Moon rising from lake,

sun setting through yellow leaves -

      Good Night September! 

National Coffee Day -

Mocha latte, pumpkin spice -

         Yup, we tried them both!

 (they were half off)

 

Up the trees and down,
over the logs and around -
      squirrel tag - you're it!

 

A little late - we were at camp and someplace I thought would connect but nope. 

God of all time and space,
our elders have faithfully shared with us
the stories of your great works of old -
  splitting the sea,
  manna in the morning,
  water from the rock,
but frankly they seem to me
words for another time, another world.
And today the fathers eat the sour grapes
   of violence and war,
   of greed and political and financial manipulation,
and the children die of injury or hunger.
And even though I try to hear and trust the words of John, 
the time of your peace seems to be receding more than arriving.
Teach me your ways for these days,
show me your paths,
that I might walk in them and not be ashamed.

Sunshine on shoulders,
breeze in the trees, dozing off -
        lazy autumn day!

Blue sky, white clouds, leaves
of many flame-tinged colors -
       third day of fall - no?

And 70+ degrees. What's not to like?

Peeking through light clouds
for Packers Home Opener -
      Full moon at Lambeau.

Carrots, garlic, leeks,
potatoes, parsley, spinach(1) -
       our CSA box.

(1) and still more - lettuce, tomatoes

Yeah - not too profound but good stuff to eat! 

Half daylight, half dark.

Our equinox wish for you -

       more joy, less sorrow! 

On a log out front

chipmunk sits, oblivious,

     munching a pine cone. 

 

He/she looked like one of us munching an ear of corn! 

Concerned for all great and small God -

we come to the end of the day,

and as I reflect on events of this day in the world,  

along with 120,000 of my friends and neighbors,

I am not sure I really know my right hand from my left.

For myself, I am glad that you are

gracious and merciful, slow to anger 

and abounding in steadfast love.

With regard to some others,

I sometimes wish that 

your great power and mighty acts 

would come upon them in ways that would lead to 

a more kind, just, and gentle life for us all. 

Call me Jonah.

Never the less, I go to sleep tonight with these words in my heart -

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. 

This day, and forever,  I bless you and praise your name. 

 Lots of stems, lots of
leaves, a few blossoms, but still
     no ripe tomatoes!

Gardening at camp.  A few green tomatoes. Poor soil, not much water.

Bonus -
Green leaves trimmed in red,
brief flashes of sunlight gold -
     fall decoration.

Two graham crackers,
marshmellow(1), chocolate square, fire(!) -
       makes one s'more - one more?

 

(1) one or two? 

Late afternoon sun
shines golden on the far shore -
     kayak? campfire? both?

 And yes, yesterday's should have said "McCarthy's" - don't always catch inaccurate auto-corrects! 

At McCarthy Cove,

light blue sky, late sun on rocks - 

       a smile in the sky. 

One planter, two stems,
some dried up leaves, a few weeds -
        but no tomatoes!

 

Not enough water, I guess. And kind of worn out soil. 

Small fluttering down,
gently blanketing earth for
     a long winter nap.

God of justice, God of love,
in your endless effort to
mean all things for good,
time after time you nudge us
toward acceptance and forgiveness.
From earth to heaven,
from east to west,
from now to everlasting,
your steadfast love abides.
If only we could mold our brief lives
around the mercy and grace
in which we live.

Small fluttering down,
pause, grab a sunflower seed -
     up, up and away.

 Bracken have turned brown,
"tamracks" are turning yellow -
      an ending coming?

Just feeling a little uneasy - saw a piece about how public climate change conversation and reporting tends to be overly optimistic....

(1)Six small tomatoes,
four summer squash, one pumpkin -
       one deer saunters by(2).

(1) inside the [community garden] fence
(2) outside the fence!

Last night's red sunset

promise holds true this morning -

        a beautiful day.

Old family bible,

worn pages, torn cover, but -

         Duck tape makes it new!

 

It was/is my dad's old leather-bound RSV, probably 70+ years old. And it's not like the pages were all coming out or messed up - just the front cover had come off. Still, I had to take a moment of remembrance before I slapped a piece of silver tape on it!

Walk around the lake, (1)
rest time, stir-fry for supper -
      kayak(2)? Nope, tired! (3)

(1) 3 1/2 hours
(2) swimming, boating, walking....
(3) we'll see - maybe after supper.

I know, really lame - hey, it's Labor Day. I'll try to get back in better form tomorrow.

 God, I'm confused.
Jesus said if 2 of us agree
it would happen - but it hasn't.
Either Jesus mis-spoke,
or Matthew mis-heard,
or I mis-understood.
Thinking about it all,
I am sure there have been many things I have said
that haven't been clear
or haven't been really meant.
Let this month/week/day be the beginning of months/weeks/days between us
as we try afresh to speak and hear and understand.

Sunlight through the trees
sinking to the horizon -
      peacefulness descends.

Hey they can't all be profound - some of them are just 17 syllables!

Wet brown leaves on ground,

Green ferns spreading over all -

        fairy wedding tent? 

Baked, frosted a cake,

two hour audiobook -

       slow day in Chaz world. 

Pink orange sky, blue lake 

the sound of children splashing -

      walk to the lighthouse. 

School starting; while getting my hair cut at NMU Cosmetology.....

Students with laptops -
Some things change, some stay the same -
       Students with tablets(1).

(1) big 8x10 pads of lined paper and big black pencils.

Don't know if that should be rearranged or not, but it's time to go!