about to turn the page

...
hoping for bright days ahead
all of us
all
...

wonderland

white white white
white white white
white white white white white

crunching the numbers one spam message at a time...

'70% off + an additional 30% off'

is like, i think, 100% off

i'm no economist, but i guess this means it's free

break out the plastic

the visitor

a tiny bird flits around in the dogwood
as snowflakes fall gently all around

the hollydays

can be a bit
exhausting

strums and hums

writing at the dining table
a vase with eryngium and dr. suessy bright yellow pods
serenaded by electric strings in the basement below

sun setting at 4:30pm
brisk sunday late afternoon

all is lovely

swim along little amazon fishes

The red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) is one species from the Xingu River found to have been contaminated by plastics...Guardian Nov 16/18

time to do better
for them
for us
all of us

fault lines

little tremors
that let the light in

fauna

a mandarin duck has been spotted in Central Park in NYC
no pizza rat, but spectacular all the same
rare
vivid
bright plumage
distinct from some of the other water friends

not to be outdone, we have a (more or less) resident woodpecker
happy that we've left the fading front poplar still standing

big city mice/smaller city country mice
in appreciation of feathers/fur/feathers
we're pretty much the same

waves

sounds carry differently under the blanket of white
a little more muffled
a little more subdued
cold but coddled

soflty falling

a magpie in the spruce
tittering before flying away
blowing snow
accumulations
clocks back an hour
and this is here to stay

going forward

inspiring words from Jane Goodall:

'My job is to give people hope, for without it we fall into apathy and do nothing.'

The Guardian, November 3, 2018

table manners

some squirrels eat pine cones
like corn cobs

but that's their business

lumens

somethings would seem pretty dark
if not for the soft afternoon light

some days

things have a way of working out
or not

like days when you think maybe you will be making a new
forever friend
and you pack up the car with the carrier and some towels
and plan to stop along the way for food and litter and a new
litter box

and in between you go for an interview
and it goes okay but maybe you get the sense less so than more so
but in addition to the conversation you are treated to
a snow leopard video online
and you think...mmm...???...
maybe
maybe not

so you get back on the bus
and meet up
and have a nice lunch
and decide to call ahead just in case
and are told your possibly new forever friend
has found a home with some other friends
(just not you)

and that's just how it goes some days
this Friday in late October
unseasonably warm
(but that's another story)

uh oh...

someone small has been into the cheese

Gold Bar Tuesday

little birds are dancing in the sun

flakes

snow on the branches
snow on the lawn
snow on the fence
snow on the mailbox
snow on the downspout
snow on the driveway
snow on the sidewalk

early October but apparently never too early
for a snow day

sky shades

there's a website where you can find out the astrological colour of the day
a little profile on the specific hue
and its qualities and characteristics
today's is 'Arabesque':
ingenious
playful
serious

not quite sure how those three things all synch up
but hey, why not?

another smoke advisory
and an eerie late afternoon lighting
the sky is smoky ochre

serious

take the A train

two goats were on the lam
on the subway tracks in NYC
spotted
rescued
off to Farm Sanctuary
the kids are alright

something for the furry ones

sign of the day:

'Water for dogs'

fumes

there is a new icon
on the Environment Canada weather site
grey plumes indicating 'Smoke'
and it is smoky here today
and has been on and off for awhile now

reminded once again of lyrics from a Housemartin's song
'I was told not to play with fire
The world's on fire'

time to get busy
more work
less play

luminous

smoky hazy day
about to be put to bed
lamp light and on the window
moths
moths
moths
flitting
fragile
late night wings

waves

i just read that the grieving mother orca
is still swimming with her calf
sixteen days after it died
and only 75 remain in her pod

we have to find how
to swim another way

dream bandit

last night i dreamt that a raccoon got into the house
it was rambunctious and fun at first but then things shifted
it got a little aggressive when politely shown the door
i woke up just as it turned on me and started biting my thumb
note to self:  be mindful of welcoming unexpected guests

smoke filtered sun

nomenclature

prairie dogs?
ground squirrels?

anyone
anyone?

Banff buddy

mountain park rodentia 101

• when viewed from five floors above, creatures below may seem smaller or larger than actual reality
• activity varies throughout the day (for both viewers and subjects)
• pikas are mountain range creatures
• pikas do not however have tails
• prairie dogs are apparently mountainous in range also
• here we have prairie dogs...other places have meerkats

Wellspring

Springers

J35

sending love from the prairies
across the Rockies
and into the waters off Vancouver Island
how do you embrace a grieving orca?
with all your heart

