Tag: fall

Power of Clocks
It’s that time of year again. I never know if we are starting Daylight Savings or ending it this weekend. I just know we fall back and borrow an extra hour of sleep. It’s harder when we have to give that hour back next March. The extra light in the morning is nice, but I don’t like how dark it will get in the early evenings. There is always talk about ending this insane clock changing, but it never seems to go anywhere. People grumble for a week until their internal clocks catch up and then it’s dropped until we have to do it again. I am in favor of ending the madness, but I don’t tend to like change in general. When you throw in the change in weather that seems to go hand in hand with the clocks, I know my mood will be changing as well. So whatever the cause – clocks, seasons, moods – it will be a dark few months until we can spring forward again.
10/23

birds flying above
golden leaves sing a welcome
clear lake reflects all
10/26

shadows underneath
heat of sun still pushes through
warms this cool morning
10/28

can you hear the sound
of leaves crunching under feet
autumn’s melody
11/1

before morning sun
path still hidden in darkness
beating heart guides me
11/2

quiet morning swim
fog rolls across tranquil lake
sun last to arrive
November 2, 2024

change, fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, seasons, Walks with Zephyr
Rise and Shine
My dog doesn’t understand Sleep-in-Saturdays. Once he started stirring, the cats were quick to follow. Since I’m clearly not the boss around her, I was up too. After making it down the stairs in the dark without tripping over any fur friends, I started the circus routing of feeding them their personalized meals. Once I had my shoes and coat on, Zephyr and I were ready to head out for our walk. I switched to my prescription sunglasses and had the door locked before realizing just how dark it still was. I assumed the sun would be making its grand entrance soon and decided not to switch glasses. It didn’t take long to settle in and take notice of the surroundings. Today I was going to have to use my ears instead of my eyes though. The trail was silent with only the two of us up and out this early on a weekend day. By the time we got to the high school parking lot we were greeted with the caws from the crows hanging out overhead on the lights. They were either asking if we saw any food for them or warning us against eating anything we found because they already laid claim. Further along I could hear the honking from the geese flying south early on their winter migration. When we got to the dirt trail by the lake the silence was interrupted by the crunching of the gravel beneath our feet. A few people joined us with a nod of their head or a whispered wish for a good morning. The sun was busy trying to shine its light on us but was hindered by cloud cover. As we came back to the sidewalk in the neighborhood I spied a pile of golden leaves under a tree. Thinking about a friend who told me she loves the sound of walking through the autumn leaves, I turned my feet toward them and crunched my way down the center of them. The final sound of our journey was the squeak from my kitten welcoming us back. The walk may have come earlier than planned, but it was worth it to enjoy the lovely morning concert.
10/8

watching from afar
sun making its grand entrance
light after darkness
10/10

truce at water hole
keeping eye on each other
rough-housing timeout
10/12

detained mid descent
before the fall was complete
caught in sticky web
10/15

colors of autumn
reflecting back this morning
lovely earthtone hues
10/19

watercolor paint
canvas waits for morning tone
splashes across sky
October 19, 2024

birds, fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, walking, Walks with Zephyr
End of a Season
It had to happen. The calendar was flipped to a new month and a new season. I know the official start to fall is not for a few weeks, but once a certain coffee company starts advertising the pumpkin spice again, I know summer is over. I will begrudgingly admit there are a few nice things about fall, just not that flavored coffee. The cooler mornings have some merit. Later sunrises trick my pets into a few more minutes of sleep. Watching people get excited over football is fun. Switching from shorts to jeans can be nice, maybe. I might be looking forward to mornings with a warm cup of tea instead of my iced chai. I never miss pulling weeds and think they may finally be going away. The changing of the leaves from green to yellow and orange is magical. All of these things are nice, but my heart is already counting down the days until next summer. There is a feeling about summer that no other season can capture. But I will stay open-minded and continue to search for the little things all the other seasons can provide. It’s a skill worth perfecting since I have to do it with so many people out there, especially during an election year. So alright fall, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
8/27

morning sun calls out
let the light move you forward
away from darkness
8/31

behind wooden bars
looking for way to escape
obstacles sidelined
9/2

quiet place to rest
just minding his own business
hiding from kitten
9/4

lessons from the trail
whether hiking or living
simple rules to guide
9/7

just over the screen
a little face watches me
distracts me from work
September 7, 2024

