My Country Life

Melvin in Thanksgiving Scarf November 22, 2013 December 21 will mark the first anniversary of my move to the cabin. It seems to have flown and dragged, all at the same time. When I look back, it seems like just a flash, but when I was actually living it, time certainly did not always seem to zip by. This past year or so, from the time I was laid off in mid-2012 to now, has been a soulful mix of joy and loss, loneliness and blissful solitude, and some serious fear that occasionally turned to courage. Life presents us with challenges, and we get to see what we are made of. Last September (2012) I began a daily practice of gratitude; it helped me stay in the moment and not worry about the future. Soon I started using my iPhone to capture these moments of beauty. I posted some of my gratitude photos to Instagram and shared a few favorites here on this blog. It's fun to look back through those snapshots in gratitude. When I noticed they always left me smiling, I decided to compil...

White Oak It’s a beautiful fall morning here at the cabin. Cold, clear with a little wind and perpetual leaf drop. The tulip poplars, sweet gums, maples, dogwoods, cherries and most of the hickories are bare. A variety of oaks, elms and beech trees provide the late season color. The white oak is the predominant tree here, and it’s in peak color right now—a striking burnt orange canopy. The water oaks are golden and dropping leaves fast. The southern red oaks and the post oaks have just a few crinkly brown leaves remaining and will soon join the ranks of winter. The elms and beech trees are covered in yellow, and I can still see a hint of green in their foliage. Interestingly, the beech leaves won’t drop until next spring; they will turn a light tan and remain attached all winter until bud-break. I can’t see the sour woods from where I sit. Maybe I’ll pay them a visit on my walk this morning and savor these last days of fall.