Tag Archives: nature

Come Out And Play?

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I was headed out for work yesterday when I found this cute little toad waiting at the screen door to the porch. He seemed to be asking if I could come out and play.

I was in a rush but did pause a moment to say hello to my little visitor and to snap a photo. After having his photo made, he very politely moved aside so I could leave.

I have a number of toads and frogs in my yard on any given day and I especially enjoy hearing their chorus of trills, croaks, peeps and chirps. Never heard a toad before? You’re in for a treat. Click here to have a listen.

I know people who complain about the sounds of country creatures but I think they make life more special.

Making friends with the neighbors is always a good idea!

Stand Still

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Stand still.

Take a deep breath.

And another.

Close your eyes and take another deep breath.

Feel your feet pressing into the ground.

Need to breathe again? Do it as much as you wish.

When you are calm and centered, you are stronger and more confident. You are better ready to face what’s ahead. And while nature has an amazing healing power, don’t think you should wait until you’re outdoors like here in the Hocking Hills State Park. Try it in your back yard or next your bed when you wake up

Ready?

Let’s go tackle the day. It’s Thursday, friends. You’ve got this.

Good Morning

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Enjoy this beautiful day, friends!

Rainbow Over Shoshoni

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Last October, my Wyoming pal and I found ourselves worrying about the dark skies ahead on a lonely stretch of highway somewhere between Casper and Cody.

We did run into some rain but it wasn’t bad at all. As the shower was ending, we stopped at a convenience store in Shoshoni in search of a clean bathroom and road snacks. When we stepped outside, we saw this rainbow.

We admired it for a moment and I grabbed a couple of photos because rainbows are special and beautiful no matter where they appear.

But I came home and looked at the photos with an honest eye: the street, vacant lot, and power lines really don’t make a great backdrop. I mean, I went all the way to Wyoming and this rainbow couldn’t have shown itself over a mountain or something?

Good gravy.

But I stand by my belief that rainbows are special everywhere and that even an ugly spot can be made nicer with help from nature. And what’s wrong with appreciating the world for what it is? Perfection is boring. Flaws create interest and spark conversation.

This isn’t a cheesy AI generated image or a carefully posed Instagram photo.

This is real life. While not always perfect, real life is pretty great.

Light and color illuminate the world and make the ugly bits that much nicer. And if we can’t appreciate the good when it’s improving a place, will we truly appreciate the good when it’s in just the right spot?

I’m going to stick with appreciating pretty things like rainbows wherever they may appear. Perfection is overrated!

Life’s Storms

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Southern Ohio was smacked with a bad storm last night. Rain came down in torrents and thunder shook the walls. We aren’t out of the woods yet. It’s calm and quiet this morning but a tornado watch is in effect till 11 am.

There’s flooding throughout the county and trees down, making the morning commute challenging if not impossible for many.

But if you go in my backyard, you’ll find that the storm that literally uprooted mighty trees had little impact on delicate flowers.

These lilies still stand. These lilies that I didn’t even plant, that showed up one day and grew without my permission, continue to stand without a petal out of place.

These little flowers came from starts given to me by a neighbor. The rain did beat some of them down but I suspect, with a little support, they will stand again.

Nature is an incredible thing, isn’t it? From its healing powers to its beauty and ability to withstand and adapt to whatever is necessary, nature is amazing.

These flowers are a good allegory for us today. Like these lilies, there are some people who can weather any storm. They come out on the other side with not even a hair out of place.

And some people will get knocked down but you don’t need to worry about them. They’ll get up again, especially if they have a little help. They’re resilient and will be fine.

Whatever storm you have to weather, remember if the flowers can do it, so can you.

Lighting The Darkness

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I saw lightening bugs last night. Perhaps you call them fireflies where you live. Whatever you call them, they were prolific.

It had been a long day. A work function kept me out later than normal so I was over caffeinated and excited to kick off my shoes.

I live in very rural, forested area where people show affection by reminding you to watch out for deer. There’s a reason for that as we probably have more deer than people. I wasn’t looking forward to dodging them in the darkness and was excited to just be home.

And then it happened. A flash of gold in the darkness and then another and another and another until the entire landscape was illuminated by these tiny flying beetles.

They kept me company much of the way home and I was glad. It seems that I see fewer every year. Loss of habitat, light pollution, pavement, and short cut grass are all contributing factors to their decline.

I was reminded of catching them as a kid. I don’t recall wanting to keep them but did like catching them in cupped hands and then releasing them back into the night.

In a world that seems defined by so much loss these days, it was reassuring to see they’re still hanging on.

I appreciate the natural world and especially like things that shine a light into the darkness. Would a lightening bug prevent me from hitting a deer? No. But I sure did feel less alone in the darkness with them lighting the way.

Want to help lightening bugs (or fireflies) thrive in your backyard? This website has some great information. Maybe if enough of us try, we can keep them thriving for future generations to chase and enjoy.