Pausing to pick up small stones

January 31 - skim

2012-01-31T11:28:00.002+10:30

WIth a mysterious quality
Sand powered by wind
skims towards me

January 29 - packed

2012-01-29T22:02:00.000+10:30

Pencils packed
Alarms set
Ready for return to school

January 28 - bounce

2012-01-28T20:16:00.000+10:30

Rain droplets bounce
on the green ocean
A misty haze hovers
above the water

January 27 - jiggle

2012-01-27T22:10:00.002+10:30

Home again
I've missed how
the key needs to be jiggled
just that certain way

January 26 - umbrellas

2012-01-26T17:54:00.000+10:30

Umbrellas for the rain
Lathering of sunscreen
Half an hour of Australia day

January 24 - story

2012-01-24T21:57:00.000+10:30

"Tell that one"
She asks for the story
The one she has heard so many times before.
She laughs with her whole body.

January 23 - fountain

2012-01-23T10:16:00.000+10:30

One, two, three
Head and hands first
then feet kick a fountain
to the pool edge

January 22 - bubbles

2012-01-22T21:18:00.001+10:30

Water
splashes and bubbles
over the rocks

January 21 - intent

2012-01-21T16:47:00.000+10:30

A small boy pauses
at the top of the ferry steps
intent on fastening his jacket

January 18 - awkward

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000+10:30

Long legs and long neck
A mix of graceful and awkward
flies overhead

(oops, forgot to post yesterday)

January 17 - shadow

2012-01-17T22:41:00.002+10:30

A heart shaped leaf
Its shadow dances on the fence

January 16 - different

2012-01-16T18:32:00.001+10:30

A different place
Different bird noises wake me

January 15 - creak

2012-01-15T08:09:00.001+10:30

Unusual quiet
tick, tick, tick of the clock
creak of the side gate

January 14 - carried

2012-01-14T16:53:00.000+10:30

My tears are carried by
memories of years now gone
I watch the walk down the aisle

January 13 - vibrant

2012-01-13T18:18:00.000+10:30

snap
bus stop seat
in vibrant blue
and vibrant green
then 500 metres later
another one

January 12 - rumble

2012-01-12T17:07:00.000+10:30

A rumble of a plane overhead
A constant hum of cars
A sweetness of intermittent bird calls

January 11 - giggle

2012-01-11T21:19:00.000+10:30

One now ten and one now eleven
Their faces light up and they giggle
at stories from their younger years

January 10 - bounce

2012-01-10T12:18:00.000+10:30

Leaves twinkle in the breeze
A small branch bends
as a bird bounces

January 9 - scent

2012-01-09T13:47:00.002+10:30

A clatter of sticks being chopped
by lawnmower blades
A gum leaf scent lingers
in the air

January 8 - remind

2012-01-08T17:40:00.000+10:30

1. Crunchy, curled brown leaves
on the strawberry plant
A reminder of last week's heat

2. A trip into the past
can remind
just how good the present is.

January 7 - reflection

2012-01-07T19:22:00.000+10:30

Lines of green
traffic lights reflect
as water gushes

January 6 - sorting

2012-01-06T19:51:00.000+10:30

I sort through piles of paper
and memories come crawling out
from their hiding spaces

January 5 - anticipation

2012-01-05T15:38:00.001+10:30

I hope the doing
is as much fun
as the planning

January 4 - smooth

2012-01-04T13:18:00.000+10:30

In the smooth sand
The seagull's reflection
shines

January 3 - buzz

2012-01-03T12:28:00.000+10:30

School holidays
A buzz of electronic noise
from both ends of the house

January 2 - rustle

2012-01-02T11:37:00.000+10:30

Wind rustles through leaves
Apricots fall from the tree
I imagine a snake
and my heart jumps

January 1 - tinny

2012-01-01T16:35:00.000+10:30

Dry leaf
in plastic watering can
A tinny sound surprises me

December 31

2011-12-31T14:56:00.000+10:30

With the heat
comes an unusual stillness
and the constant hum
of the neighbour's air conditioner

December 30

2011-12-30T10:50:00.002+10:30

stewed apricots

orange bubbles in the saucepan
sweetness wafts around the kitchen

December 29

2011-12-29T17:15:00.000+10:30

Composing small stones

I reflect upon what I didn't notice before
and wonder what I am still to notice

December 28

2011-12-28T12:12:00.001+10:30

Underneath the washing line
Tiny black dots scamper
One tickles over my feet
then suddenly I feel
short sharp pain

December 27

2011-12-27T14:12:00.003+10:30

The feet
of the walking frame
barely skimmed the ground

December 26

2011-12-26T14:03:00.002+10:30

A flurry of activity
on a 'nothing to do' day

December 25

2011-12-25T13:49:00.000+10:30

Apple cucumbers

Having always known about them
I didn't even think
other people may not

December 24

2011-12-24T17:04:00.000+10:30

Expectation of busy?

