Tag: nature

The beauty of the Cape

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Cape Cod

Here lies the peaceful Cape

Gulls cry in the salty air

Light dances silver on restless waves

Time slows to the rhythm of the tides

A beauty both wild and gentle

Endles as the horizon

A silent dawn spills gold over the bay

Sturdy dunes protect secluded bays from the mighty Atlantic ocean

Rising whales create rare transient mountains in the sea

A lighthouse keeps its patient watch

Brave fishermen venture out into the ocean

Tourists bask on sandy beaches

Yachtsmen fill their sails with Atlantic gusts

Cottages weathered by wind and salt stand proud

Cedar shake roofs are a welcome perch for resting gulls

The skies of the Cape are wide enough to carry your biggest dreams

Epic Journey

Ian Hunter4 Comments
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Seven weeks ago we set off on a long vacation

Starting on the US east coast

We took a trans-Atlantic cruise for 12 nights

The ship stopped in Bermuda and the Azores

Final destination was Lisbon

After an enjoyable stay in Lisbon we flew to Madeira

Meeting up with some close friends

We spent the next 10 days exploring the island

Great food, wine, scenery and super friendly locals

We then flew to London for a brief stay before flying up to Inverness

We met up with family and rented a car

Next chapter was the NC 500

A 500 mile drive along the north coast of Scotland

It took a full week to complete

Our final destination was the Isle of Skye

Another week of exploration with more family members

The journey back home started with a 5 hour drive to Glasgow

A short flight to Dublin followed

The next day we flew to Iceland

A far too brief layover before boarding our flight back to the US

It was hard to stay awake during the 3 hour drive home

We took a lot of photos and made many memories

What did we learn from this journey?

The best way to avoid jet lag is to cross the ocean by sea

Losing an hour every other day is much better than stepping off a plane and losing 6 hours

Bermuda seems to be stuck in a time warp

Once a place for the super wealthy to hang out and hide their cash

As the old money dies off, nobody has taken then opportunity to develop the island for sun seeking tourists

We just wanted more and mores of the Azores

Punta Delgada has not been discovered yet, go soon before the developers swoop in

Spending days at sea makes you appreciate the vastness of the Atlantic ocean

The early sailing explorers were so brave

Lisbon has a special place in our hearts

Our fifth visit revealed even more amazing history and culture

Port tastes so much better when looking out over Lisbon and eating local food

Lisbon has been discovered, no longer the quiet backwater we knew a decade ago

Madeira is a gem

A huge rock towering out of the ocean off the coast of Africa

Its similar to Hawaii but in the Atlantic

Spectacular scenery and super friendly locals

Madeira wine is nectar, it can send you to heaven on earth

We enjoyed Fado, traditional Portuguese music full of emotion

London is a huge city but the locals are super friendly

English beer is warm

Fish and chips is an additive English pleasure

Inverness is the gateway to the highlands

The NC500 attracts too many RVs

John O’Groats is always cold and windy

Its hard to keep your eyes on the road when driving through spectacular Scottish scenery

Haggis is a great breakfast food

Scotland is mostly mountains, lakes(lochs), rivers, waterfalls, sheep, deer, pubs, distilleries, castles, highland cows, single track roads and rain

Scottish people never complain about rain

It rains in Scotland almost every day but the locals call it mist

Its hard to find the bathroom at night after three weeks away from home in multiple hotels

Single malt whisky tastes truly amazing in front of a log fire in the Scottish highlands

The Isle of Skye is breathtaking

All whisky distilleries smell like malt

Its so easy to make whisky, the ingredients are: water, barley, yeast and lots of magic

Guinness in Ireland tastes amazing

Irish hospitality is hard to beat

Iceland is mostly black volcanic rock with puffs of steam rising up

Iceland has also been discovered so best to go in the shoulder season

Jet lag is much worse when flying westward

Yes we would do it all again in a heartbeat

Nothing more precious than spending quality time with family and good friends

Home sweet home is a welcome place after a long vacation

I am still confused upon waking each morning, what country/time zone/place am I in?

