March Photo A Day 24 - I feel...

cozy. It has been an all day rain. Indoors, a low fire is glowing. I have a warm mug of tea at hand. It's not even 7pm, and I am already relaxed and comfy in my flannel pajamas. I am about to delve into Braiding Sweetgrass, a book I've been meaning to read for quite some time.

On the other hand, Micah, as you can see, prefers to sit out in the rain. He chose to sit on the upper deck, rather than under a roof, so he can survey the rain-washed garden. Someone has to keep an eye on things you know!

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you all the comforts of home.

March Photo A Day 23 - Tired

Are you tired of seeing photos of my ice and snow?

I am, but here are some (phone) photos of it anyway, 

since today's prompt is "Tired!"

  We braved the icy shoreline

 and made our way 

to a hidden stretch of shale beach.

Walking away from the cold wind on the beach, 

and hking up through the quiet woodland, 

to the lane on the ridge

we found little treasures;

last autumn's pine cones,

and last summer's bird nests.

As we walked, 

we planned a picnic for warmer days,

on the shale bluffs,

overlooking Lake Michigan,

under the tall towers of Black Spruce.

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you serenity.

More about the Photo A Day Challenge here.  Tomorrow's prompt is "I feel..."

March Photo A Day 22 - Work

For today's prompt, I am going to link to an old favorite post of mine.  Yesterday's photo was taken by one of my daughters, so perhaps that is not strictly in keeping with the intent of the challenge.  The post I am linking to today contains only my own photography, from a garden I worked in once upon a time.

If I tell you that this past weekend, my farmer and I took our granddaughter (along with her parents) to see the new live action movie of Beauty and the Beast, you may understand why I was drawn to this old post.  The little narrative that goes along with it tells you who was working in that old butterfly garden along with me.  I hope you will link over to read a very short story, entitled While the Wild Wind Blows.

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you joy in your work.

More about the Photo A Day Challenge can be found here. Tomorrow's prompt is Tired.

March Photo A Day 21 - Sweet

This is a "recycled" photo included on this blog way back in 2007, in this post entitled Echo and Narcissus...  The next several days of the photo challenge will be either recycled from  earlier posts, my personal photo collection, or taken with my low quality cell phone camera.  My son has borrowed back his little point and click camera for an adventure, so I am winging it for the remainder of the photo challenge. 

Hopefully we will soon be seeing some blooms similar to this in my neighborhood!  What about you?  Are your crocus and daffodils blooming?  Do you have a house in your neighborhood that has an abundance of spring bulbs, bursting with color and life at the leading edge of spring?  Each year, I put in a few more.  There is something so cheering about early-blooming flowers!

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you good cheer!

Read about the Photo A Day Challenge here.  Tomorrow's prompt is Work.

March Photo A Day 20 - Hidden

Hidden away in an upstairs room, this sweet creature is resting and healing. She is under the weather, and I am kitty-sitting for my youngest son.  This little cat, Skye, has been his companion since he was about a year and a half old.  She lives with him when he is at his dad's.  She is staying with me during some busy weeks for that household, but I have to keep her tucked away upstairs because my two, otherwise wonderful, dogs are not cat-lovers.  She is getting a lot of TLC, not to mention having a few portraits snapped for today's photo prompt, Hidden.  

You can see her in a couple of old, old blog posts here.

More about the Photo A Day Challenge here. Tomorrow's prompt is "Sweet" so maybe you will be seeing another photo of Skye, because she is definitely sweet!

March Photo A Day 19 - Order and Sunday Stroll

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, 

and to have my senses put in order. 

~ John Burroughs

When we plant gardens, so often we work in tidy, linear rows, but nature has more of a f-l-o-w.  I find the story clearly written as I wander near the creek.  At the edges of the creek, all along its length, the natural order of things is cattails and reeds, water grasses and soggy, nourishing, rotting leaves.

Up from the creek a few steps, sunlight pours in through the cedars.

We walk on dry trails, but water and ice catch in little pools.

As we step out of the cedars, we find an open field, once cleared by an earlier generation of farmers.  Small cedars have planted themselves in the clearing.  Every year a few more spring up.  The field is trying to return to the natural order of things.

I like to sit in the swing at the north end of the field and consider that slow motion change in what lies before me.  In a couple of decades, will I sit here in the sun amid wildflowers, or will cedars be filling the field  with filtered light and interesting shadows.

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you peace.

Don't miss your chance to Stroll with Steve and the birds Out on the Prairie!

Sunday Stroll Invitation - Last Sunday of Winter

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. 

Hal Borland

This is officially the last Sunday in winter.  Evidence of that is clear, where I am.  There are patches of snow on the land, and bits of ice in the water, and yet, the chives are two inches tall and green sorrel is peeking up beneath the decaying leaves remaining from last autumn.

Will you walk with me on this last Sunday in winter?  If you do, and if you post photos of your stroll through your own corner of the world, please let me know in a comment and I will share a link to your blog on this post, and on my own Sunday Stroll post coming later today.  I wonder how great a variety of weather and early spring growth we will find?

Stroll with Steve and the birds Out on the Prairie.

Quote from: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/halborland143123.html?src=t_spring