November Sky Watch

November Sunset over Lake Kegonsa

November Sunset over Lake Kegonsa © 2013 Bo Mackison

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”  ~ Rabindranath Tagore

We had a string of days with lots of clouds, and little sunlight. And then yesterday, as we were driving south of Madison, the sun streamed through a narrow space between heavy cloud cover and horizon. We were treated to a few moments of sunshine and then a blood-red sunset.

So I give thanks to the clouds, for adding such stunning color to my sunset stripe.

Foggy Walk

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Foggy Walk

It is not the clear-sighted who rule the world. Great achievements are accomplished in a blessed, warm fog. ~ Joseph Conrad

I’ve been walking in a blessed, warm fog, thanks to a persistent weather pattern. But there is beauty wherever I look, and gratefulness for the opportunity to walk in this world, foggy or not.

Beauty in an Autumn Fog

Autumn Fog

Autumn Fog © 2013 Bo Mackison

“In nature, everything has a job. The job of the fog is to beautify further the existing beauties!” ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan

I have been waiting for the sun to brighten the landscapes in the Madison area.

I had a list of places I wanted to visit during Wisconsin’s beautiful autumn. I waited and waited. And those magical sun-filled days did not appear. I held on so tightly to the idea of “need sun for this explore” and eventually I had to cross several places off my list – places that close for the season on October 31st.

Yesterday I finally took a long look at the calendar, and realized I was not getting a single one of all those October days back. True, it’s been a busy, eventful month, but there were days when I changed plans due to weather, thinking I could fit a visit in when the weather was more suitable. Yesterday, I realized there were only two days left in October, and I had not visited many of the places I usually visit to soak in the autumn beauty.

It was foggy, a bit misty. But I pulled out my winter coat, waterproof and warm, and went for a walk in a nearby park. The fog was moody, thick in some places on the trail, but it offered an interesting color intensity that I would likely have missed if I were walking in bright sunlight. In the gray mist, the colors that do show through are mystical and mesmerizing. An unexpected gift.

Today it is no longer foggy. The rain has washed the foggy blanket away. Perhaps today is a good enough day to explore a rainy autumn day.

~~~

Disclosure: There are several good reasons why I pack up and head to Arizona for the dark seasons of the year. I do love Arizona’s stark beauty fiercely. I also love her sunshine., especially since I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, and the lack of sun plays havoc with my biological chemistry. I delayed my travels this year, for the very best of reasons, and decided to play it smart once I noticed the effects the diminishing sunlight had on my moods and energy levels. I have a thing about taking medications, but there is a time when it is the right call. The treatment appears to be helping, hence the photos of the park in yesterday’s fog.

It’s The Berries!

Autumn Berries

Autumn Berries © 2013 Bo Mackison

“I think us here to wonder, myself. To wonder. To ask. And that in wondering ’bout the big things and asking ’bout the big things, you learn about the little ones, almost by accident. But you never know nothing more about the big things than you start out with. The more I wonder, the more I love.” ~ Alice Walker

What a wonder-filled, little things, big things, crazy month this month of October has been! I’ve had years less busy than the last few weeks. And I’ve had months when this much head-on living would have knocked me flat on my back, begging for a deserted island, a stack of books and a few cases of chocolate.

But I’ve given up that desert island wish – it sounds pretty boring these days – and I can read my ever-growing stack of books wherever I am, and I just happily devoured the most delicious, once-a-year, chocolate birthday cake made from scratch from two of my favorite daughters, so I’ve had my quota of chocolate for the near future.

No, instead of living life on a deserted island, I’ve been living a very colorful, action packed life right here in the Midwest. This past month reminds me of this bunch of autumn berries. Colorful. A bit on the wild and ragged side. Full of life and potential. Lots of goodness, all  crowded together.

All that brightness won’t last, and it would be hard to handle if it did. But a spurt of bright-berry living is good now and then – even for an introverted soul.

October ushered in several out-of-state visits to family. Then the highlight of the month – the arrival of the first grand-baby of our family – was the most precious of days! I celebrated one of those milestone birthdays, and family flew in from both coasts for a weekend celebration. There was sunshine almost that entire weekend, much appreciated. I sent my Desert Wisdom Cards out into the world and I am gratified by the generous response. (Thank you.)

As always, there were some difficult times amidst all the good times. But the difficult times helped shine a brighter light on the many blessings of each day.

There’s some catching up to do, emails to answer, a pile of papers on my desk. Plus a few hundred (or so) photographs to process. But I’m incredibly thankful I had the opportunity to celebrate the many blessings of this October with such special people.

What an October this has been…

Yay! Desert Wisdom Cards — Now Available

The Desert Wisdom Card sets are now available. Printed in a limited edition of 26, and numbered and signed by me, the Wisdom Cards are featured in my Etsy shop. See the shop for more photos and full details.

Desert Wisdom Cards

I created my first Desert Wisdom Card in March of this year. It was the PLAY card and featured happy, pottery jackrabbits playing an assortment of musical instruments. The photo made me smile every time I looked at it, and I wanted to share that happiness, so I posted the photo on my blog. I added a quote, some musings on the benefits of play, and a few suggestions for adding play to one’s day.

In the next months I created a total of 24 cards, and I featured many of them on my blog from March through June. Then I worked on a template so that I could create a limited edition set of the Wisdom Cards. I wrote about the final piece of the puzzle falling into place when I shared about my letterpress discovery.

Once I printed the cards, I constructed a four flap portfolio to hold the set and tied the folio with a leather tie. There is also an attached milagro, or tiny miracle, charm. (These Mexican folk art charms feature natural symbols of the desert region.) The portfolio comes in a simple muslin bag for added protection.

Desert Wisdom Card - Delight

There are many ways to use the desert wisdom cards. A few suggestions include:

  • choose a daily card as a focus card during meditation
  • choose a card as a journal or art prompt
  • enrich your daily spiritual practice through contemplation of nature
  • inspire and nurture your creative muse

These cards are not only a wonderful addition to a practice of self-discovery and contemplation, they are also a work of art – modified book arts.

Please check out my Etsy store for more information or to order the Desert Wisdom Cards. Or contact me at bo(at)bomackison(dot)com with questions or comments.