nature – Page 4 – Site Title

A Frosty Morning

It’s a harbinger of things to come. Looking out the window this morning, I realized that fall or rather the golden days of fall have flown by and in its place we have winter moving in leaps and bounds! The fields are shrouded in fog giving them an air of mystery as they cloak and uncloak in shadows only to reveal themselves in the not so distant future wearing their winter garb that lacks color but still beautiful to behold.

There is a certain something about the changing of seasons. It takes place in an hush hush atmosphere but it is so regimented that it never fails to show up, just a matter of time before a new one walks in taking its rightful place. However, I’m a little sad that the colors of fall were wiped away by the wind, rain and storms. I see one lone tree blazing red in the neighbor’s garden and how it escaped the gale force winds is beyond me but it is a beautiful sight nonetheless.

I’ve got a gardener coming by later today to help bag up the leaves that are lying carpet thick on the ground. The garden looks a mess. The rest of the apples are lying on the ground but it was a bumper crop this year, enough to give away to friends and neighbors. The fig tree was late to the party as usual. The leaves have turned brown but there are still unripe figs on the tree which will have to be thrown away. However, the ripe figs I got off the tree were sweet and juicy but I wish that it will show up earlier next year before the cold makes a showing. The water to the garden has been turned off and once the leaves are raked up, I am all set for winter!

The weather is not cooperating so no walk in nature today. I’ll have to bite the bullet and stay indoors and do something productive. I still have the closets to rearrange, summer stuff to be taken upstairs and stored away and winter stuff brought down. It is a tedious task but needs to be done.

Chachi will have a field day with that. He thinks it is playtime! I’m making Miso soup with tofu, veggies and Kim Chi added in for an extra dose of healthy eating! Seems like the perfect thing for today’s weather. Throw in a workout or two and I’ve got my day planned.

Have an amazing day.

This & That

It is a beautiful morning here and after days of rain, wind, and dark skies, the sun is making a showing and it is planning to stay for a while. I decided to put my boots on, bundle up with a scarf and a coat and go traipsing in the fields. It was cold like I expected but the sun was warm as it landed softly on my face, not the burning kind that you get in summer but a softer variety that feels like a gentle kiss.

No one was out there as usual, not even the guy with the dog. We haven’t seen each other for weeks now. The weather kept me indoors and he was probably out there walking his dog but our paths didn’t cross. Oh well, there is time enough f0r that.

Today, my mind is full of thoughts dashing here and there and they need reprieve. Walking is the perfect way to get them all out there and to send them packing!

The book has been weighing heavy on my mind. I seem to be more occupied with it then I want to be. It’s like I’m eating, sleeping and doing everything else with the book in tow! Last night, I woke up several times in the middle of the night and I could see rows and rows of bad reviews dancing in front of my eyes! God, it was awful. I told myself to calm down but this morning, I jumped out of bed to check and the book seemed to be doing fine. However, if you have a book out there, it takes work to make it visible and that means hard WORK! Unless you have a fairy godmother who waves her wand and makes it all happen for you. I don’t so I have to put my thinking cap on and work at it.

Update on the stalker. He stopped sending messages a week ago but then two days ago he said, “Hi Tia, thank you for everything!” What?!! I don’t know who this guy is but he seems to be smoking something that is warping his mind! Anyway, my mind is clearer now and I feel lighter not having to worry about this loser.

What else? I went out on two dates with the cheesecake guy. Well, actually not really dates, I call them “friends just meeting up for a coffee and a chat.” The first one was and it was pleasant enough. However, he was peering into my eyes to see if the twinkle or rather the sparkle was there. He’s all about the “sparkle.” Unfortunately for him, the sparkle box is closed and there are no more sparkles to be had! Anyway, we talked about many things and it was really nice. He also brought a big bouquet of pink and white roses and that was nice too. A few days later, he called and asked for a lunch date. We went to this nice restaurant and I enjoyed the company. Just a couple of hours of good food and talking about nothing in particular. The tension wasn’t there. I didn’t have to wonder what was coming next. He dropped me off at my place, got out of the car to open the door for me, and then it came. This big, crashing, hug that left me gasping for breath and then he gave me a kiss on the cheek and as he moved to my lips, I stopped it, thanked him and I haven’t heard from him since.

Chachi says, “GOOD!”

I have another date next week. Actually it was today but I chickened out! So I moved it to next week. He seems like a nice enough guy. A medical doctor so it should be an interesting date. Even if it doesn’t work out, I get to pick his brain about things I’ve always wanted to know about doctors. Questions like, “What was the worst case you handled?” “Any spooky tales to tell?” You get the drift.

