Barred Owl

I have had the coolest sight in the morning on my walks.  The other morning while walking on the lake path, I flushed a large bird.  I followed it with my eyes and discovered a barred owl perched in a willow about 15 feet from the path.  We just silently looked at each other for a long time.  Suddenly, it began to raise it's shoulders and cry with a "screeeee".  Then it would pause, and then call with a "screeeee".   The longer I stood still, the more calm it became, until it stopped calling. 
I continued on my walk and passed many people walking, running, talking and being loud.  I figured that the owl would be long gone on my return loop.  As I passed the spot, I didn't see the owl and thought for sure it was gone.  A closer look led me right to it, in the same spot in the tree.  A woman was walking past and I quietly motioned for her to look.  She couldn't find it at first either, but eventually did, and she asked me how in the world I ever spotted it.  I shared my story with her.
The following day, there was no owl.  On the third day, I saw it and stopped.  It looked strange, as if something was wrong with it's head.  I took some cautious steps closer and realized that a second owl was perched right behind it.  I stood for a long time just staring at the magnificence of these two creatures.  I realized that time had probably gotten away from me, so I began to walk away when I noticed a third owl on the branch above the pair I had been watching.  Wow! 
Now that I know what their little "screeeee" cry sounds like, I hear the two that I don't normally see, calling to one another in the nearby trees, while the bold owl sits perched in the willow and looks at me.  I feel so very blessed to have this rare opportunity to look at such magnificent creatures in nature. 

Here's a link to some barred owl facts:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/barred-owl/ 

Magical Saturday

It began as a blissful rare morning that let me sleep in until it was light outside. I awoke and saw that ho-hum, it was yet another gray day.   When I finally got out of bed I looked out my window and gasped.  The frost was thick on every branch of every tree, and my world looked like a fairy tale that had come to life.  I pulled on my walking gear and headed outside with my camera.  The path is too protected, so there was no frost there.  I headed out across the lake to the various islands and outcroppings.  I never saw another person, and the world seemed covered in a blanket of quiet.  Looking back on it, I find it strange for a Saturday morning.  There was so much beauty in this gray day.  It's just another lesson for me to see the beauty in each and every day and every kind of weather.  Breathe in the beauty of this day wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

 

Ski Weekend

What an amazing weekend!  I had planned to ski with friends on Saturday.  We started as a group of 4 and one by one they dropped out until I found myself alone.  It's funny but most often I exercise alone.  I find that when trying to merge schedules with friends, the timing rarely works out for all of us to be available at the same time.   I really enjoy exercising alone.  I get lost in my thoughts, and let nature guide my pace.  
The sun was brilliant Saturday, and I felt so blessed to be fit and healthy enough to spend an hour or so skiing and soaking up the sunshine.  The wind was biting, and it was racing across the lake.  I hugged the shoreline to cut the wind and got lost in the rhythm of my body whooshing through the snow.  There was barely enough snow for the poles to grab before slipping on the ice below.  I stopped several times just to enjoy my surroundings.  I tend to look down at my skis while skiing and miss the bigger picture.  The sky was that amazing  cloudless blue .  I love to look up at it hightlighted  behind the dark bare branches of the trees.  I had some canines greet me as I passed their homes.  They really seem to love to frolic on the big frozen expanse, and we had a delightful visit.
Sunday looked to be a busy day and I awoke with the wish to ski again but the thought that it may not be possible.  Some way, some how, I found myself darting out the door at 3:30 instead of washing my kitchen floor.  I knew that soon, the sun would begin setting and I needed to prioritize fresh air and more sunshine.  Back down to the lake I went, to find that the wind was much less severe, but the temperature was much lower than the day before.  I took a slightly different route, and truly found my bliss.  It is a magic formula for me to be in nature, sunshine, and fresh air.  I find it so restorative and amazing.   I was able to ski a bit farther and stretch my tight muscles from Saturday's skiing adventure.  Usually, I start my skiing treks much earlier in the year, but with the strange lack of snowfall and the mild temperatures, Saturday was my first ski of the year!  I am blessed to be living in such close proximity to lakes, trails, wildlife, and adventure.  
Today find your bliss and breathe it in.  Savor it so that you can call it up at any time and breathe yourself right back into that time and space.  It's like a mini vacation from stress.  Enjoy!
 

