Hibiscus seedpods open so the seeds may disperse.
We live surrounded by wonder, magic, and beauty.
And yet how often do we find ourselves going through the day on “auto-pilot?”
The last rose of August, but the first of September…
Do you ever wonder where your day has gone? Find yourself so wrapped up in the trivial details of living that you neglect to do the things most important to you? Have difficulty beginning projects, accomplishing long-cherished goals, or keeping up with loved ones?
After a while, a kind of sluggish inertia sets in; an attitude of, “We’ll get through this” rather than a genuine joie de vivre.
When we feel this, there is a need to break through it to recapture the joy and magic life sometimes holds.
Wild, perennial Ageratum grows in our garden.
We live surrounded by miracles. Our very existence is a miracle. And remaining awake to the “catch your breath” excitement of life on this planet remains our challenge.
Spotting an Eastern Box turtle fills us with delight.
There are so many obstacles to keep us mired in lethargy and boredom.
There is the stress inherent in daily life, the fears which come with each stage of life. There is frustration, a sense of responsibility to others, and the commitments we have to fulfill at work and in our community.
And we humans have found so many ingenious ways to “break out” of our everyday.
And many of them land us in hot water eventually…
Just as there are seasons to the year, so there are seasons to our lives. It can’t always be spring….
And so our challenge is to find beauty, no matter the season.
Beauty helps us break through the malaise to touch the magical again.
It helps us find a different perspective from a wiser place, so we can re-order our thoughts and our priorities to keep ourselves moving towards our higher vision.
Seeking out beauty, and letting it fill our minds and hearts re-news us.
Seeing beauty in another’s face re-freshes our connection with them.
Seeing the beauty in every season of our lives offers the energy and courage to continue moving forwards with joy and optimism.
Hibiscus, still in bloom
“Walk in beauty,” the blessing of our native brothers and sisters, holds a key to our happiness during every stage our journey here on this magical Earth.
Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful;
for beauty is God’s handwriting
— a wayside sacrament.
Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky,
in every fair flower,
and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Words and Photos by Woodland Gnome, 2014
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“We live in a wonderful world that is full
of beauty, charm and adventure.
There is no end to the adventures that we can have
if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
Jawaharlal Nehru
Forest Garden 
Beautiful images! So much to see in the world!
I am so happy to have found your blog. You often speak what I feel but have not yet found the words to say . ❤
Thank you, Jane. That means a lot to me. I’m happy to have find yours, too. It helps me keep up with what is happening on the coast, and I love your photos. Best wishes, WG
A wonderful tribute to the beauty of the seasons, WG! 🙂 You speak a blessed philosophy.
Take care, and stay young-at-heart. Your garden babes depend on you. ❤ Hugz, Keith
Thank you, Keith. Taking off in about 10 days to go meet my first grandchild. I need a boost of “young at heart”. Hugz and Luvz to you, 2. Hope you got a good solid rest and a megadoze of joy this weekend.