keeping faith

Keeping faith
it's all I have some days
especially these days of gloomy dull skies of white
where it's hard to tell where the horizon is..when the sun is hidden
Living in a dreary monochromatic world of winter
Sure, today it will rain and wash away most of the snow
revealing an even worst sight....a muddy lifeless garden
and later it will drop in temperature and there will be an icy layer over everything

But I must as the author states...keep faith in Spring...even when it is gone
I hope today to get my camera to transfer pictures so I can show you what joy I have found
even in all this protracted nothingness of dreary winter days.. when even a fire in the fireplace doesn't help
nor stew in the pot...it is color I seek...crave..and humming bees and flitting butterflies
and jumping toads.....and most of all the robins...
I even went so far as to listen to robin calls
on the computer
...now that is longing

I look to the sky
and call you by name
return,return my robins
I will gather twigs
and yarn and drier lint
scatter them across the ground
for your return, leave
a lace of tinsel
to decorate your nest
Rest up and eat
for your long journey back
I wait, looking to the sky
for spring

renovated birdhouse

Squirrel chewed through this birdhouse
I think for fun...or to relieve his need for gnawing
but one morning ( I can't show you because my kitty, Boo, broke my camera..)
while drinking coffee and watching the snow fall outside my kitchen window
I spotted a large furry mass stuffed inside this opening,peering out like he was all comfy and cozy
Ha! the image of squirrel sitting on the nest, was too funny
Joy,pure joy in the morning


I saw the hawk get a bunny yesterday
tear it apart, scatter its fur all over the lawn
broke my heart,but my husband says
he's in the rodent family and they are a food source
more are hiding in the bushes and under debris
But if I don't cry for his death ache for his suffering
life is discounted
and they bring me joy and now one of my little furry joys is gone
how can I explain my loss
The little ones scurrying across my path in the spring
will make me remember this bunny
and that even in my Open Bar of Joyall parts of life happen,even death..
..I must hold the promise,the rebirth of spring
in my heart and mind...and enjoy what is before me
and that is squirrel playing in the chewed out birdhouse
and yes, it is joy

Lantern

This lantern no longer holds light, but seed
two fragile glass sides broken years ago
but where one purpose is gone another arises
and I watch with joy as the chicadees flit in and out
grabbing a seed and flying away
until the squirrel is awakened by their need to cheep as they do so
and he comes down off his sleeping branch and parks
his bushy body and tail inside the lantern and dines until its all gone
One day he played statue inside these two remaining walls
while hawk sat in the nearby tree
Ha!

Squirrel

Really,little squirrel
do you think I would hurt you?
I see you hiding,hugging the trunk of
the Alder tree,fleeing from me
as I walk in the garden
I see your nest has blown apart
If you only knew that I would help you
rebuild it,shaking leaves off of the trees
leaving lint and string and branches for you
You and your friends bring me joy
and laughter everyday with your antics
leaping from tree to tree
hanging by your toes off of the feeders
upside down
..sometimes flipping over on the ground
in silly clown like manner
Now that is determination
and survival
No I would never hurt you

sweet woodruff

I found you stretching in the light this morning
surprised you were there dressed in green.
Haven't you been nipped by freezing cold
and buried under inches of snow?
But there you sit,
nestled in pine needles and  hosta leaves,
happy to greet me this morning.
But, my little dears, don't stick your heads up too far,
Old Winter is only taking a hot cocoa break,
he'll be back with all his fury
looking to spread his coat over everything
and stay

ornamental grass

Your beauty awed me this morning

or was it the morning light that took my breath away

bouncing and penetrating your flaxen stems

a vehicle for light to say good morning

hawk

We are always in a dual
me and hawk
yesterday afternoon he
decided he wasn't going to budge
and I... wasn't going to let him stay
Okay, we'll see
I got my camera,
put on my coat and boots
and headed his way
We played a bit of chicken he and I
but he blinked and few away
He'll be back...he likes my yard
But my wards are safe for now

