black & white sunday

black & white sunday: typical

from the tip

of the forest ranger’s broom. . . 

spring departs

~Issa (www.haikuguy.com)

medicinebow6web

Trees…Medicine Bow National Forest

Medicine Bow National Forest extends from north central Colorado to central Wyoming in the United States. The origin of  it’s name, Medicine Bow, is legendary. The generally accepted version is that the Native American tribes which inhabited southeastern Wyoming found mountain mahogany in one of the mountain valleys from which bows of exceptional quality were made. It became the custom of friendly tribes to assemble there annually and construct their weapons. At these assemblies, there were ceremonial powwows for the cure of disease which, in the hybrid speech that developed between the Indians and the early settlers, was known as making medicine. Eventually, the settlers associated the terms “making-medicine” and “making bow”, and Medicine Bow resulted as the name for the locality.

Hop on over to Lost in Translation to participate.

black & white sunday: after and before

A bamboo sprout

Picked too soon-

It would bloom in glory

But for man

~Issa (trans: N Yuasa: The Year of My Life)

irisbnw

In the above haiku, Issa has written about imaginary blossoms.  Yuasa notes that bamboo sprouts are harvested when they are young and soft and that they bear no flowers even if they are left to grow.  After: “alternative facts”  Before: “imaginary blossoms”

iris

lost in translation

black & white sunday: local watering hole

 

The source of water for the residents of Fort Collins, CO comes from large areas of land that drain snowmelt and rainfall waters to the Upper Cache la Poudre River, Big Thompson River, and Horsetooth Reservoir. 

While walking around Horsetooth during this past winter, I was drawn to the composition of these elements of the shoreline… rocks, ice, water, and sky.  

Horsetooth Reservoir

Horsetooth Reservoir

Offered in response to Irene Water’s challenge as a guest at  Paula’s Lost in Translation