Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Goose egg

Mojo and I stumbled upon a nest with goose on top, neck bent like a snake - so still I first thought dead goose. I stayed back and managed to coax Mojo to follow me off the small island. Not a great spot for a nest as high water could easily destroy. When the goose moved from the nest as Mojo neared, she revealed a large egg - suitable for Faberge.

Several walks today, blustery but sunny, and although frosty morning, the garden was fine. Strawberries look good in the raised beds too. Walked in the small field behind the chicken coop, which now has several teenage black walnuts. It was the area the first years we moved here where we planted several fruit trees and even pecans. Ha! Cows and deer quickly decimated them. A decade later home to Roberta pig. Then more than a score after that Winston and Chrissy llamas romped
.

Monday, March 28, 2016

one week

Next week at this time I'll be drinking coffee in preparation of driving to the airport at 10:30 PM to pick up the people of the blue house! Had fun this morning buying goodies for our delayed Easter egg hunt and some clothes for the kids as they return to cool evenings. And most fortunately Cooley worked me into his schedule to work on my irritated piriformis muscle. 
The blood root is blooming by the river and violets are up ( I think of Unka Don every time I eat the wild violets as he told me of the flower's B12 content). I remember the first year living here, making mint tea from the wild mint by the creek. eating watercress salads all spring and fall and watercress and peanut butter sandwiches. Coming down from the walk up Red Bud I pulled the top off dried bergamot stalks, thinking of adding some to tea. 
The raised beds with lettuce, arugula, spinach, cilantro, radish and beets look healthy. My onions are up 2 inches, but I think I need to plant more sugar snap peas as only a few have sprouted. The cabbage, kale and broccoli look good, though the swiss chard looks a bit weak. The twiggy pear trees have promising buds! Excited.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Easter in the Pagan woods

The river thru the tulip populars, yesterday. Today, Easter, dogs and I have walked to the blue house to gaze up from under the blooming magnolia. We're off for a walk to the river, pagan delight, and give great thanks. 
I'm excited that the kids would like an egg hunt when they get home! 

Friday, March 25, 2016

Down from the Cabin

I love the old logging road up to the cabin, down from this spot you can hear the roar of Big Bear Falls. And this afternoon we could hear the geese on the river honking. The dogs and I didn't make it to the cabin as I didn't want to exacerbate the sciatica in my right hip. Maybe tomorrow.
Working on a poem this morning:
Good Friday



light rain, my cat’s fur damp as she nudges my arm,
pushing me further from the dream
my bed a door to the other house
where my twin lives
deja vue cathedral ceilings, 
a transposed room with odd configuration
i see a diary on a shelf
i can’t find her,
flowers heavy scent

i find myself looking for keys.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Spring in another form


These are by the house, just peaking thru sand at the river. Very very blustery today, blowing smoke all the way from fire in Franklin County - or so I assume. Hope it is not a fire closer. Rain coming tonight. Walked up to the diving rock with Katy and Elliott this afternoon - wonderful warm day. 
Yesterday, I received a wonderful video of Fia opening her Easter package from me and dancing like a masterful whirling dervish in her new dress - slow motion and then Fia speed. Then this afternoon, Mindy posts Pearl like a dervish on playa Coson...I've two sufis in the family. Wow. A week from Monday and I'll have the company of Pearl and True. 

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

wild goose shows me

This afternoon at the swimming hole, a wild goose flew off from his mate to settle in the shallow water lapping the eroded beach. He preened and extended his great wings. I watched until my small dog began to bark, and left not wanting to disturb.
Earlier in the day I went to a planned parenthood meeting at the UUC which was very informative with several young people joining our group. On the way out I noticed a freshman at Tech who had come, but obviously wasn't getting into a car so I asked if she needed a ride. i gave her a ride across campus, learning that she was from Charlottesville (parents both professors)and that she had double major (English and Physics). I said, "you must write poetry!" Right she said. I gave her one of my cards and said I'd feed her if she needed a brake from school. 
Lovely warm day! Tomorrow supposed to be warmer.


Monday, March 21, 2016

After reading Mary Paterson's The Monks and Me

Breathe in the exhalation of my neighbor tree
Breathe out a small gift back

Breathe in as far as blooming pussy willow
Breathe out a tender breeze

Breathe in to toes
Breathe out and bend to touch

Breathe deep to here
Breathe out to now I am

Breathe as the gold finch at feeder
Breathe out to fly away with him.


Mary Paterson writes of her 40 days at Thich Nhat Hanh's French monastery which inspired me to write the lines above.  In one part of the book she mentions Thich Nhat Hanh speaking of finding your hermit and I realized I found mine in Red Bud, the mountain who looks over me!




Sunday, March 20, 2016

They say It better

I've been heavily distracted of late by articles on FB from Bill Moyers interviews, NY Times, Huffington Post, Alternet and other sources speaking of the trouble with our country, the primaries, the candidates. All very well said, I could not possibly do better. Although, along with others, I have been bemoaning the money in politics, the power in the hands of lobbyists, the lying corporations, the insidious defense conglomerate. Years ago I learned that in every state of this nation, there is some business which manufactures a necessary part of the weapons industry. This insures that every legislator Democrat or Republican votes to keep funding the defense budget. All elected officials of either party must spend a good portion of their day raising money - it is insane; no wonder there are few good candidates for office. Who wants the job. 

