Thursday, May 29, 2008

WINGS





















Photo by S. Auberle

I will always love
the sound of wings
never knowing
if it's bird
or angel...
- mimi

Monday, May 26, 2008

QUESTION

























Photo by S. Auberle

"The great question from agnosticism is
who turned on the lights?
The question from faith is,
whatever for?
- Annie Dillard
"Pilgrim At Tinker Creek"

Thursday, May 22, 2008

AAHHH SPRING

























Photo collage by S. Auberle

no time
for old blues
when May
is flowing
like warm honey
down the curves
of my soul...
- mimi

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

NEVER TRUST

























Artist unknown--graffiti on a wall in Bisbee, Arizona

"Never trust the artist, the writer, the philosopher.
They will betray the truth that raised them.
Through their curiosity and the fire of their imagination,
they will evoke change.
They are religion-breakers,
myth-makers and alchemists.
Their loyalties are to the lapis stones
they carry in their hands at birth."
- Terry Tempest Williams
"Leap"













































Monday, May 19, 2008

SUCCESS!


You have to love a bird that has "elegant" in its name...and the Elegant Trogon is surely that. Sometimes known as the "Holy Grail" bird because of the often-times unsuccessful efforts to spot him, it does become a quest of sorts--to seek the magic, the mystique of this elusive creature. Particularly, when you can hear him calling in the forest all around you--teasing, probably laughing at we foolish humans. And then, just when you've given up for the day, he takes pity on you (sometimes) and shows his brilliant plumage. Often that will be just a glimpse flashing through the trees. But this particular bird apparently liked us, as he flew to a branch not far from where we sat and proceeded to preen and pose while we fumbled with scope and camera, feeling extremely blessed as if, indeed, we'd found the Grail...
This photo is a joint effort--really not even that--if my birder-mate hadn't hauled the spotting scope along on our day-long hike and captured precisely the bird in the lens, there would be no photo. All I did was press the camera button.
- mimi

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

IN SEARCH OF THE ELEGANT TROGON

In case anyone is wondering, I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth...yet. Though there are some pretty high places here in the Chiricauhua Wilderness, which is where I am and why I'm not blogging.

The scenery is spectacular and even the weather is cooperating with a "cold" front moving through making this corner of Arizone quite cool.

Anyway, we--my mate and I (he's a birder-wannabe) are in search of the Elegant Trogon, one of the most tropical birds found in the U.S.--gorgeous bird--size of, and looks like, a parrot in his elegant coat of red, white, green and black.

We are here in this funky little town of Portal, (just east of Paradise) which consists of about 15 houses, one general store and people from all over the world in search of this bird...

Stay tuned...
- mimi

Thursday, May 08, 2008

BLESSING


Sculpture by David Wright
Edgewood Orchards Galleries, Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Thanks to my children and grandchildren for this moment and 10,000 others; for the joy they have brought me; and for bestowing upon me the title of mother and grandmother...
Happy Mother's Day to all, wherever you may be...
miss you, Mom...
BLESSINGS
for David and Grace
There are moments of grace
in everyone's life--some of them
enormous--some of them small.
Occasionally we know at the time,
often not and, mostly, it will take
the rest of our lives to realize
how blessed we were...
Grace, tall on my son's shoulders,
me, small beside them, watching
from the bank of a pond
hundreds of geese returning
to their roost, the prairie night
a blaze of purple and orange.
The baby points with delight, calling
bird, bird in the clear bell of her voice,
thrilled at the flocks winging in
from every corner of the sky...
this moment--her name...
- mimi

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

GREEN WOMAN

























Photo by S. Auberle

GREEN WOMAN
You have done this before,
you are certain of it--
in other lifetimes, perhaps,
fallen to your knees, like today
before these new goddesses:
trout lily, hepatica,
trillium, marybelles...
You feel something ancient
unfurling in your heart,
something buried deep
and long ago.
From childhood you have known
this forest...your lover
mother.. cathedral... friend...
each plant and stone
pulling you earthward,
each spiral of unfolding leaf beckoning:
come, bed in the tender moss,
smell, touch, burrow
deep...
You fear, one day,
a siren call,
an irresistible day
when a god rolls over
in the flowers, invites you
to stay and play--
a day on which
you will not return.
- mimi

Monday, May 05, 2008

CELEBRATE!

























Photo by S. Auberle

HAPPY Cinco de Mayo!!!

Friday, May 02, 2008

TULIP

























Digitally altered photo by S. Auberle

"Every day I see in a new way."
- Nancy Marculewicz, artist