The Beauty of Nature: Do you see what I see?

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A had a very dear friend from high school that marveled at life as he left the bonds of earth behind to soar through the skies of blue on his single engine plane or meander the countryside on his Harley. Unfortunately, his life as a family man, a lawyer, a judge and a shining light to his community came to a tragic end as his automobile careened off a rain slick highway. The poem Riding in the Wind is dedicated in his memory.

Riding in the Wind

Sunbeams radiate warmth soaking into the skin
Strands of hair cross my face blowing in the wind
The majestic blue expands all imagination
Senses so keen enhance the wildest sensation

Two so close we blend as one
Adventure on the road has just begun
Arms clenched tight around the middle
Feet firmly resting against each pedal

Countryside, mountains, rivers and streams
O’er the hills experiencing life’s dreams
No matter the season, weather calm or stormy
Cool and crisp, warm and damp, or hot and sultry

Off the highway, out into the fields
Blades of grass nipping at our heels
A doe and a fawn nibbling at leaves
Scamper as we wind through the trees

Hearts pounding, blood pumping through our veins
Amplify in life’s magnificence, even as it rains
Ventures out renew companionship in a friend
Rejoicing in God’s blessings, taking a ride in the wind

©Echoes 2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“If you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride.”
—Author Unknown

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Photo Credit: photobucket.com

 Scrapbook of the Mind

Wild flowers adorn a country hillside
Emanating shades of purple and green
Intermingled poppies add accents of gold
And overshadow new buds in between

Pastel colors gleam within a rainbow
Creating a hand-painted watercolor sky
Honeybees swarm feasting on sweet nectar
As passers-by dreamily let out a sigh

Fields of green expand the horizon
Rich in chlorophyll from the warm sun
Ardent admirers decide to linger
Tempted to take off their shoes and run

Tall twin oaks appear majestic in the distance
Offering cool shade after the summer rain
Travelers venture outward stepping into a picture
Wanting to remain, never to leave again

Visions through a rear view mirror
Capture picture-perfect images of a rare find
Eyelids blink at shutter speed
Storing mental pictures in the scrapbook of the mind

©Echoes 2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“Just as pieces stitched together in a quilt warm our bodies,
scrapbooks bind together memories to warm our hearts. “
—Author Unknown

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Photo Credit: Marilyn Armstrong

Feeling the Mist

Fog sleepily rolls in over the bay
Drawing cool moist air onto the coast
Dampness spreads a chill through the air
Leaving goose bumps like a ghost

A sea breeze hints of the cool freshness
As tidal currents flow in and out
Waves explode on the rocks
Casting mists of sea spray all about

Sand dunes parallel the rocky shore
Keeping plants and wildlife protected
Littoral drifts maintain equilibrium
As sands erode and are again deposited

A natural habitat exists for birds and nesting
While seagulls glide through the mist
Nearby beaches offer quiet refuge
As lovers steal a misty kiss

Bygone days of the sea dreamily subsist
As first light appears and the fog slowly lifts
Reflections on a sunlit horizon
Embrace the early morning mist

 ©2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“We do not see nature with our eyes,
but with our understandings and our hearts.”
~
William Hazlitt

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Moments Captured

’Tis hard to encapsulate a full day
From morning dew to midnight sky
A nimiety of snapshots exist
Each caught in a blink of an eye

Above still dark trees and somber sky
Diffused light of early morn emerges
Beetles nibble on dark-green foliage
Sensations of nature’s splendor surges

Morning glories stretch and yawn
Unfurling shades of fuchsia that glow
Bees fly toward the inner beacon
Extracting nectarines deep below

Atala butterflies hover in the wind
Blue-green incandescence on their wings
Red-orange abdomens expand in the sun
Exploiting new life that morning brings

An angel of light appears in the midst
Casting sunbeams that overcome shadows
Ladybirds feed on the whitefly and aphids
Revealing beneath their wings moments captured

©2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
 but by the moments that take our breath away.”
~Author Unknown

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Butterflies ‘n’ Daisies

Come dance with me!

Mystical, magical butterfly
Holder of dreams, keeper of secrets
Touches so many lives
Bringing comfort without regrets

A simple message received
Or a challenge to be met
Inspires acceptance of life’s struggles
How to let go and accept

Fields of daisies, made of sunshine
Colors of splendor, a butterfly’s lair
Offer a place to linger and find solitude
Resting as though in thoughtful prayer

Butterflies and daisies, of rare beauty
Breath-taking in full summer sun
Reflect the colors of the soul
Instilling love and compassion as one

Kneel down in quiet repose
As though if part of someone’s plan
Let the daisies hug your knees
And the butterfly kiss your hand

©2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“The butterfly counts not months, but moments, and has time enough.”
~Rabindranath Tagore