"Life does not come with instructions on how to live, but it does come with trees, sunsets, smiles and laughter, so enjoy your day."
-Debbie Shapiro
walks around the lake,
fishing boats,
birds emptying the feeders,
late summer blooms
and the dog!
fighting the influencers
“It was one thing to use computers as a tool,
quite another to let them do your thinking for you.”
― Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October
I find myself fighting with my devices daily, missing the calmness of days past where I could find simplicity and connection through words and photos. Today I find myself focusing instead on wading my way through the influencers I encounter online. seeking out ways of leaving them behind and still finding that connection.
***
Fall arrives and I want nothing more than to slow down and enjoy it. The leaves start to turn and the mornings require two layers. But by afternoon the sun is pouring through the windows and the slider is opened. Baker claims his spot on dining room window seat, his keen awareness alerting us of the goings-ons up and down the street.
showing off
"The dahlia's first duty in life is to flaunt and to swagger and
to carry gorgeous blooms well above its leaves, and on no account to hang its head."
-Gertrude Jekyll, Wood and Garden, 1899.
on the table - the last day of September
A friend gifted me six dahlia tubers last spring. I really did not have room for them, but managed to tuck them into the one piece of soil I had left in the garden I was not sure how they would do. But here they are, on the last day of September, showing off and still flaunting their beauty.
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fewer Options
“The less gear you use, the more you grow as a photographer. Although there are fewer options available, you'll find more creative ways to capture what you feel! In a way, all your technical options before turn into creative solutions that improve your photography even more.”
― Marius Vieth
Big Rock Garden - September 2025
It seems to me that everything could benefit from fewer options today. Things I find difficult often make me worry about the state of my mind, when really it is just a matter of too many options and too much technology for my elderly brain. I have so far survived the latest updates from apple across both my phone and computer, but see there is a new one tonight! I head to the park with limited gear, to see if it might calm me down.
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clematis in the garden
“Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater our integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become.”
― John O'Donohue
For the first time in many years my time, for the most part, is my own. Suddenly there are hours open to feed my curiosity and wake up my awareness. Hours that I can use to explore what brings me joy. I like the idea that I am the artist of my days and wonder just what I might discover if I can remember to put this into practice.
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looking deeper
I don't ask for the sights in front of me to change, only the depth of my seeing.
-Mary Oliver
The options in the flower garden are limited, as blooms fade and fall arrives. So it is up to me to look deeper, move around, change perspective or focus, and notice the blooms with fresh eyes. In the process I am reminded to take time to look at life in much the same way. Chasing the light and focus just might help bring me closer to an awaking, binging with it clarity and joy, helping me to understanding that I just might be on the right path.
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admired and enjoyed
“This curious world we inhabit is more wonderful than convenient; more beautiful than it is useful; it is more to be admired and enjoyed than used.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
Spiderwebs, sunshine, and fallen leaves ~ all three admired and enjoyed. Have I mentions autumn is my favorite season? I hope you find something to admire and enjoy today.
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