After the rain

Yukon Beardtongue

Everything looks fresh.
All the smells wonderful.
And lets not talk about mosquitoes,
they're everywhere today, even here now, in the house
I walk North, all is still purple, from the Lupines, at the end of there bloom.
Lots of water in the creek, the only dogwood bush, i know of here, is blooming.
Later i come upon one little patch of our more common dogwood, little white stars upon the forest floor.

As i started typing the sun was shining, now it is raining again. So it is all day.
I do like to get out in my garden, for some weeding, it looks like i have a good excuse. I also wanted to pick wild strawberries, they are ready! but they need to be dry, for picking.

To continue my walk; on the path through the swamp, there are the little tofieldias
in abundance.



The purple/red; Eskimo Patato.
In the swamp here and there tiny orchids and an abundance of a red/purple louseworts.
Too many flowers to all mention.
Upon the ridges a silver/purple wash of Showy Locoweed, with a few of the above,
Yukon Beardtongue. Moosekull Lake below is very very green.
hmmmm today the mosquitoes do bother me.

Rainbow

last night around 11pm

Screaming birds

In my most beautiful yard, my lawn is a meadow full of flowers, beside it where the outhouse is, a big patch of the wild roses and in the 50 feet high poplars that contain this area, mmmmmm The Western Wood-Pewee is occupying her nest again in a high branch right in front of my open outhouse.
Last year i posted many photos of a successful nest.

And of course first thing after being back, i wanted to see how the swans are doing.
The new ones, in that most secretive, but really easily accessible spot.
For you Dutch people all this not so interesting as i have seen several swans with young last week, from a few meters distance.
Here the birds not always so open to strangers. Count out the Gray Jays, a dark young bird talked to me this morning, while hanging up laundry.

Anyway yesterday i tried to approach the area unseen. Not so easy. soon enough everybody is screaming at me and the swans wondering what's going on.
The Red-winged Blackbird, alternately screams and sings his song, flying frantically from tree top to treetop above the willow thicket. And flying towards me trying to scare me off.
The Red-necked Phalaropes, fly like jet-fighters around me. Did they make a sound? i forgot what. There seem to be many of them, some quietly swimming, see picture below.
Ahh and there's the Swans.
3 cygnets and obviously enough water to raise them. ahhh i am happy for them.
They notice my presence and swim off, so do other ducks.



In my wild flower blog i will mention all the new flowers i encounter. I did at the moment of walking among them, feel quite at loss, not wanting to identify them, but just enjoy them.
Ah, but they got the better of me (how do you say that?)
And i do know some of there names now. I even encountered a dandelion!
Ahhh a native species that is, very exciting, i am not kidding.

I gotta go.
See you shortly Robyn!
Happy birthday.

Great Horned Owl

What did i say yesterday?
About freedom?
Today i feel people pulling at me
always wanting attention
that's what drives me crazy

Ha, i like to say about myself;
i rather be cold and shivering
being out and about
then warm and stuck inside the house

i like to add today;
i rather be lonely and crying
being free
then loved and stuck with you

Noooo! why am i always lying?


I met an owl today
sitting in a tree beside my path
a branch broke
swiftly, silently, he flew off
A great brown body
giant wings
on the way back
same tree
total silence as he fled
if i was with you....
we would be waiting
sitting, silent
in the grass
till he returns
again


I met many more creatures in the woods today
and will write about it in a next post.
As my off-spring
demands the computer now
grrrr...

wild roses

only briefly i go out of the house today
to walk among the roses
its fragrance
sweet and heavy
blown away by wind
i unable
to really catch it
like a sun ray
i cannot fold into my hand

this is my first day in a month
to be truly on my own
nothing needs to be done
so i cry
not so much
for my father who has died
or for my mother on her own
but more for me
for all and everything
that left me
standing

the music loud
till my head bursts open
i dance, i swirl
till i collapse
i scream
i scream
why did you let me go?
i wish i cried
hot tears
strings of my hair
sticking to my face
my hair
your hand
that ruffled it
don't you know?
i cannot live alone

or was it me?
abandoning myself
always wanting to be free
too eager
to live
to love
hmmmm....
all those
roses along my path

back home

Thank you, for all the warm regards i have received over the last 2 weeks.
Yesterday early morning, 4.30 am, my sister Tilly drove me to the airport. She looked so beautiful (she always does) but today in her Transavia uniform, because she had to fly to Alicante (yes?).
Everything looks beautiful. Contradictory to my own feelings, not that i was sad, i am peaceful, but don't know how i feel.
We drive on the 8 lane plus, highway, towards a morning star, there is a low fog over the fields we pass. Above the sky is pink, up higher still dark.
The villages are golden lights. Rows of trees point to the sky. Cars zoom by.
It's here i think of writing again, And am making an attempt here.
Thanking you all for thinking of me.

