Breathing Space

OM

In the beginning of a hike recently, I noticed a small wood sign posted on a tree in the woods with the word "OM" on it. "OM" is the universal sound that is often used for chanting in meditation, it represents the union of mind, body and spirit. Being a yogi, I took it as a sign to take a deep breath and completely enjoy the walk. Signs are everywhere if you are open and observant. Little messages are there to remind you to be present and appreciate each day. We sometimes get so caught up in going from one thing to the next that we forget to notice some of the small signs and even the big ones.

As we walked along the trail a little further,  I mentioned the sign to Tim and he told me it meant 0 miles, or the beginning of the trail. Oh well, we had a laugh and every time I now see the sign I laugh and take a deep breath. I guess the signs in life are always up for interpretation.

http://yoga.about.com/od/howtospeakyoga/g/om.htm

First Snow in February

Backyard in Stevensville

There is nothing like the first snow of the season. The earth is blanketed in white and seems so still and calm. I woke up this morning to a lot of new snow and it is still snowing.Even though by February we begin to look forward to Spring, I must say I was excited to see so much new snow. 

Things were beginning to look so gray and lifeless and we all know that spring is still pretty far away. I have an early spring birthday and I remember wearing my new birthday clothes as a kid even though mother nature did not often cooperate with my Spring fever.

We did not have much snow to speak of during the holidays this year, so we might as well enjoy it now. Go out and play today and remember the feeling you had as a child in the first snow.

Mesmerized by the Moon

As I was driving Emma to school and then on my way back home, I felt myself mesmerized by the beauty of the full moon. It was still light and bright early this morning and it was a spectacular sight to behold. The gravitational attraction of the moon can move tides so of course it must have the power to move us too.

 

Downward Parrot

Barnaby, practicing Yoga in the woods behind my house. He is demonstrating the extremely challenging "Downward Parrot" pose.

Submitted by Alice, Breathing Space reader and Bird lover.

Dream,wish and hope

I have unconsciously become a collector of birds. Not real ones, but birds represented in art forms. I started counting all the birds in my home and realized that without knowing it I have become a bird lady. My brother and sister-in-law, gave my first bird to us as a wedding gift. Deb’s father,Byron, was an amazingly talented wood carver, which he only began after he was recovering from a heart attack and then even more prolifically after his retirement. He probably carved hundreds of intricate, birds of art, in his lifetime.  He was obviously inspired by the beauty of birds and so am I. Deb said, "it is always nurturing to bring the outside in". Nature does nurture and inspire .

There is something about a bird in flight that represents freedom to me. Birds can soar in the sky and often see what we cannot. Hence, the saying, “a bird’s eye view”. Birds have a perspective on the world that we often do not.

As I was taking down my Christmas decorations, three new little birds that I purchased this past year inspired me. They are sparkly and each carries a banner that resonated with me for the perfect message for the New Year: dream, wish, and hope. Dream big, wish more and never give up hope for a brighter tomorrow. The “right” idea will always fly. This is a great line about innovation that I saw referring to the Wright brothers. I know birds inspired them to create something big and world changing.

 I think I will keep these birds hanging a bit longer.

Happy New Year to all!

 

All Quiet

There is something about the day after Christmas that I find peaceful and joyful. The hustle and bustle is over,the shopping is done, the gifts are all open and the cooking and consuming of the large holiday meals is over. There is no pressing holiday schedule and everyone is content to just relax and enjoy the day.

I took a nice long walk on the lake with Tess and enjoyed the sun and the quiet. It is now time to take stock of the past year and begin to focus on the new one ahead. A time to be grateful for our blessings and also for the lessons learned with life changes and challenges.

We enjoyed the first Christmas in our new home and it is just the beginning of combining our old traditions with new ones. I miss the times when our children were up at the crack of dawn waking us up, but now that they are grown, agreeing on a reasonable time to rise and open gifts is not too bad either. Now it is the parents waking up the teens and young adults in our household.

I enjoy the day after Christmas for the peaceful contrast to the holiday preparations and celebrations, but one would never be quite as good without the other. It is the contrasts in life, the challenges and the blessings that bring color to our lives.  Without some of the bad, we would never appreciate the good as much. Fond memories keep us warm during the dark days. Of course the key is to appreciate the good days when you are living them.

I wish you all the gift of peace and joy in the coming year. It is often found during the most surprising times and in unexpected places.

 

My Breathing Space reader Allison, who lives in N.Alabama, just shared this photo with me. I guess she won't be lounging in her hammock today.

Empty Nest Monday

It was so heart warming to wake-up on thanksgiving morning with a full house. My daughters woke up early and began to help me with the thanksgiving meal preparation. The Thanksgiving day meal takes all day to prepare and not much time to consume but at least there are always leftovers. I feel like the weekend was a whirlwind but the Christmas holiday is right around the corner so there will be more family time to enjoy.

Once your children leave the nest it is so wonderful to have them home and it seems all too quiet when they leave. Luckily we still have Emma at home with us so we have delayed the completely empty nest. Of course it is a good thing that as young adults they go back to their own productive lives but it is always bittersweet when they leave. Since Blake stockpiled his laundry for weeks, it seemed. My washer and dryer will be happy to have a rest.

Fall is coming to a close and the next holiday season will soon be upon us. I hope you all enjoyed your thanksgiving holiday with family & friends. I am not an avid Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopper but if that is exciting for you there is still time to shop. Or take a deep breath and enjoy a little bit of down time.

 

 

 

 

Nature's Gateway

On a walk on the beach on Saturday morning we discovered this twig archway. It would be the perfect place for a wedding. I am not sure what it was created for, but it would be a simple and beautiful setting for almost any special event. I never tire of this view, it always help to calm and ground me and there are always new discoveries. It is really never exactly the same view because nature is always changing.

Tim and I attended a wedding in South Carolina last weekend and the ceremony took place outside with the ocean as the backdrop. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever attended and the lapping of the ocean seemed to make the ceremony even more auspicious. It was the perfect beginning to a new union.

The changing of the tides on the beach in SC was so spectacular. Even though I grew up near the ocean I forget how dramatic this natural event is and it also made me think about how quickly time passes. The groom’s father was the best man in our own wedding and now his own son is a married man.

On a hike on Sunday morning to Pyramid Point we were delayed by fallen trees. We had to do a lot of over and under to make it through the usually clear path. Nature has experienced many extremes recently. It snowed on the eastern seaboard before all the trees had even dropped all their leaves. That must have been a strange sight. Nature never ceases to surprise and amaze us .

 

 

Indian Summer

Grand Mere Park

This weekend was one of the most beautiful weather weekends I can remember. Maybe since we all know what is coming next, we welcome and greatly appreciate any sunny day we can get in early autumn.  The sun was shining, the leaves were beginning to turn and there was hardly a hint of humidity in the air. I felt like I wanted to spend every waking moment outside.

We are still adjusting to our new town, but there is not much to complain about when you can walk on the beach in minutes and enjoy some spectacular fall days. I was even able to walk in the water and I could have and should have gone swimming, since it may be the last time until next June.

A friend said on facebook, “ remind me of this in January” and I think this holds true for all of us.  What a gift to have summer weather in October.  I plan on taking a walk on the lake again today and embrace the day. I’m still missing my friends but my cell phone certainly helps. Maybe I have found another breathing space? It will never replace Glen Arbor but there is always room for more places to take a deep breath.

Here are some explanations for the term Indian summer, which you may find interesting. Technically it refers to days in late fall followed by frost but the term has become widely used for any stretch of unseasonably warm weather in fall.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/indian-summer.html