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2018 06-24, 3894 - ANOTHER SUMMER BEAUTY IS BACK – Another summer beauty has returned to grace the landscape. The Cone Flowers pop up here and there and are a delight to focus on for a moment or two. I wonder how many people pass by the beauty that surrounds us. |
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2018 06-23, 3893 - BLACKBERRY BLOOMS – The small white delicate flowers on the blackberry and raspberry vines are easy to overlook with all the other blossoms vying for pollinators’ attention. Still, they are a very important part of Nature as food for birds, animals, and the soul. |
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FAMILY PORTRAIT – I wanted to put together a family portrait of the columbines I have been enjoying this year, so I choice individual photos to group together. Just like human families that look more or less alike, each flower is unique and different. |
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2018 06-21, 3891 - HONORING AN OLD TREE – We are not sure exactly when the old dead tree fell to the ground, but it was sometime after March 1st. It was a couple of months before we realized it. Now we honor the memory through many photos - a part of Nature that has changed. |
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2018 06-20, 3890 - SOMETHING MISSING – Someone told me they thought that the old dead pine that had stood proudly at the edge of the Lupine Field had fallen over. It must have been gone for a couple of months and we didn’t notice it. Things disappear in life the same way. |
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2018 06-19, 3889 - WILD VINES – The wild bindweed that grows seemingly out of control at the edge of the Lupine Field has taken over the pole for a bluebird house. Our thoughts are sort of like wild vines that can take over our critical thinking unless we learn how to cut them back. |
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2018 06-18, 3888 - CHECKERBERRIES – I remember, as a child, picking and eating checkerberries that grew wild in nature. I think of old-fashioned flavors like birch beer, Moxie, and checkerberry tea. Then there is old fashioned kindness and thoughtfulness. |
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2018 06-17, 3887 - YELLOW AND BROWN IRIS - I love the color combinations that Nature puts together all year round and especially during the growing season when flowers become art exhibits. It is true of the yellow and brown Iris. There is so much to appreciate all around us. |
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2018 06-16, 3886 - LUPINES AND MOUNTAINS – There is something very magical in observing lupine blooms with a mountain backdrop. I look forward to this wonderful experience all year long, I breathe in the sky and the earth as my heart sings a song of gratitude. |
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2018 06-15, 3885 – THE BEGINNING OF THE LILY PARADE – The yellow daylilies are now in bloom. They announce the beginning of different colored lilies that will last the whole growing season. A day without seeing a lily is a day that will not be replicated again. |
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2018 06-14, 3884 – THE FLAGS ARE FLYING – The flags are flying proudly in the June winds. The Blue and Yellow Flag flowers are in full bloom. It is a wonderful time to take a moment or two and appreciate the vast beauty that Nature gives us. |
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2018 06-13, 3883 – A WELCOME SIGHT – We were greeted by a welcome sight as we stood at the edge of the Lupine Field. There was a bird on top of one of the birdhouses installed there last year. It was a bluebird. I am grateful that our “field of dreams” is now a manifest reality.
