Tag Archives: nature

day 255

endless dusk

when did the sounds of dusk
become noise, an excruciating
background din, a dot, dot, dot,
no exclamation point, not even
a period to bring some sort of
closure to the drama of days
that never end, rousing me
once again at 3 am as if the
wee hours could hold some
semblance of sanity, surrounded
by soft breathing and cat purrs
and the unsettling disquietness
of my brain trying to make sense
of the senseless…insomnia…
like a damned thief in the night
delights in the daytime exhaustion
it creates, no rest for the weary
as another dusk with no answers
creeps in, a symphony of crickets

~kat

My sister is here on an extended holiday, and it has been lovely, truly, to have her here. As we have for decades, we live on separate coasts, she on the western shore of the Pacific and me in the East in an Atlantic bordering state. Our worlds couldn’t be more different. And yet there is a comfort in having her so close; to connecting with the only person in the world who shares the experience of our formative years. It’s a gift that I have only recently come to appreciate.

She helped me feed the deer last evening, delighting in them as they emerge from the wood’s edge. It was wonderful experiencing what has become a daily commonplace thing through her eyes. But what most took me by surprise was her stunned amazement upon hearing the night sounds of the woods when we arrived home from the airport late at night. It’s a sound that I hardly notice. What a gift it has been to be reminded of how wonderful this place is. Home.

Today’s glimmer is a feeling and a wish that you too might have the opportunity to recognize and bring into focus once again the lovely blessings that surround you.

Silly me…I forgot how amazing the sound of crickets on a clear moonlit, starry night is, until I joined my sister’s astonished delight as I spent several magical moments with her in my driveway.

It’s been a rough week, but a sweet ending to it. Much love, peace, and glimmers to you!

~kat ✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨


day 248

falling

the wild blossoms
are fading softly
every bough grows
less green…leaves
falling gently to earth
oh season of summer ending
teach me how to let go

~kat

Every year during this season of transition I marvel at the grace that is on display. Lessons of accepting change, of gratefulness for a fruitful harvest, and most poignant the older I get, the beauty of letting go. I’ve been letting go for several years now…wishing my children well as they leave home to build lives of their own…losing grandparents, parents and other family members, and now friends to the great unknown,,, escorting many loyal animal companions to the rainbow’s end…downsizing to accessible, manageable housing, to spare my children the burden of disposing of my junk when I’m gone…and all this I believe has softened me for the ultimate letting go. I’d like to believe that all this practice will make it an easy gentle passing. Life lived full in the blink of an eye. But I can’t say I won’t miss being here. Every scrumptious, magnificently beautiful moment has been a privilege, causing me these days to savor every bit of it!

Much love, peace, and glimmers to you. Enjoy the ride!

~kat


A Magnetic Poem – Nature Kit


day 223

Spotted Lantern Fly
Bramlett Mountain Foothills in August 2025 ~ kat
dead spotted lantern fly

it’s so beautiful
deceptively destructive
marked for swift slaughter

~kat

At first glance, finding this insect filled me with awe. It is so colorful…so beautiful. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a spotted lantern fly. I was relieved that it was already dead. The park service has deemed this beautiful bug invasive, a threat to local crops and trees. Those who find them are advised to eliminate them swiftly. At least I didn’t need to squish it under my shoe. I hate that feeling, and the sound. I might be tempted after finding a live one to leave it alone.

Who am I to decide that this bug should not exist. After all, their favorite vegetation to devour are trees-of-heaven…an invasive, fast growing tree, abundant in the woods where I live. They have a shallow, but vast widespread root system that makes them hard to uproot. It would seem as if nature knew what she was doing by placing these formidable invaders in close proximity to each other. The issue is that the spotted lantern flies have an expanded diet…decimating other trees and plants. Meanwhile the trees of heaven flourish unabated. And humans, being the control freaks that we are with an affinity for cultured lawns and pristine landscapes, make it our mission to control nature. Sometimes I wonder who’s invading who! No need to answer that. I already know the answer. I learn a new thing every day. How magnificent and efficient the natural world is. That’s my glimmer for today.

Rest in peace little spotted lantern fly. You were just living your life to the fullest doing what instinct and evolution informed you to do. Even in death you are beautiful. A glimmer even!

