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Hello Fellow Nature Lovers!
It is a cool clear crisp day here out on the island, and the
mercury spent most of it's time hovering around the 40 degree
(Fahrenheit) mark. It's after 5 pm and the sun is sending out
yellowish orange rays as it heads for the dark blue hills on
the horizon.
Today I saw a huge flock of small birds (tweety-bird size)
flying over the short tar strip they call an airport out here,
and it was fascinating to watch them ball up and stretch out,
an airborne taffy ball, as they flew to avoid a hawk
that was flying above them.
He showed little interest in a feathered snack, and seemed
intent on mouse hunting, circling the marsh with wingtips barely
moving. But the birds reacted mightily, transforming themselves
into all kinds of shapes. At one point they were in a long shimmering
blob that joined at both ends, completely encircled the hawk,
and for the first time in my life I saw a flying donut!
The cold has many things moving. The geese, ducks and many other
birds are heading south, the winter rental signs are coming up, and this
weekend I put away
the window screens. The end of Daylight savings
is approaching, and I find a part of me retiring, shrinking back
from the cold.
Which is why I write. Every fall I feel the desire to crawl
into a hole and hibernate until spring. Not a very practical solution.
Plus I love the clarity the cold and snow bring. What I've learnt is
that if I adjust my internal thermostat, my senses
welcome and embrace the invigorating chill of winter on my skin.
Here's how I do it. I pick a particularly cold and windy day,
the kind of day where my psyche screams at me to
crawl underneath the covers. I open the door and stick my head
outside, just to confirm it's as cold as it looks. Then I put
on a pair of warm socks, my long underwear, bulky sweater, pants,
windbreaker, hat and of course mittens, and now bundled up like banshee,
I go for a walk.
I walk long and hard, until I break out into a sweat. I just keep movin', and after
awhile, I'm huffing and puffing. It is then and only then
that I start removing layers. One at a time they come off. The
hat first, then after awhile the mittens, then the windbreaker. Even the sweater. After awhile,
I notice my skin is bright red, my breath looks like a smokestack,
my heart's beating joyously to the tune of a distant drummer, and
I'm loving the cold! I am here, and I am Alive! My body is really
digging the weather, the scenery and the exercise, and I am
enjoying my ability to be out in it all.
It works wonders. Just as many of us reclaimed our bodies,
ourselves, with the help of some hand held mirrors and personal
determination, I invite you to join me in reclaiming the cold
as a most sacred and beautiful gift. She will reward your interest
and gratitude with a bounty of surprise!
I am off, to bask my face in the last of those setting rays!
May this Autumn bless you with her beauty and her Grace. |
