michael-j-hall.com

Periodic musings for mutual inspiration

[periodicinspiration]

Koi Pond

Fins glide beneath glass Surface breaks and scales scatter Empty beak retreats Koi Pond Words and images by Michael J. Hall

Koi Pond

[periodicinspiration]

A Quiet Moment by the Water: Bernie's Favorite Rock

Bernie had been sitting on a particular rock for what felt like a very long time.Not because the rock was especially comfortable – it wasn’t – but because from here she could see things she liked. The sailboats drifting lazily across the harbor. The shingled houses tucked into the green hillside. The pale blue sky showing its slow, cottony dance overhead.She was not lonely, she told herself. She…

A Quiet Moment by the Water: Bernie's Favorite Rock

[periodicinspiration]

C. "Jackmanii"

Velvety stars stretch up the wall, Resilient up until the fall. With elegant flair, And purple to spare, Favorite clematis of all. Words and images by Michael J. Hall

C. "Jackmanii"

[periodicinspiration]

C. "Jackmanii"

Velvety stars stretch up the wall, Resilient up until the fall. With elegant flair, And purple to spare, Favorite clematis of all. Words and images by Michael J. Hall

C. "Jackmanii"

[periodicinspiration]

Spatterdock is a curious word. Sounding like a platform floating on the water attached at the shore with drops of wet paint on it. Nuphar advena is even more mysterious sounding, but is the scientific name for the Common Spatterdock plant species. That translates to something like “water lily stranger” or “lotus blossom foreigner”. It goes by dozens of common names, such as, cow lily, yellow pond lily, bullhead lily, yellow water lily, brandy bottle, beaver lily, arrow-leaf pond lily, yellow lotus, and more. But the name “yellow floating heart” seems to suit it best. Its leaf is heart-shaped, about a foot in length and when in bloom, there is a round yellow blossom held up above the leaf by its thick stem. Normally the leaf floats on the surface in the shallows near the shoreline of a slow moving fresh water source. And water droplets are often seen pooling on the flat, broad leaf top. Thinking now about the name and imagery of the plant, it makes sense that a botanist could’ve arrived at the whimsical name of “Spatterdock”. But seeing the nature and beauty of the plant as it has recently arrived, my preference is for the more romantic and descriptive “Yellow Floating Heart”. Call it what you will, it’s a pleasure to see anytime. Spatterdock Pond Words and images by Michael J. Hall

Discovering Spatterdock Pond: Yellow Floating Hearts

[periodicinspiration]

Everyday Carry Essentials: Lessons from a Father's Pocket

Everyday Carry (or EDC, for the tactically minded) is usually defined by practicality. It’s the gear you keep with you to ensure you’re prepared for the “what ifs” of daily life. In the 21st century, we’ve managed to consolidate an entire survival kit into a glass rectangle. As long as your smartphone has a charge, you’ve got maps, emergency guidance, a flashlight, a digital wallet, and a direct…

Everyday Carry Essentials: Lessons from a Father's Pocket

[periodicinspiration]

Queen of the Hill & King of the Zoo

The king struts proudly And she looks on, unimpressed The queen of the hill King of the Zoo Lionesses hunt Unlike the king of the zoo For pride, not glory Next Stop, Dinner Words and images by Michael J. Hall

Queen of the Hill & King of the Zoo

[periodicinspiration]

For A Whiskered Face

Deep in the velvet where the willows weep, A foggy mirror shows secrets it should keep.The pace slows down to a gentle hum,It’s the rhythm of the wood where the shy things come. Oh, the otter pond is a dreaming place, A quiet drink for a whiskered face.Where stale waters stir and creatures creep by,Under the gaze of a summer sky. A flash of a shadow, a glide, and a spin, Through the cool of the…

For A Whiskered Face

[periodicinspiration]

Discover Your Own Slice of Paradise at a Hidden Beach

Hideaway Beach While wandering through the varied and lush tropical foliage, the air thick with the scent of blooming flowers and the sound of rustling fronds, I marveled at the vibrant greens surrounding me.  The sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled light on the path ahead. As I ventured further, I stumbled upon a hidden trail – less trodden, yet inviting. Curiosity propelled me…

Discover Your Own Slice of Paradise at a Hidden Beach

[periodicinspiration]

A Vibrant Welcome: The Allure of Pink Orchids

Bubblegum Orchid If you opened the door to your hotel room and flipped on the light to see this bright pink stalk of flowers greeting you, how would you react? Would you be tickled? Would you lose the color in your cheeks? Would you think your imagination has run wild? Would it make you feel pretty? Or would it just add a little sparkle to your day? Words and images by Michael J. Hall

A Vibrant Welcome: The Allure of Pink Orchids

[periodicinspiration]

Finding Solace on the Shores of Lonesome Lake

Has my sister really left us here on this remote shoreline? How can that be? Why would she? She just left for a moment, she’ll be back shortly, right?She can’t have done so knowingly. She can’t have envisioned her path with us would end here. She can’t have wanted others to feel this lost. How could she?No, that was not her nature – not who she was. She would not abandon anyone. She would not…

Finding Solace on the Shores of Lonesome Lake

[periodicinspiration]

Tropical Metropolis

Tropical Metropolis This image is 100% real and not AI generated. It seems strange to have to make that claim, but this is the reality in which we live. The lines between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred and challenging to discern. The distinction between the artificial and natural objects in this photograph though should be obvious. This is the view from a room at the historical…

Tropical Metropolis

[periodicinspiration]

Masterful Craftsmanship of Gitksan Totem Carvers

Gitksan Totem Pole This totem pole is installed at the Seneca Park Zoo. The sign beside it reads in part: “Walter Harris and Art Sterrit, both of the Gitksan Nation in British Columbia, Canada, came to Rochester to carve this totem pole by hand. For one month, they worked with gouges, handmade knives and chisels. They used a red cedar log from the Northwest Coast and their ideas about their…

Masterful Craftsmanship of Gitksan Totem Carvers

[periodicinspiration]

Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage: The Wampanoag Story

It’s probably no coincidence that the U.S. recognizes November as both Native American Heritage Month and the annual celebration of Thanksgiving. After all, we were brought up with stories of the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving shared in harmony with a welcoming of Indigenous Peoples from the region. Though much of this romanticized depiction has since been refuted – for good reason. The myth was…

Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage: The Wampanoag Story

[periodicinspiration]

The Surreal Impact of Beauty: Discover Frisson

The Scenario A graduate school philosophy professor presented me with a scenario, based on aesthetic theory. He suggested that someone could be rendered virtually paralyzed in the presence of pure beauty. That you could become overwhelmed with awe to the point that you could not function normally. Your primary feelings could overload your rational thoughts, creating a surreal circumstance that…

The Surreal Impact of Beauty: Discover Frisson

[periodicinspiration]

Flowing Through Life: A Dance of Generations

Conceived in heavens From amorphous vapor Condensate Of a single droplet Begins atomic expansion Precipitating out A tear from the void Splashing down Following gravity’s pull Toward the unavoidable Rolling along Inexplicably nudged Picking up momentum Gathering steam Babbling incessantly With the stream Passing through bends Shaping them or us Roiling over At the unexpected turns Picking up…

Flowing Through Life: A Dance of Generations

[periodicinspiration]

Swallowtail & Wisteria

Swallowtail & Wisteria