Rainbows & Hummingbirds

Some years ago, I discovered a perfect time to water my gardens. Perched high aloft on our deck, the forest shades my beds while the hose water prisms with sunlight. I no longer "have to go water the gardens", rather I "get to go make rainbows". This year, in one particular spot a young, female hummingbird joins me. She watches from the perimeter, seemingly to make sure I acknowledge her. Only after I have done so does she fly into the spray & dance in the shower. She alights on a young sumac tree, each morning where she flaps & preens. What a joy !!
I am reminded of a sentiment of Sarah ban Breathnach: "'Simple Abundance' has enabled me to encounter everyday epiphanies, find the Sacred in the ordinary, the [miraculous] in the mundane, fully enter into the sacrament of the present moment." The Hand of God at work is quite easy to see in the smallest of moments, when I simply pause to look with care.

Peeking Around the Corner

I have been merely noticing from afar, rather then closely watching. As the red, "spring-break," flowers of the forest bloomed cheerily in my forest yard, I simply gazed upon from high aloft. Life has had a way of imposing itself on my serenity of late.
While walking up the street one morning, something brilliantly contrasted against the corner brick caught my eye. The owner is one who watches from her front porch & she had not yet spied them. Days later, when I returned for a closer look, through my lens, she still hadn't made her way 'round from her perch. When I made my way closer, I was met with an unusual treat, rather than the kind I had expected. I was reminded anew of the glorious embellishments God provides for those who pause long enough to notice. I am striving to return to that way of seeing.

Selective Memory

No longer welcome where once I watched, I sat on the corner of the pond up near my home. It was still quite dark & the bare, street light, once hidden in a tangle of trumpet-flower vines, glared overhead. I peered into the darkness across the shore, but the bench could not be seen. My best images of it are in my heart, but it is vaguely seen to the right of the swing in this shot.
Alone this morning, I could have easily slipped over undetected. I chose to stay where I was & lose myself in happy memories. For many years, & across all seasons, I sat on the bench praising, praying, visiting & of course, fishing with my son. It was a favorite place for me to watch God paint the morning sky, His colors mirrored on the water. My final memory there was shared, morning laughter over warm, blueberry muffins & coffee. What fondness this memory brought to me as my heart returned to those times!...It briefly crossed my mind that I had been chased away so much, this could not have possibly been my last time there...I chose -quite purposefully- however, to rewrite history & leave my final moment there, with a beloved friend...
How poignant & ironic that upon my return from work this evening the familiar railroad-ties were gone. How amazing that the Lord should draw me over for the last sunrise the bench would see.

Do You Ever Wonder? I Do!

While many were still wondering if winter would ever end, I spied God's handiwork of new life beginning. I have been watching the slow growth of the buds on the lilacs, & the labor pains of the soil as growth erupts from beneath. Enveloped in icy casings, I watched the buds of spring leaves stay strong through a late, winter roar. I noticed the beavers had gotten cabin fever & emerged from some preliminary work. I saw the robins amassing & heard the return of the ovenbirds & wrens...along with countless others.


The blossoming of spring bulbs has ushered in a new excitement, but in ways it is bittersweet. The winter lines of the forest, which I cherish so greatly, are already changing form. Their buds are altering them & I cherish these last days of far-off views & our Creator's amazing handiwork of branch & tree...Just as so many of His blessings that we take for granted, they will soon be covered for a time. It isn't until the waning of winter that they are seen to their fullest, as the early winds of spring clear out the autumn leaves that have hung in place. I especially enjoy the forest in the moonlight.


I was reminded this evening, how so many of God's amazing, artistic touches go unseen, though constantly renewed before our eyes. There is such an abundance of creative treasures...touches of "The Master's Hand"...that people become blind to them. They are dismissed as "ordinary". So many people forget to "wonder"...Perhaps, as the new life of spring erupts around you, you will allow yourself to pause....and get lost in many moments of wonderment!

Letting in the Light

Many people spent "Black Friday" wrestling with crowds, impatience, & desire. Most of our holiday shopping was accomplished throughout the year & we chose a quiet, yet active, day in our home. We had more of a "spring cleaning" sort of day as we vacuumed under everything that could be overturned or moved. Window seats were cleared, curtains were hung across bookshelves, & area rugs were either tossed or rearranged. Our hibernation retreat feels somehow new & fresh.Our home is small by the standards of many, but it suits us well. It is a rectangle divided in 1/2 with one end as our bath & sleeping quarters. I call the rest of our home, "The Room". Three sides have large windows which radiate forest light, creating a roomy feel.
Separated by a corner island, our kitchen allows the "chef & clean-up staff" to be a part of things. Our computer is next to sliding glass doors, where I look over the lake, & often the setting sun, as I work. Along with the "computer room", this space includes a toy/play room, dining, sitting, library, & office areas, as well as our living room & of course, my art studio. I once had students exclaim, "You must have a huge house!". I replied, "Actually, it is all one room...it just depends on what we are doing in it at the time."
Once again, I arrive at the way one chooses to see. Our streamlined, "new home" now feels much larger than the day before as I prepared food for our holiday meal. The light from the nearly bare forest brightens our home all the more this time of year. Despite the shortened days, it is a time for new light & new beginnings. Fresh flowers, a new collection of fragrances wafting from the glow of candles, & time with family is how we chose to begin our journey towards the winter months.