I found this little kinda big toad while preparing one of the garden beds for sowing. This is one the largest toads I’ve seen around here, in fact. I am calling him my little garden friend. He was under a pile of wooden stakes that were laying flat across the soil. When I picked up the stakes, there he was. I think the sudden sunlight surprised him. Maybe he had hibernated there all winter, as he was burrowed into the soil. I…
the best medicine
March 25, 2016Today’s entry in the Simple Abundance book speaks to us about feeling blue. Occasionally, these feelings get the best of us. Sarah offers to us several ways to cope with these feelings, ranging from brewing a fresh pot of tea to clearing your head with a walk around the block, to preparing a new recipe for dinner. I love all of these suggestions. I especially take to heart her suggestion of cleaning our desks and organizing our papers. This never…
a valiant fight
March 21, 2016I came across these feathers yesterday during my afternoon walk through the woods with the dogs. What might have defeated this beautiful bird…a hawk or an owl, perhaps. Odd thing to me, one bird hunting the other. A Trace of Blue, from PacificMelody’s Blog: Sunlight strikes The Blue Jay’s wings Flashing shards of Brilliant blue Shamelessly flaunting His sheer perfection He lights on a branch Of a nearby tree Sings a few notes Then disappears Leaving in his Departing wake…
beauty
March 18, 2016The last verse from a really great poem called “This is me” by David Neuman: You are beautiful because you are rare, Because no one else can compare. Your face, Your nose, Your eyes, With your sense of humor to comprise, Someone no one else can match. Try to make it in a lab… Try throw it down the hatch. You compare yourself to everyone else, When you are one of a kind. Why can’t you get that in your…
stillness
March 15, 2016Today’s message in the Simple Abundance book is about self-nurturing. Sarah Ban Breathnach asks us to consider simple acts of taking good care of ourselves. She asks “How much sleep are you getting? Are you walking often or getting enough exercise? Have you given meditation a fair chance?” I’ve recently begun spending one minute outside first thing each morning, listening to the birds as they start their day. This was so difficult at first – one whole minute during the…
the first flowers
March 14, 2016Daffodils are the first flowers to show their pretty faces in our “garden” – in fact, one of the very few flowers we see here, with the bunnies and deer so rampant. They are wild and crop up here and there throughout the woods. It is so nice to see them, and today it was sad to see their little faces drooping due to all the rain we’ve received, although they need the rain just as we do… Let the…
the way to grieve
March 11, 2016The Butterfly Upon The Sky – Poem by Emily Dickinson The Butterfly upon the Sky, That doesn’t know its Name And hasn’t any tax to pay And hasn’t any Home Is just as high as you and I, And higher, I believe, So soar away and never sigh And that’s the way to grieve — We lost our little cat, Minerva, yesterday. She lived a brave life, overcoming several health issues over the years. It’s so hard to say goodbye.…
things that matter
March 8, 2016Today in the Simple Abundance book, Sarah Ban Breathnach says that “simplicity gains importance in our lives as we begin to make peace with ourselves.” It seems that when we get very clear with who we are and what is truly important to us in life, simplicity just makes sense. I am reminded of this each time I take a walk in the woods. Or spend a morning tending to the seedlings which will soon become food. Or take the dogs for…
the sun never says
March 5, 2016It is a gray Saturday and if one has no errands to run, it is that perfect kind of day…lazy, cozy. I am thankful for the available lighting, even if artificial. The little lamp on my desk is just right for reading and writing. I spend too much time at this desk, but it is my space. The porch light is a beacon for the early morning and late evening walks with the dogs. Without it, I would struggle against…
personal sabbath
March 3, 2016In today’s entry from the book Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach speaks to us of creating a Personal Sabbath. She describes this as a time for “reverence, rest, renewal, rejuvenation, reassuring, rituals, recreation, rejoicing, revelation, remembering how much you have to be grateful for, and saying Thank You!” Just four little days ago, it was warm and spring was showing her sunny side. Today, snow is falling gently, the kind of snow made of gigantic flakes slowly descending from the sky.…
