In April there was a heat wave.
In May, we got frost.
You won’t hear me complain.
.
Frosted dandelions
.
This is not unusual for us.
The lilac had already bloomed and was unaffected.
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It’s been a busy week, with several road trips.
One day we came upon Guineafowl…
.
…strutting unwisely in the road.
This caused us to slow down but my command to “STOP!” was ignored.
The possibility of someone taking a potshot at us seems unlikely, but such events are happening all the time these days.
So I only grouse a bit, to no avail.
.
On a second try, we circumnavigated the road excavations to find Stump Church which was looking serene in its Spring clothes.
It’s hard to imagine the setting anything other than serene in any season.
.
.
Looking out from under heavy shade, the freshly tilled fields beyond said:
“Fresh canvas.”
It really is. Nature re-setting itself.
A reminder that humans should not have distanced themselves so far from the natural world.
Wouldn’t it serve us well, to re-set periodically?
.
To straighten out our lines, as it were, untie all those knots we get tangled in.
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Travelling along empty country lanes…
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…such a simple pleasure.
There are few things I enjoy more.
It’s no great exploration
It demands very little effort.
Touching base with groups of trees.
It’s refreshing.
Reassuring.
In a world that is constantly changing, it’s good to have somewhere to go that feels safe.
When I say safe, I don’t mean physically.
Physical safety should never be taken for granted and it is my great good fortune never to have felt threatened in that way.
To fear for your life, terrifying.
But the human mind is a fragile thing.
Mental abuse may damage it.
Proportionately, I will not say I suffered because many are tormented in much more devastating ways.
But my experiences molded me, caused me to erect emotional walls with which to defend myself, mentally.
It is really only looking back from where I have arrived that I have been able to understand so much of what happened to me.
This is not a complaint.
Who’s to know how life may have turned out?
To have been able to reach an understanding of my mental turmoil has been a gift.
Too many people get to the end without finding peace. And that is a tragedy.
Thank you, Carolyn, for your poetic and philosophical musing on the importance of being with nature. Your post today is heart-rending delight, thank you!
Excellent photos, as always!
Joanna
When I saw the title i was sure I would be seeing pictures of cats finding the best spots from which to keep an eye on events and while staying clear of trouble. That would have been lovely. But you surprised me! And that is good too.
The green leaves with the frost on them look like candy 🙂. I can’t get enough of your lovely country roads. And the blue skies and trees galore are just as beautiful! Yes, refreshing indeed.
Nice to see Guinea Fowl, but I fear they would just be flattened on local roads here. Do you really fear ‘pot-shots’ if you stop? Maybe that was metaphorical. But if it is true, I wonder how you live there, and keep your sanity. I would emigrate, I really would.
Best wishes, Pete.
People get shot in the USA everyday, as you know. If I was young, if I had children, I would have to leave if I could. As it is, I would like to leave but not because of gun violence. It’s everything else. But leaving is not an option, for all sorts of reasons.