Ombré Blue

                                                               

Nature’s palette from sea to sky…

Steel blue waves crest and fall

Baby blue graces the horizon

Cornflower deepens the view

Azure brightens and heightens

Cerulean crowns the sky in full bright glory.

A walk along the lake today brought a stunning view of the water and sky decked out in various hues of blue. The lake grounded it in a dark steel blue as the waves met the shore. Then the palest of blues was at the horizon. Then ombre of blue continued to the top with deeper and vibrant tones. It looked like a painting with the subtle passing from one hue to the next. It was truly beautiful!!

Often times people will say- the sky is blue today. Well, which blue sky are you seeing? Which mood of blue is nature’s character that day?

Next time you hear that, please pause and take a moment to soak in that blue. Can you give it a more specific name than just blue?

Beauty, Gratitude, Peace

Cumulus clouds drift

Patches of blue dot the sky

Aged Red pines tower

Sunlight streams through coarse needles

Peace, beauty and awe abound 

My mouth literally gaped open.

I looked like the emoji 😮.

I was laying on my yoga mat gazing up at the sky. As I realized the trees formed a heart, I was astounded. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

I remained motionless for minutes. Just watching the clouds, the blue and the sunshine dance across the window of sky. It was a living canvas with changing colors, brightness and mood.

The beauty brought awe.

The awe brought gratitude.

The gratitude brought peace.

What a lovely way to being a weekend!

(Yes- this is a REAL photo with no filters. Just my true view that morning in May.)

Poem form- Tanka (5 line poem with the syllables of 5-7-5-7-7) 

Comforting Coo

Each morning your coo awakens me,

comforting me in my sorrow.

A companion for my heart

as I walk through the loss,

Your mourning greeting

let’s me know I’m

not alone.

You are

here.

I have a sweet affection for Mourning Doves. They have brought me comfort since I was 17. This week was the anniversary of my dad’s passing and their coo’s were heard again this week.

Here is a small piece from a notebooking entry last May about my relationship with these birds, especially the two always on my front walkway.

The last few mornings I have been awakened by the lamenting coo of the Mourning Dove. I do love to hear this soothing sound each day. It brings back memories of my dad. The Mourning Dove was truly that for me. A friend each morning during my grieving over the unexpected loss of my father. I had never had a dove like this at my house before but from the day he passed, one cooed to me each morning. It brought comfort during a time of heartache and uncertainty. It was my grief friend. Now, I hear it daily again during this pandemic. Maybe, just maybe, it is a sign from my dad that he is near and we will all emerge from this darkness too.

Poetry form: Nonet (9 lines- 9 syllables in first line, 8 syllables in 2nd line, etc. till last line is 1 syllable) 

Image- my attempt at nature journaling/drawing

Love in the Lilacs

 

Light, purple blossoms

An eye-level bush

Sweet, haunting fragrance

A first date

walking Highland Park amongst

light, purple blossoms

A home, a family

vases filled with blooms from

an eye-level bush

Memories of your lives and love

triggered by the

sweet, haunting fragrance

Lilacs bring to mind my parents. I walked the paths through the flowers at the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY today. The sights and the fragrance brought many memories of their lives and love wafting through my mind.

My parents first date was to the Lilac Festival in the late 1950's. They drove out to Rochester from Buffalo, NY. My dad thought my mom would enjoy seeing the beautiful flowers. He must have been right because they were happily married for over 25 years.

Growing up, there were lilac bushes on both sides of my house. I think they were planted in memory of this first date. My mom loved the smell of these flowers and would fill the house with them each Spring. For me, the smell is just too overwhelming and I remember not enjoying those weeks when the beautiful purple clusters of flowers filled our home.

Now I live about 10 minutes from Highland Park. I often wonder if my footsteps have traced the path of their first date through the trails of lilacs. 

Poetry form: Cascade Poem

 

The Knowledge of Trees

Surrounded by 

tall bearers of

knowledge,

I wonder what we

could learn from you.

What would your rings of age be able to impart to us?

What conversations have fallen upon your leaves and then shed into the soil?

What inhumanity have you witnessed?

If we paused

and sat beneath you,

cherishing your strength and shade,

would you share your secrets

and lessons learned

to help man undergo a 

seasonal renewal.

Just a tribute to trees on Arbor Day. 

A walk amongst the trees is one of my favorite things.