That’s about it folks. My mind is empty now and I’m ready to get started with my day and to fill my head again and this time I hope with much better stuff.

Have an amazing day.

A Storm Named Joshua

The storm moved in yesterday and it looks like it is planning to stay for awhile. Things rattled in the garden last night as gale-force winds showed their might, huffing and puffing better than any wolf could! It was interesting listening to it and each time I heard a loud bang, I rushed to the balcony to check if a tree or two had fallen down but thankfully there was nothing. Just that my compost bin had its cover wide-open but there was nothing much I could do about it last night.

This morning, I had every intention of getting out there. I did my grocery shopping but on my way back I noticed that the wind was picking up speed again and bilious clouds were gathering like fists along the skyline. It was packing a punch and just a matter of time before the rain would follow keeping some of us homebound and out of the way of the first strong fall storm.

So no walk as planned. Weather forecasters are warning of possible rail delays and travel disruptions across the country. Gale-force winds could reach up to 120 km/h in some places but it is not that strong here yet, but I don’t want to risk taking a walk and have something come barreling down at me.

I’m biting the bullet and opting for a quiet and cozy day with Chachi, the cat, for company. Soup sounds good so I’ve got a pot of spicy coconut and fish soup on the stove and later I might just make a cake. A healthy one with yogurt, coconut flour, almond milk and maybe even some coconut flakes thrown in for extra texture.

That’s the plan.

Have an amazing day.

Fall’s Melody

It is that time of year again. Rain has moved in and the days are shorter and darker and the sun is taking a well-deserved rest.

AUTUMN

“Time to dim the sunlight, cue the moody fog, and watch nature’s most haunting story unfold.” Angie Weiland-Crosby

I woke up this morning to the world outside cloaked in darkness. It is the norm for this time of year and there is a certain sadness that fall brings. It is the wave goodbye to another year that is almost done and it is a softness that comes in at times like a thief in the night and at other times, it puffs and it blows till all the leaves are down on the ground as it is in my garden this morning or at least half of them are. The old Magnolia is bowing down to fall and letting it have its way. There is a carpet of gold and brown leaves covering the grass and it is going to take work to get it all swept up and taken away. Fall brings work and yet it is a season filled with beauty and glorious color.

On my last walk in nature a few days ago, I noticed that the color was coming in. There were the usual golden tints but the reds were making a showing and right over the hill, I could see the top of one lone tree, its yellow head caught in the weak sunlight, enough to catch the eyes of anyone walking by and gifting them with a splendid display of fall’s beauty. Fall sways and it dances and it lets the wind have its way and before you know it, another season has walked in and it has taken its rightful place. It seems so effortless but you and I know that there is work, unseen work that brings forth the magic.

I’m looking forward to my walks again when the rain moves out and in its place is a golden fall that will take my breath away draped in gorgeous golds, bright reds and dazzling yellows. All good things take time and so it is with fall as it finally sashays in dressed in colors meant to make you sit up and take notice AND to remind me that I am but a mere mortal compared to its power and glorious masterwork.

Point well-taken.

Have an amazing day.

What Have You Been Putting Off?

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

Each year, it is the same old stuff. When fall rolls around, it is time to turn off the water supply to the garden so that you don’t get frozen pipes that could cause a lot of damage, car inspection to get it ready for winter, check the salt supplies to make sure that I have enough when cold weather rolls around and get my summer clothes bagged up and bring out the winter stuff. There are other things that need to be done but I usually wind up putting them off until I really have no choice!

Just looked at the weather forecast and it says a cold polar blast is going to show its face around here early next week. Temps should be in the minus and that means warmer clothes. I wouldn’t say it’s a mad dash to get my winter clothes together but since I have a lot of them, it means sorting, cleaning and getting it ready. Grrr!!! Not my favorite thing in the world to do.

I’ve got the wash running and getting what I need cleaned and ready. The rest will need to go to the dry cleaners. Yes, a major job and I’m not in the mood for it as I wanted today to be nice and easy. Cuddling with Chachi, the cat, and sipping from the soup I made yesterday to watching something good on TV. Looks like I will be dealing with putting summer away and bringing winter to the forefront. Not to mention the shoes as well. I forgot those. Boots, scarves, socks, gloves, and whatever else is needed to keep me warm and toasty will need to be sorted out as well.

