summer

#490 – August 2025

jpallen Nature Life August 14, 2025August 13, 2025august, haiku, summer 3 Comments

Color photograph of a clear glacial stream. Grass grows through the clear surface, grass stems float on the water surface. Below the water surface rocks and small green leaf plants.

at the surface/silent meeting/in the glacial stream

#489 – August 2025

jpallen Nature Life August 10, 2025August 8, 2025august, haiku, summer 0 Comment

Color photograph of a deer and a magpie in the shade of a tree, the deer in the high grasses, the magpie in the cut grass.

in the heat/in the shade – look!/the sound of water

#488 – August 2025

jpallen Nature Life August 7, 2025August 7, 2025august, haiku, summer 4 Comments

Color photograph of a silhouette of trees below, dark clouds, their tops golden lit up by the setting sun.

dry on the palouse/over the mountains/the color of rain

#487 – August 2025

jpallen Nature Life August 3, 2025August 3, 2025august, haiku, summer 2 Comments

Color photograph looking toward the shore. On a short, thin stretch of beach surrounded by green grasses and trees, a duck stands looking out at the water.

weekday morning/the only one at the lake/I find myself

#486 – July 2025

jpallen Nature Life July 31, 2025July 30, 2025haibun, haiku, july, summer 6 Comments

While at Benewah lake, I couldn’t help but to think of the relationship between the sky and water. The point where they meet is such a thin slice of space, yet abundant with activity.

Morning:

Color photograph of pine trees, blurred in the light ripples of water, at the top a western grebe floats by leaving a thin white wake.

below contrails/in the sky/a western grebe

Afternoon:

Photograph of a pond lily in bloom surrounded by patches of blue sky reflected in water and green leaves.

Evening:

Color photograph of the sunset reflected in the waters of a lake. Grass is poke through the sky and the golden clouds. In the distance, a reflection of the lake under an abandoned train trestle.

light/from a distant shore/an abandoned trestle

#485 – July 2025

jpallen Nature Life July 27, 2025July 27, 2025haibun, july, summer 5 Comments

We are in campsite #235. From a tent in the campsite next to us a father sings songs to his children, who sing along. On the other side of us, a mom comforts her crying baby. Somewhere in the campground, there is a large group playing campfire games. We hear random words and laughter. Suddenly “Pop!” Someone opens a can and there is more laughter. We sit together, holding hands sipping our tea. I look up at the sunset through the heatwaves of the campfire.