Message from the Mountain

There is something about seeing the first snow of the season covering the top of Mt. Washington. It stirs the inner child in me and turns my thoughts to when the white stuff will cover the ground here in the valley. It rejuvenates my soul.   Support the show

As we approach the last two months of waning light, the sun’s angle has dramatically changed. Sunset lights the lower landscape and leaves the mountains dark. As we adjust to the season, we also adjust to the seasons of life. Support the show

Derek is here for a few days working on the gardens at the Center. His tool of choice is his trusty hoe. Watching him in action is like going back to another time when there were no modern powered tools to make it easier. There is nothing like old fashioned integrity. We all are gardeners of life. Support the show

While we were looking for places to exercise after hip surgery, we found a local shopping center called Settlers Crossing, and on starting our walk, we came upon an unexpected meditative area complete with a labyrinth surrounded by benches. It is so needed. Support the show

This time of year, as the leaves are fading, I become very aware of the vibrant green moss that brings color to the landscape. It reminds me of a soft carpet, and actually we do have a green carpet in our house that reminds us of the outdoors. Support the show

Many people have a favorite gemstone or crystal that they carry with them because it gives them energy, sometimes to connect to higher sources like the Cosmic mind. We live on a mountain that consists of granite embedded with quartz, and people feel its high peaceful energy. Support the show

I am so fortunate and grateful to live in a vast exhibit where Nature’s artisans are constantly at work creating beautiful things that may last a few moments or a few years. I wonder how many human attendees walk by without noticing what I have been privileged to see. Support the show

I saw something I had not seen before on a trail I had walked hundreds of times. There, a few feet into the woods, was the shape of a big bird. It was actually an old stump, but at that time it became alive in my mind. Nature often gives us a different angles to life. Support the show

I recently participated in a fall ritual that we hold each October here on the mountainside when I or other members of the family drive the field mower back and forth cutting the Lupine Field and the Orchard. It signals changes to come. Life is full of rituals. Support the show

There are a lot of trees in the forest that have been misshapen by the elements of Nature and yet they continue to survive despite all they have endured. Many people have been misshaped by the elements of life that still make major contributions. Support the show

While gazing at the sky, I saw a cloud sandwich, two long white clouds with a filling of blue. Some people might be reminded of eating and think of their favorite sandwiches while other might wonder what was hidden behind the clouds. Nature can stimulate our imaginations. Support the show

We have not had a frost in the foothills yet, and the growing season for some flowers, both domestic and wild, as well as some types of mushrooms, continues, creating great working temperatures as we prepare for the first frost. It’s all in one’s mindset. Support the show

The leaves are just about at full color as the season progresses. The stores are already decorated for Christmas, and in the winter, they will be filled with summer clothes. If we spend all our time anticipating, we miss the beauty of life in that moment. Support the show

I often look to Nature to give me signs from the Cosmos that I am on the right track. We finally have begun doing long overdue trail improvement on the mountain and my wife has been working with hand tools to create a beautiful path. There at the beginning was a tiny heart. Approval given. Support the show

Now that the goldenrod has gone to seed, I can see a patch of milkweed in the Lupine Field getting ready to release their own seeds to spread the nourishment next year for wildlife and for the eyes of those that come to Nature to nourish their minds. Support the show

It has been over a year since I have been able to do much work on the trails and several are overgrown, so my wife started out with hand clippers to open one of them up again. Each day she clears away a little more. I am reminded that big accomplishments in life often come from small steps. Support the show

Finally, the wait for fall color is over, and each day, the landscape is changing here in the foothills. Now is the time to pause and take in Nature’s spectacle. We often wait in life for miracles to happen, and when they do, we often do not take the time to fully appreciate them. Support the show

This summer and fall we have been subject to a constant smoky haze caused by western Canadian wildfires. It has impacted our beautiful views of the White Mountains and has been an allergy irritant for a lot of people. Brain haze can mentally impact our views of life. Support the show

The fishermen returned from the sea with their catches and came ashore in their dinghies, tying them up, side by side, ready for the next day. It reminded me of how, after a busy day, we can pause to rest our minds by “tying” up to our positive beliefs in the safe port of our minds. Support the show

I have taken many pictures over the years that I think would make great puzzles, including rocks on the shore of the ocean. Life is full of puzzles, from board games to crime investigations, to trying to figure out the meaning of life. Support the show

The fall foliage is right on schedule as we reach the first day of October. It is time to put worries aside as to whether the leaves will be as beautiful as years past and enjoy the splendor of the present. Overall, life does have a flexible schedule.   Support the show

As the last day of September arrives, it is a good time to take in the beauty that still remains from summer as we prepare to take in the beauty of autumn. It is a wonderful time to reflect on everything that we are grateful for in the past, moment, and future. Support the show

Small bright red berries with shiny green  leaves caught my eye as I walked along the trail. My mind instantly flashed back to my early childhood when my mother would make me checkerberry tea, a mixture of extract and hot water. Nature is full of memories. Support the show

At first glance we thought there was a small set of false teeth resting in the grass at the top of the Lupine Field. I wondered if they belonged to an older fairy. It was actually a mushroom, but it gave my mind a chance to play outside the box. Support the show

The tops of the white pine trees are loaded with pinecones that will soon cover the landscape with seeds, and some of their seeds will take root to grow the next generation. When we cast the seeds of positive intentions, the goal is to have as many as possible take root. Support the show