Ponder Patterns and Change

Not much of a picture, but to me it was a big thing.  I had five brown bag from a fast food place that I crumpled up to start the fire.  You see the buckthorn growing right on the other side of our fence hangs over into our yard.  Buckthorn is a great natural fence, which was brought over long ago on the ships.  Though the berries run right through you as you get the squirts, and so do the birds so that's why the grow along the fences.  Or in between the chain link fences. At this point they are very hard to get rid of and with the Neighbor behind us knowing we cut them down around where the mushroom huts are.  I've personal have been wanting to burn them.  But to green and the fire pit was to wet.  Then the last brown bag started the sticks and off I went from 7:30 am till 9:30 ish.  Grateful and so in my element. My hair smell like the burning fire. (secretly I love it)  

After I did the burning My youngest Newly married daughter stopped by.  Heading back from the City as she needed to get a new passport done.  Here's had gotten wet and moldy...not good.  So she stopped in and chatted with her Grandma while I cut the lawn.  She didn't have to be at work till later.  So upon burning I cut the lawn too.  I was telling myself it will be a day outdoors I can feel it.  

Time went by and she left and I completed the lawn and fed my elder and head off for a meeting but the meeting was canceled and well what can a Woods Women do but head to the woods.  As I started my walk on the pea gravel path, I couldn't help but gather leaves and in a pattern of colors too.  There's a spot in the woods where a little pond is and I went there.  As I walked up the Great Blue Heron was there fishing.  I stopped and felt very blessed to be witnessing a natural event of "it" catching a small fish.  After that I just watch the wind blow and the leaves dance in the sky.  Then I cleared a spot on the ground and placed the layers of leaves done in a circle.  

The contrast of red against the yellows and green. 

After the circle was made I thanked the leaves and the pond and walked on.  I came to the little bridge where I would always start my walk in the woods.  I've missed this greatly.  I stood there and thanked the trees in the woods for all that are and give.  As I walked up the switchback it was very hard not to notice the shapes, sizes and colors of the acorns.  I gathered a few different ones and was going to take them home to draw, and second thought came in to let them be and take a photo with my phone.  Yes I did bring my phone, many because I have an elder at home and if she need me we can communicate. All a seed and all have a cap.  

There is place where I leave things for another Woods Women that walks and to send a collected moment of gratitude.  Between these two trees she prays.  I just leave offerings for her.  More of nature, leaves and a shaggy bark hickory nut. 

Cottonwood leaves, I know them well as we had one in our front yard close to the street.  We had it cut down because it was sick and big limbs were falling off.  Too close to our neighbors van and car.  The village came and tended to that.  It was a very sad day, I remember the heart tugger of tears falling as I witness it. Still pulls at my heart now. 

 Ponder this universal teaching: When we are able to notice what we are doing now, to experience our current state completely and without judgment, the old patterns will begin to fall away. 

Sharing because it is time to share.  The attitude needs to change the path of negative is too well warn. It adds to my emotional, mental states first and seeps in to my physical and spiritual...then the whole circle is off and out of balance.   With Gratitude all things are possible.  

The prayer states first that there are elements in my life, like elements in art, which I have no power to change.  My serenity depends upon my accepting them. Here is where my pattern lies. The more I fight them, the more they will torment me.  "Courage to change the things I can" gives me unlimited freedom to work on those elements which are my concern.  

My own wellbeing as a human.. How am I tending to the self that is of service to others in friends, family and community.  I know that's extremes but really it  begins with me first and then I'm better for others.  I've been falling in to a pattern because it was so new and so extremes...then out of not realizing it I fell in to a victim role of poor me taking care of an elder that I didn't want to but out of love for my husband I did. I was home and the homestead allotted the perfect space for her.  And now I can say thought she is still sleeping in our living room it has better because new patterns have formed out of the need to stream line the eldercare.  Though it has taken me a long time welcome myself back into life, my life again...I know that things will change again and I will pray for guidance and change the things I can.  I'm grateful for change on most days it is life.  

Long winded and freedom is felt once again.