Appreciating Nature (10.6.13)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

The weather is turning cold now, here in the San Luis Valley, and as Fall settles in, I begin to notice the changes around me. The trees are turning gold, the flowers have gone to seed and different birds have begun to show up around the farm.

This morning I awoke early to the sounds of the neighbor's dog barking, and as I looked out the window to see where the dog was, I noticed a coyote standing on the other side of the fence near the road. He was watching me as I watched him.

My six year old daughter sleeps on the top of the bunk bed she shares with her brother. When she woke, she was mesmerized by the Magpies hanging out in the trees outside her window.

There have been several Magpies flying about the garden space this morning along with several other small birds. Beautiful small blackbirds pick through the hay in the goat yard, and there was a Mockingbird singing outside my bedroom windows early this morning. The Mockingbird song makes me think of Spring, but I am not fooled by the 20 F temperature outside the front door.

The air is crisp and cool and the breeze holds a chill as Autumn wraps her arms around this Rocky Mountain valley. The mountains in the distance have a slight dusting of snow from the storm that came through a week or so ago. The skies are clear and the air is fresh, and I am thankful to be a witness to the changing of the seasons, taking the time to notice the subtleties of  Nature as she puts on her Fall attire, getting ready for her last celebration before she settles in for her winter nap.

The golds, reds and oranges, the purples, greens and browns, all of the colors of the high desert--the colors of certain plants setting off contrasting colors of the plants beside and the landscape in the distance--it is a visual smorgasbord to the eyes that take the time to really see.

This week, make some time to bear witness to the changing of the seasons, immersing yourself in the colors, the fresh air, the sounds, and enjoy the healing warmth from the sun on your skin. Become a part of the Nature that is your true self and set aside the distractions of the man made world for a little while to realign with the spirit inside that seeks communion with the natural world.

Become one with the trees, the grasses, the birds, and the wild animals that wander searching for food. Become one with the sky, the clouds, the mountains in the distance. Feel the spirit of the Mother Earth as you breath in cool, clean, crisp air, and let yourself simply be in the nature that is a part of you. Let it heal and replenish your soul, connecting with all that is.

~Rev. Kerry