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2018 06-12, 3882 – ANOTHER COLOR – I love to see the different colors in like-kinds of flowers, such as the deep red columbine growing in a garden at the Center. I am reminded that we all are made up of different colors, sizes, and abilities. That fades when we blend positively together. |
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2018 06-11, 3881 – RECHARGING CENTER – We recently discovered a small flat boulder with quartz crystals in its surface. I thought of modern electronic recharging centers and ancient crystal healing centers and knew this was a place to renew my soul’s energy. |
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2018 06-10, 3880 – CLOSE TO THE WOODS – This year the biggest lupine blossoms are located on the newer portion of the field close to the woods. We walked along the edge to get a closer look. The landscape of life is constantly changing, but there is always beauty to find. |
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2018 06-09, 3879 – FLOWERS IN THE FIELD – There is a circle of wildflowers that bloom in the same place year after year in the field where the apple trees grow. I love being greeted by my old friends in Nature. They will be there until the fall frost. I am grateful for that. |
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2018 06-08, 3878 – PRETTY ENOUGH TO TAKE A BITE – The single white Iris looked like a vanilla ice cream cone ready for a bite although I knew it was not edible. I feasted on its beauty and inhaled the image for spiritual nourishment provided by Nature. |
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2018 06-07, 3877 – A NEW DISCOVERY – A small flash of a deep blue caught my eye as I walked the trail along the top of the Lupine Field. It was a flower I had not seen before. I love to discover something new in Nature as I do in all aspects of my life every day. |
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2018 06-06, 3876 – READY FOR A ROYAL WEDDING – The Bridal Wreath is dressed up in its whitest blossoms ready for a royal wedding. This old-fashioned shrub is a reminder of days gone by as well as dream realities of the future. |
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2018 06-05, 3875 – THE FIRST LUPINE – The first lupine blossoms of the season are beginning to open. I will enjoy a visual feast over the next few weeks of this beautiful flower blending with the majestic mountains in the background. Nature always has something to contemplate. |
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2018 06-04, 3874 – COLORFUL SURPRISE – My eyes caught a splash of pinkish orange as I drove into the Center’s parking lot. Many years ago I had moved an azalea there and it had never grown much until this year. I am grateful that it survived. We all have surprises in us. |
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2018 06-03, 3873 – A GOOD YEAR FOR THE RHODIES – It has been a great spring for the rhododendrons at the Center. The pink blossoms shine especially bright in contrast to the woods in the background. If we didn’t keep the surrounding growth under control it would disappear. |
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2018 06-02, 3872 – DESIGNED BY NATURE - The many different, colorful, beautiful flowers all have custom designs created by Nature. Each one of us has been designed by the Cosmos and, like the flowers, we all have a uniqueness that can enhance the landscape of life. |
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2018 06-01, 3871 - TINY PEARS – The blossoms on the pear trees have floated away in the wind, the insects have done their pollinating, and now tiny pears are growing. It is a time for the ideas in our minds to begin their growth, just as the pears on their way to be harvested. |
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2018 05-31, 3870 - HIDING UNDER ITS LEAVES – I had to bend down to find Jack’s face hiding under its own giant broad leaves. Jack is an old friend that comes to visit every year, growing under an pear tree. It feels good to renew an old friendship. |
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2018 05-30, 3869 - PLANTED BY THE BIRDS – The small honeysuckle bush adorned with white blossoms in the corner of the orchard was probably planted by birds. I think of our positive thoughts and actions planted randomly that help spread similar actions. |
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2018 05-29, 3868 - VELVET LADY – The reddish lady slipper stood out among the pink ones growing in the partly shaded woods on the mountainside. It appeared to be clothed in velvet as it grew in this peaceful setting. I felt privileged to be in its royal presence. |
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2018 05-28, 3867 - MEMORIES OF MEMORIAL DAYS PAST – Lilacs evoke memories of Memorial Day observances after my father returned from serving in World War Two. I marched to the cemetery carrying a flag to decorate a veteran’s grave and lilacs were cast into the lake. |
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2018 05-27, 3866 - EYE CANDY – The photo of the snowball-shaped bloom on a shrub at the Center looked almost good enough to eat. It reminded me that Nature’s landscape is filled with sweet treats for my eyes all year round. All I need to do is take the time to look. |
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2018 05-26, 3865 - BLUEBERRIES IN BLOOM – All the fruit trees are in full bloom including both the wild and domestic blueberries. These tiny blossoms are often overlooked due to the much larger displays like the apple trees. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to beauty. |
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2018 05-25, 3864 - TAKING A SIP – I stalked the butterfly with my camera hoping to catch a photo of it taking a sip of the sweet nectar in the apple blossoms. It did not remain still for long. Then my mind took a deep sip of the peace provided by Nature, leaving me refreshed and grateful. |
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2018 05-24, 3863 - FRAMING THE VIEW – We opened the view through the trees next to the Lupine Field last year, and as we cleared away the underbrush I found a natural picture frame through which I could photograph the mountains. It reminds me of how we frame our lives. |
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2018 05-23, 3862 - LITTLE PLEASURES – It isn’t necessarily the big wowing scenes in Nature that bring a smile to my face, but the tiny flowers that dot the landscape such as bluets, wild strawberry blossoms and various colors of violets. Life is full of little pleasures often missed. |
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2018 05-22, 3861 - BRIGHTENING UP THE LANDSCAPE – The small brightly colored flowers brighten up our spring landscape. We transplanted them here 25 years ago. I am reminded how each of us can brighten up the landscape by transplanting positive thoughts and actions. |
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2018 05-21, 3860 - PRETTY ENOUGH TO WEAR – When I first saw this photo of a small water plant I had taken at the frog pond, I thought it was pretty enough to wear. Sometimes we are not aware of what we see in person until we see it again in a photo. |
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2018 05-20, 3859 - ASSISTING NATURE – There is a tree along the Marginal Way where the underbrush has been cleared away revealing a bent trunk that looks like the tree may topple at any moment. Someone gave it an assist by providing a brace to hold it upright. |
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2018 05-19, 3858 - OUT OF SEASON – The weathered milkweed seedpod looked out of season in the spring sunshine. Still, there was something about it that caught my eye. It was a piece of Nature’s art. I wondered if anyone else noticed besides me. |
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2018 05-18, 3857 - ORCHARD IN SPRING – There is something about the little orchard we saved twenty years ago from being overrun by the forest that brings a sense of calmness every time I visit. Soon the area will be flooded with the smells of apple blossoms. It is peaceful. |
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2018 05-17, 3856 - WILD BEAUTY – My eyes caught the vibrant color of a flowering plant on the side of the orchard road. I paused to photo it and admire its beauty. Nature planted it there, and I am grateful to have been in its presence. All it takes is mindfulness of the moment. |
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2018 05-16, 3855 - THROUGH THE LEAVES – The evening sky caught my eye through the new green growth that now shades the big window from the sun. I spent a moment outside with another one of Nature’s sunset spectaculars. My mind slowed down in the stillness. |
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2018 05-15, 3854 - YELLOW WALL – About fifty years ago my parents gave us a selection of shrubs they had ordered from the back of a Parade Magazine. Several years ago I transplanted a dozen or more forsythia from the original one to create a hedge at the Center. Kindness spreads. |
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2018 05-14, 3853 - THE LUPINE ARE GROWING – I have an extra incentive to walk to the Lupine Field this time of year. The plants are growing, and it won’t be long before the landscape will be filled with beautiful flowers. It is proof that dreams are a reality that is manifesting. |
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2018 05-13, 3852 - CHAT WITH A BEAR – My wife heard sounds in front of the house and opened the widow to find a small bear climbing a tree. She spoke to it and the bear paused to listen. Viewing wildlife is amazing as long as one realizes that these creatures are wild. |
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2018 05-12, 3851 - A BIG VISITOR – I caught a glimpse of shiny black, a couple of hundred feet into the woods, and I watched it move toward the brook where it paused to take a long drink of water. Then the bear sauntered off to nap. We welcome all sizes of animals. |
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2018 05-11, 3850 - GREENING UP – The hills have suddenly become alive with green grass and green leaves across the valley. The fresh air and sounds of the birds inspire me to pause with gratitude and feel my passion for life welling up inside. |
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2018 05-10, 3849 - A PUZZLE WAITING TO HAPPEN – The picture I took of a bed of tulips in full spring bloom reminded of a puzzle waiting to happen. My interest is in mind puzzles, where one puts pieces of thoughts together to create a positive image of positive actions. |
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2018 05-09, 3848 - EXPANDING THE SOURCE – The sky seemed to radiate an expanding energy as it flowed from a point on the horizon over my head and beyond. I was reminded how we act as a single point that expands though acts of kindness and unconditional love. |
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2018 05-08, 3847 - MULTI-TIERED LANDSCAPE – The steep multi-tiered landscape created many years ago by early settlers of the Wausau Valley looked like giant steps ascending to the height of the ridgeline. It shows how resourceful humans can be when there is a need. |
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2018 05-07, 3846 - MAGNIFICENT RUINS – Perched high on a jagged rocky peak above the river; the magnificent ruins of a castle still guard the landscape below. It must have taken a long time and much labor to build it hundreds of years ago. Nature has endured many changes. |
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2018 05-06, 3845 - A TRIBUTE TO THE PAST – I saw a statue on the shore of the Danube that was of a knight from the Middle Ages. I wondered if he could speak, what tales would he tell me of his journeys when he and others visited. |
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2018 05-05, 3844 - GRATITUDE CLUES – As I scanned the ground with my eyes, a heart emerged in the arrangement of stones close to my feet. I had found another clue, one that proved to me that gratitude and love abounds in the presence of the Cosmos. |
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2018 05-04, 3843 – THREE-TOED SHADOW – My eye was drawn to a shadow that appeared to me to be a large three-toed foot. I smiled and wondered if there was an invisible Big Foot causing the image I saw. Then the sun moved on and I returned to reality with a smile on my face. |
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2018 05-03, 3842 - WHIMSIES – Sometimes it is good to place man-made works of “art” in outside places to help brighten up the landscape, especially before the growing season gears up for summer. I find that Nature always provides natural whimsies to amuse me. |
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2018 05-02, 3841 - ON A HAZY SPRING AFTERNOON – On a recent hazy, warm spring afternoon we walked through the Orchard and on to the Lupine Field. I sat on the bench for a short time dreaming of the summer days that lay ahead and celebrating the moment at hand. |
ON A HAZY SPRING AFTERNOON
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2018 05-01, 3840 - I CAN ALMOST SMELL THEM – My wife remarked as she discovered the Mayflower buds that she could almost smell them. I look forward to when the flowers open as I do not imagine smells in my mind. That is why each moment becomes an adventure to me. |
I CAN ALMOST SMELL THEM
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2018 04-30, 3839 - SUNSHINE ON A STEM – I have waited patiently as the days grow longer and warmer for what I call “sunshine on a stem” to bloom again. Finally, the daffodils have opened and have joined Nature’s spring show. My world is a little bit brighter today. |
SUNSHINE ON A STEM
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2018 04-29, 3838 - THE MAPLE TREES ARE IN BLOOM - Another step in the march of Spring’s forward movement is the delicate and often unnoticed blooms on the maple trees. Each day now will bring me something new to focus on as I walk my path with gratitude. |
THE MAPLE TREES ARE IN BLOOM
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2018 04-28, 3837 - VIEWING LIFE IN THE WACHAU VALLEY – Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Wachau Valley from the Danube River and I was stuck how people adjusted to the landscape several hundred years ago. It gave me a new view. |
VIEWING LIFE IN THE WACHAU VALLEY
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2018 04-27, 3836 - ANY DAY NOW – The spring rains have come, melting most of the snow, and now, with the warmer weather, the trees, grass, and plants are going to burst open with new growth. It is with this optimism that I set my intentions to experience every day of the year. |
ANY DAY NOW
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2018 04-26, 3835 - HIDING IN THE SHADOWS – On a warm spring day we hiked to the Lupine Field, enjoying the recently exposed bare ground. Still, hiding in the shadows the last remnants of snow lingered. I smiled and knew that they too would soon disappear. |
HIDING IN THE SHADOWS
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2018 04-25, 3834 - PUSSY WILLOWS IN BLOOM – Finally spring has sprung. It has been well worth the wait, and when I discovered the pussy willows in bloom, my heart was filled with gratitude for the season at hand. Nature gives us something to discover every day. |
PUSSY WILLOWS IN BLOOM
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2018 04-24, 3833 - WHEN THERE IS NO BRIDGE – I saw a small ferry carrying cars across the river at a place where the road ended, and there was no bridge. I thought back to a time when there were no bridges and realized that resourceful people always find a way to bridge the gaps. |
WHEN THERE IS NO BRIDGE
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