earthy sauciness

Spring Fever

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” Mark Twain

“April's air stirs in
willow leaves...
a butterfly
floats and balances”

Bashō
Japanese Haiku

"Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peters

My daily rhythms, if I have had any during this pandemic, have been accompanied by the tapping of this friend on my southern windows for the past week. If only I could get on the ball, and keep up with his relentless energy, I might accomplish something, maybe even more than he is, poor dude.

Marsh marigolds have taken over this woods by the Genesee River Trail.

In Vermont I used to harvest the greens (also called cowslips) to steam and eat.

Wanna be maple trees on the bridge

Dancing in the wind

Whatever this is makes me feel like I am somewhere tropical, not in balmy western NY on a rainy April day.

Out of the Hobbit Hole into Outer Space, Safely during Quarantine of Course

These days I vacillate between jumping out of bed, ready to tackle the world under current circumstances, and snuggling back into my safe and comfy hobbit hole with a good book.

Please come to my tea party tomorrow. Anytime...

When I do brave leaving my cave, it is helpful to have guidance, and these visuals serve as maps to get me where I need to go.Trust encourages me to venture forth.

Meandering along well marked trails

Crossing streams

finding heart in the current

Appreciating the colors of the day....

Glad for the reminder that Nature goes on, in spite of we humans.

Monet, are you here?

A mirage?

Fairy land

Earthy stars

Escape to another world

Take me there.

Revitalizing

“Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.” Virgil A. Kraft

A series presented itself this week during my daily Spring has not been Canceled walks with Cam(era), which I feel compelled to include in this blog.

I found myself noticing a pattern of disturbing (to me) images, and may attribute it to gray skies, lack of in person contact, my personal perspectives, or my mood during this quarantine.

I hope that my pix of natural beauty will counteract the grimness of these pix, as I choose to allow and appreciate Nature’s ability and desire to overpower human made situations.

I'm watching you.… aghast...

Overwhelm and exhaustion, depression, where is Nature, and why is Spring so slow in coming?

Caught in the cross wires of civilization

We're waiting....

How broken do I, Gaia need to be, before you notice me/us? What will it take to transmute current world wide challenges

to a respectful collaboration with me/us?

Funny looking dragon fly

morphs into

big perspective of life

from up above

Nature's Dream Catcher- Still hanging in there with hope...

Is it safe out there?

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." Harriet Ann Jacobs

Symbiotic co-existence!

How beautiful is that?

What would it take?

We, Blood Root,

light our candles in honor of all those on the front and back lines,
those who are risking their lives
to help hold ours together.

Springtime Strutting, Wattling along

"Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer!

I must get out and breathe the air deeply again." Gustav Mahler

What an unexpected surprise! Right on a paved road, straddling between two houses by the woods.

I missed the sunrise "gobbling lull" of the toms' cries announcing, I'm here. Pay attention,

By afternoon when I was out walking with Cam(era), the harem had arrived.

Oh Wise One
Which one shall I choose?

The Dating Game Show- Choose Me!

If I groom myself, maybe she'll pick me.

Poor dudes— the turkeys on steroids were strutting, wattles extended, feathers fluffed, tails fanned. To no avail...

All this swagger wore us out.

Resting up. Tomorrow's another day...

Social Distancing- Nervous Critters take this to Heart

Even critters seem to be taking the mandate seriously.

At least our noses are six feet apart.

Is this far enough?

We're trying

You can't get it from a tree, can you?

Calm Again

"With the coming of spring, I am calm again." Gustav Mahler

Residual Snow?!

During my daily solitary walks with Cam(era), the song, How can I keep from Singing, pumps through my brightening heart, charging and re-balancing my being as I notice passing markers of spring, sometimes subtle, sometimes bedazzling. These intentional strolls have become my daily meditation, as well as my excuse to get fresh air and a fresh perspective.

Cattails reappear

If I had waders, I would harvest some shoots.

The onslaught of global and local concerns fades away, and my mind rests as I am reassured that Nature does not slow down during a pandemic, at least not in April.

While I amble through local woods and parks, I notice daily change. If I were to lollygag long enough, I suspect I might even see difference occur even more quickly as Mother Earth’s time lapse happens on her own schedule, and it sure is rocket jet fast these days.

I am excited to hear familiar plant friends call our. What about me? Take my picture! Some of the colors are not even on my tie dye charts....

Spring has not Been Canceled

“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.” Marty Rubin

Waiting….

Patiently…..

Wondering…

What actions can I undertake that might get me out of my all too lovely, but often seemingly confining home, into the fresh air?

How I can I pro-actively change my attitude about the current state of pandemic affairs and my ensuing mental state as a person who lives alone, and is already tired of loneliness?

What might bring joy into my life which has been reduced to self-entertainment?

How can I summon up energy to exercise, when I can barely face the sink full of dirty pots and pans?

Would walking slow me down amply to notice greening and growth amidst last fall’s earth toned decaying detritus.

Can I generate excitement and enthusiasm, maybe even gratitude for an opportunity to walk regularly, even on a gray and showery day, with Cam(era), my new, extremely quiet, but accommodating and willing buddy.

What might I do to help reassure us all, that at the very least, spring has not been canceled.

I recently read that instead of marking four seasons, ancient Japanese expressed the passing of the calendar year as 72 micro-seasons, drawing from subtle shifts of the natural world.

I know and appreciate how quickly the landscape changes now that days are longer and warmer. I also recognize that staying inside is a good way to miss Gaia’s attention to detail during this process.

This all said, I will go on focused, mindful walks with Cam, photographing spring’s gradual evolution, and post my photos on this site, calling the upcoming series Breath of Spring During a Pandemic.

It brings me joy this Grass Sprouts and Trees Bud week to share with you signs of spring, in hopes of making your day just a little bit sweeter.

Of course, feel free to peruse my older posts from 2019 when I did a six month food buying moratorium- empty my larder experiment and blogged about it