Wednesday, May 31, 2017

May 31: End of day

Almost dark
Out back flock of crows
loudly mobs an eagle
 

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

May 30: Home again

Home from vacation
Refilling the vases
with what's blooming now.

Monday, May 29, 2017

May 29: Memorial Day

From the lighthouse
flags on the graves
in the island cemetery.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

May 28: Island retail

On the island--
boy sells shells for a quarter,
beach glass for a nickel.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

May 27: Monhegan Light

On the island--
mesmerized by the sweep
of lighthouse's beam.

Friday, May 26, 2017

May 26: Sora

Out on the island
car alarm cries
of a rail in the marsh.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

May 25: Singing in the rain

spring rain
catbird singing loudly
through the open window

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

May 24: Framing

Trying to get the mountain
in the same shot
as the apple tree.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

May 23: Bounty

Warblers singing.
The crabapple has never
bloomed so well.
 
 

Monday, May 22, 2017

May 22: Lawn

Lawn full of violets.
I won't mow you
today.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

May 21: Last night on the island

Tolling of the bell buoy,
night cries of gulls.
Waiting to fall asleep.

Saturday, May 20, 2017

May 20: Scene

daylit crescent moon
cherry blossoms in sunlight
could I be happier?
 
 

Friday, May 19, 2017

May 19: Offshore breeze

On the island
blown by the wind--
leaf or a hummingbird?

Thursday, May 18, 2017

May 18: Spring fever

First hot day--
office door wide open
to birdsong (and one wasp)

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

May 17: Anniversary

Anniversary--
on our walk in the woods
he finds a garter snake.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

May 16: Water view

Up on the mountain
glimpse of the lake
through screen of new leaves.


Monday, May 15, 2017

May 15: Reid State Park

Tracks in the sand--
following two deer
into the dunes.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

May 14: Mother's Day

Budding forget-me-nots
I worry about them
under all this rain

Saturday, May 13, 2017

May 13: Vesper Hill

Visiting the outdoor chapel
where we were married.
Glimpse of the sea.

Friday, May 12, 2017

May 12: Ruffed Grouse

"Everybody knows that the autumn landscape in the northwoods is the land, plus a red maple, plus a ruffled grouse. In terms of conventional physics, the grouse represents only a millionth of either the mass or the energy of an acre. Yet, subtract the grouse and the whole thing is dead."

--Aldo Leopold, from SAND COUNTY ALMANAC

Spring landscape--
male grouse drumming
its heartbeat.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

May 11: Spring leaves

Forget flowers.
Vivid beech leaves unfurl
along the riverbank.
 
 

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

May 10: Surprise Moon

After nights of rain
suddenly--the moon!
much fuller than expected.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

May 9: That point

Grass high enough
to mow now.
Daydreaming of islands.

Monday, May 8, 2017

May 8: Seasonal

Rainy day diet:
one dozen raw oysters,
steamed fiddleheads.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

May 7: Going home

Monotony of rain,
the windshield wipers.
Talk of second chances.

Saturday, May 6, 2017

May 6: Derby Day

Derby Day--
he crushes the ice
for our mint juleps.

Friday, May 5, 2017

May 5: A hard rain falling

Wipers beat the windshield,
war drums of a hard rain.
We hunker down.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

May 4: Bulbs

Backyard greening--
planted before we lived here
tulips bloom once more.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

May 3: Happy hour

Walking to the pub
with stops
for magnolias.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

May 2: At the doctor

Still early enough
to hear birdsong in the woods.
Blood work.

Monday, May 1, 2017

May 1: May Day

Seasonal house--
Christmas wreath by the door,
cherry tree blooming.