Trails and Goals

April 13, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Seven trails follow the two rivers that cross through our little town. Last Autumn, I touched on a few of them, but know that I’ve only just scratched the surface. This one runs behind our community, just beyond my capacity to wander…now. I have goals for myself. One of them being to strengthen my legs […]

Hello April

April 4, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

April means farewell, for we winter Texans. Not fated to be a quick journey, as problems keep arising, grounding travel, and interfering with our plans. Nevertheless, April means Spring and everywhere we look the birds are twittering with extra fervency – is that romance in the air? And even though we’ve encountered setbacks – breakdowns […]

Birding Heaven

March 29, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Port Aransas has a birding centre that was damaged during hurricane Harvey. The new facility opened this week and it’s incredible! A flock of sandpipers fly in just as we arrive. I search across the marsh to see where they’ve landed, now camouflaged among the reeds, mud, and shallow waters. I follow the sidewalk to […]

Shadows

March 22, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I fear the shadows of the past,darkness encroaching – doubt the loyalty of light. Turtles dwell in shaded places,equally as undaunted in the sun –have acclimatized to polarities. Birds, focused only in the moment,disregard the invasion of shadowsonly in my eyes are transformed. (For Cee’s Fun Foto challenge: shadows)

Close Encounters: Reptiles

March 14, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

The heavy cloud cover of yesterday is breaking up allowing for small pockets of sunshine. The temperature is hot, almost muggy. We are headed back to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge. “Better get my camera ready,” I tell Ric. “Last time we saw that coyote just before the entrance.” “Yes, and it was motoring! Not a […]

Paradise Pond

March 9, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

In Port Aransas, just off one of the main roads, is a driveway that cuts through a Mexican restaurant. Behind the restaurant are high fences and a boardwalk leading into a secluded area. This is Paradise Pond. On our first visit, we met locals who described the importance of the area environmentally, and alerted us […]

Cheap Date

March 8, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Cold, fog, and rain has kept us indoors for far too long, so we decided a trip into town was in order. Corpus Christi, our closest larger centre, can be accessed two ways – via the freeways, or by crossing over to Mustang Island and driving down the coast. We prefer the latter, especially as […]

Nature’s Patterns

March 6, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Patterns – a basis for understanding –math, sewing, architecture… and when it comes to art –nature is a master at employing patterns… …awe-inspiring, faith-inducing – beautiful. (For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: patterns.) All images from personal collection.

A Fresh Approach

February 23, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

It started with a tree. Something about the texture of the bark appealed to me, so I took a picture. Then I examined the image on my computer, and pondered what the image was saying to me. Did it need altering? Was it worth keeping? Every time I looked at it, I was drawn to […]

Ode to Pink Wings

February 19, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

What glory, what delight,to witness pink in flight – wondrous plumes stretched out wide,ponderous bills thrust forth in pride. (In celebration of the Roseate Spoonbills whose graced my lens recently. Submitted for Nancy Merrill’s A Photo A Week: pink.)

Of Trauma Born

Goodbyes tarnishfaith, like ashesscattered My heart grows dismissal,craves a balm of connectionseeks quiet harbour Remind me what it feels like to be safebreath nurturing life,love a rhythmic flow In meditationI reach for peaceimagine salvation But this wayward chaosunrestrainedcements me in doubt Tainted intentionsI lift up to the Universea tempest without hope My soul incubates malicea […]

Hawk (haiku)

Relevance of Story

Stories have power. Parents, teachers, public speakers, and therapists understand that the secret to engaging an audience or connecting with others is through illustration: storytelling. I see it in the eyes of the my grandchildren, who love to hear tales of family history. I’ve seen in the eyes of students, when recognition and understanding light […]