Fireworks Flowers

Dahlias from the final Saturday Spokane Farmers' Market.

GL, 10/25/2014. Prevail.

The Full Blood Moon

GL, 10/7/2014. Prevail.

From The Moth archives...and, today, I saw a limping turkey...

(While running through the Oak Tree Grove as Crazy Acorn Collecting Lady, I saw a raffle of turkeys...one who was limping...a first for me...today, I saw a limping turkey, where the boys and I counted trees.)

~

Counting Trees

One of my favorite places to run through is a boulevard lined by four rows of huge red oak trees which drop their acorns in the fall…sounds of sizzling bacon. Recently, I stopped by on a low-key five miler and wondered about the trees who reside here. I have jogged here for years, never pausing to count them, and this seemed a good time as any.

You’d think that such a task would be easy, but I kept losing count…did I count that one? Oh yeah, I did but not the one behind it, diagonally to the left…or was it to the right? I simply could not keep them straight, so I decided to revisit during my lunch break.

From my car, I thought this should be a breeze. Nope. Still lost count and could NOT keep track of those counted and those among the not-yet numbered. Figuring that nearby homeowners would not appreciate my slathering the trees with bright red paint in an effort to stay organized, I decided I would return with more eyes.

So I recruited my boys on the way to a Tod Marshall poetry reading. I rolled down their car windows and gave clear instructions to each of them. To my nine-year-old I explained that he was to count only the trees that lined the left side curb and not to worry about the trees behind as we would catch them on our way back up. To my almost 12-year-old, I said, do the same thing, only on the right side. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that they, too, became easily confused, because, after all, I as an adult was having difficulty. They kept messing each other up, so around again we went after I advised them that perhaps counting silently might be beneficial to the other and lead to a more accurate measuring. Then up the other side we went, counting the other two rows.

It was hysterical. I laughed until the tears were streaming down my cheeks. The boys’ facial expressions, responses, and questions just sent me into another peal of laughter.

“Um, Mom, why are we counting trees?” my nine-year-old asked.

“I’m not sure. I guess I am just curious about all these gorgeous trees,” I answered, thoughtfully rubbing my chin.

“If you don’t know why, then why do we HAVE TO count?” he persisted. “Hey, do we include the tree stumps?” (I still don’t have an answer for that one.)

My almost-12-year-old chimed in, “Curiosity makes people do the strangest of things!”

I couldn’t speak for almost 10 minutes, I was laughing so hard.

I finally have some numbers: between the multiple countings, my best guesstimate is somewhere in the 60’s. SWEET! (But please don’t quote me as mine was gloriously messy count. If you need precise numbers, perhaps you should just go count them yourself.)

I am now off to count the lilac bushes in Manito Park’s Lilac Gardens!

LL, 5/8/2009. Prevail.

~

GL, 10/4/2014. Prevailing...

Brain Flowers

(Comb Flowers)

Thank you, Cindy, for the Perry Street Farmers' Market gifting

In honor of my dad, health nut like me, who died from a massive heart attack on August 30, 2014.

Prevailing...

GL, 9/11/2014. Prevailing...Brain Bleed survivor

Montgomery, Alabama, Mental Health Interpreter Training Conference, interpreting team, 2014

I LOVE these people...they make me wickedly wicked happy...Montgomery, Alabama,my second home!)

(Thank you, Shannon Reese, for the picture!)

GL, 8/7/2014. Prevail.

Orange-red Sun

Eerie light in smoky forest fires

GL, 7/18/2014. Prevail.

Oliver's cousins

Black-Crowned Night-Herons

San Diego, 6/27/2014. Prevail.

Oliver

Oliver and I had the most fabulous photo shoot today at Manito's Mirror Pond after my run and before Market.

GL, 6/7/2014. Prevail.

More of Oliver

He's the best. Makes me wickedly wicked happy.

GL, 5/28/2014. Prevail.

Rainbows

GL, 5/27/2014. Prevail.

Oliver

Oliver in May at Manito's Mirror Pond

It's good to see him again.

GL, 5/21/2014. Prevail.

Lilacs

The Lilac season goes by way too fast.

GL, 5/16/2014. Prevail.

May's Full Flower Moon

GL, 5/15/2014. Prevail.

Blue Sapphire Orchid

GL, 5/9/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 30

Epilogue

3%

Currents of Sunlight
Snake through and clothe green toned boughs
In Canonicals.

