Spontaneous photos (Pixelventures July 8th’14)

This week Bastet suggested we be spontaneous and photograph on impulse. Well, today, I had to get some cat food at Safari which is an elaborate pet shop. I buy my fish there and would often go there for an hour or so with my grandson on rainy days. It is across the street from the Mall near me and it is really a lovely experience going there.

So today, I walked in and pretended to look at my smart phone for messages. My flash was not on and figured, I had time to take a few pics. I would have loved to get the turtles and fish with the waterfalls but I started with the birds…probably not the greatest ideas as I was way too close to staff. Within a few minutes and about 10 shots, I was told we are not allowed to take photos in the store. Well, gee, I played dumb and looked forlorn and then mosied up to the cat food and completed my purchases. So here are my shots taken on impulse I tell ya, one of the cockatiel was talking to me and the other wanted to sleep…the looked like the odd couple.

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I wanted to post these while I still have time. May be a bit busy the rest of the week. My favourite is the first one.

Submitted for: Pixelventures July 8 2014 Spontaneous

Garden of love (tanka)

At Carpe Diem this week, the Ghost Writer #16, is Jen of Blog It or Lose It on ”Tanka by Shiki”. Not surprising she did her research and did justice to the poet Masaoka Shiki. I encourage you to read more here and read more haiku and tanka by Shiki, Jen as well as Kristjaan.

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As my evening was ending, I was reflecting on gardens and wondered what I would write to contribute to this beautiful post. I could not help but think of my own garden I have created over the years, seen the seedlings blossom and nurtured them to maturity. I even saw them multiply into grand blossoms.

And yet, it’s not as if I have a family of ten children but I do consider my family as a garden that we weather through the seasons with joy and hard work but mostly with love. As a gardener toils in his garden, the labour is fueled by love.

Summertime, I am reminded of my past summers watching my children play in parks, soccer and soft ball games, swimming and sailing at the lake at our summer camp. I am also reminded of the work I still do working with youths and realize that I do continue to garden in my own way; and to me as well, it IS a labour of love.

summer breathes new life

parks fill with busy children

working in their garden

mud pies and sand castles

swings and slides bud acrobats.

Tonight is the eve before I leave for my vacation. My son came over for a visit and we went out for a nice dinner and came back here and watched a movie which I had recorded, Star Trek; I had saved this movie to watch with my son…a movie experience is always richer when shared with a loved one, non?

dinner and movie

marks the start of summer break

with pleasant company

blossoms of my own garden

shared good times ‘til twilight

So although this prompt was in honour of gardens and flora, I hope this offering fits as well.

Unknown sky (haiga)

Carpe Diem #509 Chiyo-Ni (2) ”in an unknown sky”

meigetsu ya ittemo ittemo yoso no sora

autumn’s bright moon,
however far I walked, still afar off
in an unknown sky

© Chiyo-Ni a well known haiku poetess from the 18th century.

clouds horde June sky
walk on darkened path
my dog howls ahead.

A party of five (Haiga)

they all lined up
all dressed to the nines
waiting to party

tea was brewing
cake just out of the oven
cooling

one gentleman in their midst
and four wanting maidens

such a fine day
filled with hope and promise
for one party.

I wanted to get out my daughter’s 20+ year old Barbies but at this late hour, it was a chore to hunt in the hot damp basement, these would have to do. The 3 straw dolls were gifts from my daughter when she was very little, the porcelain lady and gentleman were once attached to bedside lamps belonging to my grandparents some 80 years ago.Oh, and the background of course is my fan for these hot summers. I do look somewhat stylish in the Métro, I dare say.

Week 20 at Haiku Horizon and the prompt is “party”

Elegance (haiga)

Daisy

elegance

effortless perfection

a bees’ perch

stretched neck

reaching for the sky

sun smiles

Missing them already (haibun)

I love traveling by rail and do as often as I can. The trek Montreal to Toronto by car can take about 5 to 6 hours and by train if I am lucky and get the express which only stops at 3 places, it takes 4 and a half hours. Some other trains can take up to 7 hours and the bus takes 6 hours and costs anywhere from $18 to $50. Just fuel to get there one way costs me $70. Now if I am really lucky, I try to book a few days before departing and can get on business class for one-third of the price. That means, I get longer leg room, can get a seat alone by the window and am paying the economy class price.

