Fauna Inspire Us

Yesterday morning my sons pointed out special visitors in our backyard - a small flock of wild turkey hens! Regarded by Native Americans as "powerful spirit warriors," the turkeys raised my own spirits as I beheld them on this dark and rainy morning.

We tiptoed outside to get a closer look, but the turkeys noticed us nonetheless and decided that they didn't want to stay after all. Still, we were happy for their foray into our "neck of the woods."

Although many in the flock began to flap their wings when they caught sight of us, the leader kept her beak up and calmly led them into the woods. Fauna travel in groups and remind us that together, we too can be beautiful.

All of Life Shines

I spent much of my time over the past two weekends at the baseball fields.

The sky was clear and the sun illuminated each of my two boys at play.

A visit to Idylwilde Farm left me in awe of the hibiscus in the parking lot, their petals wide open as if to embrace me.

Back home I spent some quiet time tending to all my house plants...

...some faring better than others but all of them forgiving and responsive to my TLC. All of life shines when you take the time to notice it, tend to it, and love it.

Water Calls Out to Us

Over the past couple of weekends, my husband, sons and I were fortunate to spend time with friends in the Berkshires and at Lake Champlain. Our first excursion saw us at the covered bridge in Sheffield, MA, watching the sun set over the Housatonic River.

The following afternoon, after a steep four-hour hike to and from a point on the Appalachian Trail, we went to Shadowland Cove in Cheshire, MA to visit an old friend of mine who owns a house on the lake.

We moved quietly along the water on my friend's pontoon boat, stopping to visit a small island and to allow my sons to jump off and go for a swim.

On Sunday we went to the Berkshires Arts Festival at Ski Butternut in Great Barrington, MA. The sun shone on the artwork and on this pretty pond on the Butternut property.

In Wesport, NY, at another friend's house for the long Labor Day weekend, I rose early every morning to meditate at the dock on Hunter's Point, overlooking Lake Champlain. On my first morning, I caught remnants of the blue moon.

On the second morning, the eastern sun, the clouds, and the ripples in the water created by the gentle breeze filled out the scene.

And on the third morning, the intense blue of the sky was reflected in the water, the blue moon an eye in the distance. I flashed back to the joy of the past two weekends, and I felt immense gratitude for our friends and for the time we spent with them. I left Lake Champlain feeling peaceful and recharged.

Water calls out to us and cleanses us, allowing us to clearly see and enjoy all the beauty and love that surrounds us every day.