Wednesday, December 31, 2014

December 31: Mount Battie star

The whole town hiked up
for the last star lighting--
here, we value beauty.
 

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

December 30: Nocturne

How bright the one star
visible before dawn
out the bathroom window.
 
 

Monday, December 29, 2014

December 29: Amaryllis

Amaryllis bud
swelling, straining sunward--
so this is love.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

December 28: Taking down the Christmas tree

Holiday's packed up.
Fir needles will resurface
for the next twelve months.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

December 27: Camden Harbor ducks

Ducks grab stale Christmas bread
doled out by children
just learning to share.

 

December 26: Plum Island

Where waves meet sand
instead of sandpipers
wind-skitter of dead leaves.
 
 
 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

December 25: Christmas, Marblehead

Christmas Day--
the full tide brings its gift
to the rocky shore.
 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

December 24: Christmas Eve

While the kids are still awake
we eat the cookies
that weren't left for Santa.
 
 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

December 23: Cat grass

Basket of cat grass--
to the happy, chewing cat
it tastes of summer.

Monday, December 22, 2014

December 22: Some nights

What brings warmth some nights
is simple: dish-washing,
cat's fur, mac and cheese mix.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

December 21: Starry night

Winter Solstice--
Orion on the horizon;
many candles shine too.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

December 20: Christmas Bird Count

My husband and I spent the day birding "our" section of the Thomaston-Rockland Christmas Bird Count, a Christmas season tradition which we've been sharing together for 17 years--14 of them in this section.

Flock of bluebirds--
of course they bring happiness
Winter Solstice eve

Friday, December 19, 2014

December 19: Paper whites

In the candlelit window
long stems of paper whites
graceful ghosts

Thursday, December 18, 2014

December 18: Under Jupiter's bright watch

Driving home late--
what looks like animal's eyes
turns into a beer can.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

December 17: What's underneath it all

After dark the mice
feet whispering in the basement
keepers of secrets

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

December 16: Kingfisher

Unfrozen quarry,
snowfall--lone kingfisher rattles,
plumbs the black depths.

Monday, December 15, 2014

December 15: December sunrise

Spent the day birding the beaches, salt marshes, and nearby neighborhoods of Ogunquit and Wells for the York County Christmas Bird Count. We began the day with a beautiful sunrise over the ocean at Moody Point, where dozens of sandpipers twinkled at the edge of the chilly surf...
 
Sunrise over the beach--
at the sandy edge
one frozen raspberry.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, December 14, 2014

December 14: Sunday in a small town

While we watch the game
neighbor knocks to ask
whose chickens in her yard.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

December 13: Hazy shade of winter

Snowing in the pass--
in the old horse pasture
turkeys forage, unfazed.

Friday, December 12, 2014

December 12: Revelation

Morning, parting clouds--
only the highest ridgeline
covered now with snow

Thursday, December 11, 2014

December 11: Girls' night out

How do sharks mate?
Women talking together
on a rainy night.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

December 10: Dreaming

Such strange and vivid dreams last night. I woke thinking of Jung and his theories about the interpretation of dreams, what dreams about walking around in a house mean...
 
Asleep in my cocoon
I dreamt of a new house.
My soul, awake, wanders.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

December 9: Torrents

A hard rain--
the sky falls with conviction,
soaks through to my skin.

Monday, December 8, 2014

December 8: Holiday spirit

Day before a storm--
huddled over the heater,
humming the Nutcracker.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

December 7: Christmas lights

In Portland this afternoon to see the Nutcracker and enjoy some dumplings at Empire. The Christmas tree in Monument Square is lit; the sign on the Time & Temperature building is flashing: 20 (degrees) / BUY / LOCL; holiday lights festoon Congress St. A season of lights in the darkness.

 
Street lights, Christmas lights...
Moon rising over the bay
makes us say, "Oh! Look!"
 
 

Saturday, December 6, 2014

December 6: Dark

Dystopic movie--
we leave the dark theatre,
enter night's long tunnel.

Friday, December 5, 2014

December 5: Cold

Snow-scrapped, moonlit yard.
Inside I surround myself
with bowls of paper whites.
 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

December 4: Moon over the bay

Waxing moon lays a path
across the bay--
my escape route.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

December 2: In the dark

driving in the dark
you share the horror movie's plot
don't stop the car

Monday, December 1, 2014

December 1: Owl daydreams

Sixty-degree day
but in this snowy, seaside field
I still look for owls.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

November 30: Book

Holed up all day
wrapped in clouds
reading a great book.