Rock on

Ian Hunter2 Comments

I like rocks

they are good to hold

rough ones are originals

bits of broken mountain

carried around by ice age glaciers

abandoned when the glaciers melted

buried in soil for thousands of years

a time capsule waiting for you

collect enough and you could 

rebuild that old mountain

smooth ones have been shaped

by centuries of tumbling in rivers

pick one up and examine it

feel the history in your hands

telling stories to your fingers

put it to your ear

listen to that ancient music

of roaring rivers and babbling brooks

collect a bunch of them

listen to them all together

have a rock concert

foggy*

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I woke up in a fog 

my mind was groggy and dazed

it was foggy outside

my body was in phase with the weather

green tea did not clear my head

the fog stayed thick outside

was the fog leaking out of my head

or leaking in from the fields outside

maybe I was dehydrated  from drinking wine

or not enough sleep

my overloaded brain needed a rest

how long would all this last I wondered

the sun started to burn off the fog

but my head remained foggy all day

like I was drugged or poisoned with a toxin

I gave up thinking because it was too painful

my body was in low energy mode

no point in strenuous exercise

this had to be a day of rest

despite extra hydration I felt foggy throughout the entire day

the next day my head was clear when I woke up

my energy levels were back to normal

I tackled the day with vigor

taxing my body and my brain really hard 

then a thought struck me

how awful to be foggy all the time

to have you mind and body in a permanent foggy straitjacket

while others around you live large with a clear head

We often take our health for granted

a short sharp aberration reminds you

be grateful for good health

have compassion for those less fortunate

avoid the fog

the lonely pebble(2)

Ian Hunter1 Comment

the rough rock bounced around

one of many living in the river bed

bumping and grinding

rolling and tumbling for centuries

transformed into a smooth pebble

chatting constantly with the other pebbles

he dreamed about adventures

exploring life outside the river

his friends told him to be careful

maneuvering himself to the shallows

hoping to leave the water

he saw people collecting pebbles

please pick me he whispered

one day he was picked up

taken away as a trophy

gently caressed and loved

at first he was very happy

until he was discarded in a drawer

laying abandoned in the dark

the pebble was sad

he stayed there for many years

until a boy discovered him

he took the pebble everywhere he went

sleeping under his pillow

on his desk at school

but the pebble was still sad

he missed being with all the other pebbles

the boy sensed that the pebble was unhappy

he took the pebble down to the river bank

asking if he wanted to go home

feeling the pebble glowing warm in his hands

the boy knew what he had to do

he tossed the pebble in the river

bumping and grinding again

trying to stay deep in the river

the pebble was happy again

better to be in a crowd of friends 

than a lonely trophy pebble

Marina sunrise

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The marina was full of sailboats

All sleeping sound at night

Most of them on permanent moorings

A few were overnight visitors

They were the ones who woke up first

Chatting incessantly at dawn

Speculating if the sunrise would be special today

The long timers were not amused

Its only a sunrise

We get them here most days

Not worth waking up for

Keep down the chatter 

Some of use want to sleep more

The visitors ignored them

Wow look at that big sky

The clouds are lit up orange and purple

Lets turn to watch the sunrise

They were in awe of the spectacle

The rising orange sun floated on the horizon

Was it under the ocean all night

Did the sun just wake up too

Does the sun make these colors for fun

Is he in awe looking at us 

This could never get tiring

The sun rose higher and the colors faded away

Soon it was all over with dull cloudy skies

Wow that was amazing

You resident sail boats are so lucky

You should all we waking early daily to watch this

The residents were totally unfazed

Go back to sleep

It was only a sunrise

You need to rest more

We have a hard day of sailing ahead

The wind started to pick up

Chopping up the surface of the bay

A few early sailers appeared

Rolling down sails in preparation

The newcomers were excited

Oh we get to explore this bay

Maybe we will see dolphins

Lets see who can sail fastest

I will win today

The residents were not amused

Why do they let visitors moor here

They always wake up too early

Its was just another sunrise 

My sails are still tired from racing yesterday

A few hours later

All the visitors were away sailing

The remaining residents dozed

Peace at last

Thank goodness they left

I hope they all sink today

There was however one dissenter

I am glad they woke us early

Sunrise was truly incredible today

Make the best of everything you have

Ian HunterLeave a comment

They say if you can’t have the best of everything, make the best if everything you have

I woke up this morning and studied the trees outside my bedroom window

Gold, rust, deep red, orange and green were all on display

Autumnal colors are just about peaking in this area

Its costs nothing but a few moments in time to be in awe of this dynamic explosion of nature’s palette

