Fascinated by the ordinary
I look around and see
little things that
get walked past,
brushed away
neglected.
Ordinary is what keeps our lives
interesting and functioning.
Tea kettle whistling time for tea;
the cracks in the sidewalks,
pretty little yellow flowers on a bush
the chortling laughter of a baby,
the curiosity of a child,
Fascinated by the ordinary
I look around and see.
“You can find something truly important in an ordinary minute.”
~ Mitch Albom, For One More Day
While leaves fade into late summer,
Sunflowers, as brilliant as ever,
welcome bees into nature’s pantry.
“Nature never hurries.
Atom by atom, little by little,
she achieves her work.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
off nuzzling pollen from other
flowers in this Prairie garden,
these flowers are reaching,
ready to welcome them
when it’s time, while looking
stunning in the afternoon sun.
“The bees are summer-busy every sunny afternoon...”
~ Hal Borland, author, journalist, naturalist
(1900 - 1978)
The heat of the day
did not dissuade me
from a walk down 15th Ave.
to see a small park
~ glorious flowers,
park benches
One neighbourhood's
kindness to residents and passerby.
“The way to the park is an important part of the experience.”
~ Linda Akeson McGurk, author
In late afternoon
summer heat
tough prairie flowers
cheered my walk.
“Flowers are for our souls to enjoy.”
~ Sioux proverb
By the sidewalk,
tucked in and beautiful
a clutch of white lilies bloom.
“Faith is like a lily, lifted high and white.”
~ Christina Rossetti, poet
(1830 ~ 1894)
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| Milk Thistle Royal Saskatchewan Museum |
Roaming the gardens
sets my prairie heart
beside bees and butterflies
gathering nectar and pollen
from native wild flowers,
while bugs and beetles
hide their busyness
in the wildness.
“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
~ Mary Oliver, Yes!No!
 |
| Photo today: June 2, 2026 |
This is the day
when I saw
spring lilacs in bloom
in a day
fraught with potholes
a day
when my bread
rose beautifully
a day
when the wind ruined
any semblance of hair style
a day
when music moved
my thoughts to calm.
This is a day
when life was real
and I am grateful.
“It was the possibility of darkness that made the day seem so bright.”
~ Stephen King, Wolves of the Calla
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| Gardens at Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina ~ September 08, 2025 |
A flower bed ~
true marriage of nature
and the human hand.
Glorious colours and patterns
planted carefully, welcome bees,
butterflies (and cameras)
to these bright and bold displays.
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.
To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”
~ Alfred Austin, English poet
(1835 - 1913)
In spring, give me a church
made entirely of tender green leaves and blossoms
of pink and white;
grey-white blankets of
cloud let the land drink deep
while winds threaten to strip the trees of their beauty
geese raucously announce their homecoming,
settling on lakes and rivers to grow their flocks.
Yet it is a gentle, growing season ~ I stay outside
on my veranda to watch and listen
as spring wakens us all.
“Is the spring coming?” He said. “What is it like?”
“It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine…”
~ Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Give me a church made entirely of ….. from the poem Sea Church by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
*Author’s note: and after winter comes spring…….
Before the photo op
bees bumbled and stumbled
drunk on pollen
never staying long
on to the next flower
once ~
twice ~
thrice ~
til the camera was put away.
I grumbled and walked on.
“Where there are bees there are flowers, and wherever
there are flowers there is new life and hope.”
~ Christy Lefteri, The Beekeeper of Aleppo
