Nature | catnipoflife

Listen to Life’s Songs

by catnipoflife

In her own words…

I am a traveler who now travels on the keyboard. I have met many wonderful people in my life and they have put memories on my heart. I have been inspired most by my family and friends.

As a senior, I have time to reflect and enjoy. As I live in Alberta Canada, the winter is a great time for writing. I am fascinated by water, fire, birds and most of all people.

During the summer, Mary Helen posted on her weblog the photo depicted above with the following caption:

It is in the listening (list ten things the person is saying) THAT the hearts’ ears can become more open. IT is through the song, the laughter comes out, through the language of love…

Inspiration led me to reply with Ten things the person is saying within the catnip of life…

Life’s Whisperings

Wind, whisper to me
Arouse memories again to be

Trees, bend your branches low
Hoist me up, never let go

Leaves, lay your blanket down
Comfort me, lift my frown

Birds, sing your love song
Touch my heart all day long

Sunbeams, spread your heat
Shine on me, warm my feet

Clouds, float lazily by
Evoke imagery in the sky

Heaven, look down from above
Wrap me in arms of love

Rain, let your tears refresh
Bathe & cleanse my aging flesh

Earth, solidify my stand
Mother Nature, hold my hand

Each embrace me with your loving grace
All of me in this beautiful place

Thank you, Mary Helen, for your inspiration. The picture made me write it!

Inspiration Nature PoetrybySharla

6 Comments »

Nature. What compels us to seek her wonders? She calls us forth when we least expect it, inspires us beyond words and changes her moods more often than any woman! Captivating is her charm, fiery is her anger, breathtaking is her beauty! She is the epitome of poetry, the effervescence of life!

Have you ever thought about what happens when left meets right in nature? Is the left wing of a butterfly different from the right? Did you know a snowflake is completely symmetrical within itself, while not matching any other snowflake? What about something as simple as leaf symmetry? Some leaves are flat and wide; others are spiky and thin but if you fold one in half, is one side larger, smaller, fatter, thinner than the other?

Such questions go on…and on…and on… Nature is Fascinating. Luxurious. Amazing. Miraculous. Extraordinary. Splendorous. It flames within a natural framework often making the ordinary extraordinary. Do you agree? Not sure? Within the poetry and photographs below are only a few of nature’s finest! Thanks again to Barb Beacham, Life in the Foothills, for sharing some of her ‘flaming’ photography!

Symmetry in Nature

Sand dollars, seashells, and crabs
Spiny starfish under the sea
Two parts reflect along an axis
A concept known as symmetry

Honey bees, insects and leaves
One side the mirror image of the other
Beauty to behold as left matches right
Especially in butterflies one after another

Reflections along the water’s edge
Create amazing mirror imagery
Shimmering, shining in crystal splendor
The very dawn of existence’s mystery

Regal tiger, graceful deer, majestic elephant
Even the grunting, voracious agouty
One half the same shape and size as the other
Perfectly balanced, evocation of beauty

Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Proportions of Man’
Balances the human form in equilibrium
Life emulates the mirrors of the world
Especially reflections in an emporium

If that is not enough, visit 10 Beautiful Examples of Symmetry in Nature

Where have you seen symmetry in nature recently?

Featured Photography/Photographer Inspiration Nature PoetrybySharla

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Flora ’n’ Fauna

by catnipoflife

catnipoflife is honored to feature more of Barb Beacham’s photography from Life in the Foothills. Barb has been recognized as one of catnip’s featured photographers on You have but one life, LIVE it! and Twilight.

Thank you, Barb, for sharing your awesome photography!

Flora ’n’ Fauna

Splendiferous, copious forests
Mark territorial landscapes
Where impressive oaks and lofty pines
Show off their stout and woody shapes

Desert plants and wildflowers
Adapt to extreme heat and aridity
Fierce, wild, red-to-orange and white
Emerge the cactus and desert chicory

The ubiquitous howling coyote
Announces its presence at night
Truly a song out of the fierce Wild West
Instead of a cause for sheer fright

Deciduous trees and shrubs
Common to most habitats
Shed their dry leaves in autumn
Forming nature’s welcome mats

Crackling sticks, dry leaves underfoot
Announce squirrels, rabbits and such
Deep in the woods silence is broken
As gunshot startles a strong buck

The nervous pristine white-tailed deer
Tan in the summer, brown in winter
Once statuesque at early dawn
Now suddenly becomes a sprinter

Stopping to rub antlers on a tree
The deer looks warily ahead
Time for a rest by a babbling brook
For a few shrubs and nature’s bed

©catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

As a matter of fact, an ordinary desert supports a much greater variety of plants than does either a forest or a prairie.

