First Red in a Sea of Green

On a vigorous afternoon bike ride I noticed a lone sycamore leaf with a beautiful shade of red. I picked it up and rode down the road to a quaint spot in the still lush and green woods. My composition took a few moments - it's not easy to get a leaf to stay in twigs. I call this 'first red in a sea of green'

advertent - heedful

I had an acquaintance once who in all things nature was universally aligned, yet in all things politics was diametrically opposite. We tended to both be advertent with all things email/online conversations, and those that hardly ever got back to inquiries were the great unwashed that tend to be the so-called moderates/independents -- is this irony or is there a better word to describe it?

can't get enough

can't get enough
of blue skies and sunflowers
can't get enough
of whiling away the hours
looking at nature
every plant and creature
beauty in everything, including rain-showers

Spanning the gulf of time at Gullfoss

If I could say to a lovely lass, meet me at the misty banks of Gullfoss, I would do so in a time machine, and we'd meet in between, spanning the gulf of time and tide that separate our respective places in the universe.

Should I stay or should I go

Will it rain or no?
Should I stay or should I go?
It will stop and then we'll play.
The rain won't stop us anyway.

Great-horned Owl

instant dilation! Still having fun watching the young owls mature.
This is one owl, and the eye was dilated, and then he turned toward the sun and it was quickly smaller and not dilated.


Big Yawn - Great-horned Owl
I really like going back every morning to see these cute owls. It's fun! All these years I've waited to see one, and this Spring I have!

Great-horned Owl chicks

A funny thing happened on the way to see the Great-horned Owl chicks at Harrison Hills Park, Allegheny County. I saw one that looked like this:

I've seen them there on and off for about 10 days, and this seemed strange to me. I've never seen one laying on his stomach before. At first I thought he was sick or worse, dead. But when I went back the next day, there they both still were, as fine as ever. It was a bit depressing in that intervening time period. So he was just laying on his stomach, staring down at me.

Great Horned Owl

An owl for my eye,
as anything but shy,
staring toward sky,
blue heavens do not cry

By substance

Flashing reflections quickly dash across my vision,
like sleek stylish impressions without action;
Well dressed and goodly spoken,
yet underneath somewhat broken,
by substance it compares as just a fraction

It's quiet in nature - in winter

It's quiet in the stillness of winter, nature holds back it's fervent calls,
except for tinkling of water,
and the occasional outburst from the pileated woodpeckers,
it's quiet, the hush is deafening.