Gone are the days of summer ...
The spirit of autumn seeped into every corner of our lives. The season invites us to clean up and let go of that which does not serve our purpose. The warm colors that brought a respite to the cool temperatures of the season are now buried under the snow winter sent this week. Almost five inches fell here in Southwestern Wisconsin.
The peace sign of weeds and grass is still standing strong, but it is now hidden under the snow…
We all cherish the right to express ourselves and interact with others. Yet we also seek the time to retreat inward and reflect on the changes and challenges life imposes upon us.
Inner peace is necessary to embrace changes. We also need the light of hope to move forward.
Our herbs continue to thrive: There is sage, parsley, oregano, basil. These containers left our deck a month ago, when the temperatures began to drop. Enhancing the flavor of our meals helps our bodies and minds.
We also brought in a plant of geranium. In our kitchen it bloomed fiercely, with a new kind of energy, setting the space for an inner spring.
The shorter days of fall did not stop our pepper plant from flowering and producing peppers. A couple of tomato plants insist that they can still bear some fruit now that they are indoors. Plants inspire us to keep moving forward.
Over a week ago, I harvested some kale, spinach, peas and other greens.
There is a lot of clean up to do in our garden. We are far behind with these tasks, but Mother Nature is joyful when we let parts of our yard go wild. It means that there will be more seeds available for the birds when it becomes more challenging for them to find food.
As I write this, I remember that we need to clean the bird houses. Do you have any bird houses in your gardens?
Amid the changes, we relish the steady visit of the birds at our feeders.
The cardinals have been loyal, and they may come at any time of the day, but their visits are constant at dawn and dusk. If there are too many mourning doves during the day, the cardinals wait for me to intervene. I stand close to them and the doves give the cardinal space to eat. They all understand the rules.
Mourning doves love sunflower seeds, but I know that our company is also appreciated when they come to the glass door and stare at me. They are also good at letting me know when they run out of seeds.
Other birds that have been visiting us are nuthatches, chickadees, different kinds of woodpeckers, titmice, goldfinches and sparrows.
I shouldn’t forget to mention the noisy blue jays. They add another set of colors to the landscape.
They all come for water and sunflower seeds, and we also offer them another gift. We play the piano, and we can tell that the music attracts them. Soon after I begin playing, I hear their songs in response to mine.
Music has the power to connect us. It is a language everyone can share. The mystery of birds being attracted by music makes me think about what we don’t know or understand. It is a door to opening our minds. Some of that is about the perception of our intuition. We cannot put everything into words, can we?
Acknowledging what we don’t understand or know is an act of humility. These birds grant us the gift of curiosity, and for this we are thankful.
What is going on in your gardens? Did anything kindle your curiosity lately? Share your experiences.