—Ellsworth Huntington (Yale University professor, 1876–1947)

A Quote for Today Featured Photography/Photographer Nature PoetrybySharla

22 Comments »

First Day of Fall 2013

by catnipoflife

GoodLightscraps.com

Last remnants of summer will soon be only memories for the autumnal equinox is upon us today. At precisely 4:44 PM EDT, Sunday, September 22, 2013 the beginning of fall graces the Northern Hemisphere while spring bursts forth in the Southern Hemisphere.

Are you ready for this?

Beauty to Behold

by catnipoflife

Other than writing, being outdoors is my passion, whether mowing the grass or working in the garden. Today actually featured both and through the clearing away of accumulated growth came the uncovering of much beauty to behold beginning with the rising sun.

The brightness of day
Flaunts its glory
Be thankful
Look up
Smile

Inspiration Nature PoetrybySharla

10 Comments »

Relax: Let Nature Be Your Alarm Clock

by catnipoflife

Word of the Day: Relax

Life is filled with schedules and deadlines. Most mornings begin abruptly with the harsh, annoying sounds of an alarm and first words of the day are often “Hurry, hurry, you [we] will be late!” Routines govern every minute of every hour and life in the moment is lost within chaos.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STOP! In order to maintain sanity, RELAX! Throw aside senseless thoughts of “I will never get caught up!” Because you probably never will. The only true form of ‘catch-up’ is red, comes in a bottle and is labeled Ketchup! You will get done what you can get done, nothing more (perhaps less if you procrastinate)! The 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds (however you look at the course of a day) will pass regardless. You cannot add to it…that is all there is! So…slow down, chill, loosen-up, unwind, RELAX!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Embrace the Craziness of Nature

Empower Yourself with the Color Blue

“Blue seeks peace and tranquility above everything else, promoting both physical and mental relaxation. It reduces stress, creating a sense of calmness, relaxation and order – we certainly feel a sense of calm if we lie on our backs and look into a bright blue cloudless sky. It slows the metabolism. The paler the blue the more freedom we feel.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h19blzzadx4

The Earth. An ocean planet. Our home.

Color image showing the full disk of Earth.

A true-color NASA satellite mosaic of Earth.

Enrich the Moment

Do something exciting before you relax!

Nature Video Clip

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Twilight

by catnipoflife

Barb Beacham from Life in the Foothills has graciously provided some awesome photographs to accompany the catnipoflife poetry Twilight. Barb was one of catnip’s featured photographers last month. If you missed her great photographic match to You have but one life, LIVE it! then, I encourage you to check it out. NOW! Yes, right now…just click HERE!

Thank you, Barb! You truly outdid yourself on this one!

Twilight

Between dawn and sunrise
Where time seems to stand still
The sun not yet visible
Ascends in slow motion until…

Sunlight scatters along the horizon
Where clouds catch the first rays of dawn
Erupting into a blaze of color
Only heaven could possibly spawn

Standing on the edge of silence
A sense of calm penetrates the soul
Hovering between darkness and light
Sheer magnificence to behold

Between sunset and dusk
Day’s last light seems to stand still
The sun barely visible
Descends in slow motion until…

Intense color splashes across the horizon
Where the sky catches the sun’s last rays
Illuminating a thin veil of haziness
Below the clouds that are now ablaze

A silhouetted figure lost and alone
Against the pending backdrop of night
Grasps the last red-orange rays of the sun
Fervently kissing the day’s twilight

With radiant images now past
The world becomes shrouded in grey
While the twinkling of night’s first stars
Engulfs the glories of the day

AND as an added plus to help you relax at the close of day. . .

Then, to top it off, introduction to a brand new blogger: benignguy

InspirationalVideo

“Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star.”
—Lucy Maud Montgomery (Canadian author, 1874–1942)

Featured Photography/Photographer Inspiration Nature PoetrybySharla Video Clip

21 Comments »

Empty Nest

by catnipoflife

Each of us at some point in time has hoped for that perfect (well, almost perfect) Kodak moment: the moment when the extraordinary appears right before our eyes. To have that happen to the novice of novice photographers is indeed PRICELESS!

I have seen pictures and watched videos of tiny baby hatchlings but NEVER experienced such a sight up close and personal. I spotted the bird nest as I was in the midst of completing yard work, specifically edging around one of the Crepe Myrtles in our front yard. My camera broke some months back and I was told it could not be repaired. So, I quickly ran into the house and grabbed my SmartPhone. (Don’t you just love the name of these newfangled phones!)

