A personal insight

I need the inspiration of the natural world

The window in the library is finally finished, and we’ll be able to start moving in soon. But I realized suddenly this morning that the reason I haven’t been writing here as often as usual is that I haven’t been able to sit in my chair looking out over the woods. Usually it is the scene before me that inspires the impulse to describe, but at my desk or on the couch in the living room, although I have windows, I don’t have a direct view of the activities going on outside.

I have no idea what the turkey count is—although three hens and a dozen or so chicks visit our terrace feeders every afternoon—I haven’t seen the raccoons or the coyotes, the sunrises are just a gradual brightening of the room, without mists or gleaming bands of light, and my thoughts are leashed and heavy, without room for expansion. That’s about to change. I have one more little touchup to the paint in the ceiling of the new bay—which will require some sanding first—and then I can address the chaos of mind and place…mind being the more important of the two, but heavily contingent upon the latter.

The last weeks of dahlia season are upon us. I bought more than usual this week, all deep magenta and pink.

Sunset has begun encroaching on the early evening, but for us that just means the pleasures of a fire, not a retreat. I enjoy these cool evenings, but I am looking forward to being back at my window in the mornings, looking down the hill, watching the subtle daily changes of season, the mists rising, the lake appearing through the dwindling foliage, and mingling—if only visually—with all the busy life outside.

Happy Saturday.

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I know the world is losing its collective mind…

and it’s difficult to look out and see the chaos around us. But we are not the only human beings in history who have lived through trying times, and although we are required to do what is right, adversity does not require us to live in abject misery. It’s essential to remind ourselves of the good things in the world, so I hope these posts provide a place of refuge for my readers. Only about 9 percent of you are paid subscribers. That’s okay, because times are hard, and there are many things to spend your money on. These posts will always be free. But if you find what I do is worth something to you, I hope you will consider a subscription. It’s about 27 cents a day for a little something to help lighten the mood. Less, if you subscribe annually. Come and hang out with me, the dogs, and this stalwart little community of good people. And remember: We do not have to live on bended knee.

Also: dog photos.

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And now for your gratuitous dog photos:

Auggie and Eli are both thriving. Eli’s complicated new holistic diet of more supplements, yeast probiotics, extra veggies, and mushrooms (I know!) is doing the trick, and he is now almost four weeks into feeling well. Auggie’s cut above his eye is healing, although it may leave a scar. He’s handsome anyway. Also, Eli needs a bath, but I dread the chaos. He’s calm enough when I’m bathing him, but insanity and water everywhere ensues when we’re finished.

You can see the little pink scar above Auggie’s right eye, but he’s in fine form nonetheless. Eli, as you can see in the bottom right corner, was there, too (so no secret cheese), but I couldn’t get him to stop wiggling for a photo.

Eli working on his down/stay. Nobody’s perfect. (Our carpenter’s children were playing near the damp new grass and came running to tell him that they’d found a baby bear print in the mud: enormous and with claws. He texted to tell me. We don’t have bears around here. I wonder what it could have been.)