On a fall morning, an open door, and the photo I did not take
Stop and smell the roses. It is a common saying, and obviously it is all about stopping, taking in the world, and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature and life.
The golfer Walter Hagen is often credited with the sentiment (although he said flowers not roses), and Mac Davis took the title to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Neither of them had a patch of goldenrod, though.
Every morning I wake up before the pups and Bill, and I wander around the house. Sometimes I sit on the porch with a blanket and just listen. I love the sound of the breeze in the trees, and the distant sounds of cars heading somewhere, maybe home from work or heading to work. After a while I wander back to the bedroom and read. Then I get up again and make a hot chocolate (the rest of my morning ritual is on the blog).
Then I Passed the Window
Yesterday morning, as I passed by the window, the view took my breath away. I opened the door and marveled at the beauty of nature.
The circle was shining in more ways than one. The goldenrod was glistening as it swayed ever so slightly in the breeze, along with the little purple flowers whose name I have forgotten, like thousands of little glistening pom poms. The morning dew was illuminating them, and the entire circle was backlit by the sun, with the shadows of the pines stretching across it.
Across the way at my neighbors’, one of their trees was covered in yellow, orange, and burgundy leaves. The birds flitted about, and the shadows, or really just the outlines, of bees buzzing around like little fairies created a magical scene.
Stop and Smell the Roses, and Leave the Phone Inside
I stood at the door for over five minutes taking it in. I thought to myself that I should get my phone and take a photo, and then I thought against it. I could never, ever capture this. It was like a painting in technicolor just outside the door. Note: the image above is from a few days ago.
Later I went looking to see whether anyone had studied this, and someone has. Nancy Fagley, a psychology professor at Rutgers, surveyed nearly 250 undergraduates (not my demographic, I will admit) and found that appreciation, which is seeing the worth in something and feeling a connection to it, predicted how satisfied people were with their lives about twice as well as gratitude did. Greater Good Magazine reported on it in 2012. It is a small study that shows a link and not a cause, but I liked it. Fagley also warns that reflection can go rote and get taken for granted, which is the trouble with most advice about slowing down and self care, mine included. So I am trying one small thing, which is learning the name of whatever I have been walking past. I started with those little purple flowers, and they are blue mist flower, a native that bees and butterflies love and that blooms well into fall. I suppose the bees knew all along. Tomorrow’s name will be a different one, so it cannot go stale.
Life asks a lot of us, so stop, my friends, and smell the roses, or the scent of a wood fire on the fall breeze. Take in the shadow and light of the fall sunrise.
What stops you at your own door? I would love to know what you were looking at, and whether you reached for your phone.
I am going to keep up the one small thing this week, a name a day, and I will tell you what I find. I suspect the hardest part will be walking slowly enough to need the answer. Wherever you are, I hope something catches you on your way past the window, and that you let it.
Have a wonderful day, friends.
If you would like to keep me company between posts, you can find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Hi, I am always delighted each year when the first real cold air blows into Dallas. Not cool air, but a true cold front. I stand outside and marvel that I can quite literally smell the mountains of Colorado, or so it seems to me. It is joyful. The same is true over the smell of firewood burning. Each and every time it makes me smile and take deep, comforthing breaths. It must be something primal.
MArsha, that sounds wonderful. The cold, crisp air of Colorado sounds like a welcome respite from the Dallas heat.
Enjoy every moment this year!
One thing I really love seeing is dappled shade or dappled sunlight if you will. Whether that’s outside or in my home. And yes I’ve caught it with my camera too sometimes but not always. This time of year is my favorite because of the pollinators on my Blue mist flowers, Goldenrod, Frostweed and Zinnias. We are on the Monarch migration path so some years we have a lot.
Nanci, it is my favorite light as well. The dappled light is so magical, although truth be told it is hard for me to capture it.
My Blue mist flowers are still buzzing with bees, butterflies, and moths. I hope that have a plethora of monarchs this year!
Oh my…when I was a little girl…maybe around 10,my mom showed me appreciation for ” little” garden joys. Mom’s Edison, NJ 1960 garden club had a cigar box contest for their children! The challenge was to create a garden you loved from inside the open box to flow into a scene you chose and secured to the open inside lid. We found a perfect magazine picture,( she was always an avid collector of future possibilities in print…me too) ,of a lovely English garden path leading to a gazebo. I used my mom’s perfect proportionately sized,soft lavendar, garden Algeratum along my stone path to a bench and the gazebo in the picture. I can still feel her warm smile and the gift she had given me all these years later in my own gardens. Did I win? In my heart…over and over for the love she shared of “little” garden joys.
I am so glad you are enjoying your Autumn joys as well,dear Elizabeth.
Warmly,a daily friend,
Sharrie
Sharrie that is such a beautiful memory. You described it so vividly I felt as if I were there alongside you and your mom (although we have never met) looking for the perfect photo and them assembling this magical English garden. It makes me smile thinking about it.
Have a wonderful week and thank you for sharing.
This happened last night as I opened the garage door to take our dog on her evening walk…….
The MOST spectacular painting from the one above
on my IG
Patti, the world is a beautiful place, and sadly we miss out on so much of it. I am happy to hear about the spectacular painting that you enjoyed last night.
In my back yard is a rose, a tea rose, I believe, planted by the previous owners. I give it very little attention, and in spring it puts forth a few tentative blooms. It suffers with me through the heat of summer and then, with great fanfare, in early October surprises us with several dozen deep peachy-pink perfectly classic roses. With no help from me, it just knows what it is doing. And I love it.
Sharon your tea roses sound lovely. Especilly with no help or effort on your part. I love that kind of gardening.
It is a bit cooler here, but not fall weather yet. Although sometimes we jump and skip a season. Thankfully, it is cooler, and I am thankful for that! You’re right about “stop and smell the roses.” So many people walk right on past.
Brenda
Hello Brenda, it has been up and down here. Today it was hot enough to swim at the pool. Thank goodness you are seeing cooler weather, you have had a hot summer. Let’s hope you have Fall and don’t jump right to winter.
So many people never stop to enjoy the roses or any of the little things in life. It is so sad.
HAve a wonderful week!
Hi Elizabeth,
When I look at my kitchen window and see the sunrise/sunset and I say to my kids (young adults, so not really kids) come look at the sky. Always magical. I remember driving my son when he was little to footy practice and always while the sun was setting and we would see such a bright light in the sky and I would always say that’s where God is. My son mentioned once how he loved how I always pointed out to look at the sky or gardens.
We had our first snow. The sun comes up over the Sapphire Mountains to the east and paints the western Bitterroot Mountains in shades of pink. I’ve heard the term alpinglow… It was also 33 degrees and I had my first fire of season in the wood stove.
Absolute perfection. I’m glad we all had a great beginning to our day
Peg, your comment made me smile from ear to ear. I LOVE SNOW, maybe even more than. I love Fall. There is something so magical about the first snow of the season.
My husband lived in Montana for several years and loved it. At one point we considered a move there in retirement but truth be told altough we are both born and raised in the Midwest we have become whimps when it comes to snow and cold after being in the South for the last 25 years.
Enjoy the morning fire, the cold air and the beauty of your beautiful home.
Thank you for sharing!