August 2025 – Page 5

dVerse OLN 388 — It’s a matter of studied speculation

“Tree Roots” by Vincent VanGogh Why do trees conceal the splendor of their roots? — Pablo Neruda, Book of questions. It’s a matter of studied speculation. Do mirrored images that ripple surface conceal but illusion? Or is there more? Is it a seeing or is it a doing? What mud must we claw through to…

Joe Pye Weed

The only things I knew about the above plants was that they continue to multiply and that monarchs and other pollinators LOVE them. Today I got a clear enough photo (not this one) to identify it at Pl@ntNet. It’s Joe Pye Weed. Look closely and you’ll see a bumblebee busy at work. The next pic…

#FF — Heavenly Notice

PHOTO PROMPT – © J Hardy Carroll Heavenly Notice Father Wiggan rose as he had risen for the last sixty years, standing first at the urinal then kneeling at the altar. Sister Loretta set the mug of aromatic coffee before him at the century-old oak kitchen table. He could smell the usual butter-fried eggs cooking….

Airstream

Recently I took a short bike ride (~8.5 miles) along roads rather than bike paths. My helmet and vest are both neon yellow. It was at a time of day when traffic was very slow, so I felt relatively safe. I came across this Airstream sitting in the parking lot of a mom and pop…

dVerse — Poetics Tuesday — The Lions of Gotham

photo by Jeffrey Jung The Lions of GothamBrown-maned, tan-skinned,wandering hi-roller clubs,streets, looking for sweets,jonesing for sugar buzzesmost tender when stakes are high. Eyes huntthen swivel to meet their buddy’s in check party mate when spypretty lashed herdbrightto be cut from and pounced.In lazy times, with appetiteby proxy, they releasedesigner coiffed bait cowswith promise of glamourand…

#MMB 2025 — “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show,” by Neil Diamond

For anyone who has read my blog, they’ve heard me mention the couple whose kids I used to babysit in my early-mid teens. The mom was a hairdresser, and the dad worked third shift in a factory. While the kids were outside playing and the dad was sleeping upstairs, I had free use of the…

dVerse — Q229 — August Ablaze

August Ablaze Field jabbered with color, texture of a thousand cups; workers transport pollen to hives, nests, nightly rests. Dark, juicy clusters wait along borders, on fences; opportunistic vines climb, others bellicose spreaders who exact blood tolls. August in Michigan, ~ ~ ~ ablaze ~ ~ ~ with an unfiltered, purposeful sun. De is today’s…