Wednesday, February 23, 2011

a stroll down the road

i needed to get out outside yesterday. to free myself from the white walls of my office and breathe in God's air. seriously, there are times when i just go outside, breath and feel the heavenly spirit wrap around me. this usually happens in the morning, when the sun is just peeking its head up and the world is chilled, fresh and stark.


so yesterday evening, robert and i walked pablo to my grandfather (nanno)'s house for supper. it's only about a quarter of a mile, but it's my favorite stretch of land anywhere, hands down. the road is perfectly flat, great for riding a bike on warm summer nights. it's rarely traveled, flanked by fields on the left and older homes on the right. it's the kind of street where people live for 50 years and don't move. where neighbors grow up together and wave from their yards. i feel at home there.


wooden mailbox posts

 pretty manicured shrubs

sweet cottages by the roadside

 log piles and hay bales in the sunset

sometimes i forget just how calming fresh air can be. its innate ability to snap me out of a funk or give me some grand new idea. and i love the way God whispers through the tiniest of movements, like fluttering leaves. 


yesterday morning, i watched a squirrel perched on our well eat an acorn for about ten minutes. i sat nearby and watched its little jaw work furiously at the meat. it was spectacular and downright adorable.


sometimes i forget that humans aren't the only part of this immaculate creation, and the center of the world is more directly aligned with nature than structure, with feeling rather than facebooking.


and i thank the heavens for a God who reminds me of these things and forgives me when i cling too tightly to my walls, nudging me ever so sweetly outdoors, outside, among His creation, to really start living, one small walk down the road at a time.

22 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I do these same things all the time. Go outside in my backyard even and just breathe for a bit, feel the sun on my face. Yesterday I was watching a hummingbird out my window for ages. He was looking for bloom on every plant in my front yard. I often watch birds and wonder what they must think of us.

Blondie's Journal said...

Thank you for taking us on your walk with you. Your pictures capture the feeling