Passing under trees
I become like a child
Smiling in constant wonder
I touch and smell and hope
For a small treasure to taste!
Hidden Smiles
A little girls walks
Through the campground
Stopping at each clump
Of grass, examining
She picks
The perfect seed stalk
And adds it
To her growing bouquet
I say Good Morning
At a distance
Can she see
The creases at my eyes
As they deepen?
Can she hear
The smile in my voice
Which is kept hidden
Behind my mask?
Reflection
The moss-covered branch
Reaches down
And touches itself
In the pond’s
Smokey-mirrored surface
Snow at Oak Creek Farm
Through the window
Edges frosted in fog
Trees stand in coats
Of newly-fallen snow
It drops in clumps
And showers
In the breeze
And as birds flit
From branch to branch
Or the bending branches
Shake it off
To reach a little higher
Once-invisible wires
Of a pasture fence
Are bold, uneven
Strands of white
Stretching from
Post to post
Like lengths of
Hand-spun yarn
The snow falls again
In thick heavy flakes
Adding to the
Blanket of white
NaNoWriMo 2017 – The Adventure Continues
Last year, I took part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short, or NaNo for even shorter). For those unfamiliar with NaNo, it is a month-long event in which writers worldwide undertake to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. I jumped in, and with little planning “won” by writing more than 50,000 words in the month. But my novel wasn’t finished. After NaNo, I worked on my book off and on. Finally, I finished writing my first draft in September. Now, it’s time for reviewing and editing my book.
My wife and I were talking last week, and I told her I didn’t intend to write during NaNo this year. Instead, I’d use the time I’d put to writing to my review and editing process, as well as another project I’ve had kicking around in my mind.
I was comfortable with that decision. It felt good.
But, apparently, my muses had other plans.
The thing about muses, you see, is they don’t play by our rules. They don’t necessarily abide by our plans, if they run contrary to theirs.
Thus, I woke up in the tent in the pre-dawn twilight out at the coast with a story idea in my mind. As I lay watching the morning brighten and listen to the birds wake up, key characters began to develop, as did the plot.
My wife awoke next to me and I looked at her. “I guess I am writing NaNo this year.”
And so it begins…another novel from concept to completion. OK, Muses, you got your way. Let’s do this!
Larkspur Lane
Spring is in full force here at the farm. Today’s poem is inspired by a little splash of color down by the creek. Enjoy!
Waist tall stalks
Tipped in purple
Stand on either side
Showing off
Adding brightness
To the shade
It brings a smile
Each time I walk
Through Larkspur Lane
Larkspur Lane
Doorway
The other day, we were walking along the creek here on the farm, enjoying the spring day. As we stood under a western red cedar near where Maurie likes to sit and enjoy the creek, I noticed the fairy house she’d made a couple of months ago. When we came back up to the house, I wrote this poem and thought it would be fun to see what art it would inspire. I left the poem on the desk when I went to work, and when I came home, the art piece below was one of several she’d created that afternoon. Enjoy the poem and one of Maurie’s works of art!
I saw the tree
As I walked
Down the sidewalk
Bark was peeled off
Down low, in an
Uneven arch
The wood below
Weathered and gray
It looked like a door
With the wildflowers
Growing off to the sides
And the flat stone out
In front, like a porch
And I wondered
Who lives in there?
Art by Maurie Kirschner, The Green Woman
You can visit Maurie’s blog at: https://followinghercuriosity.wordpress.com/
High Places
Mt Rainier from Wonderland Trail – Summer 2001
Take me to the high places
To the mountain peaks
Touched by morning’s first light
As the rising sun reaches
For a handhold as it pulls itself up
From its nightly slumber
Let me join my shadow
To that of the mountain
That stretches miles to the west
Take me where rivers are born
In frigid snow melt lakes
Nestled amongst scoured rock
And solitary wind-sculpted trees
Away from the bustle
And noise of civilization
And where forests and fields
Stretch before me
In a vast patchwork quilt
Take me to the high places
To the domain of pika
And marmot and mountain goat
To the mountain peaks
Where I stand in the light
As the sun reaches out
And caresses me with its warmth
As it bids good night
And slips into the sea
NaNoWriMo 2015 – Taking the plunge!
30 days…
50,000 words…
1 novel…
That’s the challenge of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.
I first heard about NaNoWriMo in 2010 when my wife entered. It looked like a lot of fun, and I’ve wanted to enter since. For a long time, I never made the commitment to jump in and do it, despite having a story concept rattling around in my head for years.
This year, we noticed that our local library has hosting a planning party for this year’s event. Well, we decided to jump in. We went to the party, me without really deciding what I was going to write.
Now here we are, late in the evening of day 4, and I’m sitting at 11176 words so far…over 1/5 of the way to the goal. It feels pretty good.
I’m learning a lot about my approach to writing a story. I don’t tend to map it out (or I haven’t so far 😉 ). It makes it all the more exciting to see where the characters are going to take the story. because the heck if I know! (OK, I know how I want it to end…)
As I busily write my novel, I’ll drop in and write a few thoughts about the process and the event itself.
Do you NaNo? If you do, introduce yourself in the comments and let me know how it’s going for you!
Autumn Traveler
Autumn Traveler
I have watched the water
Ever since I was young
As it flows past my home
Slipping
Over smooth rocks
And swirling
Into quiet pools
It looks like so much fun
I have always wanted
To ride along
To see
Where it goes
Dressed in my autumn best
Of golden yellow
I unfurl
Stretching out
To greet the wind
And let go of my branch
To float down
And land
Lighly
On the stream
To ride along
To see
Where it goes
Writings and Ramblings 