Musings about mindfulness and tools that work for me
Winter Solstice
12-21-25 At 10:03 am today, the sun shone directly on the Tropic of Capricorn marking the Winter Solstice and for us in the northern Hemisphere, the beginning of Winter. Each day after today, the days will be slightly longer. I struggle with the darkness at this time of year, so for me, the extra minutes…
Snow Day!
December 5, 2025 The fluffy white boughs of the nandina outside my window bend and bounce as sparrows shift position, snuggling next to each other for warmth. The scarlet berries stand in contrast to the muted grays and browns of the late fall landscape. My cat Lily is entranced by the snow, the birds and…
Rituals and Reunions
November 4, 2025 This past weekend saw a convergence of many seasonal milestones. Halloween, Day of the Dead, Samhain and a return to Standard Time all happened within 48 hours. It was the 60th birthday of a dear friend that included a lovely dinner out for seafood and formal party with even more mutual friends…
Stillness of the Autumn Landscape
10/25/25 A walk today in the mid-afternoon sun on a nearly deserted lake front road stimulated my senses. As I approached the water, it was so quiet that I could hear the wind rustling the Pampas grass by the water’s edge while insects in the reeds trilled to each other, oblivious to my presence. An…
Becoming a Mermaid
October 5, 2025 Grief is a bugger. Despite all my self-care and the routines, I have built to keep me going, last week I faltered. Meditation, journaling, yoga and prayer are necessary just to get out of the house each morning. At the end of the day, I have a less involved routine, but still…
A Harvest of Time and Effort
September 28, 2025 My vegetable garden has reached the state of late season chaos it comes to each fall. Although I am still harvesting tomatoes daily, some vines are yellowing and show signs of disease. Others are growing wildly across the garden, intertwining with late season cucumbers and a solidary eggplant. Soon I will need…
A Change of Season
September 14, 2025 There is a slant to the sunlight, even on an 80-degree mid-September day that tells me it is almost Autumn. The oak trees and hickories I pass on my walks are still fully festooned with dark green leaves, but the angled sunlight gives them a yellowish cast. Here and there I see…
Hope is a Thing with Feathers
7/31/25 “Hope is a Thing with Feathers.” I have never been a poet, nor do I claim to be a poetry aficionado, but even I know that this is one of Emily Dickinson’s most famous poems. The line suddenly pushed its way into my mind as I was driving away from the Healing Place after…
Time for a Little Restoration
July 14, 2025 As a career educator, I have lived for my summer breaks for over 30 years. Teaching is very demanding of my time and energy by itself and teaching while being a spouse, a parent and a homeowner has meant that I have always juggled many responsibilities. The 8 weeks I get off…
The Healing Power of Open Sky and a Large Expanse of Water
6/28/25 This week was a tough one for me. My son Alex’s birthday came and went. All week I was flooded with memories of happy childhood parties, that included super soaker fights, goofy antics and lots of cake. I tried not to dwell too long on Alex’s last earthly birthday, which sadly was the last…
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Mindful Musings 