Words from the Heart

Catbird at the suet feeder outside my window I love learning about nature. For last several years, our garden has been the home to a catbird family. I had been told that local farmers consider them a nuisance because they love to eat blueberries and raspberries. I must say, I took little notice of them...until now. This year, we put up suet. I found one that had fruit in it and thought it would be a treat. (The package said it would draw songbirds!) Early one morning in April I spied the catbird with his  distinctive  chestnut colored patch under his tail. He and his mate love the suet!  This surprised me, so I did some research.  Catbirds are actually quite amazing. They winter in the tropics amongst Mayan ruins and in Florida as well as the Caribbean. No wonder they like fruit! They are also quite talented singers. Early in the morning, when I leave for work, they are singing. They mimic other birds and, of course, make cats sounds. Since our green b...

JOY!  JOYFUL! JOYOUS!   This is the word I chose to focus on during this coming year.  For me, 2014 is the year of JOY!   So how am I going to find joy in the mundane, everyday moments of life?  How will I find it when pain, frustration and anxiety rear their ugly heads?  How will I find it when the world appears to be filled with so much terror, fear and hate? My teachers would all say, "Look within."  But, I add, "Look out, around, in between, under and over!" Joy can be found in the silences of a Sunday sunrise and in the giant's clap of thunder.  Joy lingers just outside the window on any given day!  See it in the birds at the feeder, in the snow melting like liquid crystal and in the plants morphing through the seasons. Joy appears to me in the eyes of my grandchildren.  Joy speaks to me on the lips of my loved ones.  Joy sings to me in the songs my Roger writes. Here are some examples via a little photo diary....

The words are few for this post...pictures say it all. These are some of my favorite moments: My brother Barry and me at the beach in South Boston - 1957 My girls and our exchange student, Pablo from Argentina 1993 Rainbow over South Deerfield, MA 2008 Cardinal in the snow 2008 Farm in New York 2007 Tree Hugging 2007 Resting with a friend 2008 Roger and I - top of Mt. Holyoke 2008 Sunflower 2006 Luna moth caterpillar on gladiola Barry and me at Duxbury Beach, MA 1959