While staying with friends in Cromwell (September post 'Respite Care') I was inspired to write a poem. Well, here it is, as well as another photo of snow in Central Otago. I love the shadows of clouds on hills. Ever since I was a child I see all kinds of things in clouds - animals, faces and flowers - and watching the reflection of the shadow of clouds on hills gives everything another dimension.
SHEARING GANG
Last night's snow on Central Otago
hills
Cheryl Moana Marie roaring
into the spring morning.
No sun-drenched shore but a shearing
shed
on a Cromwell farm
men guide blades
while women
strong as amazons
lift fleeces warm from sheep
weather-worn side up
finest merino plucked at the edges
flipped
the body-clean white wool spread out.
The team in unison
their bodies in rhythm
moving, turning, lifting, shifting
classing, biffing, throwing into bins
to
match the white thin-fleeced strands.
Outside bales are stacked up for
foreign shores
while sheep wait.
HH
October 2012
 |
| This time we were waiting ... |
Since I have my mind on animals, I'd like to share one more photo of a cheeky tui during winter time. The white bowl (sorry, Janice!) has since been replaced by a beautiful $2 pottery bowl I found in a second-hand shop. While Miriam does her Word Find puzzles at the dining room table she loves to watch tui and bellbirds as well as silvereyes competing for drops of sugar water.
 |
| Winter 2010 |
Today's entry is called Shearing and Sharing so I'd like to share one of my short stories which appeared in Sport 17, Spring 1996 . I'll never forget the excitement I felt when the letter arrived saying it had been accepted. I suppose it had that feeling of freedom of having found acceptance of my writing which I'd always wanted to do but thought I never could.
Free-flying tui and bellbirds, we look forward to your return next autumn.
Free-flying tui and bellbirds, we look forward to your return next autumn.
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