Star Flowers
Star Blossoms - April 23, 2013 - Portland, OR
White blossoms like stars
Sing, "Come, let us welcome Spring!"
As I stroll past them.
Simple Pleasure
Simple Pleasure
Grateful for the sun
As it moved across my view.
Warming me gently.
Spring Surprises
Ruffled Tulips - April 20, 2013 - Portland, OR
Each day in our new home brings a lot of surprises. Finding out what color the camellias are (several: red, white, pink, variegated), waiting to see what colors the rhododendrons will be (white and red, so far), confirming azaleas (purple, white, and perhaps a gold one). Plus small surprises, including this single clump of ruffled tulips all alone.
Tulips unfurling.
Green edges turning to red.
Ruffled Spring surprises.
Hilo Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva - March 5, 2013 - Hilo, HI
Stone Bodhisattva.
I smile back as I walk by.
Offer a small bow.
We Stumble Forward
Dogwood - April 18, 2013 - Forest Grove, OR
What remains is this:
Actions, words, and our memories.
We stumble forward.
The Flowers Don’t Care
Spring Tree - April 15, 2013 - Wilsonville, OR
The flowers don't care.
Without noticing my grief
They reach for the sun.
The Energy of Spring
Blossoms - April 12, 2013 - Portland, OR
The energy of spring.
Life demanding to burst forth.
Exploding in growth.
Sorting
Still Pond - April 12, 2013 - Portland, OR
Today I helped with the sorting at my friend's apartment. The packing, the sifting, the cataloging, analyzing, and inventorying of a life. It is so hard.
Before going to do that, while CK attended a planning meeting for our fiend's memorial, I went out to skim the pond. It is a task that calls to me in our new home, definitely a work practice. Even as I lift pine needles off the surface of the water the wind blows new ones down, always more to be removed. I like the sound of the water dripping, the movement of the net made of silk screen material, finding the best method for collecting the needles and leaves.
Today I discovered that some of the water lilies we saw leaves for last summer have survived the winter and was lifting small, red leaves out from the murky bottom and up toward the sun.
Lily reaching up.
Emerging from dark water.
Spreading leaves sun-ward.
CK has written a very moving piece on her blog about our friend's death and about living with chronic illness (mental and/or physical) here.
Budding Lilacs
Damp Lilac Buds - April 12, 2013 - Portland, OR
Rain damp, ready to burst.
Clusters of sweet-scented jewels.
Dark lilac blossoms.
Sunshine too Blithe
Rain & Sun - March 16, 2013 - Portland, OR
I lost a good friend yesterday, but couldn't really much beyond a daily poem. I'm sure I'll move on to feeling anger, but for now I just feel such a deep and profound grief. When I try to take too deep a breath it as though the pain rushes in.
Yesterday it was cold, grey, and chilly, which seemed fitting. This morning there was still grey, misty clouds clinging to the trees but by this afternoon the sun had burned off the clouds and it was gloriously sunny. I found myself feeling angry at that, feeling some understanding of Auden's Funeral Blues in a desire for cold, dark weather to match the hurt. A sunny spring day, resplendent with flowers, seems jarring.
In grief I find the
Sunshine to be too bright, too
Blithe for the moment