Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! It is a day to celebrate our freedom and
remember all of those who served to enable us to enjoy it.
This morning as I sat on my front porch gazing out onto my
freshly mown yard and the beautiful, bright sunshine through the trees, I am
reminded how thankful I am. Sitting
quietly outdoors has always been how I connect with God and my center. The outdoors refreshes my soul.
When my daughter was little, we would take hikes in the woods,
find a place to sit, close our eyes and simply listen for a minute and then say
what we could hear. It is amazing what
you can hear when you close your eyes and get still for a moment.
When I close my eyes right now as I sit on my porch, I hear –
-the rustling of the breeze in the trees. The dogwood tree has a lighter sound than the
broad leaf maple, and the needles of the pine tree create a whirring that adds
its own distinct sound to the symphony.
-I can hear the wind approaching – blowing in from the
southwest – starting in the trees up the street and moving its way into the
ones in my yard.
-At least 5 different bird sounds – chickadees, wrens,
cardinals, crows and finches. The wrens,
in particular seem to be having a lively conversation with each other.
-The crickets’ high pitched song from the grass. Funny – I didn’t even notice them until I
closed my eyes!
-The buzz of a bumblebee enjoying the daisies and coneflowers
planted next to my porch
.
And some man made sounds that are also very calming and
pleasant to my senses
-the soft tinkling of my little glass wind chimes. I have always had wind chimes around my home to
catch the soft breeze and lift up their music.
-The soft flapping of the American flag on a pole in my
neighbor’s yard… representing the Land of the Free…….
Have a lovely holiday and remember to take a moment to savor
life and freedom.
The view from my front porch. Freshly mown lawn, my beautiful dogwood tree and flower beds. Such a nice place to relax and enjoy my coffee in the mornings. Most mornings - there is a rabbit family sitting under the tree dining on clover.
White wicker makes me happy! This chair was bought at a yard sale for $5.00 and it is in perfect shape. Sitting here in the mornings and enjoying my yard and flowers is a great way to start my day.
Your post and mine are so much alike, except mine was at the close of the day....and yours at the start! I sense we may be kindred spirits - :)
ReplyDeleteHA! I think we are! I was catching up on my blog reading tonight and just left a comment on your post about getting quiet at the end of the day as I totally relate. Nature is my refuge and speaks to my soul. That is why your blog is one of my favorites cause your words and pictures of your beautiful home and gardens perfectly express the peace and serenity that connecting with nature brings.
DeleteStopping by to say how much I enjoyed your description of your time on the porch. I love any kind of breeze and the sound of leaves or grasses blowing in the wind. So many memories connected to sounds and smells. I envy your alone time.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for dropping by! I just started this blog so I am excited it is getting discovered! I am an empty nester so had many years where I didn't get much alone time. I think that is why I appreciate it so much! You are so right - sounds and smells can stir memories - especially of childhood when, I for one, was outside a lot more than I am now. Hope you will visit again soon.
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ReplyDeleteI love sitting on my small porch also. I often blog about the birds that visit my feeders. It is such a happy time in the day to hear them. I guess there are many people out there who would not or do not enjoy those things that are so special to us. I grew up in the Big City so it was not until I moved to a rural country location that I learned to see and hear. What a gift it has been.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should clarify that a little. I have moved back to the City from the Country but I returned and carried with me the ability to see and hear all the beauty - even in the City.
ReplyDeleteI learned to love and be attuned to nature on camping trips from the time I was a child and I credit my dad with nurturing my love of the outdoors. My mom was one of those people who had absolutely no interest in anything "outdoorsy". Luckily I took after my dad in that regard! I also live in the city but luckily found a house in a subdivision that has a fairly private yard and a lot of wild life so it is the next best thing to being in the country. I am looking forward to checking out your blog after I finish up my responding to comments tonight. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSitting on my screened porch first thing in the morning is my favorite time of day. The sounds of the birds is so soothing. This morning i saw 'my buddy', a rabbit who sees fit to visit me every day. We just stare at each other lol.
ReplyDeleteSounds so nice and such a wonderful way to start the day. I love how the animals, like your rabbit buddy, have their routines as well. There is something so soothing about the rhythms of nature.
DeleteLove this post.. makes me sit and close my eyes and listen to the outdoor sounds. I sit in my craftroom alot with the window open, and love the sounds of the wind in the trees, the birds, the little frog in my flower beds and people sounds such as kids playing or someone mowing their grass. I love this little glimpse of your front yard and love your white wicker! I too love white wicker and have my great grandmother's white wicker rocking chair still in storage as nowhere to put it right now.. but there will be...... once I get our "patio" area (that is now gravel) laid with some sort of stones or nice round rocks. We don't really have a front porch area unfortunately.. just a small cement stoop.
ReplyDeleteOh what a treasure to have your grandmother's white wicker rocker! I repaint mine every other year with spray paint and it has done well outside. How nice to be able to sit enjoy crafting with your window open enjoying the sounds of nature! Perfect sounds to inspire creativity! I am soooo ready for cooler weather so i can open my windows!!!!
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