Today’s two are silhouetted against that vast vineyard sky…

Trident  – 20 x 24

These Osprey kept a close eye on our friends Pete and Della.

They were neighbors.
That’s what neighbors do.
I got the chance to sit on their porch,
Pete and Della’s porch,
and study the nest for a bit in the summer
and a bit more in the fall.

It wasn’t til I got back to my Pennsylvania studio,
and studied the photographs I took,that I saw the trident.

That stalwart symbol of the sea.
I was faithful in the rendering of every branch and twig
which generations of this family labored to weave,
and, as the days of painting went along,
I came up with lots of stories about
who was celebrating what
with that blue and white ribbon.

Pete’s not around to tell,
and Della can keep a secret,
but that middle bird,
don’t you just think,
with those googly eyes..

she’ll be the one to tell all.

Marsh Watcher  –  24 x 20

On the other side of the Darling’s house is a great expanse of marshy wetlands.

The osprey have permission to do flybys
but this guy is the sheriff.
He’s the one who “gives” the permission.

Human and reptile,
grapevine and vole,
We are all being watched.