Tag: Weekly Photo Challenge

Haiku: Butterbeans and Lovage

close up shot of chopped tomatoes on a yellow plate

meeting again
butterbeans and lovage
on solstice day

© Xenia Tran

side on view of a plant-based meal simmering in a frying pan

This has been a regular dish for us during the lockdown, once fresh tomatoes and spinach were available. We experimented with many different seasonings and lovage became our favourite.

We’re delighted that this haiku is featured in Haiku Dialogue: The Way of the Chef, Troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog, 24 June 2020. A very big thank you to guest editor Craig Kittner and post manager Lori Zajkowski for putting this edition together.

Thank you again for all your good wishes before we went on our blogging break and we hope you had a lovely week and Solstice too!

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/2.8 – 1/25 s – ISO 100 and f/2.8 – 1/10 s – ISO 800.

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #144: Summer Solstice

Jez Braithwaite’s Fan Of … #73: Taking a Break

Word of the Day Challenge: Celebration

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Tanka Prose: The Pier at Findochty

One of the pastimes my husband and I enjoy during this lockdown is going through old photographs of places we visited.

On a beautiful day in December 2019 we drove to the small fishing village of Findochty on the Moray Coast. We chatted with some friendly local people, walked around with our dogs and took a few photographs. It was the first time we had come here in Winter and we loved the beauty of the light in the cold air. I wrote a few poems while we were there, including this one.

white sculpture of a seated fisherman overlooking Findochty harbour

Most of the sailing boats are on the quayside, masts folded. Fresh paintwork glitters in the morning sun. There is still the odd ice patch, in the shadows of the harbour. A small dog slips as he scampers up the brae.

watching over us
a seated fisherman
full of stories
my eyes begin to wander
past the lighthouse, out to sea

© Xenia Tran

the piers at the harbour mouth of Findochty

The Pier at Findochty was first published in Ribbons, Winter 2020: Volume 16, Number 1. A very big thank you to Susan Weaver and the team at Ribbons for putting this beautiful edition together.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/4 – 1/640 s – ISO 160, f/4.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 200 and f/5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 160.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #97: Pastimes

dVerse Poets MTN: 5-Line Japanese Poetic Forms

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Tanka Prose: Now I Can See

lensball among green leaves, reflecting a colourful mandala

I am writing while we’re in lockdown. Panic buyers empty the shops, leaving less for all of us. Still I feel calm. We’ve been able to eat the food nobody wanted. We’ve adapted recipes, combining flavours like never before. We’re making everything last, stretch our resources. And I feel calm. I have never been afraid of dying.

the crow so wise
sees the centre of the surf
in rainbows
I’ve never felt more at peace
preparing to go home

© Xenia Tran

a crow striding across wet tidal sands towards the surf

Please be assured that I am feeling well. I have always regarded this journey through life as exactly that, a journey. I also believe there will be other journeys after this. I am treasuring my experiences and sharing what I see.

Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Settings: f/5.6 – 1/400 – ISO 100 and f/2.8 – 1/200 s – ISO 100.

dVerse Poetics: Now I Can See …

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Scry

Tracy’s Corvid 2020 Challenge #1

Jez Braithwaite’s Lensball Playtime #6

Haibun: Life’s New Garden

pair of swans with cygnets in tow and on the pen's back

The criss-cross waves of high water tell us the tide is turning. Returning to the mouth of the river, the cygnets carry a glimpse of the sea. The pen is doing what she has always done. Prepare her young for the wider world, showing them where and when to feed. Her cob swims quietly by her side, creating an easy slipstream for cygnets who swim behind them. When the current becomes too strong they climb on their mother’s back.

We stand and watch them glide by and thank them for our own glimpse into another world.  I am enchanted by their deep communication and understanding.  Everything is done in total silence. Neither the cygnets nor their parents make a single sound. All I can hear is our smile.

all by themselves
lilies of the valley bloom
in nature’s garden

© Xenia Tran

pair of swans with cygnets in tow and on the pen's back
a pair of swans in the river with five cygnets on the pen's back

We wish you all a very happy Monday and a wonderful new week!

With love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Daily Prompt: Ceremony

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: All-time Favorites

dVerse Haibun Monday: Silent Sounds

dVerse Poets logo

Wordless Wednesday: Rings of Love

 

a swan pair (cob and pen) and two cygnets eating seaweed

 

a swan pair (cob and pen) and seven cygnets eating seaweed

 

a swan pair (cob and pen) and six cygnets eating seaweed

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

 

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Ring

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Twisted

Wordless Wednesday

 

Haibun: Pink Lilac

 

close up of pink lilac flowers, leaves and raindrops

 

Our garden changes colour after an early morning shower. Yellow poppies, primrose and pansies look vibrant and replenished. In years gone by, fishermen dried their nets here. Different guardians blessed with different times.

scent of lilac
ready to weave our home
in a raindrop

© Xenia Tran

 

close up of miniature pink lilac buds with raindrops

We wish you all a very happy Monday and a wonderful new week!

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Cee’s Photography: Flower of the Day

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Liquid

dVerse Poets Quadrille #57: Don’t Rain on my Parade

dVerse Poets logo

 

Haiku: Season’s Wings

 

a swan (cob) stretching his wings in the morning sun

 

saluting the sun
our days grow ever longer
wings and waves

© Xenia Tran

 

a swan (cob) stretching his wings in the morning sun

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

 

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Liquid

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #34: Passing Spring

 

Haiku: New Life

 

pen on her nest with three cygnets

 

their stars sparkle
by night above the river
new life

© Xenia Tran

 

pen on her nest with three cygnets

 

pen on her nest with five cygnets

We are delighted to let you know that today, a total of seven cygnets have hatched. A very big thank you to all of you who have been keeping your fingers crossed in your kind comments on The Love between Birds.

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

 

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Place in the World

 

Haiku: Shine

 

small waterfall with blue sky and trees reflected in the water

 

 

shining
everywhere we look
this light

© Xenia Tran

 

two male mallards swimming in a woodland pond

 

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

 

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Shine

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Liquid

 

Haibun: The Love between Birds

 

a swan (cob) patrolling the river

 

It has been four weeks now, since his pen laid her eggs. While she is on the nest he keeps her safe, patrolling the river. From one bridge to the next, he sees that all is well. He greets familiar faces above the buttercups and shepherd’s purse, the fresh blades of grass. He looks so much better this year, more confident. People stroll along the river bank, to see how he is doing. We all want him to do well. Last year’s eggs never hatched. We are hoping that this year, things will be better.

temple blossoms
seagulls flock to guard
a sleeping swan

© Xenia Tran

 

seagulls watching over a sleeping swan (cob) on an outgoing tide

You can see images of his pen (female swan) on the nest in an earlier post ‘Nesting Swan‘. She raised 62 cygnets over the last nine years with her previous cob (male swan), before he passed away.

Update: on 17th May 2018 seven cygnets hatched – you can see the first images in our post New Life.

With love from Xenia xxx

 

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

 

Carpe Diem Spring Retreat 2018: The Light of the World

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Place in the World

Daily Prompt: Core

dVerse Poets Haibun Monday: Compassion