Appreciating What God Has Made

I like to go for a walk in the early evening after Dale gets home from work. I almost always take one of the children with me. It is very pleasant one on one time, and refreshing to get out for some fresh air. We talk of many things from serious to light banter. Elizabeth has taken telling me about whatever book she is reading.. almost word for word! It takes the entire walk usually, but enjoy listening to her lively rendition of her current reading. Esther chats very happily and is a pleasant conversationalist. Benjamin rattles on about whatever project he wants to tackle next, and it is interesting to me to get a look into his engineer's mind. Josiah just started walking with me this fall, and he usually holds my hand and is very wide-eyed about everything we see. The two littles are not part of this ritual yet, but will be in a few years when they can keep up.

With each of the children I point out different things as we walk. One day it may be the sound of the crickets, or the cows mooing in the distance. Soon the geese will be flying south, the sound of which always calms my soul with the pleasant expectation of winter coming. Right now fall wildflowers are showing off their beauty. Elizabeth's favorite thing to do is to pick a bouquet. I know, some would classify them as "weeds", but to be honest, I think they are beautiful. No one can compare to God's creativity in shape, color and texture.

We are starting to see more leaves turning and falling. A few days ago I heard a squirrel running through the trees. It was the first I had heard one this year because of the crackling of the leaves on the ground. The air is cooler, and drying out, and smells cleaner and crisper. Today Josiah and I saw an all orange caterpillar. I wished I had the camera with me to take a pic, or something to carry it in. I have seen the orange ones with black on them, but this one was completely orange.

It isn't summer, so we can't "stop and smell the roses" but there is much to observe in these weeks of late summer turning to fall. Is it any wonder that after each day of creation God said that it was good?