Yesterday I went out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum with a friend and communed with the towering trees, inhaled the sweet soft scents of flowers in bloom and wandered on many paths nested in between all kinds of growing things.
Whenever I go out into the woods or into nature I feel like I am
Worshiping in God’s Cathedral
On bright September days, when the sun is shining, humidity is low, and the temperature is just right, I love going wandering at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (or anywhere out in nature). It felt especially bright this week because it was the first time I went somewhere besides the neighborhood, grocery store, or hospital in over a month.
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”
― Walden
The signs of fall are showing up everywhere I look as trees begin changing into their fall wardrobe of yellows, oranges, and reds. Though I didn’t really expect to see a lot of flowering plants this time of year, I was surprised at the abundance and variety of flowers still in bloom. The Arboretum’s annual flower display is vivid, bright and beautiful.
“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.”
―
Bird Tales
At home the female hummingbirds are still coming to my hummingbird feeder though the male hummingbirds have already migrated south for the winter. Two female hummingbirds battle for the feeder several times daily as the two feisty females fight to protect what they consider to be their personal food source. I find their darting, hovering and quick changes of direction amazing aeronautic feats. Whenever I see them through my kitchen window I stop and quietly watch them until they fly away. It’s such fun to see them right outside the kitchen window. At certain times of day I think that the hummers must see a reflection of the red feeder on the window glass. Every so often one of them shyly approaches the window, looking carefully before deciding that there is no food to be had there. I also see them frequently visiting the flowers that I planted in front of the house, going from blossom to blossom drinking nectar.
Squirrels — Oh No!
After a peaceful squirrel free summer, a squirrel has discovered that he can leap from the roof of our house to the top of the bird feeder pole and from there get to the one non-squirrel-proof feeder that I had hanging on the pole. I headed to the bird feed store today to buy a new squirrel-proof feeder and a hummingbird finial for the top of the bird feeder pole. I wonder how the squirrel will respond to the situation. Hopefully this will eliminate the his (or her) intrusions at the feeders. I don’t mind feeding the squirrels a little bit, but they eat so much food so quickly!
The new squirrel-proof feeder (left) and hummingbird finial on bird feeder pole
We have also had visitations of little red squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits under the bird feeders, cleaning up any seed that the birds happened to drop. As I watch the many goldfinches gathered at the feeders outside my window right now I see what messy eaters they are. For every morsel that gets into their beaks it seems they fling one or two morsels of food to the ground. Other birds seek out the shelled peanuts in one of the bird food mixes that I buy. When they find a peanut I see them flying away, peanut in beak, to a nearby tree to eat their special treat.
“The universe is composed of subjects to be communed with, not objects to be exploited. Everything has its own voice. Thunder and lightening and stars and planets, flowers, birds, animals, trees, ~~ all these have voices, and they constitute a community of existence that is profoundly related.”
— Thomas Berry
Simple Pleasures
It feels like such luxury to sit back and enjoy simple pleasures like taking a walk in nature, watching the birds at the bird feeders, or hanging out on the porch swing. After the past month, I treasure these moments even more. Facing a serious illness of a loved one reminded me of all of the blessings that I have in my life. Counting blessings brings me joy. What brings you joy my friends? What blessings are you grateful for?
“We lose our souls if we lose the experience of the forest, the butterflies, the song of the birds, if we can’t see the stars at night.”
— Thomas Berry
May you walk in beauty.
Me, in front of our house
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