Beautiful Snow

I had always heard that the Eskimo had hundreds of words for snow.  I read in Wikipedia today that they have about as many words as we have in the English language.  It is the Sami people of a region that spans Sweden, Finland, Norway and part of Russia, who have hundreds of words for snow.  
This week, we have had a fresh dusting of snow almost daily. Today my boot prints were the only human ones on the lake path -both going in and coming out.  The temperatures have been more mild this week, so the snow has stuck to every branch on every tree. Sound is muffled from the insulating quality of the snow.  I swoosh almost silently through nature, lost in its magic.  It is stunning. 
Last week, when I was walking, the temp was far below zero, I try to put it out of my mind, but I think it was 14 below one morning without accounting for windchill!  That morning I was walking as well, and each step sounded like I was walking on Styrofoam.  The cold literally made my steps squeak through the snow.  I knew that it would be a long shot to see anything wild that day.  All of the creatures could hear me coming for 5 minutes before my arrival!  I did see a magnificent pileated woodpecker.  I always seem to forget how large they are.
If I can drag myself outside into the cold, I am always rewarded.  The cold brings all of the different frosts and snows that we don't have words for but should!
Next time you see an amazing weather day, try your best to live in the moment.  If you can't get out for a walk, ski, bike or other 'big'  activity, just step outside.  Take some deep breaths and say "thank you" for the beauty that surrounds you at that moment. It is a moment just for you that you can savor for the rest of the day or longer!

Live in the now of nature.  Enjoy!

January or March?

Well, what a beautiful weekend.  I went up to the St Cloud area to visit family.  It should have been our 4th annual boot hockey for all ages tournament.  We had two issues. There had been so little snow and so much wind, that the ice was almost too slippery to stand on without falling over.  The second issue was that there was a lot of open water.  Our host keeps records, and the latest date that the lake has completely iced over was January 9th.  We beat that this year.  
We still ended up having lots of outdoor fun in the beautiful sunshine and 30-40 degree temps!  

The oldest and biggest "kid" in our party is 53 and he organized curling, golf,  soccer, and bean bag toss.  He painted the curling target right on the ice with spray paint and we glided rocks into the target.  I ended up finding that the perfect delivery was like a version of bowling.  I got a running start from a small patch of snow and then swung my rock and set it on the ice as I pushed it forward.  It worked like a charm.  We golfed from the sand and chipped the balls onto a deflated inner tube that was positioned on the ice as the "green".  We all decided that we needed some good cardio exercise, so we chose soccer.  There was no snow on the grass, but because it was frozen, it was slippery and hard.  I can tell you too, that when the ball made contact with skin, it hurt.  We spent hours outside laughing and soaking up the unbelievable January weather.  Right before we began curling, a flock of 10 white trumpeter swans flew in and landed in the open water.  They seemed to be unafraid of us and swam to our end of the open water.  Several were mottled gray and white.  We decided that they were juveniles.  They were every bit as large as the adults.  Only their color distinguished them.  They were incredibly beautiful and quite noisy at times.  
The lake was almost constantly making the most eerie sounds as the ice expanded.  I tried to record it but the family was much too noisy.  It reminded me of hearing whales communicate.  At the same time, it's quite unlike anything else.  What an amazing outdoor weekend!

Week Before Christmas

There are many days in my life when I feel too busy, too tired, too something to go for a walk outside.  As I have said over and over again, I am always happy that I make it out once I am there.  It was a gray day, and I asked to be shown something amazing.  Being that it was a gray day, I doubted the scenery would be the "wow" that I was gifted that morning.  As I approached the frozen lake, I was drawn to the dusting of snow lightly covering the ice.  The way that the light was playing on the snow, it looked deep and 3 dimensional.  I realized that it looked like clouds look from an airplane window once you have risen above them.  The snow on the ice seemed to have movement even though the air was still.  I kept watching and the "clouds" kept moving and rolling.  This was some kind of wow!  
I thought immediately of this scene when I read my aunt Joann Cierniak's book "Where you Go Now Mon?" about her experience as a Peace Corps worker in Antigua in the early 1960's.  My favorite line from her book is  "...offering the ultimate physical and psychological comfort to anyone open, at least for a few hours, to living in the glory of Nature's Now."
"The glory of Nature's Now."  What a beautiful way to capture the idea that everything that nature offers is a one-time thing.  No two sunsets are alike, and nothing that you see will ever be duplicated in quite the same way.  Each moment is a gift meant to be enjoyed.  Pause, breathe, and take it in.  Savor "the glory of Nature's Now."  Enjoy this wonderful  cloud slide show from the National Geographic website.