Much love, peace, and glimmers to you.

~kat✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨


day 197

well bless your heart

invisible people have privileged gray lives
they never get angry or give in to strife
everything’s rosy, yes, everything’s great
they’re quick to admonish those battered by hate
who dare to feel angry at those who don’t care
dark souls who surrendered to king yellow hair
not enemies, they chide, we’re all the same
treat all with compassion, there’s no one to blame

but I have a feeling that they’ve never known
the sting of oppression, of hate in their home
from people they loved who don’t seem to care
that the vote they cast hurt family somewhere
forgiveness is bitter for those now denied
simple compassion and the right to live life
we don’t want to hear it, your lofty ideals
til you walk in our shoes and know how it feels
when half of the world thinks you shouldn’t exist
the audacious preach virtue in ignorant bliss

~kat

A rant today. I read a well-meaning post on social media that struck me the wrong way. It had a long-winded “why can’t we all just get along” vibe. Heart-felt and a tad naive, its message was also condescending to those of us with bullseyes on our backs. Those of us targeted as other, undesirables who, if the powers that be had their way, would be disappeared from the face of the earth or at least from this country. Condescending…because we’re not allowed to be angry or hold those responsible for this dumpster fire accountable. Admonished to keep the peace. To get along. To forgive and and show compassion to those who would point us out in a heartbeat if it meant finding favor with the powerful in the hopes that they might reap the benefits of the coup they helped fuel. It’s convenient to forgive and forget when you’re not living in a nightmare.

So I wrote a poem…therapy that rescues me from responding directly to such blather. I’ll crawl back under my rock now, and tuck myself in behind the closet door, hoping the monsters don’t find me.

Much love, peace, and glimmers of hope to you. As it happens I was visited today by several mourning doves. Often seen as a symbol of love, hope, peace, and new beginnings, I think mother nature knew I would need some encouragement today. ✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨

~kat

A little love, hope, peace, and the promise of new beginnings…today’s much needed glimmer.


day 195

the fog

when you wake up in a cloud, a pea-soupy shroud, thinking out loud…
it’s easy to dismiss the day, bury your head, grab more sleep
but the clock ticks away, there are bills to pay, promises to keep

~kat

Sometimes a glimmer can be bittersweet. Today I mourn the removal of the ash tree that first greeted us when we moved to the mountains nearly 5 years ago. It was clear she was on her last legs. Each spring her blooms and leaf sprouts became less and less. This year it was time for her to move on. But not before leaving me with a heart shaped burrow into her trunk. I have no idea how the layers of bark wore away so perfectly. Whether it was a creative insect or a bird that burrowed this simple message. But I like to think she knew how much I loved her… of course I told her so. (Don’t you talk to your trees? If not, you should…and give them a hug if you’re so inclined.)

A nice man and his son happened by looking for work. He’s a tree trimmer by trade and offered his services for a number of trees on our property. He was hungry, he said, and needed the work. He pleaded in broken English (obviously not his native language). After quoting us a very fair price, we hired this man and his son to help us put my heart tree to rest. They worked meticulously, moved the timber to the edge of the woods and cleaned up the debris. We parted ways with a promise to hire him in the future to trim other trees in need of TLC.

The side yard where the tree once stood looks barren now. Ironic how the removal of a barren tree can make an area look more barren. I plan to plant a few trees in its stead. A magnolia, dogwood, or maybe a weeping cherry tree. Ash trees do not do well in this area.

The crows are most upset by her removal. She was their favorite perch. We had many conversations, me on my back porch and them, high above surveying their peanut station, letting me know when it was running low. They gave me quite a talking to yesterday evening from the nearby hickory trees. I hope they forgive me.

Things change…life goes on and the timber of this great old tree will return to the earth becoming shelter for small critters, and food for fungus, lichen, moss and insects. Even in death we, like this old tree have the potential to leave glimmers behind.

Much love, peace , and bittersweet glimmers to you!

~kat ✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨


Sijo

A sijo is a traditional Korean poetic form, characterized by its three-line structure. Each line typically contains 14-16 syllables, resulting in a total of 44-46 syllables for the entire poem. The first line  is introduces a theme or situation, the second line develops it, and the third line introduces a twist or unexpected turn, providing the poem’s conclusion.