The Season of Sticks
Published January 5, 2012 | 
The brown season is upon us here in central Wisconsin. Well, it’s nearly brown, mostly brown, primarily brown. Yes, there’s some snow, some ostracized bits of white clinging to the edges of the roads and hugging the walking trails. These miniature mountainous ranges of white are all that is left to remind us of this season’s occasional short snowfalls. Snow that had not been pushed or plowed into serpentine heaps has long since receded into the earth. Occasionally hidden in the shadows of the forest or tucked at the foot of the tall prairie grass, a small smattering of snow remains, just enough to make anyone who complains of having “no snow” a liar. Continue reading
Posted in Nature & Wildlife, Outdoor Recreation, Quixotica, Random Thoughts | 
autumn, hiking, winter | 
Leave a commentSummers Passing
Published August 30, 2011 | 
I’m still young, but I know my days are numbered
1234567 and so on
But a time will come when these numbers have all ended
And all I’ve ever seen will be forgotten
- crash test dummies
It’s not autumn yet. Today’s photograph was actually taken 2 months from now, and a few years ago. So when you think about it that way, it’s not autumn anymore either. . . AND it’s not autumn yet. Be that as it may, it’s certainly starting to feel like autumn now. At least in the very early mornings. It’s the arrival of that strange fall effect where the mornings are very cool and damp, but with the rising of the sun, the day still becomes quite hot. Yet, even in the heat of the day, something feels off. The sun lacks radiance. The sky remains dark blue. Cold drafts seem to swirl around every corner like spirits, rustling leaves and causing sudden ghostly chills before once again disappearing into the ether. We are in the death throes of summer. We should take these last weeks to celebrate it’s existence and yet, this morning chill haunts me so. I find that I can’t help but begin to mourn the summers passing.
Earth Slide
Published November 2, 2009 | 
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold….
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sunburned hands, I used to hold
– jacques prévert
Sorry for disappearing. Well, I’ve not actually disappeared, in fact I was probably walking along the shores of this lost little lake. Maybe I was taking pictures of a caged lion or hiking through the dark woods of my local park under the glow of a harvest moon. Maybe I was nursing what seems to be a little stress fracture on my foot , while watching the local team get taken to school. Maybe I was working on a website. My work list recently has been growing exponentially. Maybe I was sitting right here being amazed by how well my move from Windows XP to Windows 7 actually was going. The techies will appreciate that most all of my shareware, emulators, and other old or odd software worked. Quickbooks 2000 didn’t… But whatever I’ve been doing, I’ve not been kayaking recently. That will change of course. In life we wear many costumes. The difference between love & obsession is in the pauses we take. For the moment I’ve simply paused to watch the earth slide into the oncoming deep freeze from the vantage point of dry shoes.
Bumble Bees & Kayaks
Published August 26, 2009 | 
Gardens and trash cans
Hoodie and Chuck-T’s
Arm,Fingers, and Hands
Don’t slow down
– Matt & Kim
Each of the last two days I’ve spent time out on the trails around the local park. As much as I might want to deny it the coming death of summer is as clear as the sound of screeching brakes on a highway. The more stressed of the forest trees are beginning to turn, the heat of the sun can’t quite chase the chill out of the mid-day air, the days of rain are beginning to outnumber the days of sun. My Ipod is filling with indie rock once again. It’s that time of year. Oh yeah, and P&H has some new kayaks on the way… I think I have another post about that.. Now let’s see here… what drawer did I put that post in!??
Shade. . .
Published October 24, 2008 | 
Funny how my memory slips
while looking over manuscripts
Of unpublished rhyme
Drinking my vodka and lime
But look around, leaves are brown now
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter
- paul simon
Posted in music, My Paddling, Paddling, Quixotica, Random Thoughts | autumn, halloween, kayak, music video, rockpool, winter
Recent Comments