The Great Escape

Torty went on the lam
a little break from the backyard
hitting the streets downtown
cruising along before being spotted
and picked up near the Royal Alex by animal control
a little water, veg and heat lamp loving
soon to be rerouted home
just another day in the life
of a ten year old tortoise

the winged ones

three junior magpies
scarpering on the lawn
outside the All Saints' Cathedral

news of a ghost magpie
on the far northside

pica power
all across town

heavy skies

thunderstorm watch
thunderstorm warning

winds and sheets of rain

ebbing now
dripping down

grey washing away

Rx for the perils of watering marigolds under a sappy spruce tree

apply olive oil to affected area
work in and let sit
shampoo
lather
rinse
repeat

respite
from sticky business

fleurs

nigella
echinacea
pink fronds
and something Suessy

a week on and soon time to go

lovely while they lasted

strums

fingertips on strings
threading chords
stitching me
undone
heart chambers
lit up
electric

pica pica jr. picas

lots of squawking the last few days
mamas
papas
babies

learning the ropes
charting flight paths
how to be the best winged rascals in the hood

mag wheels
tart pies

magging
tarty
awesome
bossy
bossy
magpies

early summer evening sun

scatterings of shasta daisies

chords and melodies
strumming electrics

shadows of leaves
shadows on leaves
wind threading poplar

the geraniums are rioting
bursts of crimson/defiant hues
marching up
down
all around

petals and notes
in this prairie city
backyard

watching and wondering...

if the World Cup fan wearing the Panda head costume
is finding it hot in there...

mmm....

wisping

the tiny tory pads are all around now
to have and hold in spirit
imprinted in ink
on precious paper
here in memory
and so many fond memories
of our small sir

summer's eve eve

tomorrow sun rise/set
5:04/10:07

a day of union
promise
celebration

keys that unlock hearts

Apidae rescue

when you come across a sluggish bee on your path
take a moment to consider how you might be of assistance
a leafy green might aid as an invite to transport
from the place of heavy traffic to a more secluded spot
out of harm's way
a little time out for the winged one
so that in time after resting
she might begin buzzing
again

and oh what heights we'll hit...

glad that the raccoon in Minnesota made it
all the way up

somedays the news of the world isn't glum at all

this tuesday

windy morning
ramen lunching
passport photos
coming home to quiet
some corresponding
searching for heartfelt words
plant tending
slow sun shining
winds ebbing
in these ever lightening days

blowing

it would be good if there was a volume switch
to turn down the winds today
gusty
blustery
too much muchery

overcast

the heliotrope is wet
the scabiosa is wet
the succulent is wet (hopefully not too wet)
the basil is wet
the red rooster grass is wet
the squirrels are wet
the magpies are wet
if the calico cat is out today
the calico cat is wet

we were dry and thirsty
and thankful for the rain
and now everything and everyone
is wet

process

somethings in life are not so linear

feathers

working on a kingfisher project
and visited by a blue jay
friends with feathers

ascending

shadows in manulife this afternoon
figures going up the escalator
lunchtime in the sun
with a dear friend
near
dear
ascending

day and night

planting begonias and cock's comb
a bunny noshing the gazanias
and dreams of walking through a yard
full of white and pink water lilies
where the small sir swims now

still

the leaves are rustling in the wind
and some robins are chirping
the house is very quiet today

Sweet Frente

the birds are singing today...
spring 1999-june 1, 2018

XII

on the way home
down 106 A
the twelfth robin
all jaunty on the boulevard
red abreast in Gold Bar

kinder gentler

time to find
other ways

People on the Path

soiling

begonias begonias begonias begonias
(scarlet, orange, salmon, pink)
dahlia
nasturtiums
geraniums
portulaca
heliotrope
lantana
gazania
pansies
coleus

the marigolds ('winning grace in the language of flowers')
will have to wait
their day in the sun will come on Sunday

fluidity

last night, dreams of rolling mountain streams
and later, running liquid honey through a film projector
crystal clear sticky nocturnal flows

mauve days

suddenly, lilacs fill the air
the month when everything wakes up and comes alive
long blooming swooning days
the merry month of May

high temps

heatwave or no heatwave
all the little birds
just keep on tittering

abracadabra

there is a van in the hood today
a black van with the words 'Blind Magic' painted on the side
maybe someone is having their window coverings cleaned
but i'd prefer to think that there are unseen forces at work
a little supernatural delivery system
wizardry on wheels

still

the apple tree hanging over the fence is blooming
soft pink blossom flowers
petals here and there tearing away in the wind

although no longer with us
this still feels like Nettie's tree
Nettie's tree in Nettie's yard

strums

beautiful music winding its way up the staircase
fingertips on metallic strings
electric
wave upon wave upon waves

up this morning briefly around 4am with frente
the sky already beginning to lighten up

late spring but feels like summer
and if i could be anywhere
---somehow magically transported---
i would choose to be here in this moment
in this place
in this light
in this listening
right now

just for show...

when frente was a little slip of a tabby
we joked that he had 'old man ears'
fuzzy, furry, hirsute
now at 19 he doesn't hear so well anymore
(or at least his hearing is selective)
the little appendages are more or less for show
looking dapper in his senior years
as we shower him with waves
sonic waves of kisses

petrichor

noun
a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather

twilight

shades of blue and green

there are some colours
in the reflected waters
of the mountain park lakes
that take your breath away
meanwhile the small fishes (mini minnows) swim along
indifferent to it all
all the grandeur
all the beauty
but i guess they do their breathing there
well below the surface

dressing with optimism

somedays
when you discover
that one of your favourite covers
'tops'
has a spot that hasn't disappeared
despite repeated attempts to erase it
you happen on a little discovery:
a Doctor Doolittle PushMe/PullYou
front to back
and all is more or less good again

no worries that when you make your exit
it will be with a circle of soil on your back
the ever expanding past

wrapping arms around it

'on the precipice of a fossilized Bone Tar pit
at the end of a spent day'...

