nichepoetryandprose

poetry and prose about place

Posts Tagged ‘snow

moment of beautiful – shadow on the snow

with 2 comments

shadow on the snow

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under the snow

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the shadow is a blue portal, a hidden way

to crocus places, sheltered where no drifting

snow or bitter wind comes howling

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frost-brittle maples creak

and chickadees crack seeds

of sunflower stashed

in tunnels shaped

by squirrels

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Copyright  2015  Jane Tims

 

 

 

Written by jane tims

February 18, 2015 at 7:36 am

small green world

with 9 comments

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As I gradually put away my Christmas decorations, I am a little sad about disassembling the vignettes I created –  a group of carolers skating on a mirror pond, a serene stable scene, a lighted Christmas village.

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To see me through the rest of winter I have created another small world in a glass cloche, a moss and lichen garden under glass.  I picked the moss before the first December snow and it has done well for a month.  The moss leaves are bright and there is new growth on some of the lichen tips.  The terrarium even has its own little climate and ‘weather’ – days when the glass is clear and dry, and days when the glass is foggy and you can see a faint mist among the mosses.

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I love the ‘green-ness’ of this miniature world.  Green mosses, sheltered by the green leaves of my Lipstick Vine (Aeschynanthus lobbianus) and guarded by my green, four-clawed Chinese dragon.  Green candles.

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While the world outside is cold and white, I have this tiny green world to remind me – spring is only weeks away.

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Copyright 2015  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

January 5, 2015 at 7:14 am

goodbye to the snow

with 12 comments

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We have had a thick layer of snow for the last few days.  But today, Christmas Eve, the rain is coming.  The snow will disappear.

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No matter.  Green or white, Christmas is Christmas.  I can hardly wait.

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Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

December 24, 2014 at 6:59 am

snow across the landscape

with 10 comments

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end of day

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new-feathered, the valley

a black and white wing

stretches from horizon

the beat encloses

clouds and winter sky

 

field under snow, the back

of a settling dove

a lone skier presses

towards shelter, and

amber streak of sky

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

December 19, 2014 at 6:57 am

new layer of snow

with 6 comments

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Snow is gradually building on every horizontal surface.  I love the contrast between umber bark and bright snow.  If this layer of snow will only stay, the temperatures will seem warmer and the walking less slippery. And the movements of small creatures in our woods will be less ephemeral, better understood.

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tracks in the snow

tracks in the snow

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims 

Written by jane tims

December 18, 2014 at 7:05 am

Elf on the Shelf

with 4 comments

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My Elf on the Shelf has been with me since the 1960s.  For many years, she stayed in a back corner in a bag with the other stuffed folk.  Then, last year, I learned about the new popularity of the Elf on the Shelf.

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Now, she has a place of honour among my Christmas decorations .. or should I say places?  Each day, she pops up in a new place, to make her own commentary on the Christmas season!

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Elf on the Shelf reading her Christmas books …

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Elf on the Shelf is shy but she tries to sing with the other carolers …

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Elf on the Shelf dreams of a white Christmas …

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

December 15, 2014 at 9:16 am

the worry in weather

with 4 comments

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On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Snowman waited on our back deck for the Nor’easter to begin …

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We are coming to the end of the rains associated with this week’s storm, a Nor’easter that brought snow, ice pellets, sleet and a lot of rain.  In our area, we had about 45 mm of rain, but some parts of the province had over 100 mm.

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Many people in New Brunswick are coping with flooded basements as a result of all the rain.  After our flooded basement experience in 2010, I spent the last couple of days in worry – hoping our drainage issues are fixed and making endless trips to the basement to make sure we had no water on the floor.

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Today I am grateful – we had no problems with flooding.  Our space is safe and we are warm and dry.

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Last night, on the back deck in the dark, after all the rain, Mr. Snowman lay on his back. The rain took most of the snow but he is still smiling. He knows more snow will come!

 

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

December 12, 2014 at 7:49 am

snowflakes

with 13 comments

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I woke on Saturday morning to the easy fall of snowflakes.  A good day to write Christmas cards.  Amazing how a frail curtain of flakes can create a personal, comforting space.

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

December 8, 2014 at 7:44 am

falling snow

with 6 comments

 

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busy snow

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pecks at

the window edge

lays cold feathers

along the glass

builds a humped man

around the backbone

of the mugo pine

startles the

grazing deer

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

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Written by jane tims

December 3, 2014 at 7:05 am

newfall of snow

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newfall: words escape me

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the white ephemeral

perhaps frost

the fir boughs divided

the sculptured steel

of a flake of snow

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try again

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paper stencil

on chocolate cake

powdered sugar

sifted on the rills

of the new plowed field

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again

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sweet in my mouth

the bitter melted in morning sun

white hot on my cheek

the writing lamp

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a lamp to the left

casts no shadow

(the shadow of a pen

or a hand)

(unless you are wrong-handed)

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chimney shadow

on a fresh-snowed roof

or trees on the eastern edge of the road

where the sun cannot warm

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the morning

dusting of ice

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try again

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Published as ‘newfall: words escape me’, The Fiddlehead 196, Summer 1998.

Copyright  2014  Jane Tims

Written by jane tims

November 7, 2014 at 7:11 am