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.

Spring is Breaking

Today heralds the first day of Spring Break for our area. Our grandkids are looking forward to a week's vacation. Unfortunately, it has been wet and will be wet most of next week. Ah well, that's the norm for the Pacific Northwest. But . . . we are blessed in that we don't experience hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods, but are host to a steady wind that brings in the change of seasons.

Most of the trees have blossomed, daffodils are in full bloom, tulips are peeking up, pansies have emerged from their winter's hibernation, and the grass is greening up nicely. I love spring, next to autumn that is. No, right now, I love spring the best.

Spring: Nature coming to life, a new grandbaby, now two months old, a new book I'm working on, and new friends (or old really), that I've reconnected with - making them new - again.

Happy Spring everyone!

Spring Around the Corner? The Birds and Buds Think So

I really should change the picture on my blog header, but it's possible that snow may fall in our area, even as buds are coming out on trees, bushes, and even up from the chilly soil. Heather and crocuses are blooming in the warmer spots, next to the house and in areas protected from the wind.

Just yesterday I saw a score of tiny black and brown birds hopping about the flowerbeds, hunting through the bounty of seeds generously provided by the towering pines. The quail are back too. Three couples scurried across our front lawn, heading for the shelter of our juniper tree. Before long they will nest, and later ping-pong size babies will appear and bobble through the grass.

Next month, ten days before the official first day of spring, Daylight Savings time will begin. That means I'll be waking up in the dark, although lately I've been getting up very early anyway. Mornings are a good time to get things done - no one is up and I can tackle my writing projects and my stack of books.

Even though it's Presidents' weekend and spring is a month away, I'm celebrating it in my heart.

Mall Psychology and the Shopping Experience

Serious mall shopping is an activity I don't experience all that often; actually it only happens during the Christmas season. Yesterday my daughter and I spent most of the day together, which was special in its self. She's married and works full time, so it's hard to coordinate our schedules, but the stars aligned just right.

After a delicious lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, we hit the stores. For a Tuesday, it was quite busy, and it didn't take long for us to get caught up in the spirit of things. My daughter needed an item in Bath and Body Works, which I had visited the day before, so I was sure I was immune to impulse buying. But I fell for the first special staged at the front door. "SALE: Today Only - purchase 3 for $6, regular price $15." Who could resist? Not me!

Next, we went to Eddie Bauer, strictly to say "Hi" to my friend who works there. Right. Twenty minutes later we walked out with two more purchases. Ka-Ching. We were on a roll. On to Penny's to find socks for the men in our family. But why buy one package when you can buy two, especially when they're on sale?

We were getting pretty thirsty by then so we stopped at the Starbucks Cafe in Barnes & Noble. But first, why not look at books? You guessed it, we each bought a book as well as a delicious beverage.

Lesson for the day: Combine shopping buddy with a mall chock full of fellow shoppers, irresistible specials, restaurants, and Christmas and it's the perfect formula for the ultimate social experience.

Autumn - A Time for Reflection

Now that fall is in the air, I find myself spending more time inside with a good book or at my computer desk. I am reworking my novel that I started in 2005, and set aside to percolate while I wrote my memoir, Through the Tunnel of Love, A Mother's and Daughter's Journey with Anorexia. It was published in April. Check it out on Amazon.com or read the prologue on my website: www.authorsden.com/donelleknudsen

So now I'm ready to complete my suspense novel; and as I sit by the fireplace and feel the warmth of the coals, I raise my coffee cup and cheer the change in seasons! Happy Fall.