At this time of year, all round the valley, everyone is busy pruning trees and vines and making the most of the dry weather for bonfires. The clouds, mist and smoke all blend and it’s impossible to tell which it is hanging in the still air.
Bonfire after pruning;
at nightfall, the green wood
is still singing
Jungle-blossom fungi
cluster around tree stumps;
the air smells of woodsmoke
Autumn breathes grey mist across the mountain;
he stamps in puddles, then laughs
with sudden sunshine.
The photo shows what was going on on my verandah once the sun warmed up this morning and brought the wasps out to feed on a small corpse which I assume was left there by the cats. 
Continue reading “fragments”
I’ve mentioned before the effect certain blue birds have on me: how they raise my spirits and how, for the (usually brief) moments that they are visible, I forget to do anything other than stand and stare.
This week, though, a jay has visited the vine regularly – I guess the grapes must be just about ripe – so I’ve had my camera to hand on my desk ready for when he appears.
Each morning
a jay visits the vine;
high above, cirrus
whisper of autumn
Normally, even if the camera is easily found, opening windows or doors startles any wildlife away before I can get a picture. But after the recent cleaning binge, I was able to take this photo through the window.
Windows cleaned
inside and out:
how bright the world looks!
Even so, if this is the best I can do, I think next time I’d better leave the bird photography to the experts and settle for recording the image in my memory rather than on my camera’s memory card.
don't confuse the narrator 