I used to be a clotheshorse. I say, “used to be” but judging from what is coming out of the closets, I still am! The clothes seem to be multiplying right before my very eyes. Oh well, that’s what I have been putting off doing. Now, back to work so that I can meet the new season in style!

You may be saying, but she hangs out in PJs all the time so why the hassle? I ask myself that very same question. Let’s just say, I like having them ready just in case. Chachi is saying, “Not on my watch mommy!”

Daily writing prompt

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

View all responses

Unrest

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Anne Lamott

Exactly what I need today! I need to unplug and let the restlessness go for a while at least. I have this heavy feeling I’m carrying around and I know why. What to do about it is the question and I have no clear-cut answers. I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill but what if it is not a molehill?

Perhaps, the restlessness arises from three days of not sleeping like I should. I kept tossing and turning and was up at around 2 in the morning and stayed awake listening to the sounds outside and with my eyes wide open! Chachi, the cat doesn’t understand it but he knows something is up. He’s not called Einstein for nothing! Chachi usually wakes me up in the mornings but now he waits in his bed and doesn’t budge even when I head downstairs. The poor guy still refuses to go in the kitchen. This morning I left to go get some things done and left him in his bed by the window in the kitchen. I came back to find him exactly where I had left him and when I picked him up and brought him out of the kitchen, he shot upstairs. Since then, he has been staying on the first floor. Something is up.

It could just be my imagination and I have a tendency to let things bug me. Fear is my companion and it doesn’t make the situation any better. To make matters worse, the weather has taken a turn for the worse and it is drizzly and gray. I decided to get out and head for the fields. There was nothing much going on out there and it was quiet and still. I needed that. Walking out there for 30 minutes gave me the “unplugging” I needed to calm my mind and to soothe my restless spirit.

I still have no answers to my problem. However, I’m sure it will sort itself out one way or another. I hope it blows away and peace returns. Sooner than later!

Fall’s Gloomy Face

It marches in with wet boots, ruffled hair and a “I don’t care attitude!” Time to blow the leaves off the trees, turn whatever remains into a palette of breathtaking colors and to brush everything with a golden light when the rain leaves and takes a break.

Saturday was that kind of day. Wet, windy, gloomy and miserable and yet there was a certain kind of magic in the air. A heralding of things to come. One of beauty in a subdued manner.

MG Mason in his piece, “Writing the Seasons: Autumn” describes it beautifully as he captures the essence of fall through his words.

“It is getting colder and darker; leaves are falling from the trees. There is a chill in the air overnight, frost on the ground in the morning, mist and fog in the air. Dry, dead leaves crunch beneath your feet and clouds appear when you breathe out. There is still a lingering warmth but always a constant reminder of the cold to come.”

Fall has its moments as it prepares to make a showing but it is all part and parcel of the season. There has to be moments of unrest as it prepares to show its clout when it finally arrives and makes a show-stopping display. I, for one, can’t wait to see its full beauty as it steps out wearing its dress of many colors.

The rain has stopped but there is a definite chill in the air. The wind is picking up speed as the trees sway back and forth creating music of their own. In a way, there is a little sadness as summer waves goodbye and moves on to make way for another season to step in. It is only a matter of time before we welcome the beauty of fall, glorious fall, with colors that will take your breath away.

It is one of my favorite seasons.

Have an amazing Sunday.

A Gorgeous Day!

Fall is here and the mornings are covered in fog but by about 8:30 in the morning, the sun peeks out with blurry eyes as it tries to burn off some of the haze covering the mountains and the fields. It takes awhile before the fields are visible and the mountains are no longer hidden from view.

Today was no different. I was out there very early and not a single soul was in sight. A lone rabbit was sunning itself in the lukewarm sunshine, I guess tanking up energy for the rest of the day. One heron was visible as it stood alone pretending to not notice the human coming up the hill and heading towards its direction. The apple trees were still shrouded in white their spindly branches showing their fall cover. Not much to speak of as the apples are mostly gone and just a few leaves remain and these two will be gone in a week or two. The fields are bare, ready for their winter sleep. However, the cornfield is still there bare of corncobs but still standing straight and tall. Stephen King sure did spoil it for us didn’t he? I can’t look at cornfields without horrific images coming to mind. It is the same today as I pass them their leaves moving softly with the breeze. I try not to look in their direction as I pass them, my steps picking up pace!

