Gnarly Encounters

Life’s a bumpy ride

Time soothes gnarly encounters

Grace unburdens soul

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Fallen Loblolly Pine needles gently take the edge off the ravages time, elements and the heavy hand of human activity have bestowed on surface roots of the mother tree that nurtured them in their summer heydays. Her majestic canopy reaches defiantly into vernal skies mid whispers carried on spring breezes. I lend ear to her tale about the circle of life, her patience, her resilience and optimism in the face of uncertainty. I allow her message to unburden my soul, reassured that no matter how gnarly the encounters on the road of life…they too will pass.

Gnarly Encounter

On Seaforth Beach at Jordan Lake NC

Loud Whispers

Dreams wake urgent truths

Hearts harbor said loud whispers

Quiet truth brings peace

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Loud Whispers

Staked Plain Playas

Nearly mile-high, this playa lake is an integral part of the Southern Great Plains biome known as the Llano Estacado—the Staked Plain.

Latest surveys on the Llano place the number of these shallow ephemeral lakes and wetlands somewhere near 30,000—similar to historical estimates. However, impacts of urbanization, agriculture and ranching have altered or degraded their ecological, run-off filtering and aquifer-replenishing functions. They are a dynamic part of the ecosystem and attempts to stabilize them have been ineffective. 

Said clay-lined, water-filled depressions collect rains from gully washers and summer monsoons. They are the main surface water source on the semi-arid Staked Plain.

Since time immemorial, the playas have hosted stopovers of migratory geese, cranes and ducks navigating the Central Flyway. The life-sustaining waters also provide habitats for amphibians like toads and salamanders, as well as thirst-quenching oases for diverse species of mammals and feathered high plains wildlife.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Staked Plain Playa

Rangelands northwest of Clovis NM

Divine Glimmers On Threads Of Eternity

Pale dawn hues on a crisp winter morning,

Dappled shade ‘neath trees on hot summer days,

Cactus roses drenched in dew, yet urging

Bold anthem of praise for scorched, bone-dry ways.

First Cholla Rose - Tree Cholla on Llano Estacado east of Clovis NM

Snow-capped Sangre de Cristo peaks rising,

Toward crescent Moon like a starlit stairway,

Send snow-filled squalls and gelid winds howling,

Which piñon and sagebrush greet as child’s play.

Truchas Peaks - Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Santa Fe NM

Heartfelt laments of White-winged Doves mourning 

Bygone days of their arid lands heyday;

Yet human connections, towns and farming,

Keep demise at arm’s length far and away.

White-winged Dove - On Llano Estacado in Clovis NM neighborhood

Winged jewels skimming, pond lilies shimmering,

Ethereal spirits enticed to play

By flawless rhythms of sun and breeze lingering,

Like whispers of comfort on hope’s causeway.

Water Lilies - Balboa Park Lily Pool in San Diego CA

Cloud burst on rangeland with dark skies churning,

Hushed wings, flight calls from age-old crane flyway,

Shared smiles with strangers that take heart soaring

Like laughter and shouts of children at play.

Sinfonía De Luz - Ned Houk Park rangelands north of Clovis NM

Sacred woodland quietude embracing

Primal heartstrings...allows grace to allay

Pained souls and nurture hearts…accepting,

That tribulations need not cause dismay.

Maniero Grigio - Woodlands near Bynum NC

Said moments of heart, mind and soul merging

Endure as bridge to famed celestial gateway

And light beacons of hope mid stardust bearing

Divine glimmers—God’s grace—as life’s mainstay.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Heartbeat Of The Plains

On the shortgrass prairie of the Llano Estacado, American Bison (buffalo) favor warm season grasses. They graze on the move, rest and chew cud during midday heat, then lumber onward along watersheds and across ridges. They have instinctive abilities to find water and travel routes of least resistance. As a keystone species, their hooves aerate soil and disperse native seeds to help restore grasslands and biodiversity.

In ancestral memories carried on whispers of prairie winds, countless herds in search of summer grazing grounds carve unmistakeable northbound highways into the life-sustaining abundance of grasslands on the Great Plains. Now and then lingering echoes of hooves, like a primordial pulse of nature, turn into the thunderous sound and feel of a spooked herd on the run. Said enduring presence arguably wakes primal feelings of connection to the Earth and her creatures.

