Peace of the Turning Season

Last night we had our second frost — and this was a real one. It’s time, no getting away from it, and it makes it clear which way the weather is heading.

People, both farmers and gardeners scrambled around getting in the last crop.

Now it’s time to turn within. It’s time for some reflection and contemplation. It’s time to ask forgiveness and offer it. Slow down. Figure things out a bit.

Enjoy the new season. Stop worrying about it’s getting colder. The seasons each have something to teach us. And the speed that days are flying by, how will we notice we even have a winter? How can it be the end of October already?

But enjoy the ending of Fall and the beginning of Winter. Life has something to offer every second! Find your Peace where you are. Live in the season. Who knows what magic is waiting for you!

Peace and Kindness

I’m working hard at my swimming. Part of it is that it’s the only exercise I really enjoy, so i can work at being/staying in shape. Part of it is that it’s such a pleasure for me. It changes my mood and takes me completely away from whatever I’m poking at with my mind. I don’t think about anything but my pull or my kick and my breath. It’s pretty great!

And I get in my little Taurus rut… we do like routine, we Taureans. So, must swim now, becomes part of the track in my head. Which is great. Because aside from swimming, I’d rather read a book!

But once I start swimming I get a bit fixated on the goal.

Yesterday, oh, so early in the morning, I was hustling to get to the early swim and I encountered an old friend who needed to talk. I took a deep breath and let it out and just talked with him. It had been an age since I saw him, and a lot was happening in his life. It was time to catch up.

But swimming, I thought. A friend, I reminded myself. And we had a delightful chat. I only had 20 minutes to swim. That was fine. I also had 20 minutes of being a friend. Fewer meters, more friendship. Our hearts get exercised in so many ways. I love that this beautiful web reminded me of the connections that are important to make. Kindness and caring matters. They bring us Peace. They offer it to others. Peace be with us all.

Pumpkin Berry Peace

I like learning something that I always thought was true is really something else altogether.

Well, okay, I admit it’s less fun when I realize my truths were just stereotypes, but I’m working on rooting them out.

But like finding out that a pumpkin is a fruit, closely related to a berry. It doesn’t have much impact in my life, but I think it’s delightful and weird.

And it’s a great reminder that life is not always what I think. And Peace is much larger and has room for so much we don’t know… Peace of the Pumpkin Berry to you, My friends. It certainly seems to be in season!

The Quiet Fall Fogs of Peace

When the land and the water are still warm and the nights begin to get cooler, mornings are often drenched in fog.

Fog is such a quiet, beautiful gift. It muffles the world and reminds us of the importance of Silence.

Also in a deep fog, it’s a good idea not to blunder around aimlessly. It’s hard to know where you’re going. So sit still and wait for the fog to pass.

Enjoy the Silence. Enjoy the Beauty. Enjoy the Peace. Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Our River Needs Peace

Yesterday there was a gasoline spill on one of the Susquehanna’s beautiful tributaries. The Loyalsock creek is where some of each of my beloved’s ashes have been scattered.

The river cannot absorb the 55,000 gallons that are flowing downstream, fouling our drinking water, soiling our streams.

Today, at 4 pm. I’m going down to the river to pray. I’ll be on the Lewisburg bridge. Please join me. Bring autumn leaves to throw in the river with your silent prayers. Nothing big, nothing political… We’ll stand in sad silence and then go home to figure out what we do next.

Let our blood run at the same speed as our beautiful river. Let our tears fall, and our prayers rain down.

The River gives us Peace so often. Let us offer her our Peace. Let there be Peace on the River. Let us stand in support. Let us make it so.

Making Peace with Life

No one’s life is easy. Some people’s lives are more difficult than others’. Some creatures’ lives are more difficult than others.

Animals, because they’re pretty good about being in the present, deal with what’s in front of them. They don’t expect extraordinary things of people who aren’t capable of extraordinary things. They don’t expect beyond the possible, the real.

It’s a good lesson to learn. A friend of mine, Notty Bumbo, wrote a great piece the other day about dealing with pain and disability and how the story of exceptionalism disregards the every day efforts of getting out of bed when the pain is (more than usually) overwhelming. Some days those efforts are a bridge too far. So you wait and hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

Most of us don’t have a great understanding of physical suffering. We’re lucky that we don’t have to. But let us call upon ourselves to be kind and supportive and aware. Let us seek the Peace that everyone needs.

Closets Full of Fun and Peace

Closets have always been a playground for me. My mother was an artist with color with paints and she was an artist with color with clothes. I was a lucky girl. In addition to color, she made me skirts that twirl, an enjoyable part of being a girl — or at least I thought so.

The cut of my clothes and I had a bit of an adversarial relationship when my body changed. Menopause. Cancer and Hysterectomy. Aging. It took me a while to find my sea legs and flattering styles. I’ve always been an edgy dresser. It was easy as a skinny woman. What did that look like on a round woman? slowly, slowly… and luckily the clothes have changed. More women were asking that question!

Color and I had some disagreements because for years I felt I was always grieving.

There were times when both of those dissatisfactions overlapped. My closet wasn’t as fun — but I always loved great cloth! I got that from both Sam and Betty. Sam was a textile chemist.

But, I’ve once again come to terms with my body. This is who I am. I’m now swimming, so who I am is stronger. I like that. And I’m having fun with clothes again. Culling a bunch. Slowly adding some quality. And settling in for the ride (in my fun turquoise capris and white cowl neck sweater!)

Off to write. Glad I found the closet Peace again. Hope you do too! Have fun with your clothes… most of the time you have to wear them. Here’s a hint… Tell people when they look good… It’s a lovely, silly, easy way to offer people the Peace of the day.

Down to the Sea and Peace

Oh, this picture and our lovely weather, how could I not want to be swimming?

If climate change has the air this warm, who knows what temperature the gulf stream waters are…

But the ocean is eternal. Beautiful even in the rain and the fog and the snow.

She is the source of life… and the things we throw in her… we must do better…

What does that mean? I don’t know… But maybe we start by visiting enough to fall in love.

We breathe in the Peace of the Ocean Air… and come back refreshed, renewed and ready to go to work for the Earth and our Great Waters.

Heron of Majesty and Peace

This is one of those photos when you wonder why you bother to write! Fall fogs and large birds wading on rivers that somehow have found enough light to cast reflections.

It really is a reminder to look, look, look around. Every season has its beauty.

We just need to show up and be present. We need to allow ourselves to be fed by what is and, at the same time, fueled to protect it.

We need to stop being casual about what goes in the water. We need to stop being casual about Peace. It’s this morning, pictured here, and it’s everything that has to happen to make the river safe for the land and the birds and animals.

Peace in the Soup Pot

The weather was doing its fall best for a while, and then boom, it’s back to summer weather, or will be if the cloud cover disappears. Just for a few days, enough to confuse us!

But our taste buds were happy to change directions. mmmm winter soups! Squashes, fruits, onions, cheeses. Okay, I made the cheese thing up, but I like cheese in my soups! Maybe not this one, but some soups! Nothing could be finer.

One way or the other though, I tastebuds accept the Peace offering. Soup is good food!

The sweetest of Autumn to you, my friends, and I wish you the Peace of the soup pot!

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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