Saturday, March 19, 2016

wake up rain

Alma came to dinner last night and helped me cover my 4 raised beds with plastic, but not frosty this morning, rain. I've uncovered the four and will leave them topless until Sunday night. I want to climb up to the blue house to see the Japanese magnolia this morning. Mojo restless this morning with the rain, perhaps he'll enjoy a walk. I think I will go into town for errands as it isn't a great day for other activities except perhaps crawling in bed with book - which I might do. 





Wednesday, March 16, 2016

New spectacles, bluets and garter snake

Picked up my new spectacles yesterday, less than 24 hours after getting eyes tested! Good news that my cataracts are very small and growing extremely slowly - so I can put off concern over surgery. 
Good long lazy walk to the high muddy river, the geese couple still on the island honking at us. Discovered a small moss outcrop with bluets. 

i speculated on the walk up river on the logging road, that a snake might
venture out in these warm days to bask,
delight on the way home to spy a garter snake stretched out,
among the leaves, he didn’t stir as i spoke to him

and hid his head when i took a pictures.

More primaries yesterday; Trump still trumpeting loudly with his hordes and now armed guards. But none of the other Republican candidates are any better, Cruz may be scarier. Hillary bravely carrying on as is Bernie; I'll be working for one of them soon. 

Monday, March 14, 2016

Thunderstorms in the Greening world

Mojo pacing, shaking, panting, terribly anxious during thunderstorms. Heavy rain with lightning and pea sized hail. A stream of muddy water runs down the road. My metal roof brings the sound down close. Its too dark to see the creek rise but I know it swells. 
Mojo finally wedged himself into a corner of the guest room after trying to get behind the Chinese cabinet. 
Today the willows went for green.  The Japanese magnolia at the Blue house is about to burst. The redbud on edge. The spice bushes set their yellow dots at the edge of the trees by the river. Green, green, green.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

working on poem with rabbit



the porcelain blue lady on the shelf


once quiescent in a window of my grandmother’s house
in a Pennsylvania town of 50 coal miner families, blue lady
welcomed my sister and me each summer
with endless stories.
I don’t remember a one, though I know the words
run in the facia of my life,
waking me to the stillness of the rabbit
halted in the yard

nose twitching to know the world.

Friday, March 11, 2016

pansies and violas in the window boxes

I couldn't wait any longer and this morning drove up to Slaughter's to find pansies for the window boxes. I bought some swiss chard starts even though I have seeds in a raised bed and in containers in the green house - insurance! Baldwin and Mindy can have any extras. I also came home with a few curly kale plants and a carnation. Dogs had to wait for me to finish planting before our walk to the river. 
I ate dinner on the deck; maybe a first in 42 years for March 11th (Andi's birthday!). Tomorrow night we will lose an hour to Day Light Savings Time - a slight disruption. A little over three weeks until Pearl and her people are home - yippee!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Oh, lovely day

I rescued this metal chair from the sand by the swimming hole, the two legs were sticking out of the sand presenting a hazard. I sat while the dogs excavated a second deer leg in the rocks. The geese were drifting the river below us, honking in a spirited display as we walked home along the river. In the 70's here! Amazing, delightful and a bit frightening. Stopped on the way home from teaching and grocery at the Childress Garden center for onion sets, broccoli and cabbage starts. I planted them - wishful - but how could I refrain from trying to gain an edge on the season of fresh food. Watercress looking very good in the spring. 


Sunday, March 6, 2016

Siting on front porch swing

It didn't really warm up until afternoon, but I enjoyed reading on the front porch swing for a short time. Before that the dogs and I hiked to the blue house to return the scale i had borrowed to weigh luggage for the Dominican Republic trip. I sat on the "mood swings" and kicked off into the day. Ah. We'd walked to the river too early and I didn't warm up until I lay on the sand where our creek empties into the Little. I wonder how I can be this lucky to be lazy with the day or perhaps lazier than the day! 

Saturday, March 5, 2016

sun rise Qigong

The sun catches me and pulls me towards its light splashing the east side of house.  Time for qigong on mornings I'm not teaching. Arms over my head to meet palms, pull prayer hands down to chest, breathe in, hold, breathe out and lower hands, separating across abdomen to rest at sides. I warm up, slapping sides, then down each leg, each arm. I twist my hips so that my arms swing and pat my ass. I smile. I do the wild goose set; thinking of the couple of geese at the river paddling upstream. 

Friday, March 4, 2016

sounds of spring

Dusting of snow this morning that has disappeared. Even in the cool wind, outside has lost its winter grim grip. I am half wanting to rant on the fascist leaning of too many voters and on the other hand, struck silent by the sad futility the endeavor.  It seems Donald backers seek authority out of fear of outsiders and a desire for order. They would rather build walls than discuss avenues to citizenship. An excellent article in VOX, "The Rise of American Authoritarianism," covers this situation in great detail. There is a scarcity of curiosity and of independence.  The article points out that the Republican party in courting the votes of dissatisfied southern Democrats after the integration of public schools, became a party of traditional values ("silent majority" - not anymore!) and of law and order. Drumpf's "simple,  powerful and punitive" message is music to their ears - just as his words raise ire in my feminist bones. I see evidence of the Drumpf appeal to white men who wish to gain control of their world which seems threatened by gays, Mexicans and Muslims near by - one of the houses that flies a confederate flag on route 8, has switched to a large TRUMP flag.  Sobering.