Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who make the morning
and spread it over the fields…

good morning, good morning, good morning….

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.

~ Mary Oliver (excerpt from her poem, Why I Wake Early)

July 11th, 2015

Hello Mother, hello Daughter,

Top of the morning to you, Turtle … or Terrapin? Here you are, whatever we humans call you… gliding in the forest. Delectable synchronicity! Were your ears ringing the other day? Uhh, do you have ears? Oh yes, sorry, of course you have, they just look a little different than mine. Hmmm, I was just talking about you few days ago in Raleigh; did you hear me? I was telling my friend about how I had never seen a terrapin before, and … well…HERE you are turtle? terrapin? perhaps to teach me about discernment? Taking your turtley time walking through the forest on your way somewhere important I’m sure. Oh, it was so very considerate of you to pop by and to time your stroll at the exact moment I was going get my first morning tea. We are so happy to meet you, oh and to gently put you back in the same exact spot we found you so you can continue on your way.

Oh and moth, aren’t you extraordinary? Oh yes, I see you…. You with your contrasting stripes and swirls, making quite the fashion statement… making other moths–a bit well–perhaps more edible?

And MMMMMadame Butterfly: Taking your sweet time, fanning your wings, sunbathing while dining on a lily. Oh the life! Have you heard what some people say about you and the Butterfly Effect: that the beat of a your wings can be felt around the world? Right now as I am with you–you and your splendid magnificence –how could I possibly believe anything but…. butterflies? I do believe in butterflies. I do. I do. I do.

and look, look, look at the beautiful humans: friends, smiling, and up to something curious, yes?!

and oh, my… more butterflies… Eastern Swallowtails or Spice Bush are you? I beg your pardon if I am mistaking your species, but a butterfly by any other name, perhaps smells as sweet? I have to ask you, why do you always come to this particular patch of dewy grass every morning for your proboscis full of morning dewcoffee? Something about the shade? The sun? I wonder…I marvel…I believe.

Oh, and look … that Mom is eating more hummus. Good thing there was lots of it. Earlier there was a discussion about the gourmet Sriracha Mango flavored hummus that mysteriously vanished quicker than you could say “Sriracha!” (Thank you Roots for generously gifting the girls and moms plenty of hummus and chips for our adventurous palettes. Delicious!)

Hmmm.

There are more messengers and teachers in the forest than I could ever have imagined. Nature and animals teaching, if we pay attention and open our awareness to what comes into our space. And–even though we are leaving this enchanted place tomorrow–thankfully back at home, nature is everywhere there too–around us, before us, above us, beneath us. No lack of teachers, even those of us who live in cities… Mama Nature is everywhere. I am so grateful for these teachers.

εїз on butterfly wings εїз
love & creatiful blessings,

❤ becky