I figured that since yesterday was “A List of Some Kind Wednesday” I would discuss nature. I apologize for not getting it out sooner but my step daughter flew in to watch me walk in my Master’s graduation this weekend. So it has been so hectic; none the less, I hope you enjoy this post. I decided to get creative (one thing that I do when I have insomnia) and make four videos, will offer 4 poems about nature, as well as my take on nature.

Let’s start with me. I love Spring and Fall the most. They are the best seasons for my physical ailments. Spring and Fall are also the prettiest times of the year. I am getting “Spring Fever” so I decided to find some public domain pictures, create digital art out of them and then put them on YouTube to share on my blog. I didn’t realize how much work I was setting myself up for but honestly, I had a blast. I love being creative and Spring and Fall help me to be more creative. I love the smell of spring flowers. Where I live, there is a place called the Sunken Gardens (maybe I’ll post some of my pictures I took there soon) that is the most amazing place to see so many flowers in one place. There is also a koi pond there which is so serene. I love koi fish, indeed, I have one tattooed on my forearm. They swim upstream to mate and I always found that interesting in that they work hard to “meet the right partner” if you will.

I love all kinds of flowers in the Spring but Fall is great too. I love watching the tree leaves turn all different colors. That is the one thing I really miss about moving away from home. I am originally from VA and we would go camping every year to the Blue Ridge Mountains to watch the trees change colors. That is when I discovered my insatiable desire to take photographs. The smell of clean air and the faints noises of many different animals was so pleasing. There is no way someone can go take a ride in the Blue Ridge Mountains and not be happy. These mountains are truly a gift from above and if you have never made it to the Blue Ridge Mountains, you have to put that on your bucket list. (AAAHHH!! Another post idea).

Finally, I could not pick out a few pictures to make just one video so you end up with four. However, I found some great public domain poems about nature that I fell in love with as the poems brought back such grand visuals of days of ole for me.

CLOUD-BREAK

With a turn of his magical rod,

That extended and suddenly shone,

From the round of his glory some god

Looks forth and is gone.

To the summit of heaven the clouds

Are rolling aloft like steam;

There’s a break in their infinite shrouds,

And below it a gleam.

O’er the drift of the river a whiff

Comes out from the blossoming shore;

And the meadows are greening, as if

They never were green before.

The islands are kindled with gold

And russet and emerald dye;

And the interval waters outrolled

Are more blue than the sky.

From my feet to the heart of the hills

The spirits of May intervene,

And a vapor of azure distills

Like a breath on the opaline green.

Only a moment!—and then

The chill and the shadow decline,

On the eyes of rejuvenate men

That were wide and divine.

SNOWBIRDS

Along the narrow sandy height

I watch them swiftly come and go,

Or round the leafless wood,

Like flurries of wind-driven snow,

Revolving in perpetual flight,

A changing multitude.

Nearer and nearer still they sway,

And, scattering in a circled sweep,

Rush down without a sound;

And now I see them peer and peep,

Across yon level bleak and gray,

Searching the frozen ground,—

Until a little wind upheaves,

And makes a sudden rustling there,

And then they drop their play,

Flash up into the sunless air,

And like a flight of silver leaves

Swirl round and sweep away.

THE SUN CUP

The earth is the cup of the sun,

That he filleth at morning with wine,

With the warm, strong wine of his might

From the vintage of gold and of light,

Fills it, and makes it divine.

And at night when his journey is done,

At the gate of his radiant hall,

He setteth his lips to the brim,

With a long last look of his eye,

And lifts it and draineth it dry,

Drains till he leaveth it all

Empty and hollow and dim.

And then, as he passes to sleep,

Still full of the feats that he did,

Long ago in Olympian wars,

He closes it down with the sweep

Of its slow-turning luminous lid,

Its cover of darkness and stars,

Wrought once by Hephæstus of old

With violet and vastness and gold.

SUNSET

From this windy bridge at rest,

In some former curious hour,

We have watched the city’s hue,

All along the orange west,

Cupola and pointed tower,

Darken into solid blue.

Tho’ the biting north wind breaks

Full across this drifted hold,

Let us stand with icèd cheeks

Watching westward as of old;

Past the violet mountain-head

To the farthest fringe of pine,

Where far off the purple-red

Narrows to a dusky line,

And the last pale splendors die

Slowly from the olive sky;

Till the thin clouds wear away

Into threads of purple-gray,

And the sudden stars between

Brighten in the pallid green;

Till above the spacious east,

Slow returnèd one by one,

Like pale prisoners released

From the dungeons of the sun,

Capella and her train appear

In the glittering Charioteer;

Till the rounded moon shall grow

Great above the eastern snow,

Shining into burnished gold;

And the silver earth outrolled,

In the misty yellow light,

Shall take on the width of night.

Regards,

So, there you have it. 9 different ways that you can view nature. I hope you will leave a comment as to which you prefer (videos, poems, or my insight). Just FYI, all of the pictures used that I digitally remastered and put in the videos as well as the poems are in public domain so feel free to share them or reblog the poems where they may fit in your blog or website.I spent a lot more time than expected with this post although I have so much to do to get ready for Autism Awareness Month.

I already redesigned Overcoming Autism yesterday to give it a different look. My son, Jacob stated that “it was old and stale”. He cracks me up. We co-author the Autism blog taking turns writing. I have quite a bit to post on that site so if you want to join in on the conversation, ask questions, or make suggestions, please visit our Overcoming Autism website and/or our Overcoming Autism Facebook Page. We have made a video to raise awareness and acceptance every year since 2010, but I am feeling that there is another calling this year. We don’t know what that is but we will as it placed before us.

Our blog is unique in the fact that we are NOT searching for a cure. We accept Autism as part of who Jacob is and so our blog and Facebook Page shares inspiring stories of those who have Autism doing remarkable things and communities that are stepping up and “Accepting Autism” because that is our motto.