Brrr

The lake has completely frozen over now, and it's covered with snow.  It is certainly beautiful.  The geese left early this week for open water somewhere.  I have been thrilled to find that the lake path was plowed after the snowfalls.  It makes walking so much easier.  I spent the first day after a new snowfall walking with my head down.  I love to look at the animal tracks in the snow.  It amazes me to know what normally travels down the same path in the months that there is no evidence left behind.  When I did raise my head to look around, it was stunning.  There was snow stuck to every branch of every tree in sight.  Pure beauty!  This week it has been pretty bitter cold and I'm back to walking with just my eyeballs exposed.  I'm sure that I may frighten people, but I do stay toasty warm.  I looked in my "eagle tree" this week, and knew that with the lake frozen over the chances of seeing her there were remote.  Twice in the last 3 days, I have seen another bird there.  I knew right away that it was smaller than the eagle, and it is much more timid.  An amazing red-tailed hawk has taken off as soon as I get near.  It's belly is such a creamy yellowish white, and it is so silently graceful.  I realized that when I saw the birds in the summer, I thought that their bellies were white, but against the snow, they turn such a warm buttery white. 

I feel so blessed to be able to get outside and experience nature, fresh air, and whatever else the weather brings each day. 
Enjoy your day wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  Decide to be joyful and spread the happiness to everyone you see.  

Miraculous Mornings

I had the most interesting talk with a friend the other night.  We each take a daily walk.  She said that she begins the walk with a statement such as "God amaze me today."  I was speechless because I do the same thing with varied words..."Creator/God/Spirit show me something beautiful today." We are both blown away by the things that we see every time that we walk.  I will have others pass me on the path, and I will ask them breathlessly, "Did you see the eagle?"  They will just say no, shrug, and keep on going.  What I think is happening is that by speaking or thinking about our intention to be fully present in nature, we notice things that others miss.  We are passing the same things.  This week, I count myself truly blessed to have seen and heard some of the most beautiful things!  Yesterday, I saw the brilliant bright orange ball of the sun slowly rise over the barren tree tops and fill the sky with its glow.  I saw a huge doe on the path looking right at me.  I saw literally 100s of geese in the one open space on the ice-covered lake.  They were suddenly very noisy.  The first wave of them took flight and then others followed until there was one goose left swimming on the water.  I saw my eagle in flight across the ice.  She landed in a tree, ate something that she had caught, ignored the circling and cawing of the crows, and took off again across the lake.  I found her in her regular tree about 1/3 of the way down, and upon my arrival, she took off again.  To watch her gracefully fly across the lake was a wonder.

Tomorrow, set your intention to be amazed, to be a positive part of everyone's day, and to spread Joy!  You'll be fascinated with how wonderful your day is!

Beautiful Birds

Oh but it was a chilly  morning.  We had ice on the ponds and ice along the shoreline on the lake.  I could feel exactly where the gap between my sock and my pant leg was as the biting wind did its best to chill me.  
Every morning when I walk, I look in the eagle tree for "my" eagle.  I haven't seen her in weeks, but I'm an optimist, so I keep looking.  I rounded the corner today and she was there!  Why is it that I'm always surprised when she literally takes my breath away?  I say she because it is one of the biggest eagles that I have ever gotten close to, including those at the National Eagle Center.  The female eagles are larger than the males, and because they are at the top of the food chain, they don't need the camouflage of drab coloring like many smaller birds.  She was so regal atop her perch.  I wondered if the ice brought her back to the lake.  At the eagle center they talked about the ice causing fish kill.  When the fish die and float to the top, it's a free lunch for the eagles.  There was a small muskrat on top of the ice, but the eagle seemed uninterested. The sun was out and was reflecting off of the lake, and I was surrounded by a stunning display of nature.  My day started magically, and I made sure to say thank you over and over for witnessing such beauty.  I am blessed.
Bless yourself now, or when you have 1-2 quiet minutes.  Treat yourself to this beautiful video that a friend sent me of starlings Starlings in flight .  It starts out a bit roughly but stick with it.  It is worth it.  It gives me chills of total amazement every time that I watch it!
Enjoy!