The near extinction of these iconic beasts from the circle of plains life not only broke the spirit of native tribes, but also ravaged the living heartbeat of the land, the buffalo. Once numbering in the tens of millions—then falling to the hundreds in the late 19th century—the buffalo survives, because conservation efforts in national parks, private lands, and Native American reservations have led to a significant comeback.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Primordial Pulse

American Bison on Ned Hook Park rangelands north of Clovis NM

Glimmer Of Hope

Wind-swept plain craves rain

Sundown weaves cherished curtain

Renewed hope takes reins

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Glimmer Of Hope

Water hole on Ned Houk Park rangelands north of Clovis NM

Where The Hawk Flies

Rumbling northward down a Llano Estacado ranch road trailing a cloud of dust, I eagerly make headway toward the Running Water Draw. It’s late afternoon and the air still holds a hint of dust kicked up by lively daylong winds. Given the low density of air at the nearly mile-high tablelands, the dust will settle by nightfall. 

I’m in pursuit of a Red-tailed Hawk—a photo of the diurnal raptor—before it returns to its nearby roost. However, an enchanting shift in the mood of the prairie diverts my attention. I stop to immerse senses in an ethereal work of art, as Mother Nature paints the world with serenity. The dust-laden haze, warm hues of fading sunlight bathing broken cloud cover, and flaxen glow of withered prairie grasses have come together in a gilded symphony of light—a golden hour.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Where The Hawk Flies

Ranch road south of Running Water Draw near Clovis NM

The Cup Of Life

Behold the rust-winged hawk

  That sails on-high,

Over wind-swept grasslands

  That sway knee-high,

Below sun-kissed clouds

  In eternal blue sky,

Where intrepid lark song

  Rouses mind’s eye

And imbues heart with peace—

  Drink from the cup of life,

    Rejoice, the Divine is nigh.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

When woes and worries reign, I ease heart and mind with reverie about the primal tablelands of the Llano Estacado. I allow fond sips of memories about the beauty and serenity of the arid, wind-swept plain to replenish my cup of life. My cup overflows. I drink deeply and find contentment in the richness of the journey—the abundance of grace that helps me navigate trials and tribulations, as well as savor the overwhelming goodness that permeates my life.

La Copa De La Vida

Staked Plain grasslands north of Clovis NM

Spiritual True North

Sometimes life’s subtle tempests

  Blow doubts into weary hearts

And winds of adversity

  Shake spiritual bedrock; 

Until, serene celestial scripts 

  Written 'cross sunset ramparts

Sway wobbly inner compass

  Away from fearful roadblock—

Spiritual true north

  Aligns with the Divine

    And becomes tangible.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Due North

Curry County Road M on Llano Estacado tablelands west of Clovis NM

Ominous Horizons

Native prairie patches—once part of the American Great Plains biome—survive on the Llano Estacado tablelands. These windswept expanses of grassland speak in silence, in soliloquies adrift on mountain-born westerlies.

With whispers of sage on her breath, the prairie yearns for affection. I give my heart willingly. But, penned words are meaningless to her. She prefers unspoken rumination—self-discovery that removes fetters of my soul—so that my spirit finds divine truth in all things through her.

As ominous clouds of civilization invade the boundless horizons of her Llano Estacado tablelands, they threaten unwelcome change. Once familiar barks of a vanishing keystone species like the Black-tailed Prairie Dog are increasingly scarce. The markedly quieter chatter among these grassland engineers, in prairie neighborhoods where thriving colonies have become ghost towns, underscores a cautionary truth—nature’s grandest endeavors depend on the success of the smallest component.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Ominous Horizons

Llano Estacado near the Running Water Draw north of Clovis, New Mexico

Springtide Renewal

Spring clean-up is a seasonal habit to remove accumulated winter grime, debris and clutter from a home. It symbolizes a fresh start and resets life for warmer days. My annual ritual of shearing hair and beard—cultivated for a rustic, rugged and unkempt winter appearance suitable for frosty weather—falls in line with said reboot.

Truth be told, I am tired of maintaining a winter-bearded, shaggy appearance. A rugged in the woolens, grizzled look has served its purpose. Bold and confident change aligns with springtide renewal and favors the practicality and efficiency of low-maintenance grooming. The photo chronicles the opening move in my incremental approach. It’s a quarter-inch, do-it-yourself burr cut of my scalp area.

