September 8, 2026

  • Outsidesy not Outdoorsy

    Outsidesy not Outdoorsy

    Sunday’s adventure trying to scale the slight elevation along the side of Saylorville Lake definitely reaffirmed something I have suspected for a long time. I am an outsidesy person, but I am definitely not an outdoorsy person. I love being outside. I love sitting beside the puddle, walking through the neighborhood, putting my feet in… Continue reading

  • A Little Farther Up the Puddle

    A Little Farther Up the Puddle

    Stella or Stanley stopped by today, although not in the usual place where I have gotten used to watching them. With the water continuing to shrink, our visitor was farther up the puddle, standing among the green surface and tall vegetation where there is apparently still enough of whatever a heron needs. It was good… Continue reading

  • Or Maybe I Am Just Impatient With the Birds

    Or Maybe I Am Just Impatient With the Birds

    Moments ago I was fairly convinced the season was shifting in a noticeable way. The feeders were lasting longer, the visitors seemed fewer, and the whole puddle felt a little quieter than it had in July and August. The water is lower, the vegetation is creeping farther out, and everything does seem to be settling… Continue reading

  • The Season Is Changing

    The Season Is Changing

    The seasons are definitely changing behind the puddle, although September seems to be announcing itself quietly rather than all at once. The water has pulled back enough that our little lake is beginning to look much more deserving of its nickname, and vegetation that once stopped at the shoreline is now growing well beyond where… Continue reading

  • The Things They Do Before I Get There

    The Things They Do Before I Get There

    Most mornings, I walk outside and notice what is waiting for me. The birds at the feeders. The fountain running. Something moving along the edge of the puddle. Evidence that someone has already eaten breakfast beneath the maple tree. What I usually don’t see is everything that happens before I open the door. This morning,… Continue reading

  • Human Needs | To Rest

    Human Needs | To Rest

    Before we can ask what a life means, there are needs that allow us simply to inhabit it. To rest is more than sleep. It is the human need to stop carrying, producing, solving, responding, and enduring for a while. Rest gives the body and mind permission to loosen their grip. It creates a space… Continue reading