Look up
I took this photo on an everyday walk in my neighborhood, April 2023.
“A good name for God is: “Not me.” Emerson said that the happiest person on Earth is the one who learns from nature the lessons of worship. So go outside a lot and look up.” — Anne Lamott
This is another new post. No time to write much, but I wanted to share this quote from that perennial source of quotable thoughts, Anne Lamott. I’m about to head outside for the walk that has become an essential part of every day for me. Those particular trees aren’t in bloom by May, but there will be other lovely things to see, including the Potomac River just a half mile away.
When looking for a photo to feature with today’s post, there were many shots I could have shared from all over the world. But it seemed most appropriate to share one from just a short distance from my own front door. You have many such sights outside your own home, different in detail but alike in the lessons we learn from getting outside. So I hope we’ll all heed Lamott’s advice, including the most crucial part of it: look up.
Defeat Despair 
Julia, One of my favorite walks was behind your lovely home! Imagine going out your back yard and immediately be surrounded by our Creator’s gifts of beauty! (Oh! I don’t need to imagine; it really is that beautiful & peaceful, & calming.) Thank you that wonderful memory, such a blessing!
Hug Matt for me & give him my love.
Love,
MaryAnn
Hugs right back to you, Mary Ann! Yes, my home brings me much joy, and my daily walks are like visits with God, the great creator.
One of my favorite trees ” Cercis?– Eastern Red Bud.” Flowers come right out of the stems. Very rare on the West Coast.
Mike, do you know I never knew the name of those spectacular trees? Their color is dazzling. I didn’t alter that photo; they really are electric. Now I know what they are, maybe I’ll look into planting one in my yard.
Good morning, Julia!
Last night, I took a short walk to see if I could see the Aurora from the south side of a neighborhood pond. My yard is so full of huge trees to the north that the entire sky is blocked and leaving my property is the only way to look for northern lights.
Alas, they were not visible a block away at the pond, nor atop Sunset Hill, three blocks away, so I walked back home again. Perhaps I’m too close to the city, or the high cloud that I could see obscured them. The moon was a misty crescent.
Were you able to see them? I heard that they were visible as far south as Virginia!
I am fortunate to have seen them while I was attending Michigan Tech, in Houghton.
I heard tales of people as far south as Alabama seeing them just recently. But I see nothing much in the sky now that Jeff is not around to call me outdoors to look– something he was always doing, to my delight, just as his own father used to do.