Cars at the side of the car park
Usually empty
Spaces in the middle
usually full

December 23

2011-12-23T17:19:00.001+10:30

red and white

I stand in the garden
The exact spot I have stood so many times before
I look in a different direction
and notice the tiles on the neighbour's roof

December 22

2011-12-22T15:02:00.000+10:30

green

two tone
growing tomatoes
shine in the sun

December 21

2011-12-21T18:54:00.001+10:30

grainy sand between my toes
and circles sparkle
as water flows back and forth

December 20

2011-12-20T19:09:00.002+10:30

Food court

Empty tables
A lull in the pre-Christmas rush

December 19

2011-12-19T11:08:00.000+10:30

Ant
holding a crumb
half its size
Reverses, circles
then continues on its way

December 18

2011-12-18T10:44:00.001+10:30

A shadow
followed by its spider
weaves around
stars on a white ceiling

December 17

2011-12-17T21:02:00.001+10:30

Raindrops race each other
down the window

December 16

2011-12-16T16:00:00.002+10:30

Bursts of bright orange
in a front garden
Bees are busy

December 15

2011-12-15T08:06:00.001+10:30

sunscreen

A day later
slight stinging reminds me
the spots I missed

December 14

2011-12-14T13:41:00.000+10:30

I look up when I hear the scoop of wind.
I see black and white flapping through the sky.

December 13

2011-12-13T18:18:00.002+10:30

From out of the leaves above
a fan of green feathers zips past

December 12

2011-12-12T15:43:00.000+10:30

brightness shines through
cracks in the fluff filled sky

December 11

2011-12-11T08:53:00.002+10:30

mouse

A hook shaped jump
then a scurry
tail swishing behind

December 10

2011-12-10T16:02:00.000+10:30

Blackened playground tower
surrounded by coloured tape
An overflowing car park
Balloons, banners and portable chairs
Families gather and children play

December 9

2011-12-09T13:31:00.002+10:30

Single white cockatoo
just visible
with the cloudy backdrop

December 8

2011-12-08T13:10:00.000+10:30

Warmth

Leaves curl at the edges
Mugginess lingers
I hear the circles of a bird's call

December 7

2011-12-07T15:50:00.000+10:30

Oral presentation

A microphone was passed along the line of students
and back again
A few shakes of the head in between

December 6

2011-12-06T13:34:00.000+10:30

Chirps of sweetness
hum of cars
quiet listening

December 5

2011-12-05T21:01:00.002+10:30

bright colours of christmas decorations
muted shadows on the wall

December 4

2011-12-04T23:06:00.000+10:30

The few moments between sleep and wakefulness
I don't know if it is morning or afternoon

December 3

2011-12-03T10:03:00.000+10:30

Late

On the curb
Out the front of my house
Two bins
The only ones on the whole street

December 2

2011-12-02T16:53:00.000+10:30

blue

shines and shimmers
ripples and sparkles

December 1

2011-12-01T14:09:00.000+10:30

Calm anticipation

A small pocket of time
between school drop off
and shops opening time
I notice most the quiet

November 30

2011-11-30T11:50:00.000+10:30

A regular beat of squeaks
From tree to tree
Two birds fly back and forth

November 29

2011-11-29T09:29:00.003+10:30

When writing is hard

Nothing to say
or too much?

November 28

2011-11-28T12:20:00.001+10:30

Shiny leaves like plastic
ready to unfold

November 27

2011-11-27T19:29:00.002+10:30

A shadow of dots
dances across
sunlit petals

November 26

2011-11-26T14:14:00.000+10:30

Another year, another pageant

Babies
not even born one year ago
wave from the floats
like they've always known how

November 25

2011-11-25T16:00:00.000+10:30

I wish I had my camera

the pink and grey of galahs
on twisted branches
and a backdrop of gloomy clouds

November 24

2011-11-24T19:27:00.000+10:30

Voice filled air
Multi-importance
together unique

November 23

2011-11-23T14:39:00.000+10:30

Beach

Watching and listening to the waves
I notice the brightly coloured paint spray bottle
and then a rat climbs out from under the flowers
twitches its nose and gently nods its head
We watch each other for a while
then it trots across the pavement towards the road

November 22

2011-11-22T21:25:00.002+10:30

Loops and curls
Writing left
for a stranger to find

November 21

2011-11-21T07:24:00.003+10:30

A ragged stem
Bright, sparkling strawberry gone!
Breakfast for a bird?