Friday, November 28, 2014

November 28: Day after Thanksgiving

Decorative corn--
off the door, an offering
for the squirrels.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

November 27: Thanksgiving turkeys

On Facebook we share
photos of wild turkeys
wading through fresh snow.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

November 26: White world

that holiday feeling
snow falling all day
a white blind slowly drawn

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

November 25: Sunset

Despite the rage-inducing injustices in the world, of which we are daily reminded, we can't avoid moments of beauty and joy. Maybe that's what keeps most of us sane.

Pondering Ferguson.
But when the whole sky lights up
I only feel joy.

Monday, November 24, 2014

November 24: Maces Pond

Half-frozen pond--
winterberries glow
in the strange mist.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

November 23: End of a long weekend together

sun streams in on us
the game's on tv
at the good burrito place



Saturday, November 22, 2014

Friday, November 21, 2014

November 21: I89 to Burlington, VT

Snow starts, then stops.
Crows mass in whitened fields,
dead deer in the median.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

November 20: To Vermont

We drive all day
over the mountains to Sue's.
There's snow here and stars.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

November 19: Riverwatch

no ducks here
late season fishermen
river calm enough to freeze

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

November 18: Unexpected

Sounds of machinery.
I wasn't expecting
pink burst of sunset.

Monday, November 17, 2014

November 17: Don't we all ponder our mortality?

Darkness at 5 pm--
thinking of ducks at roost,
cold, dark water.


Sunday, November 16, 2014

Saturday, November 15, 2014

November 15: Across the bay

From atop Beech Hill--
snowy mountains, ice blue bay,
calls of winter finches.
 

Friday, November 14, 2014

November 14: Owl kind of night

Light snowfall, falling dark.
I drive toward the Big Dipper
expecting owls.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

November 12: Fog

Audiobook playing--
car full of British history
in a thick fog.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 11: Wind, Leaves

A big animal wind
flushes the leaves.
We have no control.

Monday, November 10, 2014

November 10: Blue Monday

Most people aren't thrilled when Blue Jays dominate their bird feeders.

I wasn't expecting
my office visitor
to defend Blue Jays.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

November 9: Birding Portland

Today was the 11th annual Rarity Roundup in southern Maine, coordinated by my friend Derek Lovitch of Freeport Wild Bird Supply. Groups of birders bird a particular territory on the coast between Portland and York, particularly looking for uncommon or out-of-season birds. Derek, his friend Evan and I birded Portland, from the Eastern Prom at sunrise to the West End to Back Bay at sunset. Highlights included a flock of crossbills, a pair of shovelers (ducks) in Deering Oaks Park's pond, Black-crowned Night-herons in the pond at Mercy Hospital, and a Red-eyed Vireo in a West End neighborhood. The bird of the day was the Hermit Thrush, which we found in every little pocket park of downtown Portland, on lawns, in backyards, and in patches of woods, over thirty in all.
 
Spirit of the woods--
bright-eyed thrush watching
in every tree-green corner.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

November 8: Solar energy


Sunlight ignites the last leaves
silvers the cat's fur.
The river can't wait.

Friday, November 7, 2014

November 7: Barrens

Blueberry fields so red
I'd expect them to steam
in this cold rain.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

November 6: At the hair salon

Oh, to be redone
amid white noise of dryers,
next chair's murmured gossip.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

November 5: Tamaracks along Route 17

Golden tamaracks--
my grandmother taught me
a song about them.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

November 4: Election Day

We walk to the polls.
In the river, ducks squawk.
No one's feeding them today.

Monday, November 3, 2014

November 3: After the storm

A wonderfully energetic sense of community emerges when we're all toughing it out together, having literally weathered the storm. We've still got downed trees all over and power outages are expected to last for days, but for now, at least, we're finding things to be grateful for (like a car charger so I can post this on my iPad, while also enjoying the car heater).
 
Power's out all over.
Neighbors pause their shoveling
to laugh together.
 
And from last night, when the storm was raging (to undoubtedly be duplicated tonight, sans game):
 
Blackout tableau--
candles, oil lamp, glass of wine,
game on the radio.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

November 2: First snow

Wind whipping tree boughs
snow on perfect gold leaves
even the cat's anxious

Saturday, November 1, 2014

November 1: Cozy

First snow forecast.
We watch horse races, football
with the heat turned up.

