A time of beauty, as leaves change colour, and finally leave the trees, twirling their final flight from their lofty perch in the sky.
Each breeze easing them down to the ground.
Blowing them about for a final rustle, and flurry before they crumble into the earth.
Giving nourishment for new trees, plants, insects and fungus to grow in the circle of life.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Anna Almeida
Cooler weather is on its way.
Warmer clothing was brought into play. Summer favourites are to be folded and put away.
Warmer, heavier shoes brought out to wear, tucking away my comfortable flip-flops.
Raincoats rainproofed, with hoods: mine slips over my eyes; not good.
I might walk into something hard while blinkered, a challenge I must tackle if I do not want to sustain an unexpected injury.
Hot soups, prepared and frozen, ready for a quick snack before or after a winter stroll.
Brooms and green bags for swept-up leaves, dead flowers and bush pruning.
Bird feeder and drink preparation for the delightful birds who provide much-needed winter entertainment.
Time now to tuck into my cosy dressing gown and sip a warming, pleasurable cup of tea, while mulling over the summer's passing.
We are wishing everyone a safe, happy, and friendly time ahead.
Remember to spread a little kindness and watch it grow.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo by alex geerts on Unsplash
The withering and dropping have started, and as the season steadily increases, so have the changes.
The bright colours of the flowers silently fade before the eventual downward plop.
The Earth awaits to embrace and absorb them once more.
A process of renewal carried out year after year since it began its mysterious wake-up time.
This year has been very stressful for all the inhabitants and soil of this precious land.
Let’s hope next year, when these beauties start to appear, we have a better, shared, and safer future planned.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo by Enes Gundogdu on Unsplash
He stood like a scarecrow. Yet, it was alive, with bits that spoke of pure elegance, of dance.
With little fluid movement balanced, with one leg rooted to the ground.
Arms outstretched in gestures, seen in a professional dancer's routine.
Yet it is nature, that has provided the cactus with it's name, "The Dancing Cactus."
Where winds have blown bits off and rejoined, trailing scarf-like attachment trails and sways almost to the ground.
Once attached there, all movement might cease, and the dancing will have ended.
I was privileged to see and record, perhaps it's last performance of all time.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Searching eyes raised to the clear night sky.
Following the flow of the Milky Way.
Where stars are cuddled in clouds of dust,
There in uncountable time they are born and fade away.
We acknowledge we are too small to matter,
In this immense and distant universal scatter.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash
Plankton tiny though you be, slipping and sliding in mass in the sea.
Difficult to see in daylight but at night what a beautiful sight.
As collectively you mass-produce a silver light.
Hugging the coastline right up neat, showing a place of sparkling light entertaining from the shore.
As you swarm up from the deep for your romantic meet.
Your foes gather there for sure, yet you appear year on year producing evermore.
Next year we will be there to marvel at the sight of freely given natural plankton light.
2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Yes, the signs are on the move of season change.
So lap up the last rays of sun before rain dancers come out to play in earnest.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Autumn’s advance is rather like a foxtrot this year, forward and back. One minute we drop from 29 degrees to 14, with the arrival of gales and heavy downpours of a month's worth of rain. Just as you change your summer clothes to winter. Up soars the temp to a week of 28 degrees or more.
It is easy for us, but what about the poor plants, wild animals and insects, they must be very confused.
The farmers are having a rough time with their crops Worldwide this year. What to plant? When to plant? When to reap and safely gather in, the wheat, corn and rice we all rely on?
On the plus side, the dropping of leaves, seeds, and fruit gives us reasons to make fun things.
Jams to pop on our toast, fruit to bottle for winter. Nuts must not be given or used in the presence of anyone with a nut allergy. Nuts and seeds to eat whole or crush for oil or to spread on our bread. Adding them to flour gives extra nutrition especially if you add raisins and sultanas. Delicious!
Mushrooms can be collected with care by someone who knows which can be safely eaten. If you pick too many do not worry, freeze them for another day.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Desert of deadly heat and freezing cold, entices to trap you there.
Where if unlucky, your where about’s may never be told.
Yet within these extremes, life still goes on from the tiniest creature to the big and strong.
Your beauty has captivated poets, writers, singers of songs.
As spectacular coloured visions, appear at dawn and dusk to dazzle the eye.
With the wind playing music, carried in the sighing of shifting sand.
Painters, Photographers, Explorers have to risk life and limb to capture and write a truly lasting descriptive vision and love of you.
