Calla Lily Leaf

Speckles on top side
look opaque, yet translucent
from the underside 

~dkm 346/365

First Pick Revisited

June 13th post on
needing to pick blueberries
before ripe was wrong

By some luck of fate
The birds and squirrels have not
Eaten them this year

In two weeks one bush
Has reaped four quarts of berries
With more yet to come

Neighbors report same
Phenomenon in their yards
As never before

Most years the birds and
Squirrels strip the branches bare
While berries are green

What has caused them to
ignore the bounty this year?
Does anyone know?

~dkm 345/365

Stems in Water

Pearl's hostess gift of
coleus leaves are rooting
The wonder of it

Of Mother Earth's will
Her elegant systems of
Regeneration

~dkm 344/365

Purple But White

It's very name begs
the question of what caused the
Front clump to be white

~dkm 343/365

Purple Coneflower

One Bee

The hosta blooms
are beset with buzzing bees
I listen and watch

Most bees crawl inside
the blooms to get the pollen
Except for this one

This one bee seeks out
the outer stem of each bloom
and appears to drink

Does he know something
about the stem his sister
bumblebees don't know?

Or does he not know
himself how to find pollen?
This one bumble bee

~dkm 342/365

Pileated Woodpecker?

Mystery bird song
Like a youngster practicing
its adult cackle

~dkm 341/365

Found in a Tote Bag

Mystery seed pack
Years old, sprinkled on loose soil
Beginning to sprout

~dkm 340/365

Pin Cushion

Nature never stops

presenting things new to me

This, for example

~dkm 339/365

Button Bush.
Photo credit, Peggy Spencer

Be Safe Little House Wren

To be so noisy
On the day of your first flight
Seems a bit risky

Still being helpless
I'd think you'd be more prudent
As well as quiet

Such a gaudy squawk
Given how bubbly and sweet
Your song will become

~dkm 338/365

Failed Bluebird Egg

One egg left in nest
Ten days after others fledged
Curious to see why

Carefully removed
Dropped by accident and broke
Just fluid inside

~dkm 337/365

Haiku Departure

To the man who makes
my life more entertaining
Happy Father's Day

*****

When Matt's here you act like two boys
The squirrels on the deck become toys
       You chase them like fools
       Tennis rackets, your tools
Such clapping and yelling and noise

You say you admire their ability
To leap off the deck with agility
       Each squirrel is so skilled
       You say you are thrilled
To cheer and applaud their mobility

To applaud each small acrobat?
Your reason is nothing like that
       It's not the applause
       You do it because
You're hoping to see one go SPLAT

*****

To concerned readers
The squirrels have been victors
In every instance

~dkm 336/365

Answer to Yesterday's Puzzle

Blue condensation
Water jug from Crystal Springs
Peggy got it right

~dkm 335/365

Close Up Puzzle #2

Found this on my phone
Shot taken by accident
Hint: On the front porch

~dkm 334/365

What is it? Answer tomorrow. 

Bluebird Lovers

He lands beside her
She demures and scoots away
He scoots toward her

Again she demures
And he moves in closer yet
She takes to the air

But she doesn't fly
Only hovers, fluttering
He reads her signal

Such spinning, crashing,
fluttering, oh my. Likely
a third brood coming

~dkm 333/365

World Upside Down

It seems so simple
A single raindrop dripping
Until you zoom in

~dkm 332/365

Gem Unimagined

New morning raindrop
Pearl on caladium throne
Beauty magnified

Gift from universe
But for the simple act of
paying attention

~dkm 331/365

Photo credit: Pearl McHaney

Juvenile Downy

A new woodpecker
Comes to the feeder all day
Sleek brown head, not red

~dkm 330/365

First Pick of Season

Hoped the cardinals

defending their nest high in

the blueberry bush

would keep other birds

and squirrels from stealing the

 

berries before ripe

But they fledged too soon

Now we must pick before ripe

If we're to get some 

~dkm 329/365

Cooper's Hawk on Their Birdbath

Songbird alarm calls

Drew me out of house in time

to catch him in flight 

~dkm 328/365

Oh Happy Sad Day

The bluebirds have fledged
The first two slipped our notice
The third posed for us

The fourth egg, unhatched
Was abandoned in the nest

Nature's mystery 

~dkm 327/365

May 24

June 10

June 11 @ 11:03am

June 11 @ 12:30pm

Dear Nestling Bluebirds

Please don't fledge today
I see you peeking, stretching
Your parents coaxing

But hear the thunder
See the dark clouds, feel the wind
Rain will arrive soon

Stay low in your nest
Tomorrow will be sunny
Wait for the Yayas

We want to cheer you
To see your breathless first flight
And bring you courage

It's our tradition
You know, to gather when we
Know a fledge is due

It's a sacred time
A gift of the universe
Observing a fledge

May you please allow
Yourselves a full day to find
Safety by nightfall

~dkm 326/365

Outdoor Class

Two ruby-throated
hummingbirds hovered
over meditation group

~dkm 325/365

Mistaken Identity

A painted lady

kept investigating my

friend's flowered shirt

~dkm 324/365

Royal Bloom

Empress Wu again
This time in grand explosion
befitting her name

~dkm 323/365

The Day and Season After

Viola pansies,
planted on December 8th,
watered with my tears

Lifted our hearts through
winter days, bloomed throughout spring
to this final flare

~dkm 322/365

Serious Soaking

Planting in the rain.
A pleasure I hadn't guessed
would be as soothing

~dkm 321/365

Two-way Surprise

Carolina wren
Newly fledged and unafraid
Perched on swing with me

Little wren, are you

the product of the Slam Dunk

witnessed May seventh? 

~dkm 320/365

Mystery Echinacea

Purple cone flower

Twenty years reseeded here

And this year bloomed white

~dkm 319/365

Tree Surgeon Day

Hawk in the birdbath.
Man in the pinetree. Trading
levels for a time.

~dkm 318/365

Housewren Chapter Five

When does a birdsong
become almost annoying?
Now, Mr Housewren.

It's a pretty song.
Bubbly and cheerful and all.
But it never stops.

Have you ever thought
you might be endangering
your wife and children?

Calling attention
to your nest with that constant
twittering, I mean?

Most male birds with nests
Are watchful and protective.
Present but quiet.

What makes you different?
Throwing caution to the wind,
like you do? Pure joy?

~dkm 317/365