Captivated

I smiled as I watched this beautiful red-winged blackbird flash his feathers to attract a female. Though he was simply engaged in his ordinary bird activities, I was completely captivated.

And I had a thought. The Earth is constantly striving to capture our attention with Her unique residents. Her animals and trees and plants and stones are like sirens of old, calling to us. So many intriguing beings.

They remind us that we’re always welcome in Her fascinating and ever-changing landscape. A place where you can come as you are and be amazed again and again.

I am beyond grateful…

(Link to New Photos: wandernature.com/new-photos)

If Only

When I awoke one morning last week, my mind was ruminating about something that had happened the day before. ‘If only’ ideas crowded my thoughts. If only I had done this or said that…I was caught in a loop.

To clear my mind, I headed to my favorite wildlife garden and began to walk. As my anxious thoughts slowed and began to dissipate, I noticed this beautiful hooded merganser quietly floating in a pond.

And I wondered if she ever fretted.

I suspect animals don’t have ‘if only’ thoughts. They simply live moment by moment guided by their intuition, unaffected by their past, no thoughts of the future. And I’m a bit envious.

Will Rogers once said, ‘Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.’

I believe he and the merganser are on to something…

(Link to New Photos: wandernature.com/new-photos)

Springtime

A flurry of activity, the air crackling with excitement…springtime in the natural world. I thought about that as I watched this beautiful flicker search for his breakfast.

And I realized the plants and animals heard the call to awaken from a winter of rest and rejuvenation. Time to begin manifesting the Earth’s dreams and visions.

Beings in the natural world are fully aligned with the Earth’s cycles…creation, expansion, harvesting, and resting. We, too, are designed to live in synch with the natural rhythms of life.

And while the everyday world appears to be upside down, the natural world remains steady and upright. A place of wonder and joy, a welcome respite from the challenging human world.

The natural world…my favorite place to be.

(Link to New Photos: wandernature.com/new-photos)