real presence of God
joy of knowing Jesus’ love
new life in Spirit
not all that gleams is gold…
04 Aug 2025 17 Comments
in haibun Tags: gold, lake, moon, rain, shiny, silver
Our Alaskan adventure takes us into the heart of gold fever country from the Klondike in Yukon territory to Cripple Creek, the richest little creek in Alaska. We learn about the steep ice stairs of Chilkoot Pass where miners hauled up loads of grubsteak (each man with a year’s worth of food). Only a few struck it rich while most were flat broke within a year or two.
We tour Fairbank’s Gold Dredge #8 and pan for gold. Between the two of us, we share sweet $16 worth of gold flecks (and spend it on a $24 souvenir charm/magnet to display the flakes). Nothing new under the sun! They can keep their gold nuggets while I bask in the allure of silver…
silver rain puddles
flow in rivulets, cascade
to moon-mirror lake
Linking to dVerse where Frank Tassone hosts haibuns 🙂
ultimate kintsugi
02 Aug 2025 6 Comments
in haiku, senryu Tags: broken, gold, healing, kintsugi, pottery
broken, not ruined
God binds our wounds together
life’s cracks heal, gleam gold
_______________
Inspired by japanese pottery and Dawn Minott’s blogpost here…
alaska or bust (part 2)
18 Jul 2025 6 Comments
Hubby and i are traveling cross-country to Alaska with our camper. I’m sharing our journey here with haiku/tanka and a few photos…whenever i get a round
vast miles of forest
cut by cold stony rivers
reflected in lakes
sweet wilderness refresh in
beautiful b.c. rockies
earth built by design
each mountain, ocean measured
Lord, we are humbled!
. . . . .
rest in wildernes
grateful for livestream worship
home church blessing
hammer clangs anvil
indigenous blacksmith works
coaxing coals to flame
natives’ wellness camp
drums thrum wild call in twilight
black bears dance
boat’s prow cuts blue glass
of pristine lake’s reflection
cruising on mirror
. . . . .
abundant snowfall
in Whitecourt, Whitehorse, White Pass
winter in a word
. . . . .
rush for klondike gold
icy stairs up chilkoot pass
move ton of grubstake
. . . . .
evergreens rustle
glimpse tawn fur of animal
young buck crosses path
. . . . .
alaskan hunger
fresh pink salmon on blue plate
at the fat mermaid
. . . . .
misty mountains drive
matanuska glacier passed
mystery concealed
glacier receding
like old fisherman’s hairline
rough moraine exposed
even permafrost can thaw
leaving roads to heave in wave
. . . . .
view obfuscated
perhaps great mountain is myth
denali’s cloud shroud
. . . . .
sizzle of bacon
hubby fries pancakes outdoors
pure maple sweetness
fall colors appear
fireweed blooms to red stem tip
chill air turns hearts south
…it’s time to head home!
one good turn…
14 Jul 2025 22 Comments
in quadrille Tags: adventure, map, travel, turn
have you heard that “one
good turn deserves another”?
i concur; especially while
traveling, we agree (husband
and me) “there are no wrong turns
on vacation”; thanks to
global positioning systems
and map app which adeptly
reroute us as we discover
another alternate adventure!
We are on our way to Alaska with our pickup and camper…check out my post(s), “alaska or bust” for haiku and a few photos of our trip. Linking to dVerse Poets quadrille prompt.
alaska or bust!
03 Jul 2025 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: adventure, alaska, beauty, travel
As my husband and i embark on a roadtrip, “The Great Alaskan Get-Away” (as our fourth son called it), i hope to record our trip with haiku and also share some photos here…
. . . . .
little white chapel
welcomes interstate travelers
prayers for safety
scent of pine on breeze
soft-bristled ponderosa
cover hills in black
. . . . .
rock cut-away glints
precious metals vein granite
black hills central tracks
old “eighteen-eighty” railroad
steam engine pulls train up grade
whee! we ride e-bikes
along george michelson trail
bump over wood bridge
. . . . .
i feed him almonds
toss halves to striped ground squirrel
he eats on haunches
. . . . .
presidents in stone
home of the free and the brave
history’s heroes
Happy birthday, America! Remember your heroes and hold to your ideals…
visit montana
big sky hospitality
panning for gold and garnets
old friends, old west towns, old bones
glacial mountain views
. . . . .
mountain majesties
stand on leftover snow patch
breathe in alpine air
home sweet camper home
nestled in stand of tall pines
relax with husband
. . . . .
four wheel drive pickup
narrow one lane gravel road
explore old ghost town
miners found gold and silver
Garnet booms…then abandoned
walk trail through tall trees
red cedar and black hemlock
ferns grace forest floor
. . . . .
taken in his time
26 Jun 2025 3 Comments
in rhyming verse Tags: death, faithful, family, farmer, God, wife, work
A eulogy for our friend, Harlan Kooima, who died in farm accident while loading cattle…
______________
A farmer is a man with simple needs
who learns to follow weather in the skies
he watches corn grow tall from kerneled seeds
enjoys his morning coffee with the guys.
His wife beside him, faithful thru the years
she was his only chosen, youthful bride
and tho’ their troubles sometimes caused her tears
she listened to his stories, saved his pride.
They raised two lovely daughters, three strong sons
took them to church and taught them of God’s love
life on the farm made hard work seem like fun
grown green with rain and sunshine from above.
This farmer’s sudden passing came too soon
we’ll miss his presence here, his smiling eyes
he now whistles some bright celestial tune…
we trust God’s grace to keep us all our lives.
in the stillness
13 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in senryu Tags: loneliness, solitude, stillness
. . .
spending time alone:
loneliness empties us but
solitude can fill
. . .
apparition
11 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in classical haiku, Uncategorized Tags: awake, camper, full moon, light, night
…
awake restless night
light illuminates camper
half-crazy full moon
…
twisted sisters
04 Jun 2025 16 Comments
in limerick Tags: beach, pain, sisters, spain, sunbathing, yoga
***
Three sunbathing sisters from Spain
grew tired of rain on the plain;
trio traveled to beach
but feared dark hair would bleach
so learned yoga to ease mental pain.
***
Linking to dVerse poets where Melissa invites us to write poetic response to Picasso…
swoop low, sweet heron
03 Jun 2025 4 Comments
in classical haiku Tags: blue heron, fish, river, wings
. . .
wide wing span, stilt legs
spear fish in shallow river
great blue heron stalks
. . .
*See video at All About Birds and wonderful photos by Linda Murdock here.
trapped?
02 Jun 2025 29 Comments
in quadrille Tags: cloud, depression, faith, helpless, midnight, mood
Lillian hosts dVerse poets pub where she’s serving quadrilles till sunrise.
dark cloud
gathers
over house,
heavy weight
of self-pity
settles in;
crawls into
bed with
depression to
brood sombre
mood;
unsettling
helpless inhabitants
who desire respite
but cannot
escape
shadow of
“woe-is-poor-me”
midnight feeling
…unless
faith dawns
miraculous
at sunrise.
a poem in my pocket 
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