Monthly Archives: April 2014

WPC – Rock Monument (3)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by John | Leave a comment

Once upon a time
everyone of a long-gone people
knew its name.

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2014

Tagged haiku, photographs, poetry, weekly-photo-challenge, Yokuts

WPC – Morning Monument (2)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by John | Leave a comment

December 8, 2009

Dependable, Sulphur Peak
faces each day
dressing for the season.

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2014

Tagged haiku, photographs, poetry, Sulphur Peak, weekly-photo-challenge

WPC – Forgotten Monument (1)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by John | 3 comments

Caged from cattle,
who were her people
pioneering in the foothills?

3 Comments

Posted in Photographs, Poems 2014

Tagged Clara B. Stafford, Effie Hilliard, haiku, photographs, poetry, weekly-photo-challenge

White Mariposa Tulip

Posted on April 13, 2014 by John | Leave a comment

Calochortus venustus – April 10, 2014

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Posted in Photographs

Tagged Butterfly Mariposa Lily, Drought, photographs, White Mariposa Tulip, wildflowers

Kaweah Brodiaea 2014

Posted on April 12, 2014 by John | 7 comments

Brodiaea Insignis – April 11, 2014

With drought conditions, the rare and endangered Kaweah Brodiaea bloom is early and rather difficult to find this year. Go HERE for the history of the Kaweah Brodiaea on this ranch or follow the tags below.

7 Comments

Posted in Photographs

Tagged Kaweah Brodiaea, photographs, wildflowers

APRIL 2014

Posted on April 11, 2014 by John | Leave a comment

In dry times, the gods retreat
to the granite, forsake the clay
and its inhabitants to fashion

spring upon the open slopes
with skiffs of blooming dots
à la Monet—above the dust

rising between green fading
and leaves curling red, it’s not
quite heaven, but enough.

Claude Monet – 1840-1926
courtesy Wikipedia

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2014

Tagged Claude Monet, Drought, flower-friday, photographs, poetry, wildflowers

NEW CHUTE

Posted on April 10, 2014 by John | Leave a comment

A skinny but energetic Hispanic
calls me ‘Boss’ before I step out
into the concrete chute of the Ford garage,

hackneyed patronage I ignore while urgently
scanning the lead-up for a familiar face
in a frightening blur of new ownership—

almost forgetting the smog check I came for,
and an upfront inspection for the cause
and cost to repair the feed truck’s

St. Vitus tap dance on the asphalt
at speeds over thirty after a life
on 4-wheel drive dirt, loaded

with hay or towing a gooseneck. Time
for maintenance for the unretired—
Temple Grandin knows I need a hug.

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Posted in Poems 2014

Tagged Maintenance, poetry, retirement, Temple Grandin

In the Granite

Posted on April 9, 2014 by John | 2 comments

Paregien Ranch – April 8, 2014

During this drought, we’ve often made the distinction between our granite country at the higher elevations of the ranch, generally above 1,500 feet, and the clay slopes below that. In contrast with the last post, we put out salt and mineral at the Paregien Ranch and checked the feed and fleshiness of our cattle to help determine when we will gather and wean the calves. Obviously it’s another world up there, receiving over 2 inches of rain at the first of the month, and the cattle are doing fine.