Ever since my computer gasped its final breath, I have been taking my daily walk as if I would write a post about it when I got home.  I have found that I pay attention to things that may have just passed me right by in a different frame of mind.  In October, I listened as the grass changed from its gentle green swishing to the scraping of the brown ends as they crossed in the breezes.  The leaves on the dirt path were soft underfoot even though they were brightly colored yellow and red.  
The most wonderful thing happened to me last Friday.  As I was on my return loop of my walk, I flushed a huge dark bird.  I couldn't see what it was but I kept my eyes on the general area where it landed.  I thought that it was probably a crow, but something told me to pay attention and keep my eyes peeled.  As I neared the area where I thought it may have landed, I flushed it again, and it flew toward me before heading out over the lake.  "It" was a stunning great gray owl!  I have never seen an owl and it got close enough for me to see the rings around its face.  I was absolutely breathless, and rooted in one spot as I watched it fly away.  I had to ask myself if I had really just seen such a beautiful creature.  My cup was running over with gratitude for the magic of the day!

Shoulds vs. Get Tos

I tend to be a person who has a lot of shoulds in her life.  I have begun to adopt more get tos in my life.  About a month ago I left all of the cleaning, yard work and other busy things and drove to Interstate Park in Wisconsin.  I spent the afternoon with my extended family who happened to be camping there.  I was rewarded with a fantastic day, breath-taking scenery, and great memories.  Sometimes, I am truly amazed at all of the fantastic parks, trails, and scenery that are so close.  This was a day that I felt so very fortunate to have left all of my shoulds behind.  I won't remember that the house wasn't dusted, but this and other pictures will be with me for years to come!  Get out and enjoy what surrounds you.  Breathe in the wonder and beauty of nature!  You'll be so glad that you did.

Awesome weather

I had a great walk with my hubby today.  He had a rare day off and we made the most of it.  We walked around the lake, now lush and green with leaves and branches hanging across our path.  It was pretty sticky, but still a lovely day.  We checked on the progress of 2 properties that had their buckthorn removed.  Now the other non-invasive species have a fighting chance for survival.  It totally changed the landscape.  It is a lot of work to get rid of the buckthorn in  an area, but the pay back is enormous.   Later in the day, we were driving down a dirt road and we spied a Great Egret perched in a tree right next to the road.  I haven't seen that too many times in my life.  In the blink of an eye, we spotted a male belted Kingfisher on a fence overlooking a stream.

It's amazing what one can see when we slow down to look around us!

Mystery Solved

Well, I have been scratching my head at the lack of blooming plants in my back gardens.  Upon closer inspection over the weekend, I saw that the top of my phlox had been eaten.  I wondered if the pesky rabbits were to blame.  This morning I was sitting on my screen porch writing in my journal when the cats went to high alert.  I looked up to see what had gotten their attention.  A doe and two fawn were ambling across my back yard on their way to the woods.  It was amazing to see, and it helped me to solve the mystery of the chewed up plants! 

Last night while chatting with neighbors, one reported that there had been a coyote sighting less than a mile away.  Sometimes I forget that we really are out in the country.  It reminded me that years ago a friend was telling me about a coyote pack that was roaming a suburb.  Small children had to be supervised when outside, and pets that were leashed or in electric fencing were in danger.  The dogs were confined to the invisible fence or leash, but the coyotes were not, and they used that to their advantage while hunting.  It feels a bit like Wild Kingdom around here lately.

I did have a great bird sighting over the 4th.  I was on the Lake Woebegon trail up near St. John's University when I spotted a red bird dart by.  I realized that it wasn't a cardinal because the wings were black.  I looked it up and sure enough, it was a Scarlet Tanager.  I have only seen two of those in my life time.  We were roller blading on the trail and trying to find another wonder- a crop of wild lady slippper that was blooming.  We had to make two trips to find it, and it was almost spent.  The heat of the weekend had faded what must have been amazing blooms! 

Long time no Post

Well, I could hardly believe it when I logged into my blog this morning.  I haven't posted in almost one month.  Life has been lived full steam ahead.  