Friday, October 31, 2014

October 31: Halloween

Halloween morning--
pigeons huddle on a roof
as falcon flies past.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

October 30: At the planning workshop

Morning, downtown--
skein of geese flying
past the opera house.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

October 29: Maple tree

River running high.
Finally the one maple tree
has turned to gold.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

October 28: Almost Halloween

Down by the river
our neighbors throw a party--
bonfire glowing.

Monday, October 27, 2014

October 27: Rising wind

Wind rising with dark--
the one tree with all its leaves
roars like a waterfall.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

October 26: Clarry Hill

Spent this afternoon up on Clarry Hill in Union, surrounded by blueberry barrens, watching hawks soaring southward over the coastal mountains.
 
Kestrel hovering
Burnished fields, wind picking up
That's my heart out there
 

Saturday, October 25, 2014

October 25: Greenery

Under a heap of leaves
pot of chives still green
still pungent

Friday, October 24, 2014

October 24: Crows at dusk

Dusk comes so soon now.
Perched on a bare, wet branch,
how big the crow looks.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

October 23: Reflex

Dark and stormy night--
I keep swerving
to avoid skittering leaves.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

October 21: Rain ahead

As predicted, it rains--
jays mob the feeders,
river sighs, opens wide.

Monday, October 20, 2014

October 20: Bare branches, bare arms in the cold

Trees shivering, leaves lost,
colors fading underfoot--
I'm not ready.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

October 19: Winter is coming

Walking through Camden's Harbor Park and Amphitheatre this afternoon, the signs of coming cold were gathering with the fallen leaves.
Frost warning--
schooners wrapped in plastic,
flocks of south-bound sparrows.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

October 18: Schoodic Head Trail

Raven alerts the woods--
our clumsy passage through
misty spruces and moss

Friday, October 17, 2014

October 17: Schoodic

Arrived in the dark
we hear the sea's dark pulse
glory in all the stars

Thursday, October 16, 2014

October 16: Pears

Standards on the radio,
rain falling hard--
the middle of my life.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

October 15: Warm Spell

Still warm at dusk.
A bat flits overhead.
What else will we lose?
 


Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Monday, October 13, 2014

October 13: Autumn day trip

A day of sparrows
in fields going to seed
leaves red and falling

Sunday, October 12, 2014

October 12: Autumn Zen

Fall leaves prayer flags.
On the front porch Buddha
contemplates a pumpkin.




Saturday, October 11, 2014

October 11: Date night

A happy marriage--
enjoying burritos
after seeing "Gone Girl."

Friday, October 10, 2014

October 10: Color

Autumn leaves--
lost in thought, I drive for miles
without noticing.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

October 9: Urgency

Squadron of jays
bombards the feeders all day.
Waiting for that call.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

October 8: Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse
hidden by a thunderstorm
I'm wide awake

Monday, October 6, 2014

October 6: Edginess

At the field's edge--
restless sparrows rustling
in the dying asters.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

October 5: Sunday

After the rain, sun.
Crows cawing in the backyard
beckon us outside.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

October 4: Mushrooms among us

I've been out sick for a few days--hence the brief absence here--but this morning was up for a mushroom outing at Fernalds Neck Preserve in Lincolnville, led by the very entertaining and knowledgeable Kirk Gentalen of Maine Coast Heritage Trust. I learned a little about mushrooms and other fungi, but what I seem to have retained has more to do with poetry, I think, than biology. Like learning names that are stories in themselves... Witches' Butter, Bear's Bread, Crowded Parchment...

Learning mushrooms--
Velvet Earth Tongue speaks
from the forest floor.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

September 30: Home again

In the washing machine
a small chestnut
pocketed on the island.

Monday, September 29, 2014

September 29: Rough seas

Leaving the island--
drenched with sea spray
I'm turning to salt

Sunday, September 28, 2014

September 28: Last night

Last night on the island--
the sea too sighs
in the starry dark.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

September 27: Siskins

All day the flock grows
shifts and calls, bells overhead
chiming in the spruces.

September 26: Porpoise

Boat around the island--
our dreams of water
manifest as porpoises.
 

Thursday, September 25, 2014

September 25: And sunrise

Monhegan sunrise--
the day begins with beauty
and small birds flying.
 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

September 24: Sunset

Sunset on Monhegan--
the gulls don't notice
what's happening to the sky.