April 17: Birthday

the fallen tree

shifted by flood waters

another birthday

February 24: Birthday party

Sirius rising

a single candle

in my birthday dessert

February 20: Birthday

my mother singing

on my answering machine
another year



*Thank you, Peter Newton, for your edits that made this haiku so much stronger!

July 5: Eleven

Eleventh birthday.

Three boxes of sparklers

then, fireflies.

Posted with Blogsy

April 17: Birthday

On his birthday

no fish caught

but he doesn't care

Posted with Blogsy

February 20: 50th

From the Haiku master Issa (1763-1827):

 

fiftieth birthday

from now on it's all clear profit,

every sky

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

May 7: Grandmother

If my grandmother were still alive, today would be her 102nd birthday. Also, she'd have been thrilled that the Kentucky Derby was on her birthday; we loved to watch the horse race together each year.

 

Your view's hidden by fog

but some mayflowers still bloom

on your birthday.

Posted with Blogsy

April 12: My sister turns 40

A vivid memory:

that big sister excitement

forty years ago.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

February 20: Indulgence

49th birthday--

a chocolate-frosted donut,

steamed milk in my tea.

Posted with Blogsy

December 4: Birthdays

Today is the birthday of both my co-worker Susan and my best friend Susan, who lives in Vermont.

Eating chocolate cake
to celebrate one Susan,
thinking of another.

August 10: Birthday

Before the birthday party--

young crows whine nearby

as I wrap gifts for Mom.

Posted with Blogsy

February 20: Birthday

The Chinese Year of the Sheep began yesterday, and today I begin a new turn around the sun. The way a new year begins always feels auspicious. I have a good feeling about this one. We celebrated Chinese New Year with tea and dumplings in a sunny Portland cafe yesterday, and again last night with more dumplings (and cocktails) with good friends at Empire. This morning began with breakfast on the go from Standard Baking Co., which I ate while tromping around the frigid Portland waterfront looking for white-winged gulls with a birder friend--an outing puncuated by calls from my mother and sister singing "Happy Birthday." The white wings of Iceland Gulls shone in the sun, seals surfaced nearby, crows chased a Red-tailed Hawk overhead, a Peregrine stood sentinel on the Casco Bay Bridge, and all is right in my world.

A new year starts well:

coffee and croissant,

gulls along the snowy pier.

Update: And my birthday closed with a brilliant conjunction of the young Moon, Venus, and Mars in the southwest sky... All signs point to yes.

Posted with Blogsy

February 17: Birthday candle

Blowing out the candle--

we all wish

for his good health.

Posted with Blogsy

October 14: My grandfather would be 99 today

Opalescent sky
He wanted to be a gull
in his next life

August 11: Waxwings in the blueberries

My mother's birthday.
Waxwings gorge on blueberries,
a happy flock.

And Mom, you'll appreciate this: later in the day, the blueberries were approached by an acquisitive family of four crows that strutted together right down the driveway for a snack, much to the annoyance of the local Blue Jays.

August 10: Up Mount Battie

We played tourist today. Sailed on the Schooner Surprise this morning out of Camden Harbor with (almost) my whole family, to celebrate my mother's birthday. Then we all enjoyed an al fresco lunch together on the river: lobster rolls and whoopie pies. Later, my husband and I hiked out our front door and up Mount Battie in nearby Camden Hills State Park, making the most of this long, sunny summer Sunday and a rare day off together.

Familiar trails,
same vireo singing--
you still laugh at my stories.

April 12: Back in the garden at last

Today is my youngest sister's birthday, and what a beautiful day it is!

All morning I rake,
exposing tulip leaves
to the jubilant sun.

July 5: Fiona's birthday

My niece turned seven today, and we had a family celebration at her parents' camp on a lake in Union. As we were all feasting with much merriment, a spectacular sunset was bubbling up behind the trees, turning the water pink. Later, the neighbors set off loud by pretty fireworks. And all around the camp, illusory fireflies glittered in the darkness.

Diffusing sunset.
Fiona blows out candles.
Fireflies blink on... off...

March 16: Contradance

I've never observed a contradance before, so when a friend decided to throw a big contradance party for her birthday as a benefit for a local nonprofit, I volunteered to take tickets so I could check it out. I didn't dance, but had a lot of fun watching. The music was rollicking (Perpetual e-Motion), the caller (Will Mentor) was great helping everyone figure out what to do, and a semblance of order was made out of the chaos of a big room full of people. It was a beautiful thing to see.

Whirling dancers
hold hands, swing partners--
patterns making sense from above.

February 22: Sushi

Back at Suzuki's tonight for the annual family celebration of my dad's and my birthdays, which are three days apart. Much hot sake was enjoyed, along with dumplings, edamame, and various forms of raw fish with rice.

Uni is sea urchin roe, a seasonal delicacy fresh from local waters.

Intimacy of uni--
mouthful of tears,
mouthful of our bay.