catkins

Among the fury of footprints in the snow
some female alder catkins have fallen
Little pine cone- like beauties
hoping to last into the Spring
to kiss the warming earth and
fulfill their destinies

morning shadow

The joy of morning light
the sun, low rising, bright
on the horizon,
me standing in its beauty,
becoming one with
the chokeberry shadow
against the fence

future joy

I knew in late fall
that branches cut
from the mugos
would make a fine
brush pile
and I knew the joy I was
pushing into the future
would be there when bunny rabbit
and chickadee took refuge there
through the night and in the storm
This morning I found the joy
that I had planted in my winter garden
... footprints
...and a chickadee who flew out from the branches
as I came near

through my window

Perched on the edge
a dove sits wary
Open water in the midst of freeze
It has need of water
to drink and to preen
survival pushing it to dip
into this mystery

What grows

Long ago a seed was planted
and it sprouted

a garden of love grows inside me
and it began in a manger
long ago

Merry Christmas from my tree to yours!

I took a walk..no,a trudge through the garden this morning
looking ..looking
I found berries and birds
squirrels and bare branches
but this little patch of snow made me smile
Ah, what a composition,
Mother Nature
Fall leaves fallen on snow
dead asters bowing
joy
I found joy this morning

Bunny prints
he must have found the fallen hawthorne berries
good for him

Beggar at my window

I love how squirrels pull their paws in when they are thinking
ever notice that?
This one for sure is sending me glares
and thoughts of his needs this cold and new -snow morning
I had to shovel my way out to put seed in the feeders for the birds
and for them, my pesky squirrels, who think I owe them
But the joy they bring me with their antics are worth it
I now have a new stray kitty that has been coming around for a bite
to eat .....Boo thinks it's wonderful his new friends at the door
and if my friend Mary hadn't rescued Boo..he'd be a feral cat
looking for food and shelter everyday himself
and living a horrible life full of dangers...
So thank you Mary for Boo
you saved a good one!

I know it was a miracle
an unexpected happenstance of nature
that three long earred owls landed
and stayed in my garden for two week
two years ago..but
I hold hope in my heart
that they will return
someday

I must guard myself from wishing for what will not be for a while
a garden filled with flowers and a warm breeze
For now I must enjoy the beauty I see
like snow gracing the branches of the white pines
and footprints in the snow
and the low hanging sunlight
shimmering against my wind chimes
and the birds
always the birds

Annebelle hygraneas

Ah... from the window.. the Annabelles
folded over in cold
touching snow
I saw bunny and kitty prints through them this morning
what a wonderful small discovery

Morning opens gently

I love when morning opens gently. Though it is cold outside and the snow has turned icy, the garden is alive with activity for my viewing pleasure. This little fellow and his cohorts have eaten just about every seed I have placed out for all the wards to partake of for survival. That is one thing about squirrels,they eat and eat.
A brave one came to the window and looked in....are you home?
Today I feel centered in my being and he simply amuses me. I drink my coffee slowly knowing shortly I will answer his pleas and place out some peanuts that he doesn't know that I have stashed away. 
It will be an empty day for doing nothing but puttering. A day to be savored with just myself.
 I like days like that. Not the same as puttering in the garden, but things need tidying up and tending to and weeding inside as well.  But for now let the sun pour in and make me glad.

nuthatch poem

 

Nuthatch

Quick,at the feeder,pausing

upside down,in its beak

a sunfower seed held tight

to glance by chestnut,dust blue,

white, an eye-streak

Gone in a blurred ripple

straight to the cedar branch

to the trunk to a crevice

in bark and putting it

in there, quick,with the others,

Then arrowing straight back

for just one more all morning.

-David Wagoner

This poet is an observer of the nuthatch, for sure.

Their curious behavior of grabbing a seed and stashing it is amusing to watch

Do they ever eat half of them?

