I marvel at all the beauty in the month of June. Don't you? Have you noticed that June is filled with "B" words: birds, butterflies, brides, blossoms, beaches, bonnets, bunnies, boats and bumblebees ....
The days grow longer till June 21st; the first day of Summer. With this bonus of minutes and hours, there is no excuse to put off doing enjoyable things for yourself and for others. Isn't it delicious to wake hearing birds chirping; to step outside and water the garden in the early hours. Dawn seems to be a time of peace and serenity. Not just a new day but - a new beginning on my plot of land perched above Pigeon creek and surrounded by a thousand shades of green leaves. Fishermen's boats purr quietly on the creek even before the sun peeks over the horizon. While I'm not a religious person, tending the gardens or strolling under a sun bonnet in the early morning is comparable to 'a closer walk with Thee.' This is that time of day when the tawny rabbit or striped ground squirrel appears from nowhere - unaware of human presence. A colorful variety of feathered friends stop in for a sip or a dip at the freshly filled bird bath and feeders. ...So much beauty in my own back yard.
I moved outdoors with a cup of coffee and note pad to sit at the patio table and write a letter to a friend living 'across the pond' in Wales. A dozen beautiful butterflies floated in to visit the hibiscus blooming nearby. I watched them for a few minutes before I crept away to get my camera. By the time I returned, just one butterfly remained. Was he a loner, the clean-up crew or just a latecomer to the flittery feast? Whichever, he is the only butterfly whose impressive image is now preserved for posterity.
Early hours aren't pretty everywhere in Tornado Alley. Residents of Joplin MO aren't waking to familiar comforts and contentments. It has been several weeks since a tornado shredded their homes and community - a devastation and loss I can only empathize with. Almost immediately, Joplin residents expressed gratitude to have survived and hope in the face of tremendous losses. It is heartening to know of the immediate and ongoing help by individuals and organizations to provide whatever assistance and suppport they can give. Each morning, my thoughts, admiration and prayers are with our Joplin neighbors.
Do you find your appreciation of beauty and serenity grows following dilemmas or disaters? I do. Tell me your experience with it. I'd like to know.
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