For Swallows, read Summer....

~ ~ ~

Swallows on a wire

are you making winter plans?

Please don't leave too soon

~ ~ ~

Removing Old Wallpaper

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

How satisfying
to grasp a loose edge and
peel off the long, long strip

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I Must Be Dreaming

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Too warm for a sweatshirt

Somebody pinch me

(on second thoughts, don't)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:)

Painting

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As canvas to the

artist is a square of puff

pastry to the cook

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rough Puff brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon, brown sugar, and walnuts. Baked at 400º for about 15 minutes. Glaze: leftover melted butter, confectioner's sugar, coconut milk (or liquid of your choice) to spreading consistency, few drops of almond flavouring.

~ ~ ~

The Dare

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

   Maple leaves poised on
     the brink of autumn whisper
       "Jump!" "You first!" "No, you!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chance of Rain

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Quiet grey morning.

The wind holds its breath and the

trees whisper "please ... please."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Skinny

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Talk about yo-yo

dieters ... I see the moon's

losing weight again

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nightfall

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sunset floats like a

fading rose on the hazy

blue river of hills

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Relief

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rain falls like mercy

each drop a tiny blessing

on our thirsty land

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Baking

loses its appeal

when indoor temperatures

exceed eighty-five

 º  º  º  º  º  º  º

Strawberry-Picking

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Slowly down the rows,

gently parting leaves, looking

for bright bits of June

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First Pickings

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Small and tender, just

plucked from this year's lettuce patch:

a precious handful

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fickle May

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mostly cloudy to

mostly sunny - all in the

space of five minutes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

De-Stressing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Lavender is said

       to be calming, but I'll pick

          lilacs while I can*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
*which is only about 2 weeks out of every year, making them all the more precious

Inescapable

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Even the stubborn
     oak heeds, at last, the call of
        imperious spring

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Incomprehensible

+ + +

"Greater love hath no
man than this: that he lay down
his life for a friend."

You laid down Your life
for foe and friend alike. What
wondrous love is this!

+ + +

Alchemy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

     Wind-rippled silken
        waters turn silver under
           the apricot sky

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rekindled

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maple buds flicker

against a spring sky - the fires

of autumn reborn

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Southerly

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Wild geese ride on the

     rollicking wind, calling "Spring!

        It's just behind us!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Solstice

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bare-fingered oaks cast
nets across the sky to catch
the lengthening days

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~