cats, change, fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, joyful, kittens, seasons, Walks with Zephyr
Finding Your Why
In another life this coming week would mark the end of summer for me. The beginning of August marks the start of a new school year for teachers heading back to the trenches of education. I have many friends who are making the transition back to the classrooms over the next few weeks. For those who still enjoy all the good things about teaching it is a time of new beginnings, but for those who have lost their why (those who know will understand this), it is easy to get lost in the despair of leaving summer behind. For my lost friends as you start a new year, maybe aim for a different why. Your why doesn’t have to be so grand as dedicating your life to all those children who benefit greatly from your tireless efforts. The establishment wants those kind of whys. But your whys can just be because retirement is only a couple years away, or because health benefits are a good thing for you and our family, or because you enjoy a job that allows you be the boss in your space for a few hours each day. It’s okay for your job to just be a job. Teachers do not need to carry the burden of society on their backs. It is hard enough without all that pressure. If you got into teaching, you have already proven yourself to be a hard working, caring, compassionate person. On that first PD day when you are asked for you why, it’s okay if it’s just because that’s your job. You teach because that is your job. Don’t let it be your everything. Let something else be your passion for a change.
7/23

standing all alone
pole’s line drops below surface
long wait for answer
7/24

cruising neighborhood
no need for rider today
enjoying the sun
7/26

on the trail again
half walks better than no walks
will be running soon
7/27

take in a deep breath
savoring the morning view
ready for the day
July 27, 2024

fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, teaching, Walks with Zephyr
Migration Mindset
There is a week or so every fall when the geese stop over at the lake where I walk. It seems to be their Motel 6 as they make their air trip to the south. The cacophony of bird calls disrupts my normally quiet time of waking up. Just when I am starting to get used to the sound, a morning of complete silence will be just as jarring. The birds will continue their migration to warmer parts, and I won’t see them in large groups again until spring when they make their return trip. This past week I witnessed this traveling of hundreds of geese, sometimes it felt like thousands, as they sought a warm winter home. It made me wonder about migrations in general. By definition, migration is movement from one part to another. Animals such as birds, butterflies, spiders, and, in a way, snakes all make grand moves yearly. Throughout history we have seen large groups of people migrate to new areas. But I think we can look at migration in a different way as well. Sometimes it feels like I am staying in one place, but my environment completely changes. It was just a few months ago that my morning walks were done in shorts and t-shirts under the blazing summer sun. Now the same walk is undertaken with heavy coats and warm gloves and hats with a sun still trying to climb up in the sky. When my world changes I am forced to change how I can best fit in it, how I think about it. My mind has to migrate and seek joy in other ways. This month I get to enjoy all the holiday lights around, next month it might be playing in the snow with my dog, who loves it, and when the cold and darkness are really pushing down on me, I will migrate to the warmer climate of relatives for a quick reprieve. But it is clear to me, the simple act of living is just one migration mindset after another.
11/26

whether saying hi
or goodbye, sun knows how to
leave us wanting more
11/28

sound of geese flying
coming to disturb to peace
unwanted houseguests
11/29

only asked a few
but word spread from flock to flock
need to get more food
11/30

bloom frozen in place
petrified by winter’s wind
token of summer
12/1

waited patiently
for the perfect lap to stretch
cozy contentment
12/2

sitting on this bench
watching my thoughts travel far
migration mindset
December 2, 2023

birds, change, fall, haiku, haiku Saturday, migration, poetry, Walks with Zephyr, wondering
Waiting
It’s that time of year where we spend a lot of time just waiting. We wait for the leaves to fall. We wait for the snow to come. We wait for the holidays. We wait for the fresh new year to start. For me, I spent the week doing some extra waiting. I waited for loved ones to feel better. I waited for my pets to come home from the vet. I waited with a shelter dog while he waits for a new home. All this waiting is a perfect time to reflect. It feels like it was just summer and now we are already getting ready for the end of the year. It was a hard year for the world, but personally, I have some good memories. I will continue to always look for the wonder around me that can bring a moment of happiness to me and others. I hope you can reflect on what brought you a smile while you waited for something.
11/12

cool mountain morning
snow covered terrain below
azure sky above
11/13

changing water flow
no problem for the beavers
happy to assist
11/14

moment of silence
only the sound of his tags
clinking as we walk
11/16

clinging to the end
showing perseverance
challenging karma
11/18

muggy air blows in
rolls across the lake and cools
morning fog greets me
November 18, 2023

fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, poetry, scbwi, waiting, Walks with Zephyr, Winter Park, wondering
Spreading Joy
I started this blog to share some joy in a world that seems to be lacking good news. Most of the things I write about are things I see when walking my dog in the morning. That is a time when I am most at peace. My dog is living a pretty good life, especially now that I am home more to spoil him. Seeing how happy he is when we are walking or playing made me think of all the dogs who are not living their best lives right now. Dogs in shelters don’t get the attention they need, so I decided to volunteer at a shelter near me. So far I have fed the dogs dinner twice and next week I get trained to walk them. (Everyone laughs that I need training for walking a dog.) Don’t be surprised when some of my new friends show up in my writing to bring joy to you.
11/5

mountain in the sky
lovely autumn day outside
walking in foothills
11/6

redecorated
new flooring for the front yard
white carpet up next
11/7

lazy days of fall
resting in a bed of leaves
keeping ball from Mom
11/8

sunrise and sunset
always enjoy seeing proof
world still spinning
11/9

toes dipped in white paint
saying hi as I walk by
looking for a new home
11/10

dark clouds racing by
pushing away the sunshine
just a quick fly by
11/11

leafless tree stands tall
no shade provided today
only long shadows
November 11, 2023

animal shelters, fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, joyful, poetry, scbwi, Walks with Zephyr, wondering
Falling Temperatures
Did anyone notice the temperature this past week? I don’t know if it was just from coming back from beach weather, but last weekend was cold. We had our first snow of the season, right in time for Halloween. Fortunately for all the little people out late looking for candy, it was a short-lived cold front. By the end of the week I was pulling off all those extra layers for walking the dog. I didn’t trust my weather app and would walk around the back yard to make sure it really was warm enough to leave the hat at home. But I know enough to keep it ready for the next drop in temperature, because it is coming.
10/29

two seasons collide
fall leaves clinging to branches
covered with first snow
10/30

table snow waffles
perfectly light and fluffy
waiting for syrup
10/31

so many costumes
Colorado Halloween
includes snow angels
11/1

hiding from the sun
protected by the shadow
lingering snowfield
11/2

cold bath or ice plunge
bit more like ice skating rink
no birds visiting
11/3

frosty metal seats
thankful for summer baseball
and heated seating
11/4

sunrise greets the day
leaving mark across the sky
pulling us along
November 4, 2023

fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, joyful, poetry, scbwi, Walks with Zephyr, wondering

Notice What is Right There

It is so easy to go about the day on autopilot and not notice the little things all around. So much of our lives are spent juggling many things and racing from one task to the next. To start the day, I try to leave all of that behind and notice the world as it awakens. As we leave summer behind and prepare for the cold months ahead, its a perfect time to stop and notice.

10/8

otter out of place
river creature in a park
location all wrong

10/9

waiting for wishes
take flight with one rush of air
who will take a chance

10/10

green yielding to red
despite the transformation
hanging on for now

10/11

amber leaves bookend
end of season foliage
leaves pressed between pages

10/12

last one standing wins
making a claim for this stump
ere whirling away

10/13

tell Chicken Little
part of the sky has fallen
cloud litters my walk

10/14

a look to the right
first snow frosting on the peak
hiding in the clouds

October 13, 2023

fall, haiga, haiku, haiku Saturday, poetry, Walks with Zephyr, wondering

Accepting Change
I think everyone can agree there is a change in the air, especially on those morning walks. Being able to enjoy the fall weather is new for me. I was a teacher for many years and only recently left the classroom. Fall was a busy time of year. I had not planned on leaving a profession I had loved with my whole heart, but a lot of things had changed. The profession itself had become more negative and I was spending a lot of time not actually teaching my students. My family had changed as well with aging parents, a husband who needed to go back to the office, kids who needed help now and again navigating their transition into adulthood, and a dog who needed a lot of attention. Accepting all of these changes was hard and took a lot of soul searching. Most days I am happy with my choice to leave teaching so I can be available for my family, but I won’t lie, when I hear of an opening at a school, I still consider it. But one look at my beloved dog, and I know I am where I am supposed to be. I have been given this gift of time. Time to be there for others, time to experience peace, and time to appreciate the world around me. It is with that mindset I am learning to accept this change.
10/1

through the field goal posts
full moon scores early today
fall signs all around
10/2

new colors emerge
fall leaves playing peek-a-boo
welcoming the change
10/3

gift from above caught
perfectly fallen feather
cradled on the branch
10/4

fallen leaves blowing
tumbling across the sidewalk
running after me
10/5

cover blown away
green leaves for hiding absent
height all that remains
10/6

life and art collide
mountains jumping off canvas
vision to behold
10/7

lookup from walking
take a moment to breath in
nature’s offering
October 7, 2023

change, fall, haiga, haiku, poetry, Walks with Zephyr, wondering