Solstice Sequence

Like a celestial locomotive, the rising sun
Careens along the eastern horizon,
Drawing up at the far northern terminal.
Here, shedding sparks and breathing fire,
It stands, surrounded by dark clouds of smoke.


Summer's here! 
All aboard for the return trip south--
Passing through Autumn
And straight on to Winter at the other end.
Have your tickets ready,  please ...

Miss Yves translates:

Céleste locomotive, le soleil levant

S'agite, sur la ligne d'horizon à l'est

Tirant un trait jusqu'au lointain arrêt au nord

Là, jetant des étincelles, crachant le feu

Il se tient au milieu des scories de nuages

 

Voici l'été!
Embarquement pour le retour vers le sud
Traversant l'automne
Droit sur l'hiver à l'autre extrémité
Vos tickets,*s'iou plait!

(Popular form for "s'il vous plaît)

Full disclosure: the sequence below was taken yesterday morning around 6:30 -- almost solstice. If I get a good sunrise this morning, I'll put it in the header. (And now I have.)

The Cow

Well, technically, Marigold is still a heifer -- she won't be a cow till she gives birth. But she's showing signs that she's been bred : her belly's bigger and her udder's beginning to develop --'making a bag' as they say around here.  As the birth date approaches and the udder gets bigger, she'll be 'baggin' up.'

If all goes well -- or, again, as they say around here 'if nothing don't happen,' we hope to enjoy rich Jersey milk, cream, butter and cheese beginning this fall! 

Here's a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson from one of my childhood books. It seems appropriate.

The Cow

The friendly cow all red and white,

I love her with all my heart:

She gives me cream with all her might,

To eat with apple tart.

She wanders lowing here and there,

And yet she cannot stray,

All in the pleasant open air,

The  pleasant light of day;

And blown by winds that pass

And wet with all the showers,

She walks among the meadow grass

And eats the meadow flowers.

The Green Wheelbarrow

... with apologies to William Carlos Williams

so much depends

upon

a green wheel

barrow

white with 
snow dust

before the dark

moon gate

 Eddie wishes there were white chickens. 

We were happy to be spared the major snow and ice so many got. 

On Sunday morning there was just a light dusting of snow everywhere.