protective, shading,
standing behind shutter mask-
what are you hiding?
shutter by Angie Quantrell
Happy Hump Day! Share a Haiku (or comment) about something that is hiding. We’d love to read!
***These pretty green shutters adorn the home of Claude Monet, the impressionist genius who lived and painted in Giverny, France.
spring rain brings party,
water-logged crawlers become
salad of dead worms
worm salad by Angie Quantrell
I hate walking outside after a rain, afraid of stepping on and squishing the lovely gardeners who struggle to escape overwhelming water in their aerating holes. I never have enough time to rescue all the big ones, tossing them into garden boxes and grassy resorts. Instead, when I return home, after the rain has headed east, I find piles of worm salad.
rip, shred, pulverize-
greens, cheese, garlic, oil becomes
feast! dine, friend, pesto.
ode to pesto by Angie Quantrell
Spring is here and with it comes potted basil plants from Trader Joe’s. Basil is the scent and flavor of all things yummy. I cheat, buying multiples of potted plants each trip to Seattle, instead of planting. Though this year I am tempted to throw some seeds in a planter box and see what happens. Last year I picked up a basil plug from the grocery section at a store, and it performed beyond expectations! Of course, I repot the potted plants and plugs in good potting soil and harvest leaves as I need them.
Every summer, we gorge on pesto-on pizza, salmon, chicken; in sauce and soup. So pungent, cheezy, and filled with garlic, we can taste the beauty and intense flavors the next morning. (Yes, we brush our teeth…but my pesto is the gift that keeps giving…lol).
I use my little RV-sized food processor, so one batch is perfect for one meal.
WALNUT BASIL PESTO
Ingredients:
basil (lots of leaves, fill the food processor)
walnuts (coarsely chopped)
shredded Parmesan cheese
3-5 chopped garlic cloves
olive oil
sea salt
Optional: I’ve added spinach to up the nutritional value and use up left over amounts
Directions:
Add basil, walnuts, Parmesan, and garlic. Pour on olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Blend, adding additional olive oil to get the consistency your prefer. I always have to stop the machine and stir down the pesto to get it all to mix.
I don’t measure anything with this recipe, other than how much garlic I add. It’s never been too thin, but rather I need more oil. Serve right away with chicken, pizza, salmon, steak, or on toasted bread. Store leftovers (if there are any) in tightly sealed container or freeze immediately.
Now, where’s my tiny food processor?
there you are, my heart,
stone captured, frozen mid-beat
how to get you out?
stone heart by Angie Quantrell
Join the Haiku Challenge. Write and share a Haiku poem about stones or hearts. Thanks!
poised, hunting, ready;
snow melts, rodents rise, meals live-
planning snack attack
snack attack by Angie Quantrell
The snow has indeed melted, though not all of it. Snacks appear, bursting from earth, leaping into the jaws of death. Cat treats for Monet.
The evidence is all around us.
Happy first day of spring! What signs do you see?
winter’s still present-
won’t melt; snow castles are us!
white lemonade fun
go winter by Angie Quantrell
The winter snow melt in our area is unseasonably late. Parents, drivers, workers, gardeners, spring sports players-even school children-are hoping for blue skies and warm temps to thaw the concrete ice mountains and fields of white covering our valleys.
We LOVE snow. But it is time for green and insects and baby animals and flowers.
Snow lemons? Making white lemonade.
commence shoveling!
again, or still; nearly spring-
snow falls quietly
again by Angie Quantrell
Like Groundhog’s Day (the movie), this winter clutches our neck of the woods with the setting of repeat. Some movies have that choice, did you know? Especially for the younger crowd. I didn’t know winter had the same option.
But I LOVE snow! Even as green-starved as I am, gasping for fresh air and spring flowers, I feel giddy with joy when snowflakes dump steadily the whole day and into the night. Despite the need for shoveling, I gleefully glance out the window to make sure it’s still coming down in white blankets.
It is! Sheets, comforters, pillowcases, and blankets of the white stuff. Doomed I fear, according to weather reports.
But today. I shovel. Again.
pose, prepare to strike
prayer forgotten, prey in
sight; arbor mantis
hunter by Angie Quantrell
Can you see it? My imagination took flight just as this tree spread its wings in attack mode.
How about you? What do you think about when you hear the word hunter?
layers, patterns mix;
tightly furled, mystery
blankets secret core
mystery by Angie Quantrell
I spied this gorgeous tree and cones during a winter walk. With such fascinating texture, design, and beauty, I just had to climb a snow bank to get close enough and snap a few photos. So glad I did!
What mystery have you seen lately?
Let’s take a little vacation to visit summer and Monet’s Giverny. (I think we can all use some sunshine and green.) Here’s #ThrowbackThursday meets Hump Day Haiku.
in white winter mope,
memories feed sanity
bridge to restful green
bridge by Angie Quantrell
Welcome to Hump Day Haiku Challenge. Join the fun and share a Haiku about bridges or winter despair. We’ll make it to spring!
Love, Laughter, and Life 