November 20

2011-11-20T14:34:00.002+10:30

Almost ready

Strawberry red
sparkles in the sunlight

November 19

2011-11-19T12:40:00.000+10:30

Where the zucchini seedling was yesterday
A tiny dark green circle
level with the ground
and surrounded by silver trails

November 18

2011-11-18T21:05:00.000+10:30

ladybird

The black-spotted orange dot
crawls across the curly green leaves

November 17

2011-11-17T16:32:00.001+10:30

So many shades of green
The leaves
darken with age

November 16

2011-11-16T16:01:00.002+10:30

Brilliant orange fan
One flower
on the plant

November 15

2011-11-15T10:40:00.001+10:30

Broad beans

I pop beans out
from cushioned pods
A pleasure akin
to the bursting
of bubble-wrap bubbles

November 14

2011-11-14T14:12:00.001+10:30

A rustle in the dryness
and the lines of grey
twice the slater size I am used to
crawl over the crunchy leaves

November 13

2011-11-13T13:17:00.000+10:30

Thunder and gloom
minus shadows
Water spots
and then the sun
bathes all in playful light

November 12

2011-11-12T17:27:00.000+10:30

"Maths Friendly. Reading Friendly."
A fitting sign for a school.

November 11

2011-11-11T22:01:00.000+10:30

Organized chaos of twigs and fluff
Bird's nest
Lays empty on the ground

November 10

2011-11-10T08:08:00.001+10:30

clothes strewn across the yard
the only sign
of last night's heavy winds

November 9

2011-11-09T18:51:00.000+10:30

The twisted bare tree branches
highlighted
by the gloomy sky

November 8

2011-11-08T17:29:00.000+10:30

I walk across the back lawn
careful not to crunch any snails

In the garden patch
the new zucchini plants are GONE!

November 7

2011-11-07T15:23:00.003+10:30

Passionfruit on the right
Bananas on the left
The alleyway near home

November 6

2011-11-06T18:58:00.001+10:30

Separate from the others
The seagull hobbles
begging for food

November 5

2011-11-05T14:08:00.001+10:30

ladybird

a bright splash of red
on the dark green parsley

November 4

2011-11-04T18:32:00.000+10:30

An expanse of flat blue water
Dogs bound along the sand
Strangers smile at each other

November 3

2011-11-03T18:42:00.000+10:30

Personal truth spoken
True beauty

November 2

2011-11-02T13:23:00.002+10:30

Strawberry leaves
bright and strong
like the sun today

November 1

2011-11-01T09:12:00.000+10:30

A whirlwind being
my daughter's friend
runs past

"A pinch and a punch
for the first day of the month"

Ah yes, It's November already

October 31

2011-10-31T16:22:00.000+10:30

A jacket
once comforting
is now just heavy
and too hot

October 30

2011-10-30T14:59:00.000+10:30

Sunlight and shadows, plus
leaves and colours, plus
a camera, plus
some time to myself, equals
magic

October 29

2011-10-29T21:59:00.002+10:30

After the rain
Snails
Everywhere
Just where did they all come from?

October 28

2011-10-28T14:53:00.002+10:30

Bright red
the tiny creature
scurries across the white table

October 27

2011-10-27T11:52:00.002+10:30

After an unintentionally long break
from my words
It's easier to see
what I actually wrote

October 26

2011-10-26T08:50:00.001+10:30

a haze of light
shines
on the window screen

October 25

2011-10-25T12:18:00.001+10:30

new roses

deep burgundy
tightly closed buds
waiting

October 24

2011-10-24T06:58:00.002+10:30

Sand patterns
In the empty bath
It's nearly summer

October 23

2011-10-23T12:16:00.002+10:30

The tree is full of buzz
A lone bee walks across the cement

October 22

2011-10-22T18:56:00.002+10:30

Birds chuckle in the trees
Warm weather

October 21

2011-10-21T14:07:00.001+10:30

After the rain
The tomato plants are growing well
So are the weeds

October 20

2011-10-20T12:11:00.000+10:30

Burst of warm weather
Concern of conversations
The quality of sleep