Nature is funny that way..others do the work sometimes

But I'm certain it's all in the great plan of order

Today I delighted in watching a nuthatch

and thought of this poem...so well described

enjoy

wards of the garden

cold blowing snow
it's tough out here
shiver,feather tuck
no coos
hope she comes out
and scatters some seed
yesterday I hear she brought
a dog inside
and that darn stray cat
how's he rate a heated house
and water bowl?
At least we have each other

gift of helping

It was so cold and windy this morning that I didn't go outside to look around. But something appeared on my deck and began sniffing around the birdseed that had dropped. Boo, my little kitty, was the first to notice this poor creature. I saw Boo's tail fluff up and saw him halloween kitty across the floor. Oh dear, I called out to my husband...there's a dog on our deck and his nose is bleeding.
We put Boo away and opened the door and the dog came right in and ate all of Boo's food. The poor thing was limping and had his tail tucked so tightly. The police came and got him and took him to the shelter to try and locate his owners...old tags around his neck.
My my you never know how your day will begin. But I am happy to have saved this pooch from further freezing.
To be able to help an animal on my birthday was quite a gift from the universe...thanks God

winter color

Winter color
that's what they call it
remains of grasses and evergreens
The only things that break up the bleakness of deep winter
We are not there yet, but I heard this morning that Minnesota has 18 inches already..we may get 6-8 inches ourselves tonight
Galena probably will get hit hard too....and we are going to miss that glorious feeling of being stranded in wonderland :(
But for now I must enjoy what is before me.
I fed the 7 squirrels that were in trees in my yard
Filled the feeders as the chicadees were complaining
and I made sure that the water was still heated in the birdbath
Oh what I do for my charges....my husband does not get it
That's why I blog...you all get it!
and I love you for it!

Was that a robin?

Oh my goodness,yesterday on my way out I thought I heard the chirp of a robin.
I've heard that some do winter over here in Illinois...but I think that is very rare.
I presume the one I heard was just a lazy, silly, procrastinating, daffy bird.
Our winters can be very brutal with frigid weather..and the snow can be deep,heavy and everlasting.
So I think most, if not all songbirds hightail it to warmer climates.
Yes, it was a robin. I spotted him on top of the hawthorn trees...munching away on those glorious cheery berries.
I hope he gets going soon.
But I have to confess that hearing his chirp made my heartbeat bounce.
In spring it is what I wait for...the song of the robins. This one was not singing, only chirping..that short sharp chirp. I think it is an announcing chirp...food...or danger.
Lucky for this fellow the mountain ash berries have not all been harvested. They are covered in snow a bit, he'll have to work for his supper. But I am happy that I planted so many food sources for birds. Berries everywhere. Most are gone now, but I can see a few dried up ones here and there.
It is my wish that he move on.
Like a good mother who's heart is breaking to see them leave, I whisper....go child bird....go

The merriment has started
The first snow stirred the feelings
for Christmas and all its glory
A home on the inside
that from the outside looks warm
and inviting as the garden did in the summer
Let things bloom inside
in shades of reds,green,gold and silver
and leave out a tray of goodies
for our wards outside
who from our windows delight
us with their presense through
the short days and long nights ahead

Too bad a branch suddenly let go and dumped snow
on me and my camera...clouding my lens
But Oh Joy!
I wish you could hear the honking going on above me
the Canada geese were going nuts honking and flying
it was pure JOY listening
pure joy
..I'm gettting alot of that lately
how about you?
The snow this morning was of the pretty kind
fairy land...but heavy
I was like a kid rushing out this morning to walk in it
oh Seasons...Now I remember why I like them
summer who?
ps..do you see the goose in the photo!!

 Annabelle

you will hold your beauty throughout the winter

your dried petal hands reaching out for snow

and I will gaze upon you from the kitchen window

  sing your winter praises high and low

 

His Handsomeness

Oh dear

Who was there first?
I am happy to report that I didn't find a single feather,
however I did find a sleeping kitty in the outside heated house
It's almost winter..and he knows I'm a sucker
for stray cats...especially his Handsomeness

love affair with red

 You must plant it to enjoy it

and I am grateful that I did

For on days like this

those red hawthorne berries outside the window

have cheered my weary cold being

as I stir around the house

wishing and planning what I'll do

in the garden next year