Small Masterpieces

 Breathtaking

delicate

bright beauty

Canary

and eggplant

inked petals

Designed

by strokes of

God’s paintbrush

Recently, I took a tour of Phipp’s Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA. There were many gorgeous flowers and plants on display.

But when I came across these beauties, I stopped in my tracks. I was in awe of the deep purple designs on each petal. It seemed like they were drawn by hand. It was hard to believe that this is just how these flowers bloom. Pure masterpieces of nature!

Still, when I look at this photo, I continue to be in awe of these detailed, beautiful blooms. 

Poem form: Tricubes

3 stanzas of 3 lines of 3 syllables each

Spring Serenade

 Left, right, left

Crunch, crunch, crunch

Cheer-a-lee, cheer-a-lee

Chirp-chirp-chirp

HONK, HONK, HONK. HONK

Cheer-a-lee, cheer-a-lee

Tseer, tseer, tseer

Kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik

H-O-N-K

Kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik

Tee—seep, tee—seep, tee————seep

Chirp-chirp-chirp

Crunch, crunch, crunch

Left, right, left

On this glorious Spring afternoon, I went for a walk on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail near Waterloo, New York.

The trails are no longer quiet in Upstate New York. The birds have returned and were very chatty today.

As I walked along noticing the crunchy rhythm of my steps, it felt like I was the consistent drum beat to a composition being created by the birds. 

The high quick tweets of small birds floated over the low loud incessant honks of the Canadian geese. The tap, tap, tapping of a drilling woodpecker syncopated the longer drawn out songs of others.

My walk along this trail was filled by nature’s music. As I neared the parking lot, all that could be heard was crunch, crunch, crunch.

Dance of Joy

 

New limbs

Stretching skywards

Dancing amongst the clouds

Grasping puffs of white

Adorning the buds

Celebrating the arrival of a

New Spring.

The blue sky was such a stunning shade that I just had to stop and gaze at its richness. A warm breeze brushed my skin and rustled my hair on this 73 degree late March day.

I turned into the breeze and saw these branches reaching skywards. The puffs of white from my distance looked like small pieces of fluffy clouds adorning the tree. It looked like it was “decked-out” to rejoice in this magnificent Spring day.

The tree was dancing with joy!

I wanted to dance too!

Skyscrapers of the Woods

 

Skyscrapers of these woods

-only the penthouse views 

are encased in greenery.

Looking up towards the blue sky and glowing sun, it struck me that only the very tops of these coniferous trees proudly fanned out green needles.

The remainder of the tree was a skinny, bare, straight trunk. Hardly any branches reached out from this tall column of arbor. Yet, it kept reaching higher battling for the light of life.

Standing there, looking up, I felt so small.

Guardians of Spring’s Door

Small guardians of Spring

poke through the remnants of leaves and snow

Proclaiming its arrival

in a vibrant golden glow.

Glancing out the window into my backyard, my eyes are drawn to a pop of color low on the ground. I realize it is a large patch of crocuses in their first bloom of the year.

It is nature announcing in a vibrant, energetic voice- “SPRING IS HERE! Come and see the renewal of beauty to this brown and gray land.”

I am so excited to do what I do each Spring. I go out and admire these small but strong flowers. Such a combination of delicacy and yet the power to rise.  

I salute these guardians of Spring’s door and celebrate your return with joy.

Two Seasons Intertwine

Two seasons intertwine-

last vestiges of snow

diminishing,

            hydrating,

                        heralding,

the squishy, squelchy mud.

- Two seasons intertwine. 

A day in March can be such a confliction. Winter and Spring vying to see who can triumph.

Still cold, brisk breezes battle the sunshine warming the air and ground

Icy, slippery, shady paths compete against the inches deep, slip-slidin’ mud encased steps 

The silence of the woods tussle with the chirps and tweets of returning birds

Winter and Spring wrestle with each other throughout the day.

I choose to be a peacemaker. I will savor the last of the snow and crisp air before it fades for another year. I happily welcome with arms wide open the hopeful signs of Spring and its soon to be arrival.

No need for conflict... just conciliation.

The birds SANG!

My eyes pry open-

as I groggily adjust

to the senses of a new day.

A forgotten sound fills my ears-

the tweeting and chirping of birds

welcoming the dawn.

A smile spreads,

joy blossoms in my soul,

winter is nearing an end.

The birds sing the 

hope of spring.

Oh what a glorious alarm! I don’t remember the last time I opened my eyes to the day and had this sweet sound fill my ears. It has been months- those cold winter months in Upstate New York. These tweets bring hope of Spring and they began my day with JOY!