Snow settles softly
on grass
on trees
on fenceposts
nestles in the foliage
red green yellow leaves cup it in their palms
first snow
silent snow
god’s hush descending to earth
Snow settles softly
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Category Archives: Miscellany
First snow
It snowed yesterday morning. It wasn’t exactly the very first snowfall of the season—not the first snowflakes, anyway—but it was the first to accumulate. It also was the first on a weekday and during rush hour. It put me in a grumpy mood walking out of my house; there was nothing I wanted less than to drive to work with snow falling.
By the time I was halfway to my destination, I felt differently. It was an absolutely lovely winterland/wonderland. All of the trees and bushes were coated in snow, but their still-clinging leaves peaked through. Continue reading
Halloween in the rearview mirror
As promised and predicted, with Halloween over I am watching the local wildlife have its way with my pumpkin. That’s my squash in the photo above. Squirrels were trying to take away pieces of it within an hour of its arrival on our front porch on Halloween, and I really wasn’t able to protect it for long. Thankfully, they started by expanding one ear into a gaping hole—in other words, a part of the carving that faced to the side. But now…just look at it. I came home from running errands today and discovered that it had been dragged all the way off the porch to the sidewalk and tucked partially in the garden foliage. I righted it and moved it fully into the foliage, then left it to rot and continue providing food for critters. Continue reading
Ghosts and goblins and the slashing of squash
It’s that time of year, when ghosts and goblins and princesses and ninjas roam our neighborhoods, knocking on doors and taking away our candy. We get precious few trick-or-treaters where I live—largely hemmed in by an expressway on one side, major streets on two others, and a cul-de-sac to boot. So Halloween is often a disappointing affair marked by only a handful of visitors to our door. Continue reading
Cadillac Ranch: A Photo Essay
These moments are precious
Driving across Missouri on the way from Chicago to California, I was struck by the lush, green, undulating landscape—small mountains and huge forests, gorges, rivers and creeks. The land was dotted with horse farms and lovely dilapidated barns, and decorated with billboards and fireworks superstores. Wednesday gave us the infamous fudge billboard; highlights Thursday included Ozarkland billboards tantalizing passersby with every imaginable kind of candy (plus moccasins!) and a series of ads for a Precious Moments complex I hadn’t known existed. Continue reading