This morning

A Great Blue Heron came to visit

Creativity is the Blue Heron within us waiting to fly;
through her imagination, all things become possible.

~ Nadia Janice Brown

I woke up to the sound of rain this morning.  It started loud and heavy (a quarter inch fell in less than two minutes), and then relaxed into a lovely and rhythmic sound while I was doing my yoga practice.  The song of the water pouring from the sky was a wonderful accompaniment to the breath as I slowly moved from one pose to another.

Meditation on the rain

While I was in the kitchen sipping on a cup of tea, a Great Blue Heron gracefully and quietly landed in the grass by the pond.  We pondered each other for a minute, and then she walked over to the pond to see what was being served for breakfast.  I’m not sure what she ate.  I enjoyed a bowl of fresh fruit (including some of those black raspberries I showed you yesterday).

Skyfull

Yesterday evening, and again this morning, the sky out front was filled with gulls.  Something at the front of the property has attracted them.  They swoop through the meadows and around the trees, feeding.

Dive and swoop

I’m hoping they’re feasting on deer flies, but it could be cicadas.  I heard the first of the cicadas on Saturday evening.  I read that it’s supposed to be a big year for cicadas.

As many as I could capture

The wild turkey has been by again.  And a beautiful young buck (deer) has occasionally popped his head and white tail out of the tall grasses out front.  Someday he might consent to having his picture taken.  I hope.

Male cardinal after a heavy rain.

I meandered down to the mailbox in between rain showers.  The running practice I’ve been getting came in handy.  When I turned around to come back to the house, it looked like this:

Storm approaching

Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed in the distance, and I learned that I can run almost the entire length of the driveway dressed in long pants, a long sleeve (bug resistant) shirt, hat with netting, and heavy hiking boots.

I’m not sure what these are.

I guess that’s it from the Wabi-Sabi Ranch for today.  Thank you for visiting.  Even with all the rumbling, flashing, and whooshing of rain, it’s been a peaceful day.  A good day to practice mindfulness.  I hope your day has been peaceful, too.

A goldfinch after a bath in a puddle.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Isn’t she beautiful?