New Year's Eve Morning Walk

 Weather here in New England is a fickle thing. We had lots of rain and wind from the storm that pummeled a huge swath of the country from west to east and north to south.  At the tail end of the storm,  when the cold air blew in, the rain turned to snow dropping a couple of inches across our area. Just when I thought there would be no white Christmas, we had frigid weather ensuring what little snow we had lasted for days. 

Afternoon sun on Christmas Eve

What a difference a week of time makes, from bitter cold to yesterday's 60 degrees. I always find this week a difficult time of the year. Bitter memories of my father's diagnosis of cancer and his swift passing in six short weeks. Happy memories of other past Christmas holiday weeks spent with family and friends. The yearly struggles with year end reflections and the setting of goals for the upcoming year. 

To save myself from all of the emotional turmoil that the new year brings, I decided to change the date I will recognize the close of the year from December 31st to the winter solstice, which fell on December 21st this year. No hype. No major celebrations. No need to conform to societal traditions. This year, I decided that I would listen to my heart. 

My heart tells me that going for a daily walk and taking in the beauty that is all around me is an important goal. Let me show you what I found beautiful along my walk this morning. 

The inside of a paper wasp hive

 

  This autumn, when the leaves fell, it left a paper wasp hive visible high up in a tree. It has fallen from its perch and opened up. Here you can see the inner structure and the cells created for laying the eggs. 

Bird nests in a dead tree

By paying attention to sights around me, I spied this tree with a number of holes carved into it by the birds. I immediately thought, "condo living." I have observed at least four different species of woodpeckers living in the area. I've seen and heard them at work in my own yard. Until last December when we had the house resided, there were some very cheeky woodpeckers going after the carpenter bees and other insects that were living in the rotting trim around the roof line. At least now we aren't rudely awakened by the rat-a-tat-tat of the early bird trying to get its breakfast. 

I wish you a blessed new year ahead. I hope that you can release the bonds of tradition, and seek to follow your heart, as there is true wisdom inside of you under the layers of messages that you have consumed. Messages which aren't always true or helpful.