I took a walk along a wooded trail

Stepping on a carpet of fresh fallen leaves

They rustled and swished under my feet

Urging me to look down at their fallen display

Their last hurrah before mulching into the winter soil

I picked up a few brilliantly colored leaves on the trail

Brought them home and pressed them in a book

I will bring them out some time in the future

To relive these beautiful autumn moments

Leaves keep falling

Seasons march on

A spectator pauses to make memories

Make the best of everything you have today

Abi and friends make rain memories

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The day began with a heavy gray sky promising rain that would nourish the earth

The first droplets tapped gently on the window playing a soft symphony of nature

Abi pressed her face against the glass as she was eager to feel the cool drops on her skin

She was a curious little girl who loved to play and explore

She ran outside embracing the refreshing shower that kissed her cheeks

The scent of wet earth filled the air in an aromatic signal of awakening life

Puddles in the street formed mirrors reflecting the world above

Abi studied the images before splashing through them

Her laughter mingling with the sound of falling rain as she shattered the wet images

A group of children spotted Abi and quickly joined in

Their joyful shouts echoing through the neighborhood

They raced each other as they splashed in every puddle along the way

Each splash sent water flying in the air like tiny sparkling diamonds

The rain joined in the outdoor revelry and danced around them

A nearby old oak tree stood tall with its leaves rustling softly in the breeze

Abi ran to its sturdy trunk seeking shelter for a moment to catch her breath

She watched as the rain created a curtain of droplets at the edge of the canopy

A ladybug landed on her finger seeking refuge from the storm

Abi smiled as she marveled at its tiny red shell

Heavy rain was drumming against the roof of the old barn nearby 

She and her friends scurried inside to escape form the downpour

They were all laughing and shaking off the water like wet puppies

The barn was a treasure trove of forgotten memories and dusty hay

They built a fort out of bales as they settled in for a rain-soaked adventure

The storm raged on but they felt safe and warm inside

They played games and told stories of magical creatures that danced in the rain

The energy of the storm fed their imaginations and the tales got wilder

Eventually the rain began to lighten into a gentle patter

The sun peeked through the clouds casting a golden glow

They ventured outside once more to be greeted by vibrant rainbows arching across the sky

They splashed through puddles while squealing with delight

Abi twirled under the sky embracing the magic that had unfolded

The rain had brought them together to create a day filled with laughter and joy

The setting sun made everything glisten to heighten their awareness of the moment

They knew the memory of today would stay with them forever

Tree chatter

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Cooler days and chilly nights

Summer is officially over

Leaves are starting to turn orange

Nature has decided to turn a page

Start a new season before winter

Trees stop growing to conserve energy

Which begs the question

How do they know?

What triggers them to prepare for winter?

Who taught them? 

Do mother trees school their offspring?

Are tree roots connected to a web?

Communicating with each other constantly

Receiving tree weather messages

Here is today’s tree weather report

Getting tree bulletins about the impending seasonal changes

Its time to start turning your leaves orange

Organizing tree beauty pageants

Who has the biggest and brightest leaves?

Perhaps swapping tree selfies and chatting

Browsing tree social media

Scrolling the pages of TreeBook

Gossiping about passing humans

Look at this silly fellow playing golf in the rain

Reporting horror stories of chain saw tree massacres 

Humans came in waves felling down an entire forest

Announcing the birth of a new baby tree

Mr and Mrs Fir Tree are pleased to announce

Recording obituaries of fallen trees

He lived a long life and will be missed

Lectures on how roots can seek out water

Go deep and follow the scent

The fern

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The fern grows slowly

Uncurling each delicate frond

Spreading like open hands 

Fingers reaching out with friendship offerings

Shrouded in mist in the crisp early morning

Her leaves soak up the dew

Glistening beads sit on the vibrant green foliage

The sun burns off the mist

The fern allows the beads to evaporate

Tossing the water to the gods of the sky

She yawns as her ferns uncurl more

Producing no flowers or seeds

Animals ignore her most of the time

Apart from the occasional web weaving spider

Who watches her web ripped apart by unfolding fronds

Oh delicate fern of the forest floor

You think you are so beautiful and invincible

Until a herd of deer come along and munch you to ground level

Start again sweet fern

We will watch over you