Whatever the season, I like to go and look at the pond, and sometimes take its picture.
In the Fall, which is fast upon us here, it has a quality of stillness that’s different from other times of the year.
Some things are closing down. 
The geese will leave for a while, probably come back around March. And this picture (from a year ago) reminds me what’s coming.
Oh, just thinking about fall being nearly upon us here and therefore, winter soon. Maybe it’s because I have a little summer cold (in the head that is). I remind myself that half the world is right now awaiting spring.
Must be nice to have that next.
Yeah, I know robins aren’t everywhere. They just seem that way.
Early Spring Duende
(for Judy Longley)
I”m out here looking for Canada
Geese. Is that anything like
a wild goose chase? I only want
to shoot them with
my camera and think
about duende
as they stiff-walk on the dead
grass, take off wildly
honking, hit the water
awkward, put their heads in
the freezing cold and shake
their oily feathers like
trash. Wings tucked, necks erect,
two of them and a duck
arrow across this pond, where
the water, today,
is gray-green and winter’s mourning
still hangs
from the trees. They don’t know
I want their picture. If they knew,
they’d have no idea
why. These frequent tourists
are out looking for their life. I’d have
to say, so am I.
One of the many delightful things about having a pond in the neighborhood is the way it attracts wildlife — in this case, the occasional duck, but mostly geese (of the Canada variety)
And sometimes turtles. They tend to lurk at the far end of the pond. The Geese and ducks seem to get along well.
despite the dominance of geese.
I haven’t had the privilege of seeing any duck babies either.
but the geese are clearly family-oriented.
And they do sort of take over the place.
I’ve seen this flamingo more than once here in mid-Virginia, where you really never see any real ones, and it makes me wonder. Why a flamingo? It’s probably like those things you see on license plates (especially here in Virginia, where the privilege is cheap): sometimes obvious, but often so intensely personal, there’s no deciphering it, let alone figuring out why.
Here’s another version of a bird, this one really is from Florida (a store front in Del Rey), and also false, of course.
I’m not arguing against this sort of thing. Doesn’t it make the world more interesting? 
Well, yes, real birds are more interesting still. But require more upkeep…
Whaddya Mean Rosebuds? 