Ready for Some Good News?

I sure am, and so for a few days I'm gong to avoid the Internet and cable news - I've had enough of the negatives, especially the never-ending political blather spewed forth 24 hours a day. I'm more than ready to turn away from the negatives and concentrate on the positives: our four grandchildren, good health, and the upcoming holidays.

And all the while I will thank God for our blessings of family, friends, and the freedoms we should never take for granted, because the world it is a changing. 

Over the last few weeks I have witnessed the best of the fall season with amazing colors, bright blue skies, and warm temperatures. Most days have been picture-perfect. 

So my advice is to look around you and rather than focusing on the endless news cycles, pop in seasonal DVDs, make some popcorn, and hug your family.

My Favorite Time of Year

As I reflect on the beauty of each season, it's difficult to choose my favorite time of the year.

When April and May roll around, I always say, "Ah, this is my favorite time of the year!" This spring was especially lovely with the flowering trees, greening grasses, and the plethora of blossoms of all shapes and scents.The tulips, daffodils, and primroses gave way to roses, lavender, and our spring and summer perennials of all shapes and sizes.

Early June was changeable with its warming days, coolish nights, and occasional thunderstorms.This year robins pecked their way through the vent screens and made a nest in our attic.The sound just about drove our kitty crazy. She could hear the chicks chirping, but couldn't figure out where they were hiding. As soon as the winged family left, we patched up the hole. There was a limit to our hospitality.

I wanted to hold onto each moment June provided because I knew July and August would bring the heat and triple digits. Faded rose petals, patches of dry grass, and hot nights seemed to linger until mid-September. Fast forward to October and I declared, "This is my favorite time of year." The warm autumn colors are clinging to the trees and the sounds of migrating Canadian geese fill the skies. They are reminders winter is not long in coming.

The hardy geese will remain to feed on the golf courses and parks and then lay eggs along the river banks. Spring comes again and life burst forth. The cycle begins anew.

Each season holds a special place in my heart and I'm grateful to live in a region where I experience the fullness of Nature's changing seasons. So, here's to my favorite time of year, no matter what the calendar says.

Autumn Nights

Chorus of crickets harmonizing as a soft breeze

combs the trees,

branches gently swaying...

Harvest moon winking at me through filmy clouds 

in the autumn sky,

a familiar face.

Memories flood back. I close my eyes recalling

games of hide 'n seek

with childhood friends...

Running, tripping in the dark through yards,

over rock and bushes

to touch Home Base.

Autumn's cool breath mixing with summer's

waning warmth beckons me

to stay and listen...

But turning a deaf ear to go inside and close

the door and miss

the chance to rest.

Tonight I pray Old Man Moon and cricket friends

resume their autumn play

for an audience of one...

Sitting in my Adirondack chair, head back,

absorbing the sight and sounds

of nature's best.

Happy Spring! I love this time of new beginnings: the awakening of the earth after a long winter, soft and vibrant colors and fragrances that tickle our senses, and the promise of warmer temperatures.

I have made good progress on my novel and will post updates and excerpts along the way. I've joined Twitter: @donelleknudsen and my website is under construction, stay tuned. My Facebook Author page is up and running: www.facebook.com/DonelleMKnudsen.

Please visit my new pages and posts. Leave a message or tweet so we can connect!

Colors and Textures of Nature

I didn't realize the extent to which colors and textures affect my moods; specifically the colors and textures of nature. When we re-decorated our family room recently, we chose neutral colors for the tile floor, area rug, and furniture: taupe, brown, and olive green, like the earth. Then I added reds, gold, and hints of orange to accent with pillows, pictures, and other pieces. Looking at the room, I see the colors of autumn, my favorite season of the year. Now I spend more time there, reading, studying, watching t.v., and spending time with family.

Whenever possible, I introduce some facet of nature into our home with pictures and prints of birds, flowers, and outside scenes. Since childhood, I have drawn energy and a sense of peace from God's beautiful world. Our father took my brother and me to the beach, and we camped in the Columbia Gorge, the Oregon Cascades, and Crater and Diamond Lake areas. Those happy times and memories remain with me to this day.

My husband and I just returned from Central Oregon: the land of ponderosa pine, mountains, and lakes. Of course it's winter and the colors are muted, the landscape is softened, and quieted with a blanket of snow. I loved every moment of our vacation as I soaked in the tranquility for six days. Bringing this feeling home, with a cup of tea beside me and a warmed spirit inside, I'll spend the next days recording my feelings in poetry and prose.

Rhododendron Time

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, rain aside, one predictable spring-time tradition is the return of fragrant, full-blossomed rhododendrons. Many years ago my father introduced a beautiful new world to me: the world of flowers, most especially rhododendrons and roses. But today the subject is rhodies, as Dad called them.

As a long time resident of Portland, Oregon, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was just a few miles drive. We visited as often as possible. One of the busiest times is Mother's Day weekend, which heralds the kick-off of weeks of blooming rhodies, azaleas and spring flowers of many varieties. Of course, the garden is opened all year long, even in the wet and dreary winter months. But the immaculately kept flower beds, year-round shrubs and trees, lively ducks, graceful cranes, and nervous squirrels, all of nature's best, beckoned us to Crystal Springs month after month.

Sadly, now we live four hours away and our desert-like climate isn't friendly to the raising of rhodies and azaleas; but this May we'll return to Portland for a weekend and visit the rhododendron gardens again. Strolling alongside the lake and through the garden’s winding paths, I will think of my late father. Especially as I lean into fragrant blossoms to inhale their springtime perfume and appreciate their perfectly shaped blooms that range from whitest-white to the deepest scarlet. Join me in a few weeks and celebrate spring wherever you are; it's just around the corner.