surf by Martha-Ann

White horses gallop ever shoreward
Prancing, dancing moving forward
To break and spume against the shingle
Stones, foam and bubbles all a-mingle
Shushing, sighing, bubbling home
Shining water, swirling foam
Crashing in no more to roam.

a brooding sky

The weather has changed over the last few days, it's cold and windy with showers every now and again. Proper dowly as we say in Yorkshire. This dark sky looked dramatic before the rain and a small single seater aircraft seems dwarfed by the enormity of it all.



Dowly by Martha-Ann

Dark
Brooding
Clouds
Majesty before the storm...

the softness of autumn

blurry
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

This picture is a bit blurry or soft but I think it makes a nice statement. The horse chestnut leaves are just beginning to turn and the mere in the background adds an ethereal air.


Warp & weft by Martha-Ann

Rich earthy coloured hues
Crisp brown outline, golden centres, tips of green
The softness of the blues
Create a peaceful scene.
Autumn is upon us with her ever changing mood
Frolicing winds whisk capricious leaves
To dance like fairies in the salubrious wood
As autumn splendour weaves.

royal velvet by Martha-Ann

'royal velvet'
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

blossom tossed on the keening wind
rich and vibrant shades
an open maw with tentacles protruding like some rare cephalopod
pollen bedecked stamens
golden stigma
fuschia...

autumn by Martha-Ann

Stainsdale Lake
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

Each autumn when the summer dies
And mists becloud the darkening skies
Mother nature with helping hand
Sends bounteous gifts throughout the land.

Each orchard tree is laden down
With apples red or pears of brown.
Purple plums so ripely hang
For winter pies and dark, sweet jam.

And wayside trees with gifts abound
As autumn bounty can be found.
Green spikey chestnuts split their cases
Glistening conkers show their faces.

Beech masts open tri-lobed shells
And sprinkle nuts upon the fells
Whilst hazelnuts so soft and green
Begin to harden in golden sheen.

The hedgerows too bedecked boughs dip
With orange haw and ruby hip.
Sloe berries dress the blackthorn tree,
In natures garner all is free.

Brambles hide on prickled stems
Woodmice feed on these plump black gems
And squirrels hide acorns near their dreys
A treat for pleasant springtime days.

The colours too are natures gift
Send spirits high and hopes can lift.
Russets, yellows, orange too
Deck leaves with many coloured hue.

The purples, blacks, the glistening reds
Of berries, fruits above our heads.
Nature is fulsome with her fare
And man and beast all take a share.

tomato haikus by Martha-Ann

tumbling tom
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

Summers bounteous gift
Perfect orbs of rich ripe red
Savour the flavour

Spheres of pure delight
Raindrops a glistening
Impatient to taste

A rain washed beauty
Essence of a summers day
Tasty scarlet globes

shades of keats

hips
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

Not so much indian summer as Keats autumn today...seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness isn't in it.
It began raining last night and only stopped this morning leaving behind a dull, grey, cold & misty day.
These beautiful red rosehips cheer up a corner of the garden.


Rosehips by Martha-Ann

Rosy red amid the darkened gloom of autumn day
A veritable feast of colour keeps October drear at bay.
Perfect tiny packages dangling from the thorny petiole
Tempting hungry birds to feast, swallowing them whole.

indian summer

friends!
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

We've been experiencing an indian summer, the warm flush of autumn sunshine brought the insects out to feed on the dainty yellow ivy flowers. They're very prolific flowerers this year and the bees, flies and butterflies were feasting on them. This comma shared the plant with a bee.


Butterfly by Martha-Ann

Imago
myriad coloured wings flitter & flutter
poised & graceful elegance
coiled spring tongue dipping ever deeper
amid the ivy blossom

in the cells!

in the cells!
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

I was tidying my seed trays when I came across seven butterflies in one of the stacked trays....all dead.....each in it's own little cell.
I've never seen anything like it before, they were all face down as if they'd crawled in...so odd!
Three small whites, two large whites, one painted lady and one small skipper.


Cusp by Martha-Ann

Unfortunate tenants imprisoned in their cells
no warders here
but no escape
from this eternal paradise

dead rainbows

petrol
Originally uploaded by Martha-Ann48

I was thinking today about when I was growing up, how it always seemed sunny....but of course that can't be true, it must have rained sometimes.
And then I remembered one day when we were going to the shops with my mam and it WAS raining.
Us kids were jumping in puddles, splashing around doing little dances in them when suddenly there was a rainbow....in a puddle, not in the sky!
Beautiful, a myriad of colour just lying there.
I shouted to my mam that there was a dead rainbow...how she laughed!
'Just petrol' she said.
She made a game of it, telling us to make us wish.
I can't remember what I wished for or if it came true either.
You don't see dead rainbows much these days, better cars I suppose but I found one recently and took a picture of it too.
It was on quite a busy road but I managed it...my son said I'd get run over but I didn't. LOL


Chimera by Martha-Ann

beautiful stain
exquisite colours glowing on the dirty street
a heavenly rainbow here on earth
perfection...

wish we were there...

We
should have been down in Norfolk this week, seal and bird watching
but I've gone and pulled the ligament in the back of my knee and can't walk far so we've had to postpone it and I was really looking forward to it...

The weather has taken a turn for the worst again, after Wednesdays incessant rain and the lovely sunny day we had yesterday it's back to being dull and cold...I've actually put the heating on today as it's so chilly but then maybe it's just because I'm sat around resting this silly leg!
It was proper autumny this morning with a misty and chill start...it hasn't got any better!
The flower beds are shutting themselves down for the winter with just a few hardy specimens braving it with the odd blossom or two.
The rose arch looks lovely, pink blowsy roses buffeted by the wind and lots of them too...don't they know it's October?
I've noticed an increase in birds to the feeders and table, my regulars didn't know what hit them as a great flock of squabbling starnels arrived en masse this morning and proceeded to gobble up everything in sight...they even emptied the peanut feeders!!
Where's next door's cat when I need him?..LOL...only kidding!
That reminded me of one of my poems....


Catnap by Martha-Ann

Sunlight dapples the garden grass.
The sun is bright and warm.
A pussycat is lying there.
He gives a tired yawn.
Ginger fur tinged with white and slanting amber eyes.
He stretches, yawns, turns on his back.. feet pointing to the skies.
And settled then his eyes he shuts as he drifts into sleep.
And sunlight warmed he sighs and purrs into a dream so deep.
He's chasing mice and catching fish and drinking bowls of milk.
The breeze comes whispering through the trees to stir his fur...like silk.
In quiet contemplation now I wish that I could be
A pussycat without a care.
As beautiful as he.