The Gang of Five and More....

 Once more I find that I am playing catch-up.  Weekends get busy around here, and this past one was no exception. I did take some photographs, and write some mini-poems--but I also spent a lot of time getting re-acquainted with my camera, and digging out some of my favorite poetry books.  I finished reading Mary Oliver's "Why I Wake Early" and went back to reading the poetry of  Edna St. Vincent Millay.  I am also working on some illustrations for a small book a friend of mine puts together each year for his friends.  The pictures I'm including here were taken over the weekend--we had a lovely weekend weatherwise--a little windy, but sunny. 
All of these photos were taken around my home, Wit's End.  Above left is one of our cats:  Eddie, whose real name is Oedipuss.  Eddie follows me around the yard like a puppy!  He's a real hoot when I'm trying to work in the garden--he likes to climb on my lap, or curl up in front of me--makes yanking up weeds a little tricky, and there's nothing like having a furry cat on your lap in 90 degree temps!

The next picture, left, is our pond.  This view is near the dam.  Every spring we have baby ducks and geese on the pond, and a great blue heron stops by every now and then.  On the right is one of my favorite spots to sit and relax--the porch of our barn. From here I can see the pond, and a couple of my gardens, and both sunrise and sunset. A good place to sit and think, write, or sometimes even nap! (Cats and dogs enjoy it too!)

The last photo I took as sort of a visual for one of the mini-poems I wrote. I didn't have my telephoto lens, so it's a little hard to tell, but those little black dots are birds--I call them "The Gang of Five."  They hang out in that tree every day.

And here are the mini-poems:

Friday, January 27: 

High up in the oak

the gang of five--

sparrows--

survey their hood--

the empty feeders,

a moldy, cracked birdbath.

Not even the mockingbird scares them. 

They watch squirrels and chipmunks,

look the other way at a fly-by

slaying of a rabbit,

maintain stony silence

when the cat approaches,

then harass a red-tailed hawk

who ventures too close

to their crib.

Saturday, January 28:

I nearly missed it:

coyote on the run,

under the fence,

into the woods.

Safe now.

But who is more frightened?

Tonight, I walk faster,

carry a big stick.

Sunday, January 29

The stray cat, unhappy

to share his meal with the raccoon,

waits impatiently behind the holly,

frowns at me as I watch through the window.

Sorry, little kitty.

Tonight, it's first come,

first served.

Monday, January 30:

January tricks the daffodils

into waking early. Fools the tulips

and forsythia, too.

I warned them not to believe her,

even as I tossed aside my coat,

and turned my face to the sun.

Birds

I love cardinals. We have a lot of them hanging out in our yard.  Last year, a pair of them built a nest in the lilac tree right outside the porch window.  The nest was hidden from the outside, but I could clearly see the nest and, eventually, the babies, from inside.  I tried to photograph them, but Mama would get upset every time she saw me coming near the window, and since I didn't want to cause problems for the babies, I decided to leave them alone.  And then one day I peeked through the window:  the birds were gone, the nest abandoned.  Ah well...such is life.  So today's photo is of a mini-painting I did a few weeks ago.

And the poem for today: 

The red-tailed hawk dives from his perch

a kamikaze pilot on a mission.

I can't see his prey--only the rustle of weeds

near the pond's edge.  High in the oak

a group of sparrows huddle

their shoulders hunched against the rain

like bystanders who watch an assault and do

nothing. 

And now it's off to bed....

                                        



Why I Wake Early

That's the title of a book of poetry by Mary Oliver--one of my favorite poets.  So I decided to take that and see what I could come up with for today's mini-poem. I do like to wake early, sit on the back porch and watch the morning unfold.  I like staying up late for the same reason. There's a peacefulness in both. 

Today's photo was taken on my way home. I pulled off the road, but the little zoom lens on my camera is pretty limited, so the picture is slightly out of focus.  I like the way the three silos stood beside each other, in the same area as the lone tree I photographed last week.  I got a little creative too, and played with the color. To me it gives the photo an "old" feel.  Might make a decent painting too.

And here's my mini-poem:

I wake early, step outside

eyes shrouded with sleep.

The Big Dipper hangs low

and another line of planes

head toward Cinci or St. Louis.

Three cows in silhouette

lumber toward the barn. A heron

screeches overhead, angry

at my intrusion.