Needless to say, I knew the bird nest wasn’t going anywhere since it had already endured days upon days of wind and rain thus enough time to get Mr. SmartieSnap. Of course, I thought I was only getting a picture of a nest.

Here are the results:

Occasionally in the outdoors
One discovers a bird nest
Fascinating in its craftsmanship
Where speckled eggs gently rest

Collected mud, sticks or dried grass
Are readied for the begotten
Woven against a soft lining
Of fur, feathers, hair and cotton

Intricacy of design
Built by two feet and a beak
Becomes nature’s protector
From that which predators seek

Cradling of such a small nest
Rests in the crook of a branch
Simple but awe-inspiring
Like dawn at a Western ranch

Tiny little hatchlings
Eager to fly on their own
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp
Letting their presence be known

Baby birds flop out of the nest
Landing abruptly on the ground
Mother bird stands close by watching
In case danger might be around

Once grown, flying on their own
Mother knows she did her best
Does SHE now somberly mourn
Facing life with an empty nest?

“Empty is a negative word. Replace it with peaceful, calm or relaxed.” —Joi Sigers (Author, b. 1978)

A little something extra from one much more professional than I. . .live and learn!

A Quote for Today Featured Photography/Photographer Inspiration Nature Reflection Video Clip

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You have but one life: LIVE IT!

by catnipoflife

Today, inspiration steers me toward sharing with you some of my catnipoflife poetry along with featuring awesome photography so graciously provided by Barbara Beacham @Life in the Foothills. If you have not visited Barbara’s blog, I encourage you to mosey on over right now! You will not be disappointed. In fact, you will probably leave as a new follower. As just a little insight into the awe of Life in the Foothills, the Best Moment Award was bestowed upon Barbara by catnipoflife just recently. Here is what I had (and still have) to say about Barbara Beacham:

Can you imagine Life in the Foothills? I can! after visiting Barb’s blog and her exceptional photography. With just one look, you will be hooked! She will draw you into the lowest valley one minute only to take you to the highest mountaintop the next. She will enlighten you with the wild side of the countryside!

Okay, Barb, you had just better get ready for a visitor one day! I want to experience what life is like living in the foothills! With life being so short and the fact that we only have ONE life to live, it is most befitting to simply LIVE IT! From the inner voice of catnip, “observe life at its best, listen to life’s songs, embrace life’s bounties, breathe the breath of life and savor life to its fullest!”

Follow Life’s Echo

Is it true a mountain echo
Resonates the cry of man
Swallowing up the lonely sound
Just to bring it back again?

Reflective in its harmony
Does the echo solemnly rest
On the ears of the crier
Who put it first to its test?

Mirrored in the background
Of this shrill, lonely sound
Incredible beauty exists
Sometimes lost, sometimes found

Each sunrise and every sunset
Capture life’s true mystery
Echoes of their glory and beauty
Intensify life’s living history

Take a long, panoramic look
Marvel as wonders abound
For the echoes of life
Stand stalwartly all around

Beautiful rainbows, exquisite stars
Embellish a magnificent sky
Revealing fragileness of life
Gone in the mere blink of an eye

Visit the awe-inspiring mountain
Remember to follow the echo
You have but one life: LIVE IT!
Applaud in the blaze of life’s glow

“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”

—Joan of Arc (National heroine of France, 1412-1431)

A Quote for Today Featured Photography/Photographer Inspiration Nature PoetrybySharla

52 Comments »

Farms in the Valley

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – catnipoflife

The Blackstone Valley has always been a farming community. Although it was the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, the farms have always been here too. People, after all, need to eat and where the ground is fertile and apple orchards thrive, families will farm.

Summer has come, right on time. It usually shows up just around Memorial Day and that will be here this weekend. The cows are serene. The chickens and horses are content and peaceful. The corn is coming up green and it looks like a good crop is on the way. Soon we’ll have fresh local produce and our air will be full of the scent of things growing from the earth.

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

What could possibly be more indicative of the catnipoflife than a visit to the farm? No better place to observe life at its best, listen to life’s songs, embrace life’s bounties, breathe the breath of life and savor life to its fullest!

See MORE gorgeous pictures on teepee12.com

Nature Scoop.it

9 Comments »

catnipoflife

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

Listen to Life’s Songs

Symmetry in Nature 1

Flora ’n’ Fauna

First Day of Fall 2013

Beauty to Behold

Relax: Let Nature Be Your Alarm Clock

Twilight

Empty Nest

You have but one life: LIVE IT!

Farms in the Valley

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Sharla Shults – Panama City FL

Catnip of Life

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Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

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Sharla Shults – Panama City FL

Catnip of Life

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