Jan 31 Stone

Today my friend slept too much and too long.  He will not wake again. It came, as an asteroid hits the earth, not unexpected but no less destructive for our anticipation.  I shall miss the companionship of an uncritical, trustworthy and trusting presence in my life.  He could keep secrets and never tell.  Always welcoming when we met again, he never showed resentment at shortcomings.  Unconditional affection was his to give in abundance and he loved us all.  My old friend, my dog died today.

Last stone of the month of the river:-
Reading so many wonderful stones each day in the last month has been a privilege for which I am very grateful. I have admired the writing, laughed at some things, shared sad or worried feelings at others. Thanks to everyone. Especially to everyone who has organised. Thank you for letting me be part of this experience. H

Jan 30 Stone (A fistful of pebbles)

 

 In the sea loch, look at the mud, smooth, dark and shining from the outgoing tide.  It is an attraction to the feeding golden eye, the curlew and a heron.  Seagulls and terns check it out for prey.  And, fortunate one day, I watched an otter continue through the river as it flowed its way from shore, through banks of mud far out to the furthest edge of the turning tide itself.  With humped back, he galumphed the squelchy mire and disturbed the birds, who raucous, punctuated his every move with their scolding.



Seeing what is not there and hearing what no longer has sound,  s(he) played patience.  There inside the patterns of the numbers, suites and the cards, (s)he could find structure and control close enough to  grasp; could remember as (s)he wished and not be troubled for a response.  The sound of the cards gave all the appearance of activity that satisfied all watchers.



On a rock in the midst of a blue frozen river an otter surprised a sea eagle. The eagle might have made it a meal but the otter ducked back beneath the ice and swam for his life to the next breathing hole.


Forests, deserts, gardens and plains can all be seen in miniature colourful amongst  the lichen and mosses that populate a rock.



(Jan 30 stone)
 Clouds in lines blow bubbles in the east of this cold afternoon.  In the south west the sun  is pulling the cloud-curtain across the daylight. A bright night will soon be here and we shall have the glint of stars to pattern a black blanket sky.  On a glittering carpet we shall step with care, as frost sparkles and crunches beneath our feet.  There may be snow tomorrow.

Jan 29 Stone

Jan 29 Stone
From their green sheath the flowers  emerge.
On the broad lower petal-lip lie yellow tongues,
Shaded by fragile forked  canopies.
The iris blooms;  royal blue.

Jan28 Stone

A dreich day wraps damp fingers
Around me.
Bird-like  I seek a  dry  hedge
To surround me.
Dry at home I the feel  warmth
All around me.
Now will  rest from all probing
Surround me.

Jan 27 Stone

Sunshine makes for friendly gestures
when rain dark day may not.
Cold but bright may make
for conversations- light -
where head-down battling
the gale to surly silence tends.
A perfect cloud, atop a burnished hill
And sunset gold subsides
As new moon climbs.

Jan 26 Stone

Jan 26 Stone
The twin comforts of:
The start of the day
The coming of the night.
Dawn  urges us to wake
If we let it.
Night rise relaxes us
Calms us for rest.
Yet we pay them little heed.

Jan 25 Stone

The wind that stopped the ferry's arrival
and churns the lochs into whirlpools
and the waves into breakers and rollers,
Is the same wind that  gently riffles
the water lying on the path into patterns
Is the same wind that raises the stream
till it flows back up stream from the cliff edge.