~ Fleeting Moments ~ WPC: Evanescence + Bird Haiku ~

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Yesterday, as I walked the trail through the marshy dunes from the beach to our condominium (Long Beach, WA), I spotted birds I’d never seen before.

Red-necked. Phalarope mature & immature

Fortunately, I had my Panasonic with telephoto so I was able to get good enough shots to determine they are Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). “Sexual roles are reversed in phalaropes, with smaller duller-plumaged males incubating eggs and raising the young.” *

Red-necked. Phalarope group

Today there is no sign of them, but a lone Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) called out from the meadow and was perched high enough above the dune grass to get a photo so I could identify it.

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 2Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Here today, gone tomorrow — the evanescent essence of migration!

 

small flock bobs in marsh

swimming in circles pecking

at surface for grub

*****

common yellowthroat

warbles atop meadow shrub

wide open solo

 

*Birds of the Puget Sound Region; Paulson, Morse, Aversa, Opperman.

Evanescent

Posted in birds, haiku, nature, ornithology, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Poetry, travel, weekly photo challenge, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

~ Dune Grass Runes ~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

P1060814 2P1060811 2P1060815 (1)P1060817 (1)P1060819 (1)

Posted in nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

~Late Spring = Early Summer ~ In A Vase On Monday ~

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

For the first time since September, we are experiencing a run of more than two days of sunshine. What a joy to get up in the morning and walk into the gardens with a mug of coffee and nippers in hand, to make a posy for my deck table!

P1060793

Columbine seeds freely here so I can only say this is a Aquilegia hybrid.

P1060796

The Brunera macrophylla ‘Heartleaf alkanet’ is one I added last year. All the Brunera blossoms are fading, but the lovely heart-shaped leaves and textured light of the plant will grace my shade gardens all summer through. To bring some green into the posy, I added a sprig of Mexican Orange, Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ . For lightness and lift I finished with the tiny pink blossoms of an unknown sedum.

P1060799

The vase is one I found at a thrift shop — blown glass with a lime green interior and celadon exterior.

P1060801

If you have the name of this sedum, please leave a comment. I spent over an hour searching my notebooks and on-line to no avail!

IMG_7927

Here’s to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for keeping this fair-weather gardener going throughout a wet winter and early spring!

Posted in flowers, Gardening, In a Vase on Monday, landscape gardening, nature, pacific northwest, plants | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

~ In Wildness ~ Weekly Photo Challenge: Heritage ~

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Something that represents my heritage is the love of nature and being outdoors — whether in my gardens, at a park or in the wild. Camping, fishing, exploring lakes and streams, mountains and the ocean, as well as visiting national parks is part of my cultural DNA, right along with farming and gardening.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”

John Muir

img_4820-version-3

“All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.”

Toni Morrison

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.”

Alice Walker

Lake Tahoe, Nevada. USA
Lebanon, Oregon USA
Silver Cedars

“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.”

Pamela Hansford Johnson

 

P1000236IMG_7840img_6605

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

 

Heritage

Posted in nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

~ Condensation Trail ~ WPC: Reflecting ~

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

It was early morning — just after sunup at the 5,000 foot summit of Willamette Pass, Oregon — USA.  The water surface on Odell Lake was a gentle roll of motion reflecting the surrounding forests and a blue sky streaked with contrails.

 

IMG_6305

Seeing the vapor trails got me thinking of the indelible imprint Homo sapiens have made upon this forgiving planet.

IMG_6303

Oh, that we don’t screw it up any further.

IMG_6299

 Reflecting

Posted in nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

~ Caligula Haiku ~ 5/11/17 ~ Take Two ~

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Guess I was a bit upset this morning (also in a hurry) when I posted my caLLigula haiku! Sorry about that, but somehow striking the L twice made me feel more powerful — more in control — an illusion.

 

grandstand showboat mate

caught in lines of spun nonsense

hangs in sticky web

*****

I am not a crook

Caligula spouts to world

transparent as glass

*****

false intentions lie

deceit intended

deception in check

***

Stay tuned to NPR and other balanced news sources — this is only the beginning.

Posted in peaceful civil disobedience, Poetry, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

~ Haiku ~ Caligula is not America ~

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

caligula fears

subterfuge disintegrates

denial backfires

*****

feeble and flabby

caligula fires false hoods

shoots himself in foot

*****

stonewall excuses

stumble crumble turn to dust

we provide strong wind

Posted in peaceful civil disobedience, Poetry | Tagged , | Leave a comment

~ “Slip Slidin’ Away” ~ WPC: Danger! ~

Posted on May 6, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

From fall to late spring in the Pacific Northwest, moss can turn sidewalks and driveways into dangerous places to tread.

IMG_7259

“You know the nearer your destination
The more you’re slip slidin’ away”

Paul Simon

I feel this way about my country right now. We were on a path of acceptance, hope and inclusion. Since Trump was inaugurated, so much has slid out of reach, and the threat of more damage to come sickens me. I continue to resist and refuse to be sucked into thinking it’s all okay — it is not — it is dangerous.

Danger!

Posted in nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

~ Re-post of Tina Schell: Sinister Swamp – WPC Danger ~

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Tina’s work is always above and beyond the norm, so I wanted you who follow me to see this fine example of her nuanced word and image collage.

Source: Sinister Swamp – WPC Danger

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on ~ Re-post of Tina Schell: Sinister Swamp – WPC Danger ~

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

P1060770P1060773

Posted in birds, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments