New

New, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

there is a sense of miracle in the word "new"
and not just in the new babies
that should always be celebrated and marked
with wonder, awe and a sense of honour in being in their presence

there is the new green of spring
the giddy new of many mornings
and even the sad new, marked by life
being so different because someone or something has ended
and the world will never be the same
that can call for a very different celebration
but there is celebration all the same

a time to let go

a time to let go, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

after the rain
the seed hangs by
a nearly invisible thread
dancing in the wind like
the tiniest of kites

Way Too Cold For Snowcones

Way Too Cold For Snowcones, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

baseball featured in my childhood
summer weeks at my grandmother's
a small town in North Ontariou
revolved around fast pitch
one of my uncles was an umpire
(his eyesight was good)
another a pitcher
(not a belly itcher)

and I loved to play
I had my own bat, ball and glove
not a great catcher but I could usually pitch
maybe because I figured I should be able
to
because of my lineage
my uncle, the pitcher, was GOOD
probably better than many
I think there was talk of him
maybe moving in to a different league
but I don't think he wanted to move
anywhere that wasn't where he already was -
anyway-
my bat was good too
and although I couldn't always figure out where the ball was
and I swung a lot without connecting
when I did hit, I HIT it Hard
and far
once I threw that bat
at another kid
but not during a game
he was an obnoxious, grabby 11 year old
hands touching me where they shouldn't
even if he had asked permission first
and my 12 year old outrage
already fanned by my body
betraying me and taking away the shape
i knew and leaving behind shapes I
didn't think I wanted
made that club of wood fly
hard after him
as he took to his heels
to flee my shrieks of anger
-now I am happy that his running start meant I didn't hit him out of the park
but then, I was not so generous,

all of this in my mind last night
as I crouched under a blanket
(and a togue, and a hoody!)
huddled next the rest of my family
June, where I live is not always a temperate affair
and I was astonished to see
that unlike the rest of the hardy souls
in smatterings throughout the park
one brave boy walked past
with a bright red and blue snowcone
probably the only one they sold that night

real life photography

real life photography, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my kids are hilarious
and helpful to practice with
but I hope I am more successful
with other people's children
I don't think most people
expect this as a the result of a professional shoot!

antenna Animal - iphone toyphone

antenna Animal - iphone toyphone, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

7k walk
first time out since 50k
found Animal grinning in the parking lot
of a downtown park

what the little birds say

what the little birds say, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

he cedar tree
is full of sparrows
raising sparrow families
and sucking back
all the seed that
can be shoveled into
the bird feeder
and then chirping for more

pink riot

pink riot, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

take one pink crabapple tree, in full bloom
mix in the golden light of late day
invert a bowl of sky over top
open eyes wide
and b-r-e-a-t-h-e in deep