At business class, we get a 3-course meal with all the before dinner drinks, wine, and after dinner drinks you want. Well, I stick to a glass or two of wine but there are some who can sure pack it in. I would be crawling off the train if I tried to keep up. Last winter we were stalled for an extra two hours due to the cold weather, the tracks were iced and they could not switch tracks. So we waited for all the trains to pass on one particular track as a safety measure. I sure was glad I was in the business class…nice and roomy, blogging away on my laptop.

I visit once or twice a year to see my family now. I rarely go see my friends as there is not enough time but to catch a lot of my friends and colleagues, I pick up a shift in Toronto since it’s the national office of where I work. Every time I leave, I feel homesick barely a few miles out of the city. I have two places I call home since 1997 and it is with mixed feelings I leave each time.

train slows down
nearing a crossing by the lake
echoes on the beach

picking up speed
whizzing by lakes and farmland
my heart aches

Submitted for: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #507, Shiki, Smoke Whirls

Hazy Day (Tanka) ~ Heeding Haiku With HA

The prompt at Heeding Haiku With HA this week is rather unique. No guidelines on nature or emotions…This week, HA would like you to analyze everything that you can at this very moment of time and write a haiku or tanka or both to commemorate these few moments of this day of your life. Write/Right NOW!

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Here is my moment described on the

Hazy Day (Tanka)

My first day back at work today and the weather was still quite hot and humidity still high. Walking slowly to the Mall to renew my bus pass, I stopped by my favourite sushi bar to say hello to Angela. We’ve become friends after only two or three visits. We are quite friendly with merchants here in Quebec especially outside the city. She and I both agreed we missed Ontario. I moved to Ontario for work for thirteen years and fell in love with it. She emigrated from Japan to Ontario and also enjoyed her experience there. We both came back to be closer to our immediate family in Quebec. I can tell she is struggling adjusting and I empathized her pain. She asked me how I was when I purchased my shrimp Spring Roll and I mentioned my disgust with our health care system here compared to Ontario and she nodded in sympathy. So few words were shared and yet I felt a connection and as she wrapped my rolls with peanut sauce, I knew my lunch was somehow blessed.

Walking to the bus terminal very slowly, I noticed my bus leaving. I can’t run anymore with my bad leg, so I just took a deep breath and told myself, “Breathe, take your time, you’ll only get all hot and sweaty.”
The next bus arrived within less then ten minutes. I took a seat near a window but no air was moving. The bus filled up and finally we were moving. A faint breeze came in but nothing to write home about.
Finally we crossed the bridge and I could feel that nice cool breeze…not cold but still it was refreshing and I noticed the woman next to me closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling. I closed my eyes and let soaked up the moment for as long as it lasted…

This is how I felt a few moments after the bus pulled out on our trip to Montreal. I scribbled these in my notebook to remember that feeling.

hot sticky bus
open windows bring relief
river breeze
eyes closed I relish the moment
puffs off the St-Lawrence

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General guidelines:

English Haiku is a three-line poem structured in syllable count of 5-7-5. It visualizes an image, an expression or experience, including a season word or kigo. It is a small ode to nature.
English Tanka is a five-line poem structured in syllable pattern of 5-7-5-7-7. The first two lines and the last two lines picture images and the third line is a pivotal line i.e. it signifies a grammatically correct meaning and completes the image either when paired with the first two lines or when paired with the last two lines.
Most importantly, feel free and write, do not be burdened by the rules or guidelines. Enjoy crafting a haiku or tanka. And after when you have made the post, you can submit the links to your posts in the linking widget below at this link here at MindLoveMiserysMenagerie.

River listened, made me smile

I spoke to the river,
it listened to my sorrow
a gust made lilies quiver
I then looked on below
a fountain did cascade
the sound of water sprayed
I couldn’t help but smile
feeling better all the while.