Monday, February 04, 2008

Thinking of Australia or New Zealand

The day is cold and dark and gray
and I would hide myself away
somewhere warm and bright
and filled with sun

I am thinking of places where the sun is shining - where it is warm and this everlasting gray has turned to green and become filled with blossoms.
Oh I love the seasons - I even enjoy the snow
but this GRAY, Gray, gray
Did I say gray was one of my favorite colors?
Guess I did.

Yet cold winds blow
the air is filled
with falling ice and snow
and I am longing for the sun...
The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from "The Rainy Day"

In the midst of all this drizzle - there are bright spots arriving. Goldfinches, Pine Siskins and the Redpolls. Perhaps I can wait for another time to go to Australia or New Zealand.

Common Redpoll

28 Comments:

Blogger Weeping Sore said...

Oh my, what a breathtaking picture of the goldfinch!

Here in Southern California, while our winter can't compare to yours, we've had a lot of gray days lately too.

Because we also have Southern Hemisphere flora like eucalyptus trees growing here, I get a dose of Australia by looking out my front window.

3:05 PM  
Blogger Cathy said...

Oh Endment! How I share your impatience wiht these lingering winter days.

Lovely words, lovely poem and that bright bit of fluff on the hemlock bough brightens my spirits.

3:26 PM  
Blogger Sky said...

sounds like you live in puget sound! ;) i just read the 10 day forecast for us, and it is rain or showers (what is the difference?!), and by the middle of next week there will be rain mixed with snow showers. sounds like a repeat of the past couple of months! i would like one more beautiful snowfall before we welcome spring.

i have never seen a red poll! oh, how i would like to!

12:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, yeah. Ditto

1:24 AM  
Blogger Pam said...

I, too, have succumbed to the gray, gray, gray. I try so hard not to let the winter doldrums get to me, winter has so much that is beautiful. But this never-ending monotone has given me a mild case of the blues.

8:25 AM  
Blogger nina at Nature Remains. said...

You're not alone in this gray, gray, gray.
It seems all the world has become impatient for that chance to get out into it more.
Hoping you're passing time indoors pleasantly until we can!

10:44 AM  
Blogger Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Nothing common about the Common Redpoll! Beautiful!

The pup ought to provide many warm and loving hours on a gray day.

10:52 AM  
Blogger Viv said...

Despite gray days, we've had some beautiful, sunny weather, reminiscent of Florida! Come on down!(And just when you get here we'll see temps drop 30 degrees, I betcha'!)

3:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, don't come to Maine, we have gray here, too. I hear we may get to see a little sun tomorrow, though. Great choice of poems, I like that one.

On a bright note, I saw a tree full of robins yesterday in the Stroudwater section of Portland. Wonder if the came too early, or if they winter here? They won't get to our country yard until mid March.

11:32 AM  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

I think you better head for Australia. Despite it still being summer, we had a grey, misty day at the headland - all day yesterday!
Without the mist and cold, some great poems would never have seen the light of day - and that beautiful little bird is there to tell you so!

3:45 AM  
Blogger LenĂ© Gary said...

Beautiful poetry, and even more touching photographs. :) Wishing you some sunshine, especially on this Valentine's week.

11:02 PM  
Blogger kate said...

The Common Redpoll is a cheerful-looking bird.

We're almost there - spring is around the corner (more so for you than for me) and before long, we'll have survived another winter.

That is such a good poem for this time of year - in more ways than one for me as I thought on the words.

7:12 PM  
Blogger Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Nothing warm or sunny in Utah today! Snowing AGAIN! But I am sure spring will come.

Thank you for your kind words about my brother. I will miss him so much.

5:38 PM  
Blogger Cathy said...

Today's sun finally made me believe that Spring will come. I hope you've had sun sitting warmly on your shoulders.

7:15 PM  
Blogger mm said...

We're grey here too ...

That common redpoll has made my day.

2:30 PM  
Blogger Sky said...

ok, if you are not going to keep us posted on life with the puppy you could at least post pics of the new baby and let us guess about what you 2 are doing! ;)

6:19 AM  
Blogger Joyce Ellen Davis said...

You must be very busy with your new baby (is he housebroken yet?).

1:54 PM  
Blogger kerrdelune said...

Lovely photos and poetry, Endment. We have had a Coopers Hawk, and a Rough-legged hawk visiting, and our Great Horned Owls are nesting, but the only dear little feathered spirits at the feeders are chickadees and sparrows. I thought I saw a bald eagle a few days ago, but it was one of those gray snowy days, and the light was not in my favor - I couldn't be sure.

3:53 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Beautiful beautiful word's and photo's!! You make a gray winter day beautiful!!
Thinking Spring!! :D
Can't wait to see your spring photo's!!
Cat

7:19 PM  
Blogger High Power Rocketry said...

: )

9:33 PM  
Blogger hele said...

Even here in South Africa where the autumn sun is suppose to paint the world gold things have turned grey and cold.

Reminding me that soon the sun will get to sleep in while I have to get up.

12:41 PM  
Blogger Cyn Bagley said...

I love the fat little redpoll.

Hope you are doing fine. I have been writing again, mostly prose.

:-) Cyn

10:57 AM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Hello again Endment!
I look forward to seeing your captures of spring!!
Cat

9:52 PM  
Blogger Pam said...

Just checking in, hope everything is okay. At least spring has arrived, the flowers are blooming in the trees are all shades of green.

11:09 AM  
Blogger Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Been a long time gone....

2:16 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Hello Endment!
I just popped in to wish you a "Beautiful Summer"! I miss your wonderful pictures!
Hug's
Cat

5:34 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Just popping in to say Hi Endment..I am missing your post! Hope you are well, & hope your computer problems are solved!
Cat

9:24 PM  
Blogger Jim said...

I'm missing you too endment.

It's been 7 months...

1:59 AM  

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