The sun is always present
even if the clouds work to convince us otherwise.
Tag Archives: Nature
Spring with Critters
The calendar is not nearly as good at identifying the changing seasons as are the critters in the barnyard.
Saith Me… Treading Water
In the journey of life, standing still is often the first action in a backward slide. However when we change the metaphor from walking to swimming, we find that there is a wonderful way to indicate a need to pause without losing ground – treading water. Unlike with the notion of standing still, treading water requires effort. Sometimes in our quest for self-improvement we neglect to embrace the place we have reached, and we forget to fully appreciate the waters that support our efforts. Treading water provides us with the opportunity to pause and take in the surroundings; to enjoy the pond they are currently in before seeking the next one.
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Saith Me… Embrace the Journey
Life is not a race. Some days we must walk rather than run so that we can more easily pause and take in the beauty around us.
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Saith Me… Be Inspired
Be inspired by the little things, the weeds as well as the flowers.
You never know what beauty can be found if you set aside your boundaries and take a second look.
Today, the convenience of a stove inspired a new look at history.
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Signs of Winter
A blast of winter air blew in this week and ignited in me a strong desire to change the background music that plays constantly in my home so as to drown out the ceaseless wind found in Eastern Colorado. It is October, and although Christmas decorations nestle alongside the ornamentations of Halloween, it doesn’t feel right to begin playing Christmas music so soon. Truthfully, I must confess, in years past I have succumbed to the temptation of playing Christmas music once the first icy winds blow in from the north. Yet this year, I hesitated.
Colorado is known for its perpetual sunshine more than for a distinct changing of seasons. Only in the worst of weather patterns does the sun stay hidden for more than just a day, but unlike in more temperate areas, the earth does not stay green. Certainly there is a beauty in the changing Colorado seasons, of this there is no doubt. Yet, too often the lack of summer rain has turned the earth yellow and the beautiful colors of Autumn are found only in the distant mountains.
In Colorado, it is not uncommon for the first snow to arrive in October. In fact in October 1997 a snowstorm blanketed the Eastern Plains under two feet of snow. Most years, however, the icy north winds only bring threats of snow rather than the fluffy white flakes. Without the prospect of a blanket of snow, the cold, biting wind can overshadow nature’s beauty. When the cold descends, and the sky turns grey, but no snow is in sight, Christmas music can brighten one’s day.
When the kids were at still home rather than in places where Autumn is filled with glorious, rich hues, Christmas music was a magical way to lighten the mood which often arrived with the grey skies and biting winds. Now that the kids are gone and it is just three aging felines and me prowling the house during the daylight hours, the thought of Christmas carols seems a bit overwhelming. Yet, the longing for the simple, timeless melodies of winter music remains. Fortunately over the years I have acquired hours upon hours of holiday inspired instrumental music. No Frosty the Snowman or Jingle Bells, but rather traditional melodies that make one think of hardy souls on windswept plains in far off distant lands or in days gone by.
A morning spent changing the bed linens, adding wool to the cats’ beds, and making a new music playlist has been a morning well spent. The first signs of winter have arrived and I am now ready to embrace the change.
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Blessings of a Gully-washer
Enormous rainstorms, the gully-washers that cause flash flood warnings, often bring hail and the threat of tornadoes to the Eastern Plains of Colorado, but fog – dense, mysterious, morning fog – is a rare result of dangerous storms. A gully-washer brewed up just over our home last night. The rain pummeled the ground hard and fast causing the water to runoff rather than soak into the dirt road that dissects our property. Without the deterrent of a muddy road, a walk in the cool morning air was made all the more inviting by the heavy fog that had rolled in overnight. Years ago, I walked and ran in fog so thick that one could see the water droplets flow by on a gentle breeze. Fog of this nature was a frequent occurrence in Virginia, but it is such a rarity in Colorado where fog is usually accompanied by freezing temperatures and biting winds. Quiet, spring fog is an unusual blessing.
Soon my daughter will be moving to Virginia and leaving behind the aired climate she has always known. Today’s foggy sunrise provided a wonderful way to introduce her to the joys of running in fog so thick that a well-known road becomes a mystical path into the unknown.
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Icy Morning
Woke up this morning to a blast of cold and a beautiful view from my kitchen window. Inspiration followed, a good day to make a dumping soup with all the scraggly veggies in my fridge. Now the refrigerator is ready for fresh veggies just in time for Christmas cooking, and I have a hearty pot of soup to bolster me on this chilly day.
A big thank you goes out to my daughter. She braved the cold and took these photos for me.
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Saith Me… Country Living
There are so many positives about country living which make life a joy, but learning to deal with the negatives is often frustrating.
The battle to keep a home mice free is ongoing and can get a bit troublesome at times. However, when one week you find a bat in your hallway, and the following week you find a snake in your basement, those pesky little mice become much less worrisome to contemplate.
Pithy Ponderings 