November 30: Book

Holed up all day

wrapped in clouds

reading a great book.

Posted with Blogsy

November 29: Selling Christmas trees

• Christmas trees' past lives--

• sometimes we find a bird's nest

• or a vine garland.

 

Posted with Blogsy

November 28: Day after Thanksgiving

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

November 27: Thanksgiving turkeys

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

November 26: White world

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

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.

November 24: Maces Pond

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

November 23: End of a long weekend together

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

November 22: Lake Champlain

Biting cold--

across the grey lake

clouds and mountains.

Posted with Blogsy

November 21: I89 to Burlington, VT

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

November 20: To Vermont

We drive all day

over the mountains to Sue's.

There's snow here and stars.

Posted with Blogsy

November 19: Riverwatch

no ducks here
late season fishermen
river calm enough to freeze

November 18: Unexpected

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

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

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

November 16: Snow Buntings on Clarry Hill

Wish fulfillment--

white wings, crimson barrens,

mountains on the horizon.

Posted with Blogsy

November 15: Across the bay

From atop Beech Hill--

snowy mountains, ice blue bay,

calls of winter finches.

 

Posted with Blogsy

November 14: Owl kind of night

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

November 12: Fog

Audiobook playing--

car full of British history

in a thick fog.

Posted with Blogsy

November 11: Wind, Leaves

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

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.

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.

Posted with Blogsy

November 8: Solar energy

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

November 7: Barrens

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

November 6: At the hair salon

Oh, to be redone

amid white noise of dryers,

next chair's murmured gossip.

November 5: Tamaracks along Route 17

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

November 4: Election Day

We walk to the polls.

In the river, ducks squawk.

No one's feeding them today.

Posted with Blogsy

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.

Posted with Blogsy

November 2: First snow

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

November 1: Cozy

First snow forecast.

We watch horse races, football

with the heat turned up.

Posted with Blogsy