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Coffee Times's avatar

Thank you for sharing this meaningful reflection. Your observations on moments of connection with nature are deeply moving. It's a reminder that, even in times of hardship, there is hope and beauty to be found in the world around us. Your photographs capture these moments of connection with nature in a truly special way.

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you, Winston! Thanks for reading!

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

This is lovely, Sydney, of course. I send warm greetings from my heart to yours. And I relate so well (as you know anyway) to parts of your story: obviously the homesteading, the observation of nature, and your wonderful sense of colour; but also, as you don't know, I saw my mum through Alzheimer's, and my dad through vascular dementia (at the same time, more or less). Hard hard times, and you write gracefully here about your last year.

This might not help, I don't know! - but did you know that the tree cuts off nourishment to the leaf in JULY in the northern hemisphere?? (I write about this and other treey things in my A Spell in the Forest book.)

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

That's fascinating! I didn't realize it happened so early. Trees are so interesting. Since moving to Maine, we get to enjoy maple syrup season, and the whole relationship between temperature and sap movement, the enormous pressure of driving sap out to the branch tips, and the sheer deliciousness is all so much fun!

I'm sorry about your parents. It is hard, isn't it? How did you manage, it must have been so tough? And thank you - easier to write about gracefully, looking back, than to navigate gracefully, I'm afraid! It has a rather post-traumatic effect, like I almost feel emotionally dulled a bit, in the aftermath. But I did find that reflecting in this small way and putting it into writing was comforting :) I know that time and patience will make a world of difference, and being present in all the wonders of nature where I have always found such delight!

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Kathi Roach's avatar

This is beautiful Sydney. My father just passed away & I found your description of the dying leaves a beautiful metaphor for the last stages before death. ❤️

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Oh Kathi, I'm so sorry for your loss. The leaves really are a striking illustration in that way - it spoke to me more this year, I think, in the wake of my mom's passing. You get a bit contemplative, sometimes in ways and at times that you don't quite expect. I hope you are finding lots of moments of comfort and healing.

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Birdsong Photoetry's avatar

Beautiful photos and a very peaceful (for the soul and the mind) piece of writing. Thank you!

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Karen Davis's avatar

Nice! I think of stained glass a lot looking at fall leaves with light shining through.

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Cheryl Grey Bostrom's avatar

Oh, I love going into the wild through your words, Sydney. Beautiful.

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you, Cheryl, so good to see you here!

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Karen Kartika's avatar

Beautiful words and pictures. Thank you for sharing this beautiful observation and message.

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you! So glad to have connected with you! :)

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CynthiaS's avatar

Beautiful

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