The Barbary may look beautiful, especially in the fall when the branches are filled with red berries. It also has sharp spikes that keep the deer away from munching on it. With nothing to hold it in check, it can take over the landscape. Peo...

We often think of fall as having colder nights and shortening days. Yet there is a soft side to the season with its pastel Impressionist moments like small red crabapples with an out-of-focus background. Many people do not like to show their...

Half of our state is in a severe drought. Outside fires are banned and a lot of wells are going dry. Unfortunately, as far as the weather goes, we are at the mercy of Nature. When it seems as if our minds have dried up with creative ideas, w...

Every year the leaves outside our house and the Mountain are the last to change colors in the fall. We often see the last of the leaf peepers stop and take photos. In life, some people will be the first to change and change too soon while ot...

The lupine Field and the Orchard have been cut and are now ready for a long winter’s sleep. For many of us, the shortened days and colder nights are also creating changes in our habits, like wanting more comfort food and less physical activi...

I finally got to test out the temporary bench on the meditation spot I have been working on. It started in my mind over the winter, and I physically worked on it this summer and fall. It works and has an amazing feeling. Life is filled with ...

Did you ever have one of those days where several loose ends all came together at the same time? That happened to us recently, and to top it all off, nature gave us a beautiful sunset to add to the gratitude in my heart. I know that several ...

As I stood in the middle of the orchard admiring the view, I had a feeling of accomplishment and relief that the mowing had been done, and this part of the land was ready for winter. I also knew there was more to be done and finishing this p...

Recently we met a couple walking back to their vehicle after going for a hike on our land. They told us about a tall pine that had fallen and blocked part of the way, so they brought a hand saw and cut all the limbs to clear the trail again....

I learned a long time ago when climbing mountains that if I went too fast, I would have trouble reaching the top. Now I set a big goal that has many small steps before I get there, such as the meditation spot dedicated to Lisa. Now the stone...

Doing some grading behind the Center recently, I found a small piece of what I thought was the tractor in the dirt. It had some green paint and so I just assumed I had broken something.  My son identified it as an old fishing reel. How ...

People come to the mountains to see the fall foliage and often miss the little visual pleasures, like yellow ferns bathed in sunlight. There are little pleasures to be found in people, like a friendly smile or word when our minds are preoccu...

My year is divided up into what I call rituals, such as the annual cutting of the Lupine Field and Orchard to prepare them for next spring. It is a spiritual experience, spending time on the lawn tractor driving around in circles. For many, ...

As the fall foliage is reaching its peak and the nights are getting longer, the feel of summer is winding down. The cooler and leafless days of autumn are setting in. In life when things seem to be winding down, there is always something els...

The hills are alive with the colors of fall foliage. People flock into nature during the couple of weeks the leaves are at their peak. With heart-felt gratitude it is possible to have this incredible refreshing of our souls any time of the y...

I usually take a hike on the Center trails from the top of the mountain while others like to make the climb up from the Center’s parking lot. Our goal is to make it possible for everyone to experience nature and the beautiful views. Experien...

I consider myself to be an observer of life. One of my favorite places to do that is up on the mountain where I can hear the distant sounds from the valley below. Here I can reflect on what I have seen and experienced in life and Nature. My ...

There is something about the fall season and travelling country roads that brings me back in time. I imagine what it might have been like to travel them a hundred years ago. I believe we all have places where we can pause for a moment and re...

For some reason, the leaves on our trees are some of the last to change, while others across the valley are almost at peak foliage. The calendar has changed to October as the days rush by. An old friend once asked me for some help, and I ask...

According to the news the beautiful sunset we recently experienced was caused by two hurricanes off the coast of Florida and the Carolinas. We are constantly being affected by weather, but also situations in our lives affect us almost daily....

A blanket of fog covered the lake when we awoke at the family cottage. The small island close to the foot of the lake seemed to be floating in the water creating a peaceful scene. I sat in a chair and did some reflecting of my own for the pa...

I do not usually think of birch bark having any red color, but I recently noticed some. I believe it is a time when the old bark is giving way to the new growth of the tree. There are a lot of things that we can miss in life when our mind is...

Most of the wildflowers, sometimes called weeds, have gone to seed here on the mountainside. Still, many of their arrangements, before they fly in the wind, are beautiful. I enjoy them all season long. Regardless of their age, people still h...

The fibrous seeds in the milkweed pods are now setting sail in the winds of autumn. Many of them will find fertile soil for new milkweed to grow next spring. Fall is a great time for the goals we have been setting in our minds to fly into po...

The landscape here in the mountains has experienced a major drought this summer. Finally, a little payment on that debt has been delivered with some drops of liquid gold. It is very easy in life to become burdened down with many kinds of deb...