the jesuit retreat house sits on fahrney point in lake winnebago. had a silent retreat here for the first time last weekend. a real god-send. my nervous system recalibrated dramatically. a delight to listen to the northern flickers and cardinals, cranes every now and then. to simply walk the grounds and listen to the lake.

had my first dip in lake winnebago—crazy cold still and the mammal body recoiled but was invigorating. muskrats, mallards, a pileated woodpecker, turtles, jumping sturgeon, and a trio of white pelicans. trees budding and silence from lots of humans.

a.

cross of black and white

stretched between

blue clear and rippling

b.

glistening bodies

green and brown

splash in sheer delight

c.

small green legs on log

plop below:

amphibian life

d.

tree-perch

duckweed

frog-song

mussel shells forming an island in the inlet…

e.

great blue mass winging

at sunset

gracing fahrney point

f.

honk-plaint from field-geese—

uncovered

in meditation

g.

wishing i could lune

two herons

roosting in the dark

ha—that’s me in the willow. photo (taken before i knew he was there) courtesy of a friend i met on retreat!