From the study window - lessons in nature

After a period of cold, wet weather, I was glorying this morning in the sight of blue sky, sunshine and snowdrops.  I was reminded of how much nature provides us with for the lessons of life...if we want to learn them.  

Here are a few thoughts arising from the view from my study window.

Snowdrops: One of the most fragile flowers in the plant world. It's so easy to crush the stem, even with careful handling.  Yet, they come through the earth, when it's at its hardest and coldest. They thrive in those conditions. A fresh dumping of snow can arrive, disrupting the lives of millions, yet the snowdrop's fragile stem and flower head survives the surrounding chaos.

Roses: Roses are amongst the most sweet smelling and beautiful flowers. At the moment, they look brown and bedraggled. They thrive from being cut back and fed a great deal of manure. As do the most delicious autumn raspberries.

Clouds: The sun is always in the sky during daylight. It's just that sometimes cloud hides it. 

Rain: This time last year, there were concerns about a possible drought. The ground was dry. The aquifers were empty. The outlook was causing concern. We got what we wished for and are now dealing with the consequences.

Seeds: Seeds can be dried up, wrinkled and look worthy of throwing away. But given the right conditions of water, warmth and suitable environment, they will thrive, blossom and be fruitful.

Dead wood:  See above.

Rotting material: A neighbour gives the vegetable rubbish from his allotment to another neighbour, who keeps chickens. That neighbour gives us the waste chicken manure, which we put on our fruit and vegetable beds. He also gives us eggs from the chickens and I make him a cake with them.

Weeds: There are hundreds of varieties of weeds. If left they will thrive and can throttle the life out of other plants. Some weeds are more attractive than others. Some have very superficial roots and can be dug up easily. Some have one very long root, that needs careful handling, otherwise it breaks and will grow again. Some have tendrils that spread far and wide.

Seasons: From: Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 v: 1 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

1. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
2. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
4. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
5. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
6. A time to rend, and a time to sow; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
7. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Butterflies:  Butterflies need go go through the struggle of pushing themselves through a cocoon to give them life. It is the struggle that gives them life. Without it, they will die.

Storm damage: The voids created by nature destroys through winds, storms and fire, will fill again in time, quite naturally.

Solitude: I'm only able to write this blog, because in between a mass of Saturday household duties, I'm following the advice of William Henry Davis

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Sights and sounds: We look, but may not see. We hear, but may not listen.

Birds: I wrote this at the end of the blog on panic. http://emotionalgrowth.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/dont-panic-being-birdbrained.html 

I remember a woman I met once in a lift.  For no particular reason she said, "Aren't birds wonderful? It doesn't matter what happens 
to them in life, they always start the next day singing."

I'm sure you will be able to think of other positive and uplifting signs from nature.  As I am sure, the cynical and negative thinkers will be able to think of signs that predict 'doom and gloom'.

We have the ability to change and choose our thoughts. Perhaps not the first one, but the second, third and so on.

I look outside and could just see the mess, the mud and general bleakness. I choose not to. I look at the same scene and see hope, opportunity and beauty.

©RitaLeaman2013