Closing out the year with a hike along the lake, through the woods seemed perfect.
So we grabbed jackets, hiking boots, cameras and the dogs and leashes
and headed out of doors.
Out to romp along the trails, stopping to observe the everyday little miracles...
nature's collages on dead stumps and logs
mossy old growth forest
sprightly rose hips
huckleberry and blackberry leaves
and mushrooms everywhere
Under the canopy of towering trees, even a drop of water is a splendid jewel
and we find dazzling shapes and colors in the quiet winter woods.
Even the dead leaves have an elegant beauty
and the sketches, photos and slices of cut paper turn into art
that brings a slight whiff of the woods to my work table.
What bliss to hike and snap photos and sketch, then come home
to the studio to turn it into art.
Life is a daily succession of thousands of miracles that usually go unnoticed.
How wonderful to find time to be still and simply see.
Nature teaches the sweetest lessons.
