Listen to the Forest

The first time I approached this home I was enamored with how it nestled into the forest & towered above the lake. Walking around back, I scanned the scene below & listened to the song of the waterfall as it cascaded into the cove beneath. "Wouldn't this be a great place for a kid to grow up !?! " ~~~ 12 years have passed & the forest is alive with the sound of boys running & laughing, exploring & discovering. We are so very blessed !
Yesterday, my son & his friend prepared to climb into the pool. Without looking up from my gardens I reminded them, "Listen to the forest. It is beginning to murmur & sing." Both boys paused & looked skyward. I heard my son explain, "When a storm is coming, the trees begin to warn each other. One tells another, who tells another... They tell when it is coming & when it is close." His buddy replied, "Yeah, we better wait."
I LOVE that they know that !


The other evening, as neighbors contemplated taking refuge in their crawlspaces, I stood out on our deck storm-watching. I listened to the forest & to songbirds calling out their final warnings. The sky deepened from greys to blues & into the night. Rose colored flashes, punctuated by slow moving streaks of pink lightening illuminated the trees. The clouds darkened & swirled overhead, clearly traveling quickly & in different directions. I actually witnessed fingers of different sizes twisting high aloft. It was amazing & invigorating, but strangely enough, not the least bit scary.

"Shiny, Happy People"

The scout leader set the telescope up, before he was called to another task. I watched as the cubs took turns peeking at a close up view of the moon. I love watching the delight & wonder of children!!
Some toddlers can paralyze even the most grizzled heart with their "cute rays.". One such baby peered into the the site of the telescope & exclaimed, "Ees shiny! Ees shiny !!!" I didn't have the heart to tell him he was seeing a speck instead of the close up, & I asked, "Is it made of cheese?" "No, Ees shiny! Ees shiny all over da moon !!!"
When the scout leader returned, he readjusted the telescope & showed the wee one how to properly peer through it. I sat at just the right angle to watch the reflection on the boy's eye. As he landed on the moon, both of his eyes doubled in size, as did his delight.
"Ees shiny people! Ees little, shiny people... Little, shiny people on da moon!!"
Days later I remain warmed & amused by the wonder of a child.

Groundhog Tales

This year, I haven't sen Pat coming, nor going from under the shed. In early spring, I popped up from behind a slope & startled her in a very advanced stage of pregnancy. The groundhog was so terrified , she attempted to climb a tree! She made it a good 4 feet up, before falling & lumbering away as fast as her belly would allow. Yesterday, I spied a young one in the neighboring hillside. Whenever I walked inside, it would run under the shed, but when I came out, it felt free to graze. Too funny !

Compared To....Who?

We had spoken of comparing ourselves to others. In doing so, we completely miss the point. Keeping up with the Jones' leads us far away from the mark for which we should be aiming. We cannot judge ourselves by what others do or find acceptable. We must only look to Christ to find out who *He* wants us to be.
After group,I stood in the church parking lot & gazed above the warehouse rooftops, watching as God began a spectacular show of light & hue. I stood watching Him paint the blue sky with lavender-grey clouds & spread a beautiful peach light across their bellies... I called out, "Wait ! You're missing the show ! He's just getting started!" People were calling out to one another as they climbed into their cars & left. How could they just ignore this? I walked across the parking lot & reached for my camera, but I never took a shot. Looking up, I realized from where most of the cars had been, the brilliance of His work was out of view. If they had remained where they were, they would have missed it entirely. It is easy to judge others with our own, limited vision but the closest we can come to seeing through their eyes is to try to see through His.

Lost in a Rose

Roses have been unfurling daily. The pink ones, planted in honor of Momma are especially splendid this year...the size of one's face ! Red ones climb the side of my home towards the peak, while others cascade across the deck & steps behind my bedroom & kitchen windows. I have never been able to capture roses on film, particularly well, yet I forge ahead in my attempts. I love immersing myself in the fragrance & delicate softness. I become gentler when I get lost in a rose; watching them arise & awaken. Here are a few of my views from inside these gifts of our Creator-God...


(I believe Georgia O'Keefe would be fond of this one.)