A Summer Sunrise and Owl

The magic of mornings! 

The first light of Dawn warmed a tree trunk with a soft orange hue.

A brilliant burst shines on one branch!

sunlit branch

No sooner than I could adjust my digital companion, the woods lit up like fire!

I always feel lucky to be awake at sunrise, but after a long sleepless night, the beauty I saw in all that color was a blessing from nature; a true Green Healing!  I knew I was going to get some good sleep.

As I headed inside to bed, I looked in the other direction, toward the creek, and perched on a tall dead tree trunk was my friend, the Owl!

I couldn’t believe my eyes at first, even though I often see our two resident Barred owls.  Usually, I’ll hear or sense them before I see one, but not on this early summer morning.

The mystical bird hadn’t made a sound and when our eyes literally met, I felt instinctively that it had watched me all along. 

I had an odd feeling that this owl was not one of our residents.  There was an unfamiliar look in its eyes and each time I tried to get a little closer, the bird flew five or six feet away, which is most unlike the owls who live in my corner of woods. 

Perhaps it was one of the resident owls that was merely hungry and not too happy that I was interrupting breakfast.

After my long sleepless night, and then my  having seen the woods slowly come alive in a great orange light, I suspected the owl was a spirit animal.

Whoa!  As I was writing this post,  shortly after midnight, an Owl hooted as loud as I’ve ever heard one from my window!  It was no ordinary hoot either.  It sounded like a happy celebration, and as if the Owl was telling the whole woods about it! 

Thanks for visiting Green Healing Notes

 

Creative Commons Copyrights Apply.  Please Share with Respect, and give a clear link back to this blog, Green Healing Notes at https://greenhealinggirl.wordpress.com.

 

Sycamore Sky and Robin

 

Interacting with Nature

A Family Portrait

The Resident Robin Leaves Home

My fat little Friend

Dear Robin,

I’m writing to say thank you for being my Winter guest.  I must say, your sudden departure was a surprise, but what a glorious day it was when out of the blue, Robins surrounded my home! 

I didn’t know much about Robins before you spent the Winter here.  I thought you were going to use my yard for mating in Spring, but I realize now, you were here for the berries.  I felt sad when I first realized that you had left.

I so enjoyed your company, especially during a long and rather lonely Winter.  I even reported my sightings of you here!  Your photo is available to the entire world.  You are as good as famous, my fat little friend!

I’m very happy you found respite from Winter in the green covered branches of the tall Pine and a great aerial view of the Holly from the big Sweet Gum tree.  I noticed your friends liked the view from up there as well.

One Robin Waiting

I was outside today looking at those trees, remembering you perched on the branches in the snow.  They have blooms now.  Things changed in such a short time dear Robin.

You were strong to endure those cold days.  I was proud to have you as a guest and honored as well.  Watching you was a true Winter blessing!

Even as I miss seeing you on the porch rail, guarding the red berries with an intensely continuous keen watch, I am glad you have since joined a flock.  They were certainly a beautiful and energetic group! 

I tried to get a photo of several together, but that didn’t happen.  I couldn’t believe how powerful they each flew when I slowly peeked around the corner of the house. 

The sound of Robin’s wings in flight is a sweetness to the ear!

Yummy Holly Berries for Robins!

The enthusiasm you and your feathered friends exuded over the little red berry-filled treasure made me wonder how in the world the other Robins heard about that relatively small tree. 

Did you sing them a message through the wind? 

In less than two days of light, they ate every single berry! 

I bet you are leading them to a special place where your babies will be born. 

Robin, I hope to move before next Winter, so I doubt if we will meet again, but I sure wish you and your feathered brothers and sisters a bountiful Spring! 

Thank you for being my guest.  You brought beauty to my life and graced me with a lesson in acceptance. 

Each time I saw you, which was every day for more than two full moons, there was a Green Healing in my Spirit.

With love, gratitude and admiration, 

Your amateur bird-watching friend,

Michelle.

Green Healing Note:

My friend, the Robin, and the flock it left with, invited me to accept the way of Mother Nature.  Much like my personal life, I cannot expect one thing to happen when something different is in the making.

 Related articles

• The Winter Resident (greenhealinggirl.wordpress.com)
• Winter Birds ~ Residents in Flight (dogkisses.wordpress.com)
• Baby It’s Cold Outside! Hello Robin Redbreast!! (pbenjay.wordpress.com)

Flora, Fauna and Notes in Carolina

A good strong rain finally came.  We needed it and personally, I’m glad because my heart-strings have been pulled around a bit lately and I’m tired.  Rain and mist go well with a melancholic mood or a time for quiet reflection.

My most recent time in the horticulture therapy gardens was several days ago and already,  I miss them.  I wonder how the lettuce is doing.  I bet the garden where they accidentally planted flowers with leaf vegetables is blooming and making good food too.

Although the gardens are not mine, nor on my property, my heart has a place in it especially for them.

Synchronistically, while traveling to the country over the past week, I’ve continued having ‘Green Healing’ experiences.  Healing has been the subject of conversation with people whom I met and a continuous metaphor in events that occurred.  Each event had to do with land and nature, and many times, for different reasons, I had to talk about why green is important.

Note:  Green Healing isn’t always easy or pleasant.  My week has challenged me, to say the least, but I also saw beautiful places, spent time with my mother, and met some nice folks.

We traveled near my hometown, which is a beautiful part of our state.  I love the land in North Carolina, particularly that which hasn’t been developed.  We have beautiful rolling hills of green and relatively, there are still many trees.  I’ve lived in other places for short periods, and each time I returned, it was the trees I was first glad to see again. 

My mother’s backyard (above) always lifts my spirit and without a doubt, offers me delightful views. 

She doesn’t particularly care for the view and would rather be around people.  I understand that.  I’ve lived in spectacular places full of natural beauty, but without other people, life gets too lonely.  Nature, like dogs, has a lot to offer us, but neither replaces our need for friends and companionship. 

A few weeks ago after my son and I watered the therapy gardens, we took a walk along a habitat trail displaying native plants and trees from the Sandhills, which is where the Piedmont ends and the Coastal region begins.

We stopped at a bog, where I later discovered I had received about four ticks.

Along the trail, we saw the most awesome Ferns ever,

and learned that our state tree is the Long-leaf Pine.

Our Beloved Trees

My son isn’t usually interested in taking pictures, but when he saw a little lizard with an orange throat sliding along the edge of the bog’s viewing deck, he was immediately engaged with Nature.

Another Green Healing happening!

Thanks for visiting Green Healing Notes! 

Related articles

• Inspirational Circle #4: Flora and Fauna (jenuineinspiration.wordpress.com)
• Green Healing and Lizard (dogkisses.wordpress.com)
• Green Healing ~ Horticultural Notes (dogkisses.wordpress.com)