We didn’t get a lot of snow, but that didn’t stop St. Louisans from making the absolute most of what was there. People still went sledding down Art Hill, as evidenced by the myriad of tracks. And people still built snow people — lots of snow people. Little snow people. A Wilford Brimley snow person….
Category: nature
Snowy Saturday
My first snowy run of the season. A little slushy and sloppy, but not bad at all. And of course I had to look for faces. This one cracked me up because it looked like a grumpy cartoon. And this one seemed to be the result of a dog slipping, which made the expression appropriate.
And yooou are…?
This lovely creature took some time to rest in my back yard this morning. And this was the look that was sent my way when I disturbed him/her. The definition of stink eye.
Reflecting on Betty and Bob
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.” – Eden Ahbez, “Nature Boy” Gotta give credit to 2021 and 2022; it’s been a fairly seamless handoff of bad news. Somehow we managed to close one year with the death of Betty White and open another with death of Sidney…
Aftermath
“Sometimes pictures don’t do justice to the stunning sunsets you see, to the shining stars you notice above, to the moon that catches your breath. But the same thing applies to you. Sometimes the beauty in you cannot be captured, it’s felt.” – @higherperspective This photo is hazy, out of focus and clearly does not…
Smile
“But God can only smile because only God can know what is coming next.” – Desmond Tutu This was the oddest and most unexpected sunrise through the fog this morning. The color literally only lasted a few minutes and then faded back to gray. It was like a momentary gift for those lucky enough to…
Silent Sunday
Just a chilly morning walk by the river and a thick fog made for a perfect Silent Sunday.
Winter Solstice
May the longest night and the shortest daybring rest to your mind and soul, I pray. May you find guidance and may you find peace,as the cycle of light will slowly increase. Embrace the magic that the darkness bears.Breathe deep in the chill and shift in the air. May you always be blessed with the…
Timeout
“There’s a big difference between empty fatigue and gratifying exhaustion. So don’t just settle. Life is too short. Study your daily habits and routines, figure out where your time and energy goes, …then remove needless distractions. It is time to focus more on what matters most.” – @marcandangel Lately I have to admit that I’ve…
Hey there, friends
Day 29 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A secret delight. Answer: I actually laughed a bit at this prompt. I’m not sure what this prompt is going for, but I had a vision of eating a pint of Haagen Dazs and reading a Harlequin romance novel in bed with my comforter pulled over my head or…
Repeat
“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” —Rachel Carson Day 28 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Your favorite thing about nature. Answer: Besides everything? The above quote is my favorite thing about nature. I find so much comfort in the rhythm…
Stop and smell the…
Day 24 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A favorite scent. Answer: Lilacs. Any shade, any variety. I routinely adjust my running route based on lilac bushes blooming in my area. And I have no issue coming to a complete stop in the middle of the sidewalk and just breathing it in. I don’t even bother…
Joy
I spotted this little heart yesterday and it felt like a love note from earth. Day 22 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: An everyday item that brings you joy. Answer: The little heart leaf brought me a great deal of joy, but that’s not something you see everyday. So I will say my standing mixer….
Simple Secret
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – The Little Prince As I tried to finish out my work day, I could tell that I was missing a gorgeous sky show outside. Admittedly,…
Second Act
Check out yesterday’s sky at sunrise when I took the dog out… …and then an hour later when I left for work. I had assumed the sky show would be over once the colors faded. Imagine my surprise when I walked out the door again and saw the show was simply in its second act….
Light and Luxury
Can we take a few moments to admire the ridiculousness that was the late afternoon light in the park this afternoon? Everything looked like it had a golden filter applied. Such a beautiful afternoon. We walked and walked and walked. And Finn has slept and slept and slept ever since. 🙂 And we met three…
This and That
This fading Black-eyed Susan made me laugh. It looks like it has eyeballs. And there are still just a few trees left determined to keep the fall color show going. Day 8 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A beautiful sound. Answer: The obvious answer would be music, especially Christmas music. Whitney Houston in the Preacher’s Wife…
Frost Flowers
Several years ago I read about something called “frost flowers” and I’ve wanted to see one in person ever since. But the timing (a brief window in late fall) and conditions have to be just right (first hard freezes have arrived, but ground is still warm) for these ribbons of ice crystals to form, so…
Simple
Day 5 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: An item you use every day. Answer: My cell phone camera.
Well, Yellow There…
Three words: Gingkos are magic. It’s not often that I have to wait for people in the park to leave my frame so I can take a photo of something, but the gingkoes had a lot of people stopping in their tracks and wandering off the paths. Little kids tossed leaf piles in the air…
30 Days of Gratitude
The other day I got an email from a magazine I used to subscribe to (Bella Grace) and it included a link to an item called “30 Days of Gratitude.” It’s a 30-day calendar with a prompt each day to, well, promote gratitude. Here’s the intro: “There is always something to be grateful for, we…
Small journeys
On the way to the office this morning, I realized how much being home for the last year and a half has made me enjoy getting out and about — so much that I even appreciate the stoplights along my route to work. I love to look around, see what’s developing (in nature or man-made)….
Yellow
So far this fall has been the season of red. But I’m thinking yellow deserves some serious love for its showing as well.
Good choice
Every day you have an important choice to make. Whether to cherish or waste the most valuable blessing you have – time. Today you have the choice to spend it wisely, appreciating every minute of your life, loving the people that love you, focusing on all the good you have. Find what makes you happy,…
hey there, friends 