Monday Memories: Haunting Storm

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Pleasant, mid-winter day

Warm winds decide to stay

 

Touch of spring thaws the air

Ideal life, not a care

 

Hidden, in frigid North

Cold destined to call forth

 

Prairie living unaware

Grass uncovered, and bare

 

Few cowboys work the range

Life will soon see big change

 

Barren land, overgrazed

Cattle wander, unfazed

 

Calmness warns of trouble

Winter’s wrath comes double

 

Arctic-fed winds stir up

Wet snow creates pileup

 

Haunting storm now arrives

Few cattle will survive

 

Blizzard smothers this land

Conditions, out of hand

 

Cowboys wait out fierce storm

Snow and cold, nasty swarm

 

Waiting, hours become days

Prairie, now winter’s maze

 

Cattle’s cries go unheard

Snow-blinded, vision blurred

 

Storm’s cruel hand, plays its cards

Life stops, prairie graveyards 

 

Montana artist Charles M. Russell captures the shattered blow of winter’s fury in “Waiting for a Chinook” (“Last of Five Thousand”) as depicted in this watercolor. (Courtesy of Pinterest)

This poem attempts to capture the daunting winter of 1886-1887 on the prairies in the Montana Territory when the Open Range’s cattle industry collapsed from its near annihilation.  Russell’s artwork says even more than words can describe.

Originally published January, 2021.

Lighter Moments (Haiku Series #356)

Winter Wishes

Landscape’s barren ground

Tracking plenty of snowflakes—

Frosty’s welcome grin

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Unpredictable Compass

Night sky’s Polaris

Navigating by North Star—

Blizzard changes course

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Tomorrow’s Weather

Forecast, right or wrong?

Let’s try flipping someone’s coin—

All pockets empty

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Monday Memories: Winter’s Repose

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Winter’s white blanket covers frozen land

Sheltering nature’s glory until spring

Arctic-fed winds seem to blow from glaciers

Sleeping quietly, life conceals its zing

 

Northernmost Great Lakes transform skies to gray

Flying above, geese enjoy winter’s fling

Small ponds reflect from thick, icy mirrors

Pausing all around, boldness waits for spring

 

Ancient trees appear to wait in repose

Ignoring life’s deep freeze, buds holding out

Nature’s winter rest, preparing for spring

Arriving tonight, snowstorm’s final shout

 

Never to worry, winter fades away

Coming on schedule, spring colors each day

 

Photo by Matthias Cooper on Pexels.com

Originally published January, 2021.

Beneath Warmth’s Joy

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Gray sky flies overhead

Winter’s cold arrives

Autumn now asleep

Chilling nature’s hard drive

 

Spirit fills every tree

Spring postpones her speech

Peace lands with each flake

Covering whitest beach

 

Silence rejoins landscape

Yet, very much alive

Transfusion hidden

Feeding grace to survive

 

Arctic freeze now coming

Double seal each hatch

Ship awaits next storm

Traversing icy patch

 

Night’s dreams seeking comfort

Winter’s frost deploys

Hope’s blanket of snow

Snuggling beneath warmth’s joy

 

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Transitions (Haiku Series #353)

Repurposed

Raking piles of leaves

Trees now empty of color—

Autumn’s leftovers

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Unhurried

Morning’s icy breath

Winter playing hide ‘n seek—

Goodbye autumn friend

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Treasured

Lonely tree branches

Always full of memories—

Final leaf falling

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Winter’s Steady Quest

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Morning sky awakens

Peace fills nature’s outlook

Landscape’s fresh, white blanket

Winter’s cozy look

 

Horizon full of gray

Light tries to brighten

Sun waits for tomorrow

Winter’s grip tightens

 

Hope’s disappearing breath

Tranquility’s free-fall

Each snowflake multiplies

Winter’s sudden squall

 

Wind churns with whitest sky

Brief storm now taking rest

Clouds open with sunlight

Winter’s steady quest

 

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Winter’s Breath (Haiku Series #310)

Encouraging

Poised with poet’s pen

Words painting winter’s landscape—

Creator-inspired

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Reflecting

Sunset now descends

Night sky waiting to unfold—

Winter’s voice seeks rest

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Unbounding

Pine trees covered white

Wilderness in slumber’s peace—

Winter’s dreams alive

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Buckeye Photo Gallery #1

It has been quite some time since some of my photography has been posted.  Here are some camera captures from the past few months.  Enjoy a Buckeye journey with  filled with images from spring, autumn, and winter.

Sometime in April, 2024, these photos were taken at Walnut Woods Metro Park, which is a short drive from my home.  On the left, Walnut Creek peacefully flows along a boundary of the park.  On the right, an unidentified bird enjoys a quiet moment surveying the landscape below.

My camera accompanied me on a neighborhood walk in October, 2024.  The tree-lined boulevard welcomes visitors with brilliant autumn colors.  A pair of ravens perched rooftop captured my attention.  They pretty much ignored my presence.

Recently, my wife and I were dog sitting for our oldest daughter and her family while they were traveling.  The date was December 29, and we experienced very unusual weather for this time of the year.  A thunderstorm arrived, followed by warming inspiration from the sun, and we captured this nearly full rainbow from the backyard patio.

New Year’s winter comeback as photographed from our home’s deck (January 3, 2025).  

While putting this gallery together, it seemed appropriate to allow God’s Word to have the final thought.  From Psalm 96:11-12:

“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult and everything in it.  Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”

 

Anne Bradstreet Quotes

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If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.

The spring is a lively emblem of the Resurrection.

Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was an English-born poet who lived in the American colonies where her poetry was the first to published in the New World.

Welcome Back

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Gentle morning rain

Afternoon transition

Cold front moving in

Winter’s new edition

 

Season’s first snowflake

Forecast’s memo on track

Innocent at first

More join in, welcome back

 

Chorus of voices

Barren landscape, now white

Autumn forgotten

Nature’s fresh acolyte

 

Darkness shines at night

Moonlight’s bright reflection

Each snowflake twinkles

With timely perfection

 

Peace shrouds silent realm

Time wanting to stand still

Another postcard

Sketches winter’s playbill

 

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