October 28, 2010, journal entry, I Had No Idea that Ducks Ate Acorns (Makes Me Wickedly Happy)

Six miles.

I had no idea that ducks ate acorns.

I parked my purple car at Manito Park and ran west towards Cannon Hill Park, its perimeter lined with gorgeous oak trees. Ducks quacked and waddled, and I stopped suddenly, not to unwrap the organic peach cough drop to control an unexpected cough, but to observe the mallard ducks beneath the huge oak trees. They are eating acorns, and above them, in the oaks that dropped these acorns, is a scolding squirrel, chiding the ducks loudly, rapidly and rhythmically with a flick of his tail at every note.

I had no idea that ducks ate acorns. But, for whatever reason, seeing this scene, I am simply wickedly happy.

Things that Make Me Wickedly Happy

Running again. And the new running shoes I just purchased. I am learning to trust myself again, and the achiness I felt had nothing to do with my hamstring but had everything to do with the fact that the last time I bought running shoes was at least eight months ago. I was way overdue.

My BlackBerry on Binoculars pictures. Seriously makes me wickedly wicked happy. I A.D.O.R.E these pictures.

Rivulets of acorns running down the edges of curving sidewalks in the Grove of Oaks.

The Elmer’s glue I use to reattach the caps to acorns for the clear jars I use for tabletop displays along with the glasses of feathers and branch with cocoon. Vases and vases and vases…my Cabinets of Wonders.

The white tents of the farmers’ market. And the fact I can say easily after practicing to the rhythm of the step of my run, “Ted said, Sven, send ten tents. Sven said Ted, send ten cents. When Ted sent Sven ten cents, Sven sent Ted his ten tents.”

Odd combinations in preserves at the farmers’ market like blueberry with basil. Oh yeah, wickedly AWEsome on salmon.

Maple-leaf-yellow chanterelle mushrooms from Mushroom Farmer Bob. (Except that I just found out that his name is actually Mushroom Farmer Mo. Oops!)

Rainbow striped lasagna noodles

And the butternut squash lasagna made from farmers’ market butternut squash that tastes simply wicked.

Purple patent leather Danskos that my four–year-old client calls “glass shoes.” Ya gotta be happy when you look at your feet and are happy: I look at my purple glass shoes and I am wickedly wicked happy.

My kaleidoscope on a sunset.

The Moon, as She waxes and wanes, in the East and West and in the South. I was totally obsessed with Her this Fall. Uh…well, yeah… I still am …

My second tattoo of an orange underwing moth, Tattered Wings. I am seriously serious wickedly wicked, wickedly wicked happy about this.

And that ducks eat acorns. I seriously had no idea that they did

But I am seriously wickedly wicked happy about it.















































GL, 10/28/2010. Prevail.

At First, I Thought This Was a Crow

A Falcon-esque Silhouette through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars, 10/29/2010

GL, 10/29/2010. Prevail.

I Like Utility Wires

Two Red-Tailed Hawks Perching on Utility Tower through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars

GL, 10/27/2010. Prevail.

Haiku 26

The Hunter’s Moon

(Umbra.)

In Fall’s busy sky
Bright clouds separate and shred
Teased into white threads.

(Penumbra.)

Loud Canada geese
Busily braid and unbraid
Themselves into strands.

(Antumbra.)

A vase of black crows
Glossy blue and brown shadows
Swirls of hand-blown glass.

GL, 10/22/2010. Prevail.

Empty Osprey Nest above Moon

Empty Osprey Nest above Waxing Gibbous Moon through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars, 10/15/2010

GL, 10/16/2010. Prevail.

First Quarter

Utility Wires
The First Fourth through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars

GL, 10/14/2010. Prevail.

A Moth towards Light

A Moth towards Light through BlackBerry Viewfinder, 10/8/2010

GL, 10/13/2010. Prevail.

Bright

Waxing Crescent at 29 Percent
Moon through BlackBerry viewfinder on Binoculars, 10/12/2010

GL, 10/12/2010. Prevail.

Vermilion

Utility Wire
(Vermilion Sunset through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars)

GL, 10/12/2010. Prevail.

Constellation Poem 5

Draco 2
The Draconid Meteor Showers



Alpha

Aspens and oak trees
Leaves turning yellow, orange, red
Autumn’s ritual.

Beta

As Autumn’s veil thins
Gold sunflowers bow deeply
In enlightenment.

Gamma

Glossy onyx crows
Call and gather in loud crowds
A congregation.

Delta

Draco the Dragon
Starts spitting out shooting stars
Draconid’s shower.

Epsilon

The bright Harvest Moon
Waning, the silver sliver
Moves, and becomes New.

GL, 10/7/2010. Prevail.

Triptych

Autumnal Ritual


Sliver (Six Percent of Full, Minutes before Sunrise)


Two Black Crows and Thirteen Wires

GL, 10/5/2010. Prevail.

The Moon, One Minute before Sunrise

The Moon, One Minute before Sunrise
Waning Crescent at 43%, 6:48AM, through BlackBerry Viewfinder on Binoculars, 10/1/2010

GL, 10/2/2010. Prevail.

Journal Entry, September 28, 2010, Good Morning, Moon

Five miles.

The morning Moon follows me today on my run.

Good morning, Moon in White.

~

Good morning, ducks flying over the Moon. (I know you are ducks because you always look like you are in such a rush when you are flying, your wings flapping fast, fast, fast.)

Good morning, white butterfly, fluttering by.

~

Good morning, East Sun, as you chase the West Moon…your rising is quite like a golden balloon.

~

Good morning, orange pine needles, on whom I run. Thank you, you cushion my step in your criss-crossed fun,

And good morning to you, cattails’ shredding tufts…you make me think of white cotton ball puffs.

~

Good morning, windy wind, as you hurry clouds on their way

And blow red leaves and red leaves from trees as they sway.

Good morning, aspen trees with your trunk’s wide white eyes and your turning leaves that shimmer like shell-like wind chimes.

~

Good morning to the quarter and copper pennies that I find

And I bow and say Good Morning! to each handsome magpie.

~

As we run, the Moon catches me, saying, Tag, you are it! So I turn and chase Her ‘til Noon when She sets.

~































GL, 9/28/2010. Prevail.