If you aren't able to get out in Nature at this moment,
may these picture suffice,
bringing you the beauty and solace this walk did for me.
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| Alder Reflections |
It was pouring all morning then this afternoon I noticed it stopped and suddenly the sun came out. I went outside to bring in firewood, and the raindrops sparkling on everything like gems drew me out for a longer perusal.
On my way down the mountain (I live on a small ridge in the Appalachias of northern Virginia), I stopped at the hives and checked on them as I am wont to do whenever I am near. I noticed a bee at an entrance with its tongue out getting water from a rain drop. :) It's too cold and wet for them to actually leave the hive.
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| Goodness, I love that green color. |
I brave gentle rain to stay out I am enjoying myself so much; it being warm enough in February for this is the new normal. I'm not even dressed all that warm (sweater and scarf); am a bit cold, but less than a mile from home.
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| Happy Moss |
I went to my most regular woodland sit spot,
the place where when I go there I feel like I am coming home,
home unto myself. The Self that is everything and nothing at once.
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| Where the flowing waters wash my spirit clean. |
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| Microcosm within Macrocosm |
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| Tiny fungal start |
As soon as I came in from my couple-hour-ramble-through-the-woods it started absolutely pouring, a full-on deluge. I feel I am on the "right" schedule when my timing is this impeccable. I was not dressed to be caught out in it; but I was in the moment and willing to take the chance.
"Come forth into the light of things; let nature be your teacher"
- Wordsworth
This Sycamore tree in the next picture is such a great example of strength and perseverance. Over years the stream has flooded and carved out the earth that used to hold its roots, but still it remains out in the open, exposed and only half supported, but still full of life.
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| Seeming to sit, perched in the air. |
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| Witch's Butter Brewing |
Now that I am constructing this blog, it has turned into a thunder storm with crashes and flashes right outside the window. This has happened the past couple of winters, but never in my life before, thunderstorms in winter. "The times they are a changin'."
I am sad to see that there are areas of these woods where the ground, the fertile seedbed of tomorrow, is covered with the invasive Bittersweet berries/seeds (picture above). This plant was not noticeably here when I moved here over 18 years ago and now it pervades. It is not readily edible or medicinal, being more on the poison end of the spectrum and wild life does not seem to favor it. I hope it's not the next Kudzu, because it'd be worse - at least Kudzu is a great edible/medicinal plant. This next picture shows Sycamore seeds - a beloved tree and one of my first tattoos.
“I only went out for a walk
and finally concluded to stay out till sundown,
for going out, I found, was really going in.”
- John Muir
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| Lake Rorschach |
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| A language as old as these hills |
Update: The thunderstorm resulted in losing electricity mid-blog, and for 5 hours. This always drives home how much I/we rely on electricity. Candles were lit and books read!
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