September 2026
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The Space They Left Behind
For most of the summer, the geese have been one of the most noticeable parts of the puddle. Families moving along the shoreline, littles growing bigger by the week, everyone learning where to eat, where to rest, and where they belonged. Now the littles of 2026 can fly. The families are beginning to explore farther… Continue reading
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Human Needs | To Be Present
Before we can ask what a life means, there are needs that allow us simply to inhabit it. To be present is to be able to recognize that we are here, in this moment, inside the life that is happening now. It does not require perfect attention, constant gratitude, or the ability to quiet every… Continue reading
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We Thought There Was One
One Green Heron who had discovered the Puddle and decided it was worth returning to. I had learned where to look for it, down along the water or tucked into the branches where a small bird can disappear surprisingly well. Then tonight I looked again. There was one standing near the water. And another sitting… Continue reading
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Character Shapes the Path
September 6, 2026 This morning, something small found its way to me at just the right time. A graphic appeared in my Facebook feed about September, character, choices, destiny, and legacy. It would have been easy to scroll past. Instead, I stopped. Maybe because today is September 6. Maybe because it is my birthday. Maybe… Continue reading
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