limerick 86

in my church, i have always been told

that a rich man can’t enter the fold,

so it seems a bit odd

of our down-to-earth god

to dress heaven in pearls and gold.

John Muir Quote

As a teen, I was an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy, and the idea of finding some kind of hidden portal to another reality didn’t seem all that far-fetched.

Now, as an old man, I still think about it when I’m out here in the forest; there could be an entrance to another world anywhere among all these old trees, perhaps leading to a magical realm of fairies and elves.

Well, in a way, I have found portals in the woods. In fact, they’re everywhere, which leads me to today’s quote by mountaineer and author John Muir:

“Between every

two pines is a doorway

to a new world.”

–Photo by me

wordless wednesday 6/18/25

–photos by me

paths, interrupted (tanka)

nothing makes a man

reconsider his path like

a close lightning strike–

that goes for his path in life

as well as his path in step

dive-bombed

i went into the wetlands for to shoot some birds in flight,

but i had no idea they would put up such a fight;

a problem with these swallows that is likely to occur:

if you get too near their nests, they will dive-bomb you for sure!

they swoop down out of nowhere, and it makes you duck and squat,

but if you keep from flinching, you may get your flying shot.

and what is my excuse for my failure here today?

the sun was in my eyes and my beard was in my way.

–photo by friend

shot of the day (6/13/25)

In the woods, June has its own shade of green–lighter than forest green, ironically, but darker than, say, mint. After a long winter of bare limbs in the forest, it’s nice to have it filling back in; it’s greening up, so to speak. Sometimes the undergrowth seems to take on shapes.

this bush reminds me

of a skinny little teen

with a bunch of pink barrettes

in her hair so green

–photo by me