I found this little guy while I was watering the garden. He was no more than one inch long, a tiny thing. He stood stock-still and I snapped a few pictures of him. Then I went on about my business. When I came back through to refill my water pitcher, he was gone. Going on about his frog business, which likely means the business of getting food, I surmised. Sarah Ban Breathnach writes about “catching days” in today’s Simple Abundance…
hospitality
July 19, 2016We are preparing to host a rather large gathering of friends and family at our place end of the month. Many preparations are underway. “List” and “task” are daily words in our household. In Simple Abundance today, Sarah speaks of hospitality and everything it seems to entail. She reminds us of how frenzied we can become attempting to create the perfect atmosphere and she offers suggestions for keeping it simple, such as hosting a potluck or keeping the fare minimal, focusing…
harvest
June 23, 2016The dictionary defines harvest as “crops that are gathered.” While that is true, it is much more than that to me. When I prepared the soil weeks ago and sowed the seeds, these healing, nourishing vegetables are what I envisioned. Feeling connected to the food that I eat is very satisfying. Providing loving care to the earth, means providing loving care to myself and my family. It was my goal in recent years to eventually get to the point where…
secret anniversaries
June 16, 2016Today in Simple Abundance, Sarah writes about secret anniversaries, those special memories that mean something to us personally, which we honor in private, such as a first kiss or the last moment we spent with someone dear who has since passed on. Colors, scents or seasons of the year may trigger a remembrance of those occasions. This year my husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. While that was not a private celebration, this sun sculpture always brings to my…
a perfect web
May 31, 2016Is there anything more perfect in nature than a spider’s web? It simply amazes me. How can a tiny being create something so perfect ?! Without plans, without blueprints. It boggles the mind. A perfect web, many times larger than the spider’s own little body. Simply amazing! I go out of my way to save spiders when I find them inside the house or office, although they do sometimes creep me out. They are beneficial. Besides, anything that can make…
friendly garden snakes
May 11, 2016When we first moved to this property, we very quickly noticed that there were snakes a plenty…in the pond, in the garden, on the driveway. Luckily, they have been on the small side and it’s not too often that I encounter one. In addition to the real live ones, we found rubber toy ones too, just lying around near the house. My husband thought it a good idea to set them on my potting bench to help me get used…
one sunny day
May 7, 2016color me peaceful
April 27, 2016Getting some annuals planted. This year I’d like to keep the brights to a minimum and go for some softer “off” colors or whites and neutrals. Maybe that reflects my frame of mind more than anything else. Striving to cultivate an ever peaceful state of being, these colors work well. This planter is one of the last things I see when I leave home and one of the first when I get back. Will that influence my mental state? I’d…
vibrant morsels
April 25, 2016Today in Simple Abundance, Sarah reminds us to look at the blue sky, hear the grass growing beneath our feet and inhale the scent of spring. She quotes naturalist Diane Ackerman, who says “The senses don’t just make sense of life in bold or subtle acts of clarity, they tear reality apart into vibrant morsels and reassemble them into a meaningful pattern.” I love the phrase “vibrant morsels.” Don’t you think these plants might be considered vibrant morsels, assembled to the…
st. francis of assisi
April 18, 2016St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology, was born in Italy around 1181 or 1182. After a wild youth and a brief career as a soldier, Francis had a conversion experience that inspired him to renounce his family’s wealth and devote his life to God. He is well known for his love of animals, the environment, and his desire for peace. According to www.humanesociety.org, in 1979, Pope John Paul II paid tribute to Francis’ love for creation by declaring…
