The sun called today. He asked if I wanted to come out to play. “Of course,” I said, “You’ve been away so long I thought you were never coming back. I would love to get together, I’ll meet you at the lake.” He was waiting for me when I arrived. His smile was dazzling and reflected … Continue reading The Sun Called Today
Nature
Kayaking
In an effort to keep my body moving, I have desired to take up kayaking for a while now. My legs still work, but some days I am not sure how long that will be true. The cartilage in the joints is disintegrating thanks to chemo, so hiking can sometimes be painful. Being a paddler … Continue reading Kayaking
My Dearest Lake Trail
My Dearest Lake Trail, I am writing to tell you how much I have missed you these past months. My heart has been as bleak as the winter weather, which seems to be never ending lately. I know in the past I have visited even in the cold, but for some reason this year … Continue reading My Dearest Lake Trail
Windstorms
The wind is howling, rushing down the mountain through the trees; they are possessed with it. I can feel them bowing and bending. I can hear the violence of crashing branches. Surround sound starts on one side of me and then swirls around to the other. In the wee hours, when my mind is wide … Continue reading Windstorms
The Silence of God
I sit in silence on my back porch, contemplating. The leaves are worshiping all around me in a kaleidoscope of color. I sit and wait, for what? I do not know. I am drawn inward to listen for words which do not present themselves. I have found in order to jiggle them loose, I … Continue reading The Silence of God
Fall is Here
The dogs pull at their leashes, and I think my shoulder will come out of the socket. Dusk is approaching and with it the light is soft among the trees. The smell of leaves which have fallen is in the air and I wonder how the trail got carpeted in just a few days. Each … Continue reading Fall is Here
Enchanted Moment
It was an enchanted moment…a gift. And I nearly missed it. My brand-new husband peeked out of the curtains of our honeymoon suite. “Shell, get up and come look at this. It’s a gift!” I was snuggled deep into the covers. My eyes were shuttered closed and happy to be that way. After months of … Continue reading Enchanted Moment
In the Dirt
When I was a little girl, my dad used to take me on walks in the woods. We would traipse around our property, sometimes not even on trails, just walking and seeing. It wasn’t far, but to my little legs it seemed like miles and miles. I learned a lot on these walks, not because … Continue reading In the Dirt
Rainy Sunday Morning
The rain is falling, gentle but steady. Slow enough the birds are still singing and the herbs in my garden still have their faces raised. There is a squirrel on a branch just a few feet from where I sit on my porch. He has found a clump of leaves just over his head and … Continue reading Rainy Sunday Morning
Lessons in the Storm
The storm rages. The thunder rolls, bounces off the mountains, and returns like a boomerang. The ground is moving. My usual porch writing spot does not feel safe, so I withdraw into the house. The walls tremble and shake at the vibrations. Pictures rattle. Even as a lover of thunderstorms, I am on edge with … Continue reading Lessons in the Storm