Note: Thanks to Dennis for letting me use this photograph of his — it inspired my haiku. Please visit him for advice on photographing insects, which was above my head. If my iPhone can’t do it, I’m out of luck.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 20, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

42 Comments

Rhodie Abloom

proud full bloom
sprinkled with sage fairy dust
beckoning bees

Note: Hiking in New Hampshire today. Hot, sweltering with thunder shows hovering. I’ll hope for some fairy dust and a well-placed swimming hole. 🙂 Have a great week! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 17, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

41 Comments

Butterfly Twilight

Used by permission of Jessica Hagan

Vanessa dances
at dusk in the begonias
scent of lavender

Note: Thanks to Jessica Hagan for letting me use her beautiful photograph of the American Lady Butterfly, Vanessa Virginiensis!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 16, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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19 Comments

Travel theme: Off-Centre

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Note: This celebration of the seasons is inspired by Ailsa at Where’s My Backpack. She offered a fun quote by George Carlin: Think off-center. Achieving balance despite being off-center is one of my aims. Do you think I managed even though my subjects are off-center? My theme is in honor of the seasons because we are nearly in-between, moving here from spring to summer in a few days.

in-between
off-center
but in balance

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 14, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

31 Comments

World Building

brainstorming plot
world building with my son
ideas bloom

Note: I had the vast pleasure today of discussing a science fiction idea with my oldest son. I’ve been developing a young adult novel set on a moon colony. He was jazzed, and he contributed lots of ideas toward my world building. Now, he wants to work on writing his own SF novel this summer, and my second son wants to be part of it. Such fun!! Hope you have a great week!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

15 Comments

Flowers Unlaced, An Invitation

pinwheels of nectar
enjoy their moment in the sun
bees kiss and flirt

gold dusts my skin from
wildflowers unlaced

Note: You are invited to add a haiku or even another tanka in the comments below. For those new to haiku and tanka: they are brief, present-tense observations of the world. They are written as snapshots of moments with meaning. They often relate to nature and the season, in this case spring. A haiku is often framed as three lines with syllables of 5, 7 then 5. A tanka contains the haiku and then two lines of 7 syllables added. These are guidelines, rather than strict rules, and I have seen haiku of only one line. These are the basic rules, but there are many, many more. You can spend a lifetime perfecting poetry, but only if you write it.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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29 Comments

Lion Alone

winter scarred, care worn
gazing at eternity
lion without pride

remembers school vacation
three playful cubs squabbling

Note: Hurray for vacation week! Tomorrow is the Boston marathon. Hope you all have a great week. Be healthy and be safe! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 26, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

41 Comments

Diamond Snow Tanka

pink morning light
gilds young trees, knee-deep in ice
thousands of diamonds

break light into rainbows,
blinding me to spring

Note: Tanka is defined in Oak Leak Tanka. This photograph was taken this spring. You can compare it to a picture taken last winter of the same trees in Five Brothers Tanka. This poem is in honor of Poetry Friday, hosted this week by Check it Out.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 23, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

38 Comments

Winter Symphony

Fingertips of trees
Gusts of wind bear thistledown
Symphony in gray

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 1, 2015

Posted under

Humor, Photography, Poetry

Comments

56 Comments

Snowtoro

Meet our snow creature: Snowtoro!

Snowtoro was inspired by Totoro, a movie by Hayao Miyasaki and Studio Ghibli. If you haven’t seen it, you’ve missed a gem. Two girls meet a big fluffy, teddy bear of a forest creature — the totoro. When the younger one disappears, Totoro helps the older girl search for her. You can watch the trailer here. Even two-year olds love this movie. Here is a Haiku in honor of a great film and my kids abiding love for it:

white tongue tastes
snowflakes drenched in freezing rain
Snowtoro smiles

Note: Another big storm is blowing through our area tomorrow with 12 inches of snow and freezing rain forecast. Another snow day and more sledding. Woo-hoo!