Pulling my jacket closer around me to keep the cold at bay, I head to the open fields. It is cold today. As I reach the top of the hill, the rising sun is blazing orange as it heralds another beautiful fall day. Just the other day, I met my neighbor who was walking her dog and we chatted for a while. She said, gorgeous days are ahead and she wasn’t wrong about that. Fall is one of my favorite seasons and it never fails to mesmerize with its beauty. No, the leaves haven’t changed yet but they will soon enough and the whole place will be filled with color, blazing oranges, warm golds and rustic reds. It will be a sight to behold.

As I make my way back, my mind cleared of the cobwebs that had gathered there last night, I am ready to get going and to be grateful for another gorgeous day. It is going to be a beautiful day folks.

Have an amazing day.

The Breakthrough!

Remember the guy I wrote about, the one who walks his dog but is tongue-tied and never says anything and just stares every time we see each other? I had given up on him because the last time I smiled, I mean really flashed my 100 watt smile and he froze completely! So I decided this guy is a lost cause.

I just did my second walk today. Why? Just felt like it and because I love windy days. So I bundled up and headed up the hill again. It was quiet like it was this morning. I walked up to the apple trees and turned around, still no one. Then I made a turnaround and went the other way. Just then a crow let out a loud squawk which startled me. I looked up at the trees but couldn’t see it. I heard a sound behind me and this big black pit bull came walking up to me and sniffed my hand. I don’t like dogs especially pit bulls. Anyway, I looked up and there he was all bundled up against the cold with a big smile plastered on his face.

Hmm….I told myself, BE CALM. He said, “Good morning!” That threw me for a loop. Had he been practicing?!! Anyway, I greeted him back with a smile. He said, ” I see you a lot around here.” I nodded and asked, “Do you live around here?”

He pointed to a big yellow house and said he lived over there. The way this village is set up is that most of the houses are clumped together. However, farmers who owned a big portion of the land before have their houses separated from the rest. These properties usually have the main house and several smaller houses which are rented out. So he was a Little Lord of the Manor.

We talked for a while about nothing much in particular. Just about the weather and he came in with, “It should be this way sometimes don’t you think?” I agreed and told him that I love this weather and he laughed. We waved and he went on his way. That was it!

I will see what the next time brings. If he will be as forthcoming as he was today I don’t know. Perhaps he has a twin who freezes every time a woman greets him. This guy today was friendly and ready to mingle!

Fall Marches In

The walk this morning brought some surprises. Fall was finally here and it wasn’t taking NO for an answer! There was no mistaking the signs as I trudged along mud-covered pathways with the wind picking up speed. It was a day where people would choose to stay indoors with a cup of hot coffee and or sit on their window sills and watch as nature did its thing.

I needed to be out to clear my mind so there I was alone again with only the fields for company. It suited me just fine. The wind brushed against my face, its almost icy fingers sending chills down my spine. I had a heavier coat on but it was still cold as I pulled it closer around me. The thing is I love days like this. Windy, cold and with not a soul in sight. The animals have taken cover as well and except for the crows, the fields were empty.

Walking with no purpose in mind except to just let nature do the talking for awhile was calming. However, it had plenty to say. The changing of the season was in place and it was marching in with boots on! The fields were looking drab with not a touch a color. It was getting ready for a well-earned rest. The trees were rustling and playing their own kind of music. I love it when they dance with the wind, swaying and moving like dancers caught up in a rhythm of their own. The sound is something between a rush of a waterfall or soft rain as it falls on the rooftops. A beautiful sound that helps to soothe frazzled nerves as mine was today. I listened as I walked taking it all in.

The apples had been harvested with a few remaining on the trees. I did my own apple harvesting yesterday and it was bountiful. I can’t believe that one apple tree could give so much but it did. The apples are a smaller variety but they are crispy and very sweet. Good apples I would say but too much for one person so I have little bags prepared to give away to neighbors. The figs, however, are taking their time. They always do that. It seems they are always late for the party! Nothing different this year. I looked at them this morning and got two ripe figs out of a hundred or so on the fig plant! Will they make it before cold weather moves in? Your guess is as good as mine.

Coming back to my walk, it was beautiful. Interesting how seasons move in on silent feet at first and before you know it, they are full-fledged and ready to go. The colors are not there yet but at my feet are golden-hued leaves rustling in the wind. It won’t be long now as fall puts on its spectacular display of beauty as it is known to do and I will get to take in its glory as I make another walk bundled up against the wind but reveling in a brand new season.

I love this time of year.

“Fall is proof that change is beautiful.” Unknown

Now, I just have to convince my mind of that!

Have an amazing day.