The river moves calmly through its landscape, not in any particular hurry to get where it's going because, even if the pace is leisurely, it will still, eventually, reach its destination. A good thing to remember when we're tempted to rush through our day.
On the bay, they were far enough away from the city to escape the noise and bustle, but close enough to watch its endless activity. It was a good perspective, one that allowed them to observe without being distracted.
The ability to create is a gift given to us as human beings.With our hands, hearts, minds, and skill we are able to fabricate and bring forth things of beauty and goodness . . . or, things that are not. We do well when we determine to use our creativity for good, and refuse to employ it for evil.
Rugged peaks form a ring encircling a high, clear, pristine, alpine lake. This is a landscape of intense silence, one where you can sit on a boulder along the banks, look out over the water, and think pleasant, interesting thoughts (why be grumpy in a place like this?).
Not all of us are trained or skilled as dancers on the stage, but in the dance of life, we have opportunity to move with strength, purpose, and meaning.
The weather could go either way. It was one of those moments in which the storm hadn't quite decided whether it wanted to unleash itself in a torrent of rain, or slowly dissipate into a cloudy day broken by gleams of sunlight. Either way, the show would be worth seeing.
Many creative projects demand that we give them time and attention. And why not? When we're doing something that interests us, why rush through it? The very act of creating provides as much satisfaction as the finished product.
I love Zion National Park in Utah, USA. Not the crowds, mind you, but if you're willing to explore the "back 40" of the park, the places not listed on brochures, you find all the majesty and splendor of the landscape, without the noise or crowds.
When the world outside is completely white (as mine is right now), it's difficult to picture the many colors of the landscape, especially in spring or autumn.
That's the beauty of the seasons, and the weather -- neither is stagnant, static, stuck, nor frozen. They are dynamic and alive.
Twilight, eventide, dusk, the gloaming hour -- we have so many ways of describing sunset, a time of calmness and contemplation that literally provides a beautiful end to the day.
The interesting thing about this building is that, essentially, it's just a large box -- but it is the little things, the details throughout, that prevent it from being so.
Built in 1876, the Columbia County Courthouse exhibits a craftsmanship that today's minimalist, "efficient" structures often lack.
There's an entire city out there, filled with people. But out of all those people, they found each other: he is the one for her; and she is the one for him.
Throughout life, they'll brush shoulders with all sorts of people, but the one they'll hold close, real close, is each other.
All roads lead someplace but not all at the same pace. And that's a good thing to remember when we find ourselves on the leisurely, winding roads of a country landscape. We won't get to where we're going quickly, but if we're wise, we'll enjoy the process.
At the close of a sunny winter day, you are on a walk in the fresh snow amongst a copse of small, young trees. As the sun descends, the sky transforms into a glow of pink and peach, and a cold breeze glances, bitingly, across your face.
It feels like it's time to go in to a warm place, but you don't want to miss this sunset . . .
When we focus on doing something we enjoy -- putting our mental and physical energy to its success, concentrating our intellect upon it -- we derive enjoyment and satisfaction from the process.
It doesn't matter what it is -- it's gratifying. Which means . . . it's not a bad idea to do this more.
New year, old year, middle of the year -- the deepest dreams and hopes in our hearts are not something we make resolutions to have or keep; they are simply there, living, breathing, and growing within our innermost being.
May you find the path to walk upon, leading to the fulfillment of those dreams.
So often to see clearly, you have to get out and away from impediments blocking you -- whether you're in the middle of a forest or a city. When you step into a place that gives you a 360 degree view, you're able to see so much more of landscape, sky, and perspective.
It's easy to forget, when I go to the coast, that I'm just skirting the edge of the ocean -- its vastness and teeming world of life is beyond my sight, under water and in the depths.
Now and then a reminder of this is flung onto shore, like the piles of kelp, once part of a marine garden, now jumbled upon the sand.
I never drive by this particular landscape without looking at that clump of trees in the back right and thinking about the homestead that used to be there.
It's a reminder to me that we're not on this earth forever, and to use the time we do have wisely and well.
For days the blue waters of the Adriatic Sea had been calm and still, but on this day, a storm was brewing. Wind whipped up the waves, and clouds grew and grew until they appeared to fill the sky.
It looked like rain was on its way, but she wasn't ready to leave yet. Nature was putting on too good of a show.