03.04.26 - Happy/Good Friday morning! Went to take in the sunrise at Milford Beach on the northern shore as the weather forecast looked promising. The sun, Tama-nui-te-rā, decides once more to leave Ārohirohi's side and rise from the Eastern horizon with open arms and a beaming smile, his rays lighting up the waters below and high streaky clouds above. Rangitoto Island is also taken into the sun's joyful embrace. Along the tawny sands of the shoreline, a man and woman are out for walkies with their two dogs. The waves are calm. At first tentatively stepping into the water, I found it pleasantly warm and lovely to wade in. Along the right-hand side of the photo is a stone wall that runs along the edge of the beach and residential neighbourhood. Along the way, there’s a peek of a Pōhutukawa tree, its brilliantly distinctive red flowers long shed as we head further into Autumn. Outside of this photo, April's lovely Pink Moon continues to set in the West. What a wonderful juxtaposition to see and hold as a peaceful memory.

the pink moon sets as
Tama-nui-te-rā
turns on the light

⋆ ༅˚☀️•🌅•💛༅˚•

#Scape #seascape
#HumansOfBlueSky
#mobilephotography #photography
#haiku #shahai

A vibrant red hibiscus its pistil like a long narrow tongue adorned with more plant reproductive organs I can never keep straight in yellow and dark red.

returning
we found its petals half
eaten

#haiku #haiga #shahai

Sep 2022 - two oystercatchers wander Kawhia Beach 'neath a binary sunset. The off-white sun above reflects in the shallow waters below as the Tasman Sea tidily (tidally?) retreats from the shoreline for a spell. I've grown to appreciate low tide for the beautiful views and photographic opportunities that may present themselves. Small joys sometimes mean the most.

𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 -
𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑡

#BlueSkyMonday #MinimalMonday
#mobilephotography #photography
#WildWalkPrompt | #sun
#haiku #shahai

already!
March dandelions
ready to fly

#haiku #haiga #shahai
Thanks to Kyla for the wishes, because I am exhausted and feeling icky, and I wasn't sure I could do my daily poem.

a cup for dreams:
last year's hummingbird nest
fading into dusk

An amazing picture, and inspiration, Sanctorium -- it's indeed a shrine.
#haiku #haiga #shahai

In a photo, a body of still water spreads under sunrise (or sunset), a line of dark trees stretching up from the far shore. In the middle of the frame, a single line reads, “lingering dark thoughts I can’t let go.” #shahai by Reid Hepworth @reidhepworth | Reid lives in a small cottage in Georgian Bay, Ontario where she spends her time listening to trees, talking to all manners of wildlife and writing short form #poetry. #haiku #photo #water

#shahai by Reid Hepworth (IG: @reidhepworth) | Reid lives in a small cottage in Georgian Bay, Ontario where she spends her time listening to trees, talking to all manners of wildlife and writing short form #poetry. #haiku #photo #water

Many low-growing geen plant of different kinds, including about 20 small flowers like daisies, with white petals and yellow centers, but only 5-7 petals.

down the block
an unmown lawn
laughs up at the sky

#haiku #haiga #shahai

#shahai by new contributor, Michelle Farrell. (IG: @michellefarrellart ). Michelle is a mixed media artist & poet living in New Zealand, with a background in disability, neurodiversity & mental health work. Her #art & #poetry have found homes internationally & are widely published. #haiku #haiga

only a fresh smell
from the amaryllis
pollen dusts my nose . . .

#haiku #haiga #shahai

from sky
through ocean
to a sunwashed shore

#haiku #shahai #haiga

Photograph of the bleached white shell of a rather large land snail about 3 centimeters, a bit more than inch long, perfect spiral facing the viewer. It sits on a blond wood tabletop.

when I die, I hope
that something beautiful
remains behind

#haiku #shahai #haiga

A close-up of a flowering Ourisia macrophylla (North Island mountain foxglove) spotted just off the trail leading up a slope of Taranaki Maunga (Mt. Egmont). From the wiki: "Plants of this species of New Zealand foxglove are showy, perennial, large-leaved, tufted, rhizomatous herbs that are often glabrous (hairless) or sometimes hairy with non-glandular or glandular hairs. They have crenate, ovate to heart-shaped leaves. The flowers are in whorls in each node, with a regular calyx, and a large, white irregular corolla. The corolla tube is yellow with three lines of yellow hairs inside." and "Ourisia macrophylla plants are large, showy, hairy perennials with whorls of flowers with large white corollas, and three lines of yellow hairs inside the corolla tube, characters they share with another New Zealand species, O. crosbyi." All is know is this: PREEEEEEEETTY 🌼🤍

𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑜𝑓𝑓
𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑦 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑦 -
𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑥𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒

#MacroMonday
#mobilephotography #photography
#haiku #shahai

On the trail's mid-way point/platform, and peering thru the dense forest's window frame, one is presented with a stunning view of Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls. 55 m/180 ft in height, the falls splash land into a large pool of water at its base, carved over time. "Waireinga means leaping waters, referring to wairua (spirits) leaping the great height of this waterfall. Waireinga is also spiritually known by tangata whenua (people of the land) to be occupied by Patupaiarehe (Maori fairies) who are kaitiaki (guardians) of the area." https://www.raglan23.co.nz/about-raglan/bridal-veil-waireinga-falls/

𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑠
- 𝑊𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑒̄𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑎

#Stunday #ImageAndVerse
#mobilephotography #photography
#haiku #shahai

an uneven beat /
shining through the window drops /
Red Glowing store sign

#haiga #haiku #senryu #shahai

the rosegold peace of dawn
fades slowly to a pale day
birdcalls on the wind

#haiku, #haiga, #shahai

January 2026 - a wonderful Summer's day presents itself at the off-season ski field below Taranaki Maunga (Mt Egmont). He's slumbering now; no snow mantle on his shoulders. Across the blue of the sky, wispy streaks of cloud dance. Off to the right, a cloud-shape heart drifts into view of the summit. In the foreground of the shot, dots of people sprinkle the lower slope of green grass and shrubs. A wooden bench takes in the magnificent view along with us trampers (having an alpine picnic out of frame, as one does) :-) From the wiki: "Mount Taranaki (Māori: Taranaki Maunga), officially Taranaki Maunga and also known as Mount Egmont, is a dormant stratovolcano in the Taranaki region on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island.[5][6][7] At 2,518 metres (8,261 ft), it is the second highest mountain in the North Island, after Mount Ruapehu."

𝑇𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑘𝑖
𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓
ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑎-𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔

#MountainMonday #ShowHeart
#mobilephotography #photography
#haiku #shahai #foundhearts

"Dahlia Tranquility. Very attractive clear white petals with a white inner collar". The orange of the bloom's centre is bristling with life. This solitary beauty is surrounded by the greenery of the garden. In the background is a white statue depicting St. Joseph cradling the Baby Jesus. The day was overcast with a light misting of rain descending on us all. It felt precious, this bit of grace. I still come down to Mercy Hospice, and each time, find a simple bit of loveliness, peace, and compassion. ...and can't we all just use a little more of that in this life?

𝑠𝑜𝑓𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 -
𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟
𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

#Stunday #ImageAndVerse
#mobilephotography #photography
#bloomscrolling #flowers
#haiku #shahai

“We wait, not in despair but in promise.
Beneath the frost lies hope for new lives to come”

February- End of Winter
#poetry #shahai #art #life #reflection #inspiration #photography #blackandwhite #abstract #nature #artwalks

#shahai by long time contributor, Elizabeth Crocket. Elizabeth is a Canadian poet who has been the featured artist for three Haiku Foundation online galleries. She has had two books shortlisted for the Touchstone Distinguished Books Award. #poetry #art #photo #canada

will they live or die?
plum blossoms crowned
with soft snow

#haiku #haiga #shahai

#shahai by long time contributor, Elizabeth Crocket. Elizabeth is a Canadian poet who has been the featured artist for three Haiku Foundation online galleries. She has had two books shortlisted for the Touchstone Distinguished Books Award. #haiku #poetry #canada #night

caught in a kind
of accidental magic
I scent the ocean

#haiku #senryu #shahai
borrowing most words from the alt text.

with icy fingers
I pluck one fragrant sprig
to breath it in

#haiku #haiga #shahai

Collaborative #shahai with #haiku by Rupa Anand, in New Delhi, India (IG: @rupa.anand.775 ) & #photo by Mehul Vyas, in the USA. Rupa is a spiritual seeker, turned poet. She finds peace in writing for & about cancer & of course the wildlife she encounters in her environment. #poetry #universe

light rain summer
the memory
of softness

#haiku #haiga #shahai

#SenryuSunday #senryu #shahai #shortpoem
(photo by me)

at dusk
the all-day gray
grows golden

#haiku #haiga #shahai

cold wind, bright sun
the sky's an azure ocean
I could drown in

#haiku #haiga #shahai

meadow vole raising the roof... New Year's snow

meadow vole
raising the roof...
New Year's snow

#haiku #haiga #shahai

A wintry scene. A stream of water flows with sunlight shining through snow and frost covered tree limbs.

opening their hearts
ice and water
are friends again

-Teishitsu

#imageandverse #haiku #haiga #shahai #naturephotography
#nature #haiku #photography