Category Archives: koans

Sushi before it’s sushi

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Jay McLaughlin

11 July, 2021 Sushi before it’s sushi I was at Deep Run recently and this hungry Great Blue Heron snagged a large fish. The heron was juggling it around trying to get it down its throat. This may be … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, cats, Dogs, Emerson, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, Insects, James River, koans, love, newfaze, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), squirrels, sunsets, thoreau, walden, whitetail deer, Wildlife Book Club | Tagged book, dash, Flowers, garden, goldfinch, gray squirrel, great blue heron, milkweed, monarch butterfly, native plants, purple martin, rabbit, raptor, red fox, Red-tailed hawk, rose, Rose of Sharon, sunflower, sunset, whitetail deer fawn, zinnia | Leave a comment

Flower power!

Posted on April 18, 2021 by Jay McLaughlin

18 April, 2021 Flower power! A friend described my blog to a newcomer as having “lots of pictures of flowers.” If we’d had the same exchange in January she would have described it differently, but it’s April. Lots of flowers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Dogs, dogwood, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, James River, koans, newfaze, People, Pony Pasture, Rivers, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!) | Tagged azaleas, cormorants, Dogs, dogwood, Flowers, Pony Pasture, richmond virginia, rva, spiderwort, virginia bluebells | Leave a comment

Lord of the Butterflies

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Jay McLaughlin

20 September, 2020 Lord of the Butterflies Mackey and Turner and Yuki and I were hiking at Pony Pasture this spectacular Sunday morning when their three long noses simultaneously weathervaned into the unpleasant scent wafting … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Gardenias, honeysuckle, James River, koans, love, newfaze, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!) | Tagged Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Gardenias, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | Leave a comment

“All moments are key moments… “

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Jay McLaughlin

16 August, 2020 “All moments are key moments… “ “…and life itself is grace.” – Frederick Buechner I saw this green heron at Pony Pasture shortly before 3:00 this afternoon. I was grateful tp be … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, Dogs, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, fungus, grateful dead, Insects, international travel, James River, koans, love, newfaze, ospreys, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Rivers, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), thoreau | Tagged bryan park, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, james river, nature, Ospreys, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | 4 Comments

Not your father’s lawnmower

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Jay McLaughlin

5 July, 2020 Not your father’s lawnmower I got a new lawnmower yesterday. It was shocking, although not because it’s an electric lawnmower. I’ll write a little more at the bottom. I took a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, cardinals, coffee, Dogs, Emerson, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, James River, koans, love, newfaze, Northern flicker, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-bellied woodpeckers, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, robin, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), thoreau | Tagged bryan park, Dogs, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | 10 Comments

“The weird turn pro” – Hunter S Thompson, 1971

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Jay McLaughlin

5 April, 2020 “The weird turn pro” – Hunter S Thompson, 1971 “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro” – Hunter S Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1971. That quote doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Dogs, dogwood, Endurance, Flowers, Fun, Gardenias, James River, koans, love, newfaze, ospreys, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Rivers, simplify, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!) | Tagged Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Gardenias, james river, nature, Ospreys, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | 2 Comments

Where do I start?

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Jay McLaughlin

8 July, 2018 Where do I start? I’ll start at the river, the mighty James River, at Pony Pasture, this morning, with dogs – what better place? And with what better company? This was a mile … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Cessna 172, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Gardenias, James River, koans, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), sunsets, Wildlife Book Club, Wildlife Center of Virginia | Tagged cessna, clouds, Dogs, Flowers, flying, Fun, Gardenias, james river, nature, outdoors, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | 4 Comments

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Posted on May 20, 2018 by Jay McLaughlin

20 May, 2018 Bridge Over Troubled Water My friend Hank had been hearing voices for a month. His doctor recommended he wear headphones and listen to music to drown them out. This is normal for people … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, honeysuckle, James River, koans, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, roses, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), squirrels, whitetail deer | Tagged bridge over troubled water, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Roses, simon and garfunkel, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, whitetail deer | 10 Comments

Cuernavaca, la eterna primavera

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Jay McLaughlin

25 March, 2018 Cuernavaca, la eterna primavera Cuernavaca is a place my Mom visited every year in Mexico. “La eterna primavera” means “the eternal Spring” in Spanish; it’s early Spring in Richmond and I saw three … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, daffodils, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, hyacinths, international travel, James River, koans, ospreys, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, robin, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), squirrels, whitetail deer | Tagged bluebird, cats, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, james river, nature, Ospreys, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, whitetail deer | 4 Comments

Fortunately, I don’t have to choose

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Jay McLaughlin

10 September, 2017 Fortunately, I don’t have to choose When seasons wane and new ones begin, I always feel the new season is my favorite. I remember Spring wrapping up in late June and thinking “Summer … Continue reading →

Posted in Bald eagles, Birds, cats, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Insects, James River, koans, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!) | Tagged cats, Flowers, Fun, james river, nature, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | Leave a comment