January Almanac

Ice sculptures form in the creek – Photo © 2017 by V. Nesdoly

Frosted black pavement
Slush hillocks turned ice, packed snow
Slippery when wet

Streetlights spot diamonds
Every street a booby-trap
of black ice

East outflow winds
Harsh, strong, glittering, long
freeze-drying Winter

Puffy Capsize coat
Icebreaker socks, Northside boots
my new best friends

© 2017 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)

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Winter has caught my attention. This year we’ve had particularly long cold spells with snow off and on since mid-December. Then mid-day the temperature warms to just above freezing and for a few hours the snow melts till the temps dip again. The pair of sturdy, warm hiking boots I bought way back in October is getting lots of use. No falls on the ice so far!

This post is linked to Poetry Friday, hosted this week by Keri at Keri Recommends.

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Spring journal

Spring has sprung and every day something new pops!  My camera has been busy. I take photos on our morning walks and often write briefly about what I’ve seen later as a sort of nature diary. Today, three recent entries…

Forsythia – Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly

Hyacinths – Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly

Winter / Spring

Winter’s grudge farewell
via two-faced Rain
(under grey nourishes change)

Spring’s hallelujah
Forsythia bursts golden
Hyacinths sweeten the air.

–  (Sedoka) March 9, 2016

Fallen trees after a recent wind storm – Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly

Catkins – Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly

March gales do Spring’s inspections.
Not all that blooms is assured a future.
Catkin-laden branches
perish in their prime.

–  March 15, 2016

Clematis armandi – or Evergreen Clematis – Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly

White blooms
cover arbor
Clematis armandii
Spring’s preposterous happiness–
her star!

– (Cinquain) March 15, 2016

(Thanks to gardener Robin, my niece who helped me identify this one)
(Poems © 2016 by Violet Nesdoly – All rights reserved).

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This post is linked to Poetry Friday where Robyn Hood Black is our host today. Drop by Robyn’s blog  Life at the Deckle Edge for links to this Friday’s roundup of poems for the young and young at heart.