On the chopping block was my forelock area—albeit sparse, mostly bald—and then hesitantly, the crowning glory of silver waves that nearly touched shoulders. In the next few days I will clear the cheeks, leaving only a full goatee. And then in a birthday month finale, a military-grade shave will leave whiskered chin smooth as a baby’s bottom.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Springtide Renewal

Self-portrait - Ilija (burr cut)

Četnička Šubara

I proudly wear my father’s traditional WWII Serbian Chetnik black wool hat (četnička šubara) with iconic metal emblem (kokarda) worn by resistance fighters loyal to the King of Yugoslavia.

Their grassroots mission was to defend their homes against Nazi and Italian Fascist invaders, as well as wage a civil war with Communists and Ustaši. They lived and breathed their creed: Za Krst Časni, i Slobodu Zlatnu…Sloboda ili Smrt. A contextual translation that catches cultural nuances and emotions would be: We take up arms with humble reverence to preserve the honorable cross and inviolable covenants of freedom…give me liberty, or give me death.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Četnička Šubara

Self-Portrait - Ilija

Olympic Reverie

My heartfelt congratulations and appreciation of their efforts go out to our athletes of the 25th Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

Through synergy, their rugged individualism fostered unshakeable team spirit—honed to perfection by coaches, trainers, teammates, family members and countless others—which garnered unprecedented successes. They are a slice of America…role models to emulate. The esprit-de-corps they inspire is infectious. God bless them and God bless our United States of America.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Self-Portrait - Ilija

Giving Winter The Slip

Chipmunks are not true hibernators. On warmer February days they emerge from burrows for brief periods of time to forage, groom or just enjoy the sunshine. They move adeptly through tidy tunnels in the leaf litter of the subnivean zone between the snow and soil. Some of the thoroughfares are nest access routes and others lead to ventilation plunge holes.

Where tunnels breach snow surfaces, telltale debris—used to plug the openings and keep cold air out of burrows—chronicles their invisible lives and writes vibrant autumn memoirs upon the stark mantle of winter.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Giving Winter The Slip - An Autumn Memoir

Pearly Gates

For hearts tormented by life’s dire straits,

Money, good works nor rituals of faith

Can equal humble knock on pearly gates

And deliver spirit from earthbound wraith.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Pearly Gates

Mary Holmes Park in Pittsboro NC

Liberation

Seasons come and go

Sun-kissed wintertide buoys heart

Spirit wears death well

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Sun-kissed Wintertide

Timeworn stumps at Mary Holmes Park playground

Embracing Life's Journey

As days get longer and warmer, woodlands near our home shake off impacts of recent arctic chills and rouse from winter slumber.

I cannot resist the call of the wild and before long find myself rambling down a favorite stretch of forest trails. Naturally, the excursion rekindles primal instincts, but also a longing to embark on a fresh journey of self-discovery—best served by solitude and unburdened mind. Forest secrets once shrouded by snows are now laid bare and encourage soul-searching—a personal journey to understand my reason for being.

Quietude makes woodlands a coveted playground for fertile imaginations. Simple treasures like a wisp of soft bird plumage buoyed by leaf litter turns into an ethereal breath, a sigh of an angel. A large stone bejeweled with blue oxidation surfacing through woodland debris stirs a sense of wonder and invites curiosity, akin a patch of the eternal blue sky after a storm-wracked day. Even tangled messes of deadfall covered by pine straw duff highlight the perfection of their intended design, as their unsung sacrifice completes the circle of life. And finally, what would theater on life’s grand stage be without an audience. Unbidden, fantastic stick figures emerge from shadowy hollows and materialize in sun drenched spaces. Once majestic branches in trees— adorned with colorful leafy lichen— and now earthbound after summer tempests, they stand in silent adulation of the broad strokes and fine details that are their woodland sanctuary.

Said vibrant tapestry of existence—woven from diverse threads, yet an interlocking narrative about life—begs reflection and invites mindful pauses to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. In the quietude of the wood on a sun-kissed late-winter afternoon, these unassuming envoys of divine providence reveal secrets that strike a chord in my heart and speak to my soul in whispers that gather momentum and swell to a profound crescendo…embrace life’s journey.

© Ilija Lukić 2026

Unsung Sacrifice

Silent Adulation

Embracing Life's Journey

Divine Whisper