Farewell, National Poetry Month.

GL, 4/30/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 29

0%

Limbs' seedling blossoms
Tousled hair, elbows awkward
Spring grows to Summer.

GL, 4/29/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 28

New Moon

Under Evening's sky
Clouds coated with grey concrete
A mirrored hallway.

GL, 4/28/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 27

3%

Breathing deeply, tears
Burn her eyes, tightening her throat
Musicality.

GL, 4/27/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 26

7%

Last year's pinecones dried
Forgotten toys unburied
In Spring's cleaned closet.

GL, 4/26/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 25

14%

The bark of a tree
Gold on its veined column wrist
Bakelite bracelets.

GL, 4/25/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 24

23%

Facts as hard as rocks
Pick their way through scars in steps
Fawn-like shaky legs.

GL, 4/24/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 23

IV

34%

The fresh of morning
Green in the air of wet grass
Peeled ripe cucumber.

GL, 4/23/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 22

Last Quarter

A strong breeze connects
The pond's denim jeans jumpers
By its brass buttons.

GL,4/22/2014.Prevail.

Moon Poem 21

56%

Closing curtains twitch
As beads of sweat stick in spots
Upon her hairline.

GL, 4/21/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 20

67%

From ceiling to floor
Lamplight richochets and sparks
In the dark of night.

GL, 4/20/2014.Prevail.

Moon Poem 19

77%

Parts of a tree bend
Slim yellowed mossed twigs, wishbones
Elasticity.

GL, 4/19/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 18

86%

A fist in the face
The word ALIVE stops, cartwheels,
Then jumps off my chest.

GL, 4/18/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 17

93%

Buckled by oaks' roots
Uneven grey stone sidewalks
Shoulder scapulae.

GL, 4/17/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 16

III

98%

Wind blows sticks and leaves
Down the street in tumbleweeds.
Discarded handbills.

GL, 4/16/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 15

Full Moon

Farm machinery
Hunches under blacktop tarp
Awaits its Season.

GL, 4/15/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 14

100%

A red robin flits
Tongue darting at the corners
Of her pink-lipped mouth.

GL, 4/14/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 13

97%

The swaying tree branch
Its rusty hinge pings and squeaks
A metronome clock.

GL, 4/13/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 12

93%

Gray rain marches down
Thunder loudly applauses
Lightning's appearance.

GL,4/12/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 11

87%

A fiddlehead fern
Curling deep into herself
A spinning pinwheel.

GL, 4/11/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 10

80%

Old tree in water
Knees protrude, knotted joints thick
As though arthritic.

GL, 4/10/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 9

II

72%

The hummingbird's wings
A question hanging in air
Knocking at the door.

GL, 4/9/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 8

63%

A tired black mutt
Circles around an answer
Preparing to sleep.

GL, 4/8/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 7

First Quarter

The rosette of blood
Unfurls on my fingertip
A prick that blossoms.

GL, 4/7/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 6

45%

The Sun drops a shade
Casting the Light of the Day
Into formal Dusk.

GL, 4/6/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 5

35%

An old dog on stairs
Her stiff hips open and close
Wooden clothing pins.

GL, 4/5/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 4

26%

On a farm's back porch
Black boots sit, dogs anxiously
Waiting for a walk.

GL, 4/4/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 3

18%

During Winter's thick
A cabin hunkering down
In snow drifts and ice.

GL, 4/3/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 2

I






11%

The skin of dried leaves
See veins in an insect wing
Delicate and strong.

GL, 4/2/2014. Prevail.

Moon Poem 1

Prologue

5%

A stream of water
Snaking through jammed grey toned stones
A Capriccio.

Welcome, National Poetry Month.

GL, 4/1/2014. Prevail.

On an osprey's nest...

I love this!

GL, 3/18/2014. Prevail.

The Full Worm Moon

Approaching the Vernal Equinox

GL, 3/16/2014. Prevail.

The Full Snow Moon

GL. 2/14/2014, prevail.

Blanca the Willow

Sitting comfortably and beautifully, shoulder to shoulder with Grandfather Tree on No Worries Farm.

GL, 1/18/2014. Prevail.

The First Full Moon of 2014

The 2014 mini-Moon, January's Wolf Moon, while I am on the road.

GL, 1/15/2014. Prevail.

Playing with my kaleidoscope thru my BlackBerry viewfinder, this time on a blue lightbulb

GL, 1/7/2014. Prevail.