and on the patio of The Next Act
after an evening of Gravity cabaret

communing with friends
on a picnic bench
under the shelter of an awning
and the scent of the first late night
spring city rain

flitting

soft air
budding leaves
and butterfly wings

in the air

a little time to reflect
waiting on a sidewalk chair
Norwood Blvd in the sun
across from Fascinations Spa
and a favoured perch for a pair of pigeons

after a little while a visit to the Hungarian sausage house
with a request to use their phone
(someone has not joined the 20th century and it isn't them)

minutes later a greeting
a meeting and prospects going forward
a light landing for future flights in The Aviary

annual robin count

3 and 4 in the park along Rowland Road
...5 in a yard off Bellamy Hill

serenaded by small ones

Gravity

friday sun on the patio

some pots are broken
some leaves need raking
some twigs need collecting
a bird feeder needs topping up
and some serious sweeping sweeping sweeping

still some snow
but onto the hardy business
of spring

it's good...

it's good to be here
on a snowy spring evening

it's good to have enjoyed a nice lunch
with tasty broth and ramen noodles
tables close together

it's good to come home to
a 19 year old 'kitten'
nuzzles and lap time

it's good to know that for now
all is good

and that it's good to hold tight
and embrace everyone
and everything

all so lovely
and loving

cottoning

puffy fluffs are falling from the sky
onto rooftops
branches
lawns and walks
everything is swaddled
swaddled in white

springtime in Canada

reading today about the weather in Toronto
1200 reported auto collisions

friends near La Chute
'waiting for the storm to pass'

a bit windy here
snow forecast for later this week

a bit of runoff from the roof
melting before more freezing
then melting again

disruptions to the GulfStream

taking the 'norm'
out of normal

the first...

i heard her singing before i saw her
flitting from branch to branch
in the dogwood
the first robin

spring has been slow in coming this year
but now it has arrived

welcome to the red ones

Titanium

a chemical element with the symbol 'Ti'
and atomic number 22
a lustrous transition metal

now little pieces embedded inside
(with the promise that they won't trigger metal detectors in airports)

years ago, introduced to a friend of a friend with titanium framed glasses
he claimed they were very flexible and invited me to try them out
i politely declined but was persuaded to test them
one bend
two bends
on the third bend popped out one of his prescription lenses

Ti
a metal as we transition
into the future

a splash of colour

a cardinal on a limb the other day
the gift of bird watching
and dear friendship
a little excursion from the prairies
to the land of stones
st. andre d'argenteuil

Poecile

chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee
chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee
chickadee...

a museum of waxwings...

'Steve'

'strong thermal emission velocity enhancement
an optical manifestation of a sub-auroral ion drift'
not quite the usual northern lights
but a purple band in the sky
'a visible strip of ionized gas traveling at 4 miles per second'
Nasa is inviting skywatchers to report sightings
to its Aurorasaurus project

as we await the equinox
all eyes to the skies

pre-spring walkabout checklist

• sidewalks clear
• sidewalks with puddles
• sidewalks with ice
• sidewalks with puddles covered with ice
• sidewalks with sand
• sidewalks with gravel
• sidewalks with ice de-melter sprinkled down
• still standing christmas decorations
• snow forts
• snow people
• thawing dog poop
• dog poop in baggies
• rabbit poops
• melting windrows
• squints in sunlight
• rivulets of water

as winter winds down

riding the thread

bus
bus
train
bus

been riding public transit for several weeks now
soon to wind down
and onto other things

routes
roads
tracks
words and yarns

'spinning away'
thanks brian eno
thanks john cale
a little inspiration along the way

paws and socks

time out in the sun

Columbidae

the pigeons were busy roosting
above Alberta Avenue
all hovered together
and in fine communal form
just in time
for Family Day

popsicle streets

freezing rain today
slippy slip slips
fast and loose
for Cupid

mimsy monday

one of us is under the weather today
not feeling up to his usual sprightly self
hoping that it passes as quickly as it came on
busses and kisses
to the small sir

super blue blood moon

and some of us slept through it all
oh well
there's always
2037

and a little more inspiration...

'The exercise of imagination is dangerous to those who profit from the way things are because it has the power to show that the way things are is not permanent, not universal, not necessary.'
Ursula K. Le Guin

a little inspiration

“We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art, the art of words.” -Ursula Le Guin

two words:

carpet shark...

as in...'jump the---'

blue sky/red thread

A bit of green in January...

transit times

many many small trips
in the near future
'take a bus
take a bus...
take an ETS
it will get you there
take an ETS
it will get you there'

super moon + 1

a little lunation
as we roll on
eyes to the skies
and if wishes were fishes
a school in your name