Homeward

Flying vee above.
Formation shifting reforms.
Geese are homeward bound.

March

As March comes to its end we have more spring days than winter. Easter is coming, full of home and promise. Today I attended an ecumenical service sponsored by St. Thomas Catholic Church which features seven pastors from seven different denominations. There is hope in the coming together. The frogs and toads are in full throat and the early blossoms bring smiles. I hope the storm and hail miss us. I hope for warm afternoons to work outside. I am reminded of two haiku from 2008.

Peepers

A riotous choir
of peepers calling to mates.
Harbingers of spring.

Violets

Little violets
Among the grass unaware.
My admiration.

Ides of March

Ides of March announced.
Spring Peepers calling boldly.
Season is turning.

Driving a country road:

Familiar hills,
Deep valleys of memory.
Personal landscapes.

Predators

From my breakfast window, March 1, 2010

Flock of Robins hunt.
Each with grassy space to prowl
Seek unwary worms.

Still Winter

It is still winter, season of harsh, cruel beauty. I've been whining this week because our weather continues to be colder and wetter than average. Then I read Ev Barbee's blog, Arrows & Prayers (www.arrowsandprayers.blogspot.com). She is in India, working in mission with women. She does a short term trip somewhere every year. Her writing is beautiful, thoughtful and convicts me of the pampered life I am fortunate to have. I don't know Ev, but I've become a follower. Her father has been my dentist since before she was born. Later the news shows the northeast, where people are truly suffering winter. How dare I complain. Yet I long for a warm sunny weekend like last so I can be outdoors and stretching my body. My garden vision for next weekend, barring rain:

2/28/2010
Fiery ritual
Garden bed aflame
Dross and pests consumed by fire.
Purification.


Two contrasting views on winter's past:

12/2008
Winter Forest
Stripped of excess green
The winter forest reveals
its inner beauty.

3/15/2009
Trees broken and torn
By nature's cold cruel hand.
Winter storm of ice.

Sunshine

Glorius sunshine all weekend brought joy to my soul. Bill and I were able to get outside, he to clearing a large limb that came down with the snow a few weeks ago, and I to a little garden clean-up. Today we planted 4 blueberry bushes in hopes that they will be more successful than the previous ones. The first seeds will go in the ground on the next sunny weekend, whenever that may be.