Scattered Leaves

shuffling of my feet

leaves scattered 

the breeze blowing against my face

i am in heaven here on earth

i am filled with the goodness of the morning

the pure goodness

the air smells different now

it fills my heart to capacity

overflowing almost

oh joyous day of wonder

how i love the scattered leaves

how i love them

truly love them

Farewell

watermelon seeds

popsicles

and red petals a bloom

beach chairs

barbequed corn

 and mowing the lawn

farewell summer evenings

farewell to you now

we must bid you so long...

for now

flower from my walk yesterday

Captain of the Cheering Squad

I know I go on and on about fall and all things autumnal, but someone has to be on its cheering squad.  Winter, heck it’s got all sorts of holidays,  snow and sledding and school closures. Spring has a group of gardeners that hoot and holler for new tulips and budding lilac bushes and then there’s Summer.  Summer has pretty much everything going for it, sun, swimming, camping, star gazing and don’t forget it gets more time than any other season with its long days and short nights.   

So, I have taken it upon myself to elect myself as the Captain of the Cheering Squad for Autumn (or Fall if you prefer, but you weren’t at the organizing meeting, so I selected Autumn as it sounds more refined.  However, I have realized upon that decision that there aren’t many words that rhyme with Autumn so cheers may be difficult.)

I spent the better part of the weekend outside at a soccer game with our youngest (Dad was on baseball duty with our oldest) and in the mountains fishing.  The weather couldn’t have been better had you ordered it from Sam Champion.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the crispness in the air was so inviting and comfortable and yet, the cheers weren’t as loud as I would like.

People kept saying how they miss the heat of summer and how they’re looking forward to a snow day and those gardeners, oh my the gardeners.  They have already placed their orders for next spring’s bulbs and vines. 

Perhaps this week, I will get out my rust and gold colored cheerleading sweater and my amber pom poms and begin my cheers early in the morning and encourage all of autumn’s adoring fans who are a bit shy to step out of their summer comfort zones and encourage them to trim back the leftover tulip and iris stalks and stock up on purple mums and all things pumpkin and scarecrow like.  It’s time to be loud and support our glorious autumn.

Three cheers for leaves changing gold.

Red and orange and all of them bold.

With our might we’ll cheer you on

And bring home a victory for Autumn.

(I know.  It’s not a great cheer, but I elected myself Captain and not Chant Writer and Coordinator.  Maybe you could step up and help me cheer Autumn on and be our Team Writer!!)

Kaleidoscope

yellow diamonds flit across the open space and hold hands with coins of ruby

bumping into one another

forcing the other to make room for the iridescent majestic lilac clovers

changing with every motion

wondrous new vision enlightens the mind with each passing movement

no time for pondering

no time to go back

only forward motion creates

electric green, ice blue

energy for the soul

twisting and turning, ever changing

blink and it will transform and never be what it once was, only seconds ago

taken in sedona circa 2009

Awaiting its Arrival

It's no secret that autumn is my very favorite season.   I'm not quite about it.  

There is something intangible about this time of year that words cannot express for me. 

It quiets my soul.  It creates a peace inside my every bone that carries me through the day. 

 I can breathe deeper than at other times in the year.  

I don't know why.  

I am more aware of my feelings and thoughts and emotions and those of my loved ones as well.  

It draws me into a space that comforts me and soothes every worry.   

It delights my senses.  Apples. Cinnamon.  Pumpkin.  

I see more during the months to come.  I feel more.   

I don't know why.  

Fall is a time of renewal and contemplation; a time to brush away the old, 
tuck away the heat of the summer and breathe in the crisp vanilla air.  

I am ready for the change of colors.  

I am ready for wet streets in the evening as the mist comes across the peak.  

I am ready for the change of the season guard.  

I am awaiting its arrival at this very moment.

Awaiting its arrival...

  

my instagram of a bush awaiting autumn on my walk this morning

This Moment Is Enough

spirit awakens early to rustling of leaves

joyous time of thought fills my soul

wanting more, having more, needing nothing less than now

this moment is enough

the autumnal breeze though cool, warms my heart this day

open to the newness of change

this moment is enough

photo credit - google images

Action Is The Best Weed Killer

I went for another walk this morning and boy was it gorgeous out.  The air couldn’t have felt better.  The sprinklers were going and the birds were bathing in the arches of water in the yards.  A neighbor was getting a new sidewalk poured and others were walking their little ones to school.  I sat for a few moments on the bench at the park around the corner from us and just took in all the blue sky that I could.   I felt so at peace.

As I headed home the other direction, my thoughts began to turn toward the day and what needed to get done when a dandelion caught my attention in the corner of our yard. 

Uuughhh.   

The yard has been looking so good lately and it irritated me that it was rearing its lovely yellow head in my lovely green yard.

It made me think for a minute.

That little weed changed my mood for a moment. 

It irritated me. 

It made me realize I have work to do in the yard.  It was something that required my action and attention. If I just ignored it and let it be, it would eventually become fluffy and white and scatter all over the lawn and create an even bigger mess for me later on.  I needed to take care of it and not put it off. 

We all have “weeds” in our lives that need our attention.  Maybe the junk drawer is your weed and creates a tension in you when you can’t find the scissors over and over.  Or perhaps getting the oil changed in the car has been on your list of things to do for two weeks, but you never find time.  We all know where that story leads if it is ignored for too long.  Instead of a $39 oil change it becomes bad rods and bearings and engine wear and a bill of $659 plus labor and two days without your car.  All that from one weed.

As I came back into the house, I thought about that little weed and how it’s actually an opportunity for action.  Weeds require me to do something. 

I have several weeds growing in the yard of life as I type this and know that if I just clean out the front closet or straighten up the garage or balance my checkbook and do the necessary action on my part, the weed will disappear.  Action is the best weed killer there is and think I might need to get on my hands and knees and pull some weeds today.

Breathing Deeply

I love to walk in the morning right after I drop the boys at school.  It’s a beautiful time of day and find it sets me on the right track for all that lies ahead of me throughout the days’ events. 

It’s my breathe deep time.   

I’ve found that my day truly is calmer and runs more smoothly if I do this self-care practice.  It only takes about forty minutes, but it’s my forty minutes to think and ponder and pray and breathe and smile and fill my lungs with the freshest of mountain air there is.  I need this time to center myself and remember what my priorities are and make sure my actions mirror them. 

Everyone needs this kind of time to be alone and appreciate all that is ours.

The sunlight is perfect at this time and sparkles on the dew that covers everything. The sidewalks are wet from the sprinklers in the yards and the flowers are opening back up from a night’s sleep. I wish I could bottle up this time and open it whenever I need.

Once I’m home, I usually sit on the back deck and listen to the leaves and the birds and breathe in all that is mine for the day.

I hope this week you will find time to fuel your soul and center yourself before you’re off and running for the day.  Take that time to breathe deeply and remind yourself of all the beauty that is in your life right now and appreciate all the good that surrounds you.  

Here’s to breathing deeply and refreshing your soul.