of Japanese poetry commissioned by Emperor Daigo around the year 905: “Poetry in Japan begins with the human heart as its seed and words as its leaves. It arises when people are inspired by what they see and hear to give voice to the feelings that come forth from the multitude of events in their lives…”
1687. wake up!
can’t stop yawning
making the bed this morning 🥱
all hands and feet
Making the bed this morning, still half asleep. The blanket’s talking to me: Wake up! Wake up! Take my picture! 😘
1686. damp, damp, damp
waiting for the sun
to come back out again
everything hurts
Rain, rain, rain again. Feeling achy, foggy, sluggish, don’t want to get out of bed in the morning? Here are some suggestions from TCM: Avoid icy foods and beverages, fried foods, bananas, cheese. Eat more barley, red beans, oats, brown rice, roasted meats, asparagus, carrots, green tea, and use onions, ginger, garlic. Exercise moderately to promote energy circulation.
1685. waiting room
the little dog
in the waiting room
waiting
*
his & hers
her handbag, his carrier bag
and him
*
the little dog
all eyes—
people watching
Yesterday’s story….that’s it.
1684. farewell
she lingers
holding on to spring
magnolia blossom
*
white magnolia
no longer white, the beauty
of old age
Holding on, withering magnolia blossoms, signaling a farewell to Spring.
1683. party hats 🥳
at the end of the day
all lined up, ready to party….
hold on to your hats!
Getting ready to party big. This little Buddha knows how to have a good time. Someone once asked me, “What do you do with origami?” Throw a party!🥳
1682. meditation
empty puzzle
every piece the same, and yet
it’s puzzling
1681. tete-a-tete
face to face
lingering for a moment
two women
In the silence not a word was spoken, and yet.
1680. rain & shine
rain, rain, rain
rain, rain, rain, rain, rain….
here comes the sun!
All we’ve had for days and days is rain, nothing but rain and I didn’t have a picture to post. I had to scroll back aways to find this. Here comes the sun!🌞
1679. turtle thoughts
here a turtle, there a turtle
everywhere a turtle turtle
ee i ee i ooh!
All those turtles made me think of that fun old song, “Old Macdonald Had a Farm”— with a moo-moo, quack-quack, cluck-cluck, oink-oink sounds. Then I thought to myself: what sound does a turtle make? Click on the link and take a listen:
1678. in my dreams
i walk 50 feet
down the street and surprise—
i’m in Japan
Walking on my way home just down the street from where I live, a sweet fragrance caught my attention. There was a Japanese Snowbell tree with its profusion of pretty white blossoms swinging in the breeze just like little bells. In East Asia the flowers and fruits from these trees have been used to treat toothaches, sore throats, and coughs…and also in traditional fishing to stun fish and make them easier to catch!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)