Sliding into Fall (Haibun Monday)

When we were traveling in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago, the sunsets were gorgeous. The deep colors and long shadows announce the arrival of Fall. I took this photo at a friend’s house in New Holland where we were staying. They have a wonderful location at the bottom of the ridge looking out over neighboring Amish farms with tall corn waiting for harvest. This was our view that evening as the sun was setting across Lancaster County.

 

 

Sun volleys between

 Summer days and long Fall nights

All is Love

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Posting this one for Haibun Monday at d’Verse Poets Pub. Frank asked us to write a prompt pertaining to the Fall Equinox. I revised this one that I posted the other day.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com 

Shimmering Beauty (a haiku)

Summer Dragonfly

Basking in sunshine

Battered wings shining

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Black is Beautiful (a haiku)

This Black Swallowtail was enjoying my Zinnias this morning. He did not seem to mind the heat as the sweat dripped off of me while shooting these photos.  I could not resist sharing this beautiful creature with you, even though I have shared my butterflies in earlier posts. I hope you enjoy my beautiful fragile friend.

Art Deco design

Nature’s beautiful creature

Black is beautiful

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Nikon D200

Annual Cicada

The Cicada has been around since prehistoric times. They start their life underground and emerge in a shell-type body, which they break out of, transformed as you see in the photo above. I found a squirrel looking at this one in my flower bed this morning. He was curiously watching. I did not see it until it moved slightly. Upon further investigation, I found this beautiful specimen! I picked it up and it flew right out of my hands and disappeared. Some come out annually while, others live in the ground for up to 17 years before emerging.

Wide-eyed cicada

Coming up for air today

Bursting from its shell

***

Hiding in the flower bed

Stretches its wings and flies away

Photos; Dwight L. Roth

For more information on cicadas:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

Miniature Morning Glories

Little trumpeters

Blasting silent sunshine songs

Concert ends at noon

Flowers close up and go home

Tomorrow’s show’s at sunrise

***

Miniature Morning Glory Photos: Dwight L. Roth

These beautiful volunteers greet me at my kitchen window every morning!

Posted on d’Verse for open link night!

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Shelter or Seed Pod

I am always amazed when I see mushrooms spring up in the grass. These three sisters look like they are made of porcelain, but they are so fragile. Under those sheltering domes are pockets full of spores that will be dropped at just the right time. As the mushrooms dry out the pods open and drop their spores. They will lie there in the dirt until once again the right temperature, moisture, and heat will make them grow and as the cycle of life continues.

Fragile domes shelter

new life after summer rain

Nature’s fancy art

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’verse Mish asked us to write a haibun using the word shelter. I decided to try something a bit different with this one. They look almost good enough to eat!

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Sediments

Today I worked on a lawnmower that would not run for a neighbor in our development. Some of you will recognize this as the carburetor bowl. As you can see it has dirt and sediments is mixed in with the gas. When the gas gets sucked through the carburetor to the cylinder those sediments clog up the jets and keep the gas from flowing, stalling out engine. Once the carburetor was cleaned and the gas tank drained, I added new gas and the engine started right up.

Summer lawns grow fast

Sediments keep mower stalled

Clean carb lets it run

***

Distractions in life

Often stall relationships

Clean out sediments

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Dog Days of Summer

August is like hump day for summer

Topping the hot rise of extreme temps

Starting the downhill chug into cooler weather

August is a month of anticipation

Vacation days coming to a close

as children and teachers anticipate

school opening sooner than they would like

August is anticlimactic in its celebrations

No fireworks, No flag waving, No Historic events

Even September gets Labor Day!

August is like the jet lag we feel

after a week’s visit from grandparents

Pleasantly exhausted, yet full of memories

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today, at d’Verse, Sanaa asked us to consider the lesser celebrated month of August. She asked us to write a poem reflecting on what memories we might have of this month.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Summer Butterflies

I just could not help myself today, when I saw these beautiful butterflies on my Zinnias. I kept shooting and shooting. and they stayed around flitting from flower to flower, poetry in motion! With my 200mm zoom, I was able to focus all the way in on them. These are some of the most beautiful butterflies I have seen!

Beauty flits lightly

from yellow to red buffet

Basking in sunshine

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Hummingbird Feeding

I planted a Purple Hyacinth outside my kitchen window, and it is now blooming. The beautiful purple blooms have attracted the hummingbirds. i have seen them a few times as I come and go in the Kitchen. This evening a female hummingbird was flitting about among the blossoms gathering nectar. I got my camera and thought I might get a shot or two, but she stayed and kept posing for my photos. I was very excited to get these beautiful shots to share with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Purple flower bloom

Inviting my hummingbird

Temperature soaring

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

https://www.thespruce.com/ruby-throated-hummingbird-identification-385991