I did meet some blog connections in person. By coincidence, my elementary school friend Anja, was visiting in Holland too. For the first time i met her son Marc, who is a blogger too. I will make here a link with their blogs.

Anja&Marc on mom's balcony.

Boerol

Grandpa

Condor had some doubts if it wanted to take me back to the Yukon, but at the end they did. And i had good trip, home in some 16 hours, along the most direct route, now possible (over the North pole)
I still in doubt, had a beautiful home coming.
My garden most beautifully wild.
When i would name my home, it would be called 'Rose Garden'.
And this is why; for two weeks or so a year, all the wild roses are blooming.
This is the time, pink roses everywhere, the whole yard smells of roses.
It's going to be a sunny day.
How good can it get?
Thank you.

my father

My father died, he was 82.
I am in Holland, staying with my mom, till June 23.

linking

Foto's

Yukon wildflowers

I think i finally figured out how to make a link again.
So, here is the link with Willem's photos,
and i am working on my wildflower blog, come have a look if you want.

Boreal Whiteface

Leucorrhinia borealis

June 9 2009, Takhini Saltflats.

I am working 3 days in town, this week, Yesterday i only stepped off the beaten path for half an hour.
So much to see, so many mosquitoes, I got 2 dozen bites at least, these yucky brown mosquitoes, saw many ducks and shore birds; pintails, ring necked ducks, killdeer.
And around the white mud anthills there where Bluets (dragonflies)flying around, but resting on the them where those beautiful red Skimmers, big guys.

See you! I gotta go, work, yuk.

Tara Sheridan

A few weeks ago Tara made this perfect shot of a cousin of my favorite little roommate.
This one actually has a house of his own on the hill, a house with a lawn.
His cousin is renting our crawl space. Where do your gophers live?

Holland

ART PHOTOS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE IN THE NORTH OF THE NETHERLANDS.

LINES TRACED IN THE EARTH, THE WATER, EB AND FLOW OF THE SEA,

THE FURROWS IN THIS LANDSCAPE.

DESOLATION OF THE FARMING LAND.

THE NORTH OF GRONINGEN, CREATIVELY CAUGHT IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND.



HAVE FUN WATCHING THESE PHOTOS

AND LET OTHERS ALSO LOOK AT THEM AT:


Foto's

Still hot out

my head is spinning
a dry wind's blowing
smoke of fires
mosquitoes biting
now
for the first time
i cannot handle
all that heat

tilly is on the plane
i worked all day
work work work
without a sister
here to help
cooking supper
i cannot handle
all that heat

roses blooming
the undergrowth
suddenly three feet tall
fresh green leaves
already grey
leaf-miners, or is drought?
i cannot handle
all that heat

i stay inside
i do not like that
but now you know
why i do miss ....:)
no!!!!
I'll smarten up
sit here quietly
watch my cats

all that heat
i am loving it

the Prom

Zoe and Alexander

Mother and son

grads of 2009

A wise man once asked me,
"If life is measured in moments which ones give it value?"
I stopped where I stood,
Facing a fading sunset,
and thought
Is it maybe the moments we triumph
Is it maybe the moments we fall and pick ourselves back up.
he shook his head,
As if to say he could read my mind
Is it maybe those moments we've taken for granted
Is it maybe those moments we treasure as memories.
Life is measured in selves.
It is those simple smiles
The carefree laughs
Those moments we have shared.

The wise man turned to me
His smile like a thousand starry nights
Nodding as he faded into my reflection
At the crossroads.
I measure my life now.
I measure it in first steps,
First days,
First dates.
I measure first loves,
First heartbreaks.
I measure life in inside jokes,
In days like this one,
Days I share with people closest to me.
I speak into the now high hanging moon.
"A life measured in moments is one lived from the heart,
A life lived for life."

by Kayla Dewdney
(second girl from the right)

Graduation

Alexander graduated from high school last night!!!
And here a picture of the proud mom and auntie.

Heat

It's in the nineties!!!
I always wanted to be able say that.
I don't know if it is, but it is 30 Celsius!

hot hot hotyesterday a cool mountain lake.
for get me not.
I will write again, when Tilly is gone.
Today we wished we could swim in this.(yesterday up at Stony)
But even better; today we sat on Virginia's deck and in her little pool.
Ahhh, life is good.

canoeing on Kusawa

Totally gorgeous day!

dressed in white

My sister, Tilly from Holland is here!

Yesterday before picking her up, i went to check up on the young couple. The swans.
I wonder if the site they chose is suitable, i fear the water there might dry up, before the summer is over.
In the mean time i get a close-up view of her/him working on the nest.
They notice me instantly as i arrive on the meadow. I stood peacefully in the hot sun in the willow for half an hour before they returned to their nest.

Then! i went to the airport.
My sister dressed in white
coming of the plane
surprised by her
grace and beauty like a swan
her laughter and talk
like the sparkling
of the sun on the water
she's here!
I love her