Stained Glass Leaves

Even in the depth of winter color shines through. Old leaves glow with slanting sunshine, seemingly held together by a spider’s web. A simple beauty that takes your breath away. In the busyness of life these moments between help bring what matters into focus and settles the restlessness within. Take time to breath deeply in whatever way moves you. Find your place of peace.

Thankful

A single droplet hanging on the edge of a branch caught my eye as the sun reflected through it. There in that tiny droplet was a whole other world. Like Alice stepping through a looking glass. If that is in a droplet in a forest full of droplets…Oh the wonders that I might behold! Taking these precious moments of clarity and enjoying them in their beauty helps the other busy parts of my life make more sense. On days like today when I feel pulled in many directions and things are not going as smoothly as I want, stopping and focusing on those small gifts makes the troubles seem to lessen. A reminder of today just being a small part in a giant plan. Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Enjoy the moments today, all of them.

The Journey

Walking and taking photos. That has become one of my favorite things to do. My family is my most favorite thing that pushes me to do better everyday. But when I am out and focusing in on the tiniest of details or trying to take the “perfect” landscape the rest of life’s noise fades away to nothing. Just me, my camera and the thing in the center of my lens. It is calming and rewarding. A beautiful gift.

Pristine

She is called Pristine. I have a friend that was digging up her yard and she wanted a place for her roses. We had just bought our house 20 years ago and needed some plants. So here we were, in early March with this giant rose bush and root ball in a black garbage bag. It started getting oddly cold when we got it home and I knew it had to be planted or suffer being frozen and dying. My dear husband and I after dark were out in the front yard digging a huge hole in the yard as it starts to snow! I was sure the new neighbors thought we were trying to bury a body or something. I was one of our first crazy things we did in our new house. But here she is, year after year. rewarding us with her magnificent blooms. She is truly Pristine. Her only draw back is that she keep trying to expose her wild side. She keeps shooting out fast growing wild sprouts every year. Even the most beautiful have their secrets. I adore her in all her facets. Precious gifts.

Work that Satisfies the Soul

Much of our lives we go through our days working. Working to pay the bills, to feed the family, to make our lives more secure. Some work tirelessly and find there is little to show for it. This drains us of our joy and hope. Then there is work that brings life to our souls. Work that inspires and helps others, in turn helping us. The worker bee, for example, oh what a life it leads. Tirelessly collecting pollen every day, flying miles to keep the hive alive and well day after day. But look at the places the bee gets to work. Stunning works of art we call flowers. Flowers that reflect the very fingerprints of God. Not only is this its office but it also has a part in making these miracles happen. Buzzing from flower to flower passing on the beauty as it goes. This is the life I want to lead, the life of a bee. Dahlia Festival, August 2019

Weeds

Out in a corner of our weed filled back lot daisies grow. Full of gravel, unkept and left over parts from my husbands odds and end of projects, a forgotten space. Daisies flourish. It draws us in and makes our hearts glad with its beauty and life. Much like life, often overgrown with worries and fears, vines of pain threaten to take over. But the surprising blessings that push through, hope and healing making us see hope and beauty. Reminding us that we are a miracle in the making. Turning weeds into beautiful blessings.

Stunning Details

One of our many, many drizzly days. Everything is the same…but everything is different. If I go out and take a photo of the same leaf day after day, one might think the most boring job in the world. But every single day it would be different. Even in the slightest bit. It’s own kind of beauty and subtle changes. Even just in growth it would change. And taking the time to capture that would become its own amazing journey. Appreciate those things we see daily. Be thankful and take in its worth for that moment. Things are so often fleeting and fragile in our lives, do not take them for granted.

The Painted Lady

We bought butterfly caterpillars for our daughter to observe as they grew and made chrysalis, then miraculously emerging as butterflies. It makes one consider the incredible process of it all. I have also thought about butterflies themselves. Why would God make an insect that transforms so and becomes something so beautiful that flutters about on the wind pollinating our food sources? The whole mysterious unveiling leaves me in awe. They are all tiny masterpieces floating around in the sunshine. They have purpose and beauty, filling in a facet of our world that is not filled by anything else. Why would God make something like a delicate butterfly? There are many reasons, most of which I am sure I am not educated enough to list. But the reason that touches my soul is that God knew we…that I would be enthralled by such a creature. That I would find joy in their existence. That alone would have been enough.

The Forest Dwellers

The beauty of the the forest lily. Delicate and fleeting. I once found one of these Trilliums picked and laying on the side of a trail. I was sad because it probably killed the plant or at least delayed its growth by years. But I couldn’t leave it to just go to waste. We took it home and put in in a vase. I had never noticed their smell before, maybe because I am so careful not to disturb them if at all possible. They smell incredible, no wonder walking in the woods is such an experience for all the senses. This compounded by the hundreds of other things blooming, growing and spreading. Go take time to enjoy the subtle and beautiful world around you. Make the time. It renews the soul. A side note, I keep thinking this looks like a 90’s band cover. 😀
%d bloggers like this: