2021 02-27, 4873 - BACK LIGHTING – Usually we like to see the world by looking at it from a light source that shines on the subject of our attention, but sometimes when the light is shining from behind the subject, we see it differently. This was true as I gazed at tree branches with brilliant sunset behind them.
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2021 02-24, 4870 - THE YING AND THE YANG – There are two hemlock trees on the ledge trail that when seen from a certain angle seem to be in perfect balance. I call them the Ying and the Yang trees and am reminded every time I pass them by how Nature provides the perfect balance for the mind and the soul.
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2021 02-23, 4869 - THE VIEW THAT NEVER GETS OLD – For over fifty years I have been mesmerized by the view we have of the mountains from our house and now from the top of the mountain behind us. It is a magical view that lets my mind soar. All have a view somewhere that never gets old.
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2021 02-22, 4868 - THE PERFECT WINTER AFTERNOON – It was one of those midwinter afternoons that we had been waiting for - to go on a snowshoe hike with friends. The view from the Lupine Field was breathtaking, and after an hour and a have we returned with our hearts and souls refreshed.
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2021 02-21, 4867 - LOOKING FOR HEARTS – I am on the constant look out for heart-shaped forms. They remind me of heart-based love and gratitude, and every time I see one, it brings that positive feeling back to me. It is good to have something that reminds us of something positive.
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2021 02-20, 4866 - THE BEECHES ARE BEGINNING TO SHED THEIR LEAVES – I have begun noticing that low spots in the snow are filling up with beech leaves that have clung to the trees all winter. It is another hint that spring is around the corner and a new growing season is ready to begin.
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2021 02-19, 4865 - A FAVORITE WINTER PASTIME – One of my favorite winter pastimes is watching the birds that come to the feeders right outside our windows. On cold and stormy days when we choose to stay inside, they bring a flurry of life for us to appreciate as we wait for spring.
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2021 02-18, 4864 - PACKING DOWN THE TRAIL – One of the pleasures of sharing the land at the Center is that when we go for a snowshoe hike, the trail is usually already packed down by previous hikers, making it much easier for us to enjoy outdoor adventure. When we share, we receive much in return.
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2021 02-17, 4863 - PREDICTING THE WEATHER – One of my favorite pastimes is paying attention to weather reports. Even with computer age technology, getting it absolutely right is still a challenge. Life is full of predictions, and the only way to know if they are right is to live through them.
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2021 02-15, 4861 - A FULL PARKING LOT – Even though the Center has been closed since last March, the grounds remain open to those that wish to find a little peace and reflection in Nature. This winter, with a good snow cover, the parking lot has been full of vehicles belonging to back country skiers. I love it.
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2021 02-13, 4859 - AFTERNOON SHADOWS – As the sun gets higher in the sky progressing towards spring, it casts dramatic shadows in the mid-late afternoons on the snow-covered landscape. We cast energy shadows, both positive and negative, wherever we go across the landscape of life. It is our choice.
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2021 02-12, 4858 - WINTER COLOR – Winter colors are less colorful than the colors of summer. It is not only true in Nature but even in the clothes we wear. In winter I look for the things that might normally be passed by, like red branches on the maples that will eventually explode into red blossoms.
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2021 02-11, 4857 - THE HEART OF WINTER – We are now in the heart of winter with a good snow cover on the land allowing the Hypnosis Glade to provide beautiful back country skiing for those that climb the mountain. Each day brings something special to be grateful for all year round.
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2021 02-09, 4855 - RED SKIES IN THE MORNING – Red skies in the morning can indicate bad weather ahead, which was the case recently when we got over a foot of snow. Forecasters attempt to predict the weather. In life we set positive intentions to help us create a positive forecast.
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2021 02-08, 4854 - AFTERNOON REFLECTION – As the afternoon sun sank low on the horizon, its rays reflected off the snow creating a pink glow on the trees out our back window. I grabbed my camera and took a couple of pictures just before the sun moved on. There are many special moments that last only seconds.
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2021 02-06, 4852 - LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING AHEAD – A year ago we were on a cruise in the Caribbean when we were told that we needed to return to port because they had gotten the wrong fuel. Now we are scheduled to return on a cruise a year from now. The future comes day by day.
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2021 02-05, 4851 - SNOW COVERED OAK LEAVES – Besides the snow covered peaks, there are many small artistic creations made by Nature in the winter, including snow covered oak leaves. To me one of the secrets of being in tune with life is to be able to discover magic no matter what time of year.
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2021 02-04, 4850 - SNOW COVERED PEAKS – One of the beautiful aspects of winter is the snow covered peaks we can see across the valley. There is always something a little different, such as the sun shining a spotlight on one or more of them. There is always something to be grateful for if we look.
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2021 02-03, 4849 - MID-WINTER – We are now experiencing mid-winter, complete with a fresh foot or more of snow. We may have a lot more storms coming, but now the sun’s angle in the sky gets higher each day as we expand the length at least two minutes. Patience will help spring arrive at an enjoyable pace.
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2021 02-02, 4848 - GROUNDHOGS DAY – I don’t think the groundhog is going to see its shadow here in the foothills of the White Mountains in the middle of a snow storm. We really don’t know if the next six weeks will be stormy or calm. We will know how it was when we really get to spring.
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2021 02-01, 4847 - WALKING OUT OF THE WIND – On cold winter days when the wind is blowing directly through the valley from the higher mountains, we often walk the old road which is located on the other side of the mountain out of the wind’s blast. In life we sometimes can’t make headway or are going too fast.
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2021 01-31, 4846 - DEEP FREEZE – The recent weather has put us in the deep freeze of winter, the coldest yet this year. People have been feeling the same way since the pandemic has frozen our lives. Now, as the days get longer and spring is on the horizon, so is hope that the pandemic will be a memory of the past.
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2021 01-30, 4845 - COLD SKY – I could see the cold in the sky that I was also feeling on my face and I knew that this night would be a freezing one. Nature can give us many indications of coming weather if we pay attention. Life is full of signs that we can feel, hear, see, or even smell to help us navigate.
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2021 01-28, 4843 - SNOW COVERED HIDING PLACE – The snow covered brush pile makes a hiding place for smaller animals like rabbits to hide when being hunted by larger animals or birds of prey. People need a positive hiding place inside their heart when the world seems to be stalking them.
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2021 01-27, 4842 - SHAPED BY THE ELEMENTS – The snow cover on the land is constantly being shaped and reshaped by the elements. The wind creates drifts, and rain causes melt, and then the cold creates icy surfaces. Life is the same way; we are constantly being shaped and reshaped by the elements.
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2021 01-24, 4839 - MOUNTAIN IN THE SKY – We stood at the top of the Lupine Field to admire the mountains in the distance, and there was another mountain we had not seen before floating above the rest. It looked very real, but we knew it wasn’t. In life there are things that appear real but may not be.
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2021 01-23, 4838 - LOOKING FOR A CAVE – Ever since we purchased the land behind our house we have heard stories of a cave on the mountain. My psychic friends have even drawn me pictures. I’m not sure if we will ever find one or even if there is one, but it is a great mystery that keeps my mind active.
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2021 01-20, 4835 - LIGHT AT FIVE – Finally there is a little splash of light in the evening sky at five pm. I have been waiting for this to happen since the shortest day of the year. Now daylight is growing two minutes a day, spreading hope that before long, spring and freedom from the pandemic will arrive.
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2021 01-19, 4834 - UNDER CHAMBERLAIN LEDGE – On the southern side of our property is a steep ledge. We do not own the front, but we do own the steep side. We rarely visit the underneath side as it is hard to get to from the top, but we recently did. It gives us a different perspective to think about.
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2021 01-17, 4832 - I WONDER WHAT LOST THE FEATHER – It is not uncommon to find feathers on the ground while hiking, but I didn’t recognize this one. It was black and white. I wondered if it was a woodpecker. I wondered what may have happened to the bird. Nature and life always has a mystery to solve.
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2021 01-16, 4831 - BIRCHES IN WINTER – Birches have always been special to me since I was a child. We had one in the middle of our yard; I would imagine what it would be like to sail across a lake in a birch bark canoe. Birches can also be bent easily by winter snow and sometimes they never straighten again.
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2021 01-15, 4830 - THE JOY OF NATURE – I am grateful the many moments of joy I experience in Nature, from large scenic views to the sunlight shining through the trees on a winter afternoon. I usually come away from a moment in Nature feeling refreshed and ready for the next step on my path.
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2021 01-14, 4829 - LAYERS OF SKY – I stood at the top of the Lupine Field and studied the layers of sky unfolding over my head. I wondered what it would be like to fly through them and perhaps even touch the different energies they produced. Actually, my mind did drift off for a few moments before I journeyed on.
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2021 01-13, 4828 - LONG SINCE ABANDONED – Lately, exploring some of the land near the old Class VI road, I discovered several maple trees with sap buckets still hanging on them from years ago. They must have been abandoned or forgotten by a previous owner. There a lot of things in life like that.
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2021 01-12, 4827 - CHOICES – We have several places on the trails that give the hikers a choice in which direction they want to go. Actually every time we hike we make these choices. In our daily lives we all have choices in the directions our goals take us. Just as on the trails, life also has signs to guide us.
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2021 01-11, 4826 - AFTERNOON HIKES – Another beautiful mid-January day brings about another mid-afternoon hike on the top side of the mountain. Nature provides such a nourishing canvas for the mind, body, and soul. So far, this winter has provided an incredible opportunity to experience Nature up close and personal.
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2021 01-09, 4824 - THE TOP OF THE GLADE – The weather has provided an opportunity for winter walks to places we often do not easily get to this time of year, including visiting the top of the Glade and the back country ski trails down the front of the mountain. It is so peaceful and rejuvenating.
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2021 01-07, 4822 - A SNOWY WALK THROUGH THE TUNNEL – With only a few inches of snow on the ground and a light coating on the pine branches overhead, I walked through the tunnel into a world full of hope and dreams as I journey to the far reaches of the Cosmos. I came back refreshed.
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2021 01-06, 4821 - A VISIT TO THE CABIN – Usually by now the ground on the mountain is covered by enough snow to prevent me from driving the truck up to the Cabin. So far this year I am still able to make an afternoon visit for a hike in Nature. Any day that could change, and out will come the snowshoes.
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2021 01-04, 4819 - ANOTHER HEART – Just before the snows of winter I discovered another heart-shaped rock in a stone wall. I knew that I was being reminded of the importance of power of heart-based loving energy filled with positive intentions. I love finding hearts wherever my journey takes me.
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2021 01-02, 4817 - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL – As we start our journey in this New Year, Nature has reminded me of the positive signs that it provides on our walks. Recently on a section of land we do not visit very often my wife discovered what appears to be a spring. Hope does spring eternal for 2021.
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2020 12-31, 4815 - THE RETURN OF THE ICE SCULPTURE EXHIBIT – Each morning it is my intention to look out my windows and observe something unique, positive, and special that Nature provides me as I begin my day. At the moment it is the return of the constantly changing ice sculpture exhibit in the brook.
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2020 12-30, 4814 - BACK AGAIN – Nature melted the snow cover on the mountain and valley, creating a brown landscape, and with the stroke of her paint brush she painted the landscape once more in a coating of white. This time of year we resolve to change old negative habits that come back again. Keep painting.
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2020 12-29, 4813 - HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW – The white snow cover, just before Christmas, disappeared during the intense rain and warm weather. The ground is mostly bare again. Still, Nature has provided an opportunity to walk through the woods and explore places the snow would have kept us from.
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2020 12-27, 4811 - WALKING IN A STRAIGHT LINE – I followed a set of animal tracks as I walked along the old road. I knew it was a wild animal because they were in a straight line rather than a dog that will bound here and there. People are like animals. Some walk a straight line in life where others do not.
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2020 12-26, 4810 - WINTER WALKS – Our walking habits change in the winter as my leg doesn’t like to walk through deep snow. We often drive to the Center’s parking area at the back of the land and walk the old Class VI road. It is a wonderful way to connect with Nature without needing to take a lot of gear with us.
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2020 12-25, 4809 - A SPECIAL GIFT – During this special season in the Christian world as well as in other religions, gift giving is fairly common. So it was the other day during a snow storm when Nature gifted us with a visit from a pair of cardinals. To us it was a beautiful sign from the source that we were loved.
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2020 12-24, 4808 - HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – This is the time of the year that people look forward to reuniting with family and friends. However, this year is different and fortunately, through social media at least, we are able to connect with the knowledge we will be able to hug each other soon.
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2020 12-23, 4807 - DETAILS – Recently we stood at the top of the Lupine Field, and the light was just right to see all the details in the mountains across the valley. There were many little mountains that came together to create the bigger ones. People often see details very differently than others. Perception.
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2020 12-22, 4806 - THE TRANSITION HAS BEGUN – Today marks the beginning of the return of growing sunlight. It may be only a few seconds a day at the moment but within a month we will begin to see the changes. It is also a transition for all of us into a year filled with positive changes.
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2020 12-21, 4805 - WINTER HAS ARRIVED – Finally winter has arrived, signaling the shortest day of the year. I look forward to the return of daylight starting slowly at first, and then by spring I believe that we shall be well on our way to life and Nature both planting the seeds of a positive future.
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2020 12-20, 4804 - PERFECTION – Here in the mountains Nature has provided us the perfect winter scene, fir trees covered in soft fluffy snow. It is like living in a holiday card and an image really needed this time of year. Some only think of the work of moving the snow. I prefer to see the beauty.
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2020 12-19, 4803 - STUDYING AN OAK LEAF – I am constantly amazed at the uniqueness of all things in Nature, from a single oak leaf to the patterns of color in the feathers on birds, to the sky. No two oak leaves are alike, as no two persons are the same. We are, after all, a part of Nature.
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2020 12-18, 4802 - I WONDER WHAT IT’S THINKING – I was able to get a picture of a titmouse perched on the edge of bird feeder as it gazed in the window. I wondered what it was thinking, if birds actually think. Maybe it was there to help me think and see life from a different angle.
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2020 12-17, 4801 - COASTAL DECORATING – I find it interesting how different parts of the country use their local materials to decorate for the holidays, like lobster traps on the coast of Maine. Wherever you are, it is a chance to use your creative ability to bring a smile to others.
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2020 12-16, 4800 - LIVING WITH SANTA – I grew up in a house that contained the last old fashioned hand crank telephone company in the country. My father used to answer calls to Santa from the town’s children each December. One day in the middle of summer, one child heard his voice and, wide eyed, said, “You’re Santa!”
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2020 12-15, 4799 - A SILENT WORLD – Although the drizzle had stopped, the mountain was covered with a thick fog. The world below had fallen silent, something we seek when we visit Nature. At that place in time, the whole universe and beyond was connecting to me with a loving energy of peace.
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2020 12-14, 4798 - LUNCH WAITING – The single pinecone rested on the surface of the new snow waiting for a squirrel to wander by for lunch. I thought of all the nourishment Nature provides for the wild creatures as well as for humans. My soul is always nourished when I am out in Nature.
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2020 12-13, 4797 - THE FIRST CUP OF TEA – Recently we hired professionals to remake the chimney and install a wood burning end heater in the cabin. I built a fire, put on some water to boil and enjoyed my first cup of tea made in the Cabin. Life is filled with many moments like this.
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2020 12-11, 4794 - IMPASS – The snowstorm caused a lot of havoc in the foothills. Some people were out of power for several days. When I tried to drive up to the cabin, I found the road was impassible. I got my chainsaw, and it two days to get to my destination. Life is full of impasses. We have options.
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2020 12-10, 4794 - IMPASS – The snowstorm caused a lot of havoc in the foothills. Some people were out of power for several days. When I tried to drive up to the cabin, I found the road was impassible. I got my chainsaw, and it two days to get to my destination. Life is full of impasses. We have options.
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2020 12-09, 4793 - A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN – As I drove through the village I was struck by the beauty of the mountain with its fresh coating of snow hanging to the trees. From this location the mountain looks big. From where we live, it is called a hill. There are many ways to view a mountain.
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2020 12-08, 4792 - VIEW FROM ABOVE – On a recent visit to Camden Hills State Park on the coast of Maine and before the snow, we got a bird’s eye view of the harbor below. Life has more than one view when we take the time to realize we can be above a situation or we can experience being down in it.
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2020 12-07, 4791 - A MAGICAL COATING: A SNOWY WONDER – The wind blew through the night and what we thought was going to be a major snowstorm turned into a magical coating of white. It has arrived just in time to help us feel a sense of normalcy during this season of holiday celebrations.
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2020 12-06, 4790 - TOO BIG TO DECORATE – We used to decorate a small evergreen tree on the edge of the orchard during the holiday season. Over the years it has grown. At one time we used a stepladder, but now it is about 20 feet tall and too big for us to decorate anymore. Nature has taken over.
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2020 12-05, 4789 – LIFE IN THE WOODS – I recently harvested some firewood for my son from some dead trees in the woods. I used to workup six or more cords a year, but now rely on oil and kerosene. Still, it was nice to reconnect with the process. My life is still in the wood now, only different.
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2020 12-09, 4793 - A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN – As I drove through the village I was struck by the beauty of the mountain with its fresh coating of snow hanging to the trees. From this location the mountain looks big. From where we live, it is called a hill. There are many ways to view a mountain.
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2020 12-01, 4785 - DUCK WATCHING – I’ve enjoyed watching ducks since I was a child growing up on the edge of a bog; from their appearance in the spring to their flocks of young in the summer to their last appearance in the fall. Recently I captured a photo of mallards on a small pond that reminded me of my past.
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2020 11-30, 4784 - HIGH WIND, HIGH TIDE, BRIGHT SUNSHINE – The conditions were right for Nature to manipulate the photo I took to create a dramatic black and white scene on a bright brisk sunny day. It was another moment in time that will never be the same again.
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2020 11-29, 4783 - ALL TUCKED IN - The windjammers moored in the harbor are all tucked in for the winter, covered with a protective layer. People in the mountains are also preparing for the storms of winter, tucking in their spring projects for a few months. Still, each day brings a new opportunity.
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2020 11-28, 4782 - AN OCEAN-SHAPED HEART – It seems as though the more I focus on heart gratitude, the more I find hearts, including a boulder covered by the ocean during high tide. The water has shaped it into the form of a heart. Just another reminder that we are surrounded by love in Nature.
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2020 11-27, 4781 - DAZZLING BEAUTY – I have said many times that the sunrises and sunsets seem to be more brilliant and dazzling than in the past. Maybe it’s just me, or perhaps the changing environment has something to do with it. I find a lot in Nature to be dazzled about, especially now.
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