I’m wrung out and watching “Princess Mononoke” on the couch with Coco the dog. We are so happy to be together. Studio Ghibli artists have bothered to animate the dew on moss for a scene in the spirit forest and twenty seven years later I tear up considering how long this must have taken and how earthshaking it is that a group of people cared so much for a seemingly little detail; dew on moss. I’m home at the wettest time of year and now would be a good time to get out and appreciate some in real life. The spring peepers just started singing about an hour ago! So I feel this is a special occasion.
Last night I was enjoying dinner on my patio (spring has fully sprung in Kentucky and it was a balmy evening) and I looked up into the twilit sky and saw several bats darting about over my and my neighbor's yards. Bats! I live on a busy road in a suburban area and was not at all expecting them. I was absolutely delighted.
I call it “rainbow season” here in the PNW. Where the rain still hangs on, but those afternoon sun breaks often give you a colorful gift! It is time for my little urban garden. Every dry day is an exciting opportunity to get out and admire the seeds popping their heads up. My greenhouse is busting at the seams with peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, and it’s hard to be patient when Portland can tease you with a few warm days early on! I also really love the return of bees 🐝 💛
I tear up sometimes reading your writings on the natural world. I read quite a bit in this "genre" and consider you among the best of them - surely for the depth of your observation as much as your poetic description of it.
In my area, California poppies are exploding in front yards, wild radish still blooms along the American river and our great Western sycamore are leafing out, providing nesting areas for birds. I love this stage of tree growth. Our urban tree canopy is one of the densest, so I love this stage of growth - when I can still easily see what's going on in the trees and enjoy the light and sunset that filters through the leaves and creates a magic show of the best shadows on my living and dining room walls.
Earlier this week on a walk, I managed to watch, and catch with my cellphone's camera, a Cooper's hawk leave its nest with a graceful hop after first casting a downward glance at me.
I get out to observe every day on an hour-long walk. I do this in every season, but none startles and astonishes me anew like spring.
Out here in the lower Pacific Northwest, the greens of Spring are beginning to take form. Cloud banks hide the mountain peaks from view, while the last of the seasonal storms make their way across the valleys. It's equal parts beautiful and eeire. I went with a close friend to the coast a few weeks ago and put out feet in the slightly above freezing waters of the Pacific. It was a humbling experience. The world is full of such wonders.
What a beautiful time of year. I have escaped from the city to my little cottage hide-away a few times already this spring but it has been too cold for the tree frogs each time. Hoping I’ll hear them when I’m back at the end of the month. The flowers are in full bloom here in Victoria, Canada’s garden city. It has been a wet winter and spring, which we’ve desperately needed! Wishing your horses a speedy shed.
I too love 💕 Studio Ghibli- Spirited Away also. No Face is a character that stays with me- the surrealist train ride…. Once upon a time I built a paper mache Cat Bus to wear for a 13 year olds birthday 🥳 🎉 Glad to hear your back home… we live not far away south in central Mass near Mt. Wachusett- lots of pine cones and branches are down but peepers will sing me company to pick 🆙
Special where I am (Baltimore): baby groundhogs that gambol while their mother looks on. I always look forward to it. I hope soon we see a mother fox with kits. I love spring.
I'm in a rural Cape Breton helping my son work on his house. I can see the ocean from his place and there was a spectacular Sunset over the ocean today. I live in downtown Toronto so seeing the sunset over the ocean is pretty sweet!
This evening, I went to yoga class and was the only student who showed. The teacher said, "I saw you at Neko Case, but you didn't see me waving." We agreed that the Iowa City show was excellent and we loved seeing you live.
The magnolias (star and saucer) have begun their short but amazing bloom here in western MA, all of the male goldfinches have turned a shade nearing chartreuse, my bluebirds have nested, and I’m going to spend this evening watching some Ghibli. Thanks as always.
In central Maryland, colors are so vivid and saturated at this time of year. Wild violets and dandelions are popping against the technicolored green grass. We’ve had a lot of wind the past few days, so kwanzan cherry blossoms are littered about like confetti. It’s beautiful.
Ah yes the endless thawing out season. Southern Vermonter here! I so appreciate the way you put winter into words. And I feel the exact same way about Ghibli movies!
