showing off

"The dahlia's first duty in life is to flaunt and to swagger and
to carry gorgeous blooms well above its leaves, and on no account to hang its head."
-Gertrude Jekyll, Wood and Garden, 1899.

on the table - the last day of September

A friend gifted me six dahlia tubers last spring. I really did not have room for them, but managed to tuck them into the one piece of soil I had left in the garden I was not sure how they would do. But here they are, on the last day of September, showing off and still flaunting their beauty.

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fewer Options

“The less gear you use, the more you grow as a photographer. Although there are fewer options available, you'll find more creative ways to capture what you feel! In a way, all your technical options before turn into creative solutions that improve your photography even more.”

― Marius Vieth

Big Rock Garden - September 2025

It seems to me that everything could benefit from fewer options today. Things I find difficult often make me worry about the state of my mind, when really it is just a matter of too many options and too much technology for my elderly brain. I have so far survived the latest updates from apple across both my phone and computer, but see there is a new one tonight! I head to the park with limited gear, to see if it might calm me down.

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clematis in the garden

“Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater our integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become.”

― John O'Donohue

For the first time in many years my time, for the most part, is my own. Suddenly there are hours open to feed my curiosity and wake up my awareness. Hours that I can use to explore what brings me joy. I like the idea that I am the artist of my days and wonder just what I might discover if I can remember to put this into practice.

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looking deeper

I don't ask for the sights in front of me to change, only the depth of my seeing.
-Mary Oliver

The options in the flower garden are limited, as blooms fade and fall arrives. So it is up to me to look deeper, move around, change perspective or focus, and notice the blooms with fresh eyes. In the process I am reminded to take time to look at life in much the same way. Chasing the light and focus just might help bring me closer to an awaking, binging with it clarity and joy, helping me to understanding that I just might be on the right path.

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admired and enjoyed

“This curious world we inhabit is more wonderful than convenient; more beautiful than it is useful; it is more to be admired and enjoyed than used.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

Spiderwebs, sunshine, and fallen leaves ~ all three admired and enjoyed. Have I mentions autumn is my favorite season? I hope you find something to admire and enjoy today.

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uninhibited

“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”

― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

There are days where I wake up a bit foggy. I use to fight this somewhat fussy morning perception, by getting frustrated and upset and…. a bit worried. But lately I am able to just let the fog lift on its own by acknowledging it without a fight. I have discovered that if I don’t fight it, but instead give it the attention it deserves, I can often find tiny gifts, reminders to take note of something beautiful, around me, helping me to see it with unhampered eyes

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the scent of autumn

“On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels. “
- Charles Dickins

Autumn teases us with its cool nights, while the apples send out their tantalizing scent come mid-day, reminding me that applesauce season is upon us.

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