Six Word Fridays ~ Rain

Not a cloud in the sky...
but the golden leaves fall like
rain, floating on the autumn breeze.

Please join in the Friday fun!

Caption a photo, share a poem

or tell a story. Just remember,

only six words in each line!

November Haiku

as reds go gray and

color fades, chilly winds howl

chasing fall away




Linking up with
Little Things Thursday
and
Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

Saturday

It's a beautiful day.

I'm off to wander about.

In the Twinkling of an Eye.....

Twinkle twinkle little stars

Hanging on the tree you are!

Up above my world so high

Twinkling as the breeze blows by

Twinkle, twinkle up above

Filling me with more fall love!

Leaf by leaf you fill the sky

Leaving me to just ask why....

...why you must fall to the ground?

So later as I look around,

Pretty, twinkling little star

I will wonder where you are...



Joining Kim for
Little Things Thursday
 and Mama Kat for her
Writer's Workshop

Falling Into Winter

The heat went on early this morning. We awoke to the pattering of rain and the blustering of wind, limbs and leaves. As the morning continued, the temperatures dropped and we saw the first snowfall of the season. I believe the weatherman would call it a "wintry mix" .... I just kept thinking, "Is this a trick or a treat?"

Grabbing my camera, I cracked the windows, opened the doors...even stepped out on the stoop for a few minutes. I felt like a kid in a candy store ~ new and pretty things to see every where I looked.

The small evergreen in our back yard had, I guess, tried to dress up as a deciduous tree for Halloween. The leaves he'd caught for his costume were quickly blowing away...and I imagine he was pleased to get back to acting like the sturdy tree that he is. This sudden climate change is no challenge for him!

I do love it when winter pushes her way onto the scene early and begins to strut her stuff with all the glorious fall colors for a back drop. It's a mis-match made in heaven!

The ground caught no fallen snow today....just piles and piles of wet, fallen leaves. It was a perfect day for blankets, hot tea, cooking and gazing lazily out the window. Welcome November.

Linking up with

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Oh, October....

October carried me. Cradled me. Spoiled me.
As I hiked and climbed and wandered...as I watched the leaves paint the landscape, my heart filled to overflowing. Each trail, pond-scape and tree told its own tale. And I was like a child during story time. Eyes wide. Still. My full self hanging on every word. As the plot came to life before me, I was, once again, profoundly comforted by nature's parable.

Each season of change tells me that the now is ever moving. That what was, what is and what will be are ever and forever intertwined. I'm learning, yes still learning, to be unfinished. To accept - no - to enjoy being unfinished. As one tree holds on to the vibrant green of summer, the tree next to it is a fiery mixture of golds and oranges and reds. A quick glance in any direction will reveal yet another tree that is almost naked and bony, having lost all its leafy adornment. Pieces of yesterday, now and tomorrow weave an elegant tapestry right before my eyes. There are no questions of importance or of right and wrong. No notion of success or failure. Rather, each small part adds something to the ever changing narrative.

As I drank in October, I learned that unfinished is spectacular. And enough.

Self acceptance grows.
And I am comforted.

Sharing my Photo-Heart Connection with Kat Eye Studio

Magical Maple

Somewhere there's a maple tree

that caught the afternoon sun and 

cast a spell on me.

Lured me near.

On my way to the leafy carpet laid out beneath her branches

I read an important looking sign

which said that I was standing on the site

of Paul Revere's capture.

I glanced from the sign,

to the tree...

to my feet and back to the tree.

Was this tree here that night?

Did she hear the "One if by land, Two if by sea" warning?

I wondered.

As I wondered,

I wandered under the branches

and soon found myself lying on the ground with the leaves.

This was my quintessential fall moment.

the leaves

the light

the colors

the fresh air and musty leaf smell

a bit of history

and

of course

my camera

Joining Tamar for
The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and Kat for her
Writer's Workshop

Afternoon at Walden Pond

Yesterday was such a perfect fall day...sunshine and pumpkin spice kissed the treetops.

Bathed in warmth, families played, couples walked and loners wandered.

Bold leaves held silly bugs....camouflaged and looking cute.

This photographer chose to focus on the many little details of the changing scenery....

....and watched in awe as the camera turned the backdrop into a wonderful watercolor!

Joining with

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Raindrops

these raindrops were not on roses

and I found no whiskers
or kittens

but after I got caught in the rain
last weekend

the raindrops and wet leaves
quickly became
a few of my favorite things

Joining Kim for

Little Things Thursday

Black & White Wednesday ~ Answer?

the answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
the answer is blowin' in the wind
{bob dylan}




Join us here and share your
Black & White images!
I'm also linking up with Communal Global

Hangin' On!

Three months ago I wrote this post that was inspired by the lyrics to

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.

I shared about a few things I learned climbing Smith Rock in central Oregon.

I also wrote this about that climb.

I shared about what a milestone moment that was for me - 

the accomplishment of a goal that had long been a dream.

Well, yesterday I climbed another mountain.

This climb was a bit higher.

The trail was just a bit longer.

And getting to "the top" 

{we didn't make it all the way to the summit - but almost!}

was both beautiful and inspiring.

HOWEVER...
the trails that we took were
SO MUCH HARDER
than anything I'd ever attempted before!
Very rocky.
Full of leaves...often slippery leaves...
and a fair bit of mud and water.
As we were climbing,
I kept repeating to myself,
"I know this is good for me...I know this is good for me."
I grabbed hold of any random root, or tree branch or solid rock that might help to pull me up.
On the way down those same roots acted as footholds
and the trees were there to lean on so I wouldn't slip or fall.
I was as moody as the overcast day,
and had to really fight to just keep moving forward.
A day that began as a fun-fall-bucket-list kind of day
asked so much more of me than I had anticipated.

I'm about six months into a wellness journey.

A journey that has been filled with victory, beauty and inspiration.

I've even inspired myself once or twice!

But it is just that.

A journey.

It's not a destination, or a summit or a short-term fix for what ails me.

It's a life long journey.

And I "get that" now in ways I never have before.

As I made my way down the mountain,

I smiled

{yes, there was some smiling!}

as I leaned into a sturdy tree.

Or slid on my bum down the side of a steep rock.

Or handed my husband my camera bag to put in his backpack.

Or reached out to take his hand as he helped me navigate our descent.

Yes...

the inside-of-my-heart smile grew larger

as each muscle and joint grew more and more tired.

Though this journey is mine.

All mine.

Of my choosing and by my will...

though this journey is

MINE

one thing is crystal clear.

I am not alone.

I have the support of a fantastic group of health care professionals.

I have the encouragement of family and friends.

And I have the hand of my 

patient

steady

sure-footed

rock

of a husband.

Always there to keep me going.

Although yesterday was very different and much harder than I had anticipated,

I'm still going to file it as wonderful.

"Oh, it's such a perfect day

I'm glad I spent it with you

Oh such a perfect day

You just keep me hanging on

You just keep me hanging on"

Lou Reed

Linking up with friends for
The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and
Song-ogrphy