To Grip or not to Grip

A winter of dangerous ice

hidden under greying or fresh snow, 

oddly shaped lumps or 

sheets worthy of a skating rink. 

walks or strolls outside 

not wise until yesterday. 

Heavy rubber bands slip

over my boots & hold my feet. 

little black dots in the centre 

of the yellow dots ~ tungsten stems 

to grip the ice & keep me upright 

on such paths of slippery danger.

“When you’re on the ice, you have very little time, 

you see very little and everything happens really quick.”

~ Steve Yzerman, retired hockey player

Hidden in Plain Sight

Sometimes we’re just 

walking along, minding our own business, while watching the path for stones that would trip us up, a whisper of colour reaches from in the bush. Pretty little flowers, hidden in plain sight, framed by twigs, leaves and branches, toss contrast into the mix.

“Nothing is hidden that will not be made known; 

nothing is secret that will not come to light.”

~ Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol

Forward

Walking uncertainly

into a new phase

I stand still slowly 

so I can see memories 

fading into the distance.

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”

~ Steven Wright

On an Afternoon Walk - To and Fro

A walk down the street amazed at the colours

On my way back:

stopped….clicked…..stopped….clicked…..

A walk down the street awed with nature.

“Nature is not a place to visit, it is home.”

~ Gary Snyder, poet and essayist

To Be Mindful ~ 2

Overwhelmed with distractions

scattered around me

I swept them all to the side 

and continued my walk forward

keeping only those that served me.

“Keep your mind off the things you don’t want 

by keeping it on the things you do want.”

~ W. Clement Stone

On an Afternoon Walk ~ On the Wing

Incandescent mirages are magic, scenes of far away lifted by the sun from the heat of the land and the heat of the sun

When the heat of the land has cooled, only a butterflies wing will glow with the soft warmth of the sun. 

“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly, 

“one must have sunshine, freedom and 

a little flower.”- Hans Christian Anderson”

~ Louisa Thomsen Brits, The Book of Hygge: 

The Danish Art of Living Well

*Author’s note: because of the sun lighting up the little butterfly, I couldn’t tell what kind, but I suspect it was an ordinary white butterfly.

On an Afternoon Walk - On the Street Where We Lived

My afternoon walks always have a purpose. Buying groceries, business at the bank, my regular visit to the dentist’s office, around the lake, maybe a hair appointment, or just to see the seasonal changes but always to see the city at sidewalk level. There was time when a walk was just a walk. I really didn’t like them much because they had no purpose. Many would disagree. Walking for the sake of walking should be enough. Today my purpose was to get cat food at the Vet Clinic, a 30 minute walk away. It’s along the way that my purpose is filled with autumn leaves, warm sun, a bench to sit on with my book, and an ice cream store. 

To get to the Vet Clinic, one street I always walk down is the street where we raised our sons. We were only there for seven years, but I love that street. Many of the houses have been refreshed, an apartment block nestles halfway down the street. Yards are full of plants going dormant and piles of composting leaves tucked over and around tender perennials, the trees are old elms that cover the ground and sidewalk with crisp gold under my feet. My inner child wanted to kick through them but this too mature adult warned of tripping hazards beneath. So I behaved myself and just enjoyed the crunch beneath my steady walk there and back.

“How quick and rushing life can sometimes seem, 

when at the same time it’s so slow and sweet and everlasting,”

~ Graham Swift, Tomorrow

On an Afternoon Walk - Brilliance

Surrounded by greenery

 leaves of late summer 

 display their brilliance

“It is the glistening autumnal side of summer.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

On an Afternoon Walk - An Attack!

So lovely. This little white butterfly sitting on a leaf in the late afternoon sun. Suddenly, a wicked wasp headed straight for it. The butterfly took off before the attack was in full waspishness. 

“A power of Butterfly must be ~ 

The Aptitude to fly……”

~ Emily Dickinson

On an Afternoon Walk ~ Out of the Heat

When I see squirrels, they are usually racing up a tree, scampering across the street, running up and down roof tops or jumping branch to branch. This little fellow was on the ground, walking slowly up the sidewalk in front of me, about four feet from me. It glanced back at me a couple of times, but wasn’t spooked by my presence. At all. I really was concerned because he was moving so slowly. When the little one got to the fence, it did scramble up all right, turned around and looked at me. Just sat and looked at me. I took my time readying my cell phone camera. It didn't move from his perch. Even while I walked past, it didn’t move.

Why am I telling you all this? Yesterday morning, I listened to a CBC Ideas episode about how rising world temperatures affect animal populations. Yesterday afternoon, the temperature was over 30 degrees Centigrade. - it was just after 3pm. We are expecting similar temperatures for the next three days. I do hope that the little squirrel had a water source close by.

“You don’t live on earth, you are passing through.”

~ Rumi

On an Afternoon Walk ~ In a Hurry

 I saw them. On the corner as I strode past. Two steps back, I made certain of them. Beautiful yellow flowers in a corner flower bed. Can’t stop. I’m keeping pace with a sidewalk acquaintance. We both had the same goal. To get to the Saskatoon Berry Festival to meet with friends for what was a lovely afternoon.

~~~~~

Strolling home, I had almost forgotten the little flower bed. Alone on the sidewalk, I kept a much slower pace in the hot afternoon. No deadline to keep. As the tree came into view I remembered the beautiful yellow flowers, picked up my pace so I could share them with you. Hurrying to keep up to this new acquaintance may have been the right thing to do, and at the time there was a whisper in my mind that said to slow down. Not to smell any roses, but to savour the beauty on street corners. So on the way home, I did.

“In the meantime, there is not an hour to lose. 

I am about to visit the public library.”

~ Jules Verne,  Journey to the Center of the Earth

On an Morning Walk - Colour Catch

If I hadn’t looked up 

into the glorious trees, 

a colourful bird house

private and protected

by abundant greenery

paired with another

would have been missed.

“There’s always a reason to look up.”

~ A.D. Posey

On an Afternoon Walk - A Prairie Rose

Wind combs through trees,

sweeps dusty streets while

a prairie rose stands tall to

deny the vagaries of the wind.

“Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.”

~ William Shakespeare

On an Afternoon Walk - Heat Warning

Usually a proper walk is when 

cool breeze caresses my skin

sun is warm and gentle,

birds sing, hop through the branches

waves lap at the lake shore………….

But not today - 

temperatures soared to the heights

breeze muddled hot air

sun burned through my hat

birds nestled deep in the trees

concrete too hot for bare feet.

But it’s only temporary……..

“It was the type of day that could wilt a metal gatepost.”

~ Colin Cotterill, Thirty-Three Teeth

A Future Theme Just for June ~ FUTURE~ Theme for June 2023

Felix the Cat wanted nothing……

“Until we know where……..

There is always a horizon…….

Usually a proper walk is……..

Recognizing limits……..

Emelina cleaned…….

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.”

~ Albert Camus, Notebooks 1935-1942

On an Evening Walk - City Scents

City streets quiet 

people settling at home;

evening meals at restaurants 

or an outing at a theatre,

buses muscle through winding routes, walkers ferried

to their next stop, voices carry through the humid air, words lost in the dense lilac scented air hanging heavy in courtyards and draped over fences.

Spring beckons summers ease.

“Inhale and hold the evening in your lungs.”

~ Sebastian Faulks, Engleby