Western Painted Turtle

We are still walking every morning, and now the lake path is surrounded by greenery and flowering shrubs as well as wildflowers.  The goslings are getting big, and the turtles are laying eggs everywhere!  I found a huge snapping turtle in my back yard last week, and we are several blocks from water.  We watched a painted turtle laying eggs in a hole it had dug right next to the path.
Two days ago, the lake was magical!  I was walking alone and didn't see anyone else on my trek.  There was a fog rolling across the lake while a light mist fell.  It was stunning.  I felt so fortunate to be out in nature. 
My days have been filled with regular life in addition to visiting a family member in the hospital.  He had a planned surgery, but it was pretty major, and he ended up spending 10 days in the hospital before moving to a nursing home for transitional care. 
I have been working several jobs since my last posting.  I have started cleaning for a few clients, I planned and worked an estate sale, and I helped run a funeral luncheon in someone's home.
In the midst of all of this activity, my family decided to sell our home of 10 years and move to the country.  I had to do some interior painting and some landscape work.   I have found some great tips to be ready for showings in record time.  I will make a separate post for that.  
I am hoping that we are in a routine now, and that I can start to post regularly again.  I miss seeing the world through the eyes of someone who wants to share its beauty with everyone!

Rainy then Perfect!

Last Saturday I walked with a friend in the rain and wind.  After 90 minutes, I'm not sure that there was a dry spot on either one of us.  Neither one of us cared though, because the alternative was to watch the weather from under a blanket eating chocolates.  It felt so wonderful to be so invigorated, even if we were soaked!

Fast forward to today, Monday.  My hubby and I walked under unbelievable sunshine.  A male rose breasted Grosbeak greeted us on the path.  He just perched and looked at me while I looked at him.  They are quite stunning, but I've always thought quite shy, until today.  At our blessings pause point, we were both so thankful for such an unbelievable day, and that we got to be out in it literally soaking it up and savoring it.  It was a treat. 

The Goslings Have Hatched

I had a rare treat today and got outside to walk at lunchtime.  I walked down to a different section of the lake and was so delighted that I did.  I saw 3 pair of Canadian geese and each pair had goslings trailing behind them.  One couple had 5, one had 4, and one had 3.  I will keep watch over the next several weeks, but I imagine that a few will be lost to the hawks and the eagles in the area.  It's a sad reality but a very natural part of the cycle of nature.  It sure was fun today to see the downy little chicks; it put a big smile on my face.  On the way home I saw 2 male mallards and one female perched on the neighbor's roof.  It seems like  a very odd place to hang out.  I wondered if they were planning on staying there or if they just liked the view from their perch. 

First Oriole

Baltimore Oriole from National Geographic

It's funny to me how the arrival and sighting of different birds throughout the season evoke certain happy feelings.  This morning I heard an oriole before I saw it.  I had thought that I heard one's throaty call yesterday at my home.  Sure enough, I spotted the delightful bright orange of the Baltimore oriole who was singing in the tree top. I love seeing their unique hanging nests in the trees in the fall when the leaves disappear.  They are amazingly engineered.  It's getting harder and harder to find the birds as the trees continue to leaf out.  I am already needing more patience to see my little feathered friends.  We're enjoying another warm day with storms and then sun.  Spring is so lovely!

Simply Glorious

What a day.  I actually walked today in short sleeves!  It was a wonderful day to be out in nature in Minnesota.  The birds were singing and everyone who we passed was smiling and had a spring in their step.  All of the trees have leaves opening and the countryside is greening.  If you can't get outside, open a window and breathe the wonderful fresh air! 

Rainy Monday

We walked in the pouring rain this morning.  There wasn't any real break from it, and the lightening and thunder were amazing.  We had to peel our wet duds off on the porch, and they left puddles of water as they dried.  It looks like we will have some mild temps this week.  Did I really see 80 degrees in the forecast?  If the rabbits had not eaten all of my tulips and left some green leaves, they may actually have opened this week.  I must admit that rabbits are not my favorite critter because of the damage that they do to my plants and bushes.  I have learned to plant some things that they like to give them something to eat, so they will leave the things I care about alone.  I was cleaning out my gardens all weekend, and I can tell you that we needed this rain.  Things were quite dry.  This will really green things up, and the maple leaves that are just now open, should grow quite a bit this week.  I also saw that the birch have really come alive.  Enjoy!

Get outside!

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”

 James Matthew Barrie

Just a quick post....what a perfect day.  If there is any way that you can get outside for a walk, a 5 minute break, digging in the dirt, a phone conversation or a picnic lunch on a park bench...Go For It.  The day is beckoning.  Get out and soak it up!