Though I have been to deserts before, seeking wonders I can no longer through age truly explore.
Tourism allows me to be transported to swelter in a tent in the heat of the day.
Night temperature drops freezing me wrapped in a blanket, as I stare upwards in wonder at the expanse of your star-studded amazing and thought-provoking black sky.
It is our duty as writers, to share our experiences with those adventurous hearts less able to travel.
Please keep your pens, stories, and information flowing in new books, to help less able thrill seekers' imaginations to keep going.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
From blue to grey
The storm raged.
Trying to tear the door away.
We grasped it firmly and hung on.
Hoping the terror would not tarry
Beyond our strength.
Or never again would we see
A fair day with a sky of blue.
We would be gone.
© 2023 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
A raw gouge out of the earth,
Millions of years old,
With a river meandering through.
Sometimes gentle and kind;
At other times tortuous, thundering, devilish, a killer.
Light from above and below, ever-changing,
Rearranging what you see every time you go.
Go, you must, as it is a natural wonder to see!
© 2023 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
The sound of running water bubbling over rocks.
Creating small waterfalls where leaves spiral out and overtake others, with them on to a long spiralling drop.
To be forced to the surface and propelled out to the quieter edges, where they take advantage of a bit of a rest.
Before being caught and rushed along at speed, battered and bruised, shedding bits to drop to the river bed.
Where tiny fish nudge the debris along in a little game.
Before finally gobbling them up as food, at the end of a fun-filled day.
© 2023 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
The bolt of light shot from sky to ground, with delayed sound,
Before skipping a zig-zag across the water, till some rocks it found.
A thunderous crack announced its powerful end, and silence reigned once again.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
As the moon takes over the night sky,
Eyelids lower and breath slows to quiet sighs,
And dreams take you on a journey.
Till the birdsong awakes you
And sun dances on your eyelashes
To declare a new day has arrived.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
A drip, a drop, heard to go plop
Long awaited to quench our thirst of us
And our parched land.
Ears straining to catch the drops quickening.
To hear the rain’s first gentle patter,
Before a torrent falls to fill wells
And rivers and reservoirs for all.
Just hope it turns off before a flood appears
With which many cannot live.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Oh, if all ends were just as neat.
No cries of pain for others to hear,
Just gentle withering in our sleep.
No more sound; not a peep,
As into the earth we finally return,
Till a seed does start growth and a new tree struggles free.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Picture with the permission of Jane Risdon
On rising to see a splendid dawn and catch sight of dew and mist slipping down, to bring life to the struggling roots of plants, so they can grow into sustaining crops, we have freely scattered on fertile ground.
Awakening to see the noonday hot sun, working to provide a harvest of green, red and golden, with rain showers passing from time to time invigorating all, as they sweep through, with a breeze to keep things cool.
The bounty as lunch appears, satisfying all.
Awakening to the afternoon and calming down. Resting after labours constant weary demands, to till, plant and water our most precious land.
As evening calls some family fun begins.
Thankfulness for who we are here and now.
Awakening to another day and the knowledge we have much to be thankful for.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
To the cradle of the forest, I am drawn when sad, allowing tears to fall unchecked in solitude.
Listening between sobs, for birds soothing calming songs. My mind slowly releases the hurt holding me back, as the wind rustles the leaves into a conversation.
On passing caresses, my face dry with it’s gentle tender touch. I look round at the years of death decay and regeneration, with water the bringer of life, waltzing through. Bursting into new growth, covering the tree canopy in fresh green.
The floor is decorated with multiple scented colourful entrancements. Soothing my spirit, as insects join the chorus, reminding me, sadness is not meant to last forever.
As small amounts of joyful memories carry me to a new day!
2022 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Not a drop of water to be seen above or below ground.
Oh, where do humans and animals go for a drink?
The night chill drops a film of dew, to insects and creatures desperately seeking, a drop of moisture too.
We know from experience learnt climate can be changed, trees saved, others planted and crops grown, together, water can be saved and shared.
No living thing should have to go without a drink.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
As twilight gently nudges day into the cloak of darkest night.
The stars and moon dance their drama slipping in and out of shrouding clouds.
Slowly a peep of light starts to expand, the sun powering it’s way through easing the darkness away.
Bringing light, warmth, growth, comfort and activity as it makes it’s way, across the sky.
There is no stopping either cycle, they are vital, or all on earth will surely die.
2022 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