Miss you.
Last night I was enjoying dinner on my patio (spring has fully sprung in Kentucky and it was a balmy evening) and I looked up into the twilit sky and saw several bats darting about over my and my neighbor's yards. Bats! I live on a busy road in a suburban area and was not at all expecting them. I was absolutely delighted.
I call it “rainbow season” here in the PNW. Where the rain still hangs on, but those afternoon sun breaks often give you a colorful gift! It is time for my little urban garden. Every dry day is an exciting opportunity to get out and admire the seeds popping their heads up. My greenhouse is busting at the seams with peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, and it’s hard to be patient when Portland can tease you with a few warm days early on! I also really love the return of bees 🐝 💛
I tear up sometimes reading your writings on the natural world. I read quite a bit in this "genre" and consider you among the best of them - surely for the depth of your observation as much as your poetic description of it.
In my area, California poppies are exploding in front yards, wild radish still blooms along the American river and our great Western sycamore are leafing out, providing nesting areas for birds. I love this stage of tree growth. Our urban tree canopy is one of the densest, so I love this stage of growth - when I can still easily see what's going on in the trees and enjoy the light and sunset that filters through the leaves and creates a magic show of the best shadows on my living and dining room walls.
Earlier this week on a walk, I managed to watch, and catch with my cellphone's camera, a Cooper's hawk leave its nest with a graceful hop after first casting a downward glance at me.
I get out to observe every day on an hour-long walk. I do this in every season, but none startles and astonishes me anew like spring.
Out here in the lower Pacific Northwest, the greens of Spring are beginning to take form. Cloud banks hide the mountain peaks from view, while the last of the seasonal storms make their way across the valleys. It's equal parts beautiful and eeire. I went with a close friend to the coast a few weeks ago and put out feet in the slightly above freezing waters of the Pacific. It was a humbling experience. The world is full of such wonders.
What a beautiful time of year. I have escaped from the city to my little cottage hide-away a few times already this spring but it has been too cold for the tree frogs each time. Hoping I’ll hear them when I’m back at the end of the month. The flowers are in full bloom here in Victoria, Canada’s garden city. It has been a wet winter and spring, which we’ve desperately needed! Wishing your horses a speedy shed.
I too love 💕 Studio Ghibli- Spirited Away also. No Face is a character that stays with me- the surrealist train ride…. Once upon a time I built a paper mache Cat Bus to wear for a 13 year olds birthday 🥳 🎉 Glad to hear your back home… we live not far away south in central Mass near Mt. Wachusett- lots of pine cones and branches are down but peepers will sing me company to pick 🆙
Special where I am (Baltimore): baby groundhogs that gambol while their mother looks on. I always look forward to it. I hope soon we see a mother fox with kits. I love spring.
I'm in a rural Cape Breton helping my son work on his house. I can see the ocean from his place and there was a spectacular Sunset over the ocean today. I live in downtown Toronto so seeing the sunset over the ocean is pretty sweet!
This evening, I went to yoga class and was the only student who showed. The teacher said, "I saw you at Neko Case, but you didn't see me waving." We agreed that the Iowa City show was excellent and we loved seeing you live.
Then we did yoga to a Neko Case playlist.
Pretty special.
The magnolias (star and saucer) have begun their short but amazing bloom here in western MA, all of the male goldfinches have turned a shade nearing chartreuse, my bluebirds have nested, and I’m going to spend this evening watching some Ghibli. Thanks as always.
In central Maryland, colors are so vivid and saturated at this time of year. Wild violets and dandelions are popping against the technicolored green grass. We’ve had a lot of wind the past few days, so kwanzan cherry blossoms are littered about like confetti. It’s beautiful.
Hanging out in the town of Meredith, NH. They have a waterfall, and it is special. Go Ghibli!
Ah yes the endless thawing out season. Southern Vermonter here! I so appreciate the way you put winter into words. And I feel the exact same way about Ghibli movies!
I barely got through it with my dog Bobby McGee. We were both Rescues ~ our go to is Obviously Lilo and Stitch.
Wood frogs quacking, peepers peeping, pileateds hammering, trillium, wild ginger, hepatica, trailing arbutus…all the spring ephemerals