Glowering skies, rain and mist- O' Winter is on its way!

...these herald in a change in seasons.   I realize the autumn equinox is around September 22, but the weather these last 2 days indicates the season change.   The wind and rain, with last nights downpour for a few hours indicate a shift from summer to fall.   I long for the change and enjoy living where there are still four distinct seasons in the year.    Last winter was quite a doozy and the meterologists are predicting the El Nino shift or some sort of Polar vortex again this winter.   Well I for one will enjoy it.....walking to wherever one needs to get to in a day....missing days of work which I am very fortunate to have the leave time to allow me to not work and still get paid.  Just being snowed in or iced in for a long time.   My activities include , baking bread letting it rise naturally in the bread pan.   Rationing what is in the fridge to make it stretch a few days until the weather breaks.   Reading , reading and more reading of all the books I got from the library before the storm, perhaps the great winter storm of the last
century.  Drinking steaming tea with honey and refilling the bird feeder and knowing in my small way that I have provided for natures small creatures both for their lives and my enjoyment.

Autumnal winds

Today is the last of August 2014.  August, sometimes very hot and humid here was not so much this year.   We have had only about 10 days of 90's plus tempertures and the humidity not bad.

Now begins the transition, the first of September is so much different from the end of the month.   The leaves starting to change all through the forest,  different birds arriving at the feeders.   Bringing out the long sleeve shirts, finding the snow boots and storing away the sandals, shorts and beach wear.

I love all the seasons but this one most of all...... It has brought me such happiness before and now I anticipate something good coming.

Possum in August

A few days ago late in the evening just after dark, a young inquisitive possum ventured near where I live.   I quietly gathered my gnarled, twisty vine cane, found my electric torch and sought him out to corner him.   This I did and  poked him gently as he hissed and snarled and ran under  large brush nearby.   I looked for him further but lost him in the night.    I had no evil intent just a teaching moment.
For both he and I that lifes little moments of interaction should instruct us in how to live---for me, and for him how to stay alive by avoiding humans.

Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.....


Robert Herrick

Thomas Merton- inherently human

Thomas Merton who was inherently contradicted in his life.   Struggling to live by the constraints of his religion while knowing in his heart he needed to reach out to the woman he fell in love with in Louisville Kentucky in 1966

His work has taught us well that we must seek to perfect our inner selves through meditation and contemplation, seeking our own spirtuality.   His life teaches us still to love others and to seek that love in making our lives a richer experience, a complete life.

Silence and early morning contemplation

As I sit in early morning silence, I contemplate nature, life and my place in it.