Sunday, August 23, 2009

ladies bells


An old rope covered in moss at the waterfront, found at the end of a small formerly off-limits pier. There's still a chain link fence to block access, except now there's no lock on the gate and it stands ajar. It's where an old rusty boat used to sit in the water. An old ice cutter, perhaps?

some wild sage grows beside the old railway ties in the area where not much grows due to, I think, a heavy creosote soaking about 60 years ago. There are no trees there. Only grasses, wildflowers and a few shrubs. After all these years. Maybe it was agent orange or his cousin, agent red alert, that killed the ground. For development. For progress at the waterfront.

A slab on the ground in the same dead zone. Just beyond it is a new sign: No Trespassing. Area under video surveillance.

A small paper birch with a skirt of pearly whites. On the hill underside of the overpass.

Ladies bells bent from the strong winds at night. In the morning, the ladies were all spent, having battled the winds and the rain all night long. The ladies bells grace the underbrush along McVicar's Creek path.

The tangled roots of a cedar and a birch on the banks of McVicar's Creek, with an edging of old rusty red pine needles.

3 comments:

Merche Pallarés said...

How strong nature is! Even if the ground is almost dead, the tiniest shrub flourishes. Loved the picture of the tree surrounded by those white flowers and the lady bells. You are blessed living in such beautiful surroundings. Hugs, M.

20th Century Woman said...

Eventually life returns. I hope it survives humans.

northshorewoman said...

Yes, our dearest hope for our great great grandchildren.