glorious

13 Aug 2024 8 Comments

by lynn__ in enjambment Tags: , , , , ,

camping offers idle
time alone with nature
and nature’s God. He is
everywhere present in the
quiet moments, in shade of
tall pines; seen in magpie’s
wings and shine of doe’s eyes;
felt in chipmunk’s fast heartbeat
and icy glacial stream; heard in
honk of goose and bugle of elk.
He abides on mountain heights
and in rocky crags’ hidden cave;
his power witnessed in lightning
jolt, drenching downpour or an
alpine avalanche; in strength
and beauty that beckons
us to be still and know.

___________

“Be still and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10

photo by lynn__ (he was this close from pickup window, no zoom!)

evolution of camping

22 Jul 2023 13 Comments

by lynn__ in prosery Tags: , , , ,

first camping trip in pickup with topper
to high school reunion via the black hills
first son is three; he rolls off mattress (on
plywood across back of pickup) onto us!

add a brother and real pop-up camper
on back of brand new pickup (hers!)
fold table down for two boys to sleep…
pack ice and head through death valley

four years later, we pack three sons in
now crowded pop-up (one rolls on floor)
youngest in overalls and conductor’s hat
to ride durango/silverton narrow gauge train.

by the time fourth son arrives, add tent
and stay closer to home; we drive across
nebraska to live history of fort niobrara…
coyotes call and tenters’ mom lies awake.

sell pop-up; buy small trailer, another tent,
and more camping gear for east coast trip with
all five sons, ages 15 to 15 months; visit nation’s
capitol where one son’s lost & found in rotunda.

as sons leave home, no need for two tents;
with grandma’s trust money for Christmas,
two middle-aged campers find fully-equipped
fifth-wheel trailer and now we go glamping!

seven summer series

02 Jul 2017 4 Comments

by lynn__ in haiku Tags: , , , ,

 

farmer mowing grass

nesting killdeer scold and swoop

wild roses blush pink

 *   *   *

humidity soars

spirals of corn reaching up

thunder rumbles rain

*   *   *

smell of fresh cut hay

cattle swishing tails at flies

farm wife hoes garden

*   *   *

camping in state park

birdsong floats on morning breeze

cotton flies from trees

*   *   *

biking lakefront trail

past fishermen on pier

slow goose crosses path

*   *   *

evening slowly fades

lamps illuminate old bridge

reflect on river

*   *   *

daylight awakens

glad summer sunday morning

voices raise in praise

foreboding

06 Mar 2017 24 Comments

by lynn__ in haibun Tags: , , , , ,

 

How are we wandering Americans to know it’s Canada’s provincial parks camping weekend?  Of course, all campgrounds from Jasper to Banff are overflowing so we drive on. Sun is setting low over the pass when we find a lonely parking lot near trailhead where we can park our pickup camper for the night. Tired of riding, we decide to check out the trail as dusk settles on forest.

Light fades fast in the high country, exaggerating shapes and shadows.  Full skirts of fir trees appear as dark illustrations straight from the Brothers Grimm.  My apprehension only serves to amplify the crunch of pine needles and sounds of skittering.  We meet last pair of hikers coming back down trail and I note they have walking sticks equipped with bear bells.

 

night envelops trees

alpine woods bathed in shadow

autumn falls early

 

Poets at dVerse are writing haibuns and “forest bathing” this week!

pitter~patter

24 Aug 2016 Leave a comment

by lynn__ in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Theme at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai is “power of words”: let the rain kiss you

 

“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”   ~Langston Hughes

 

pack to go camping

forecast predicts rain showers

great sleeping weather

 

coddiwompler’s song

04 Nov 2015 11 Comments

by lynn__ in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Coddiwomple (v.): to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.

Linking to dVerse tangled traveler’s heart prompt

 
oh, camping is the life for me!

drive to the mountains, woods or sea

go anywhere you’d rather be
 

set up campsite, then go biking

find a new trailhead for hiking

before dark, a campfire striking
 

to eat outdoors whets appetite

pancakes in morning, fish at night

roast a marshmallow (toast just right)
 

mosquitoes bite so do beware

and never argue with a bear;

don’t follow cougar prints to lair
 

go south for winter, north in spring

migrate with birds to hear them sing

wanderlust is seasonal fling
 

no matter how far one may roam

you’ll always find the way back home

(with GPS on “smart” cellphone)
 

take photos of each memory

living in tents (or big RV)

yes, camping is the life for me!