A Mouse in the House

Today's photo is of another 4-legged member of our family:  Charlie.  Yep, I'm a sucker for those big brown eyes!  (Bet you thought I was gonna say a mouse--I'll get to that later....)

I spent the weekend painting, working on a portrait commission. It's not finished yet, but here's a pic of the work in progress.  Still need to make adjustments to the eyes, etc. But it's coming along....



And here's the min-poem for today:

There's a mouse on the porch.
He drops clues on the bar--
a trail that leads to his favorite spots.
I should set a trap.
Catch the little thief--
make him pay for his crime.
The death penalty:
harsh sentence for petty theft.

Into the mist...

Once again, I'm having to catch up with the photos and mini-poems. I guess that is a good thing, as it indicates that I'm busy, right? Or lazy. I have to admit, it's been a lazy weekend. Misty, cold, gloomy--good days to stay in bed or curl up with a good book. I have, however, been busy--painting, mostly, trying to finish a commissioned portrait.  Even though I haven't been posting them, I have taken a photo each day and managed to write a few lines that may or may not one day become a longer poem.  So the photo on the right is today's photo--my neighbor's barn, surrounded by the morning's mist.  And the poem for today: 

Mist slinks over the hill

wraps around the magnolia and pin oaks,

a thin shawl against the morning chill.



          

 The next photo on the left is a work-in-progress.  A mini painting of two little corgi pups.  Not the best photograph, and obviously the painting isn't finished.  I'm hoping to finish it today.  This is Saturday's photo and below is the poem for Saturday: 

Cows low in the distance

Chorus for the train whistle--

Midnight to Georgia

or Hank Williams' restless ghost.

Friday's photograph is of the latest addition to our family: Gracie.  Gracie was a little kitten born on the grounds of the correctional facility where I work.  Her mom disappeared, and Gracie started hanging out at the warehouse.  We fed her, as did the inmates that worked there. For a long time she wouldn't come near anyone, but we managed to coax her into a crate one day, and I brought her home.  She's now my studio cat, along with Eddie and another stray, Casper.  And here's Friday's poem:

She escaped from prison

an inside job

no one objected

no parole or probation

only freedom.

And finally, the photo for Thursday (below) is of my art student with her self-portrait.  It took awhile, but she finally finished it and I'm so proud of her!  And to shamelessly promote myself, the paintings on the wall behind her are mine. 

 

And here's the poem for Thursday: 

A mockingbird in the flower pot

gives me a nasty look,

as if I have intruded on a private moment--

or caught him up to no good.



Morning Commute

Today's photo is of something I see almost every day on my way to work--and more often than not, I am right behind it, plugging away at 45 mph, stopping at every stop until we reach the Shelby county line.  It's become a challenge to me: if I don't reach a certain intersection by 7:15 a.m., I end up behind that bus.  Sometimes I get to the intersection at the same time, and will the traffic light to stay green so I can get ahead.  Sometimes I'm lucky, sometimes not so much....




And today's poem:  Airplanes line dance across the sky,
                                an odd constellation whose stars break
                                east or west, a curtain of lights
                                parting to reveal the true
                                stars of the night.

Most of these mini-poems are not finished pieces. I plan to use them as starting points for longer pieces, or maybe they won't be used at all.  The main purpose is to get me writing and paying attention more to what's going on around me.  And hopefully, both endeavors will inspire my painting. One can always hope....

                                                                         
                               

We're Not in Kansas anymore.....

Weird weather the last couple of days....cold, snow, rain, warm temps, and today: tornadoes!  Luckily no problems for us, but others in the area weren't so lucky, as you'll see in today's photo. Most of the roof was blown off this building--I pass it every day on my way to and from work.  I hope no one was injured.  There were several trees down in that area, too, as well as a kids' playset. The set was flattened, the slide tossed across the road between tree branches. It hasn't been confirmed whether it was a tornado that caused the damage or straight line winds, but at this point, does it matter? I'm sure to those families, the damage is done and hopefully everyone in those homes is safe and sound.

As for today's poem, here it is:  Lightning slices the morning sky.
                                                   Leaves skitter across the walk and disappear.
                                                   A cardinal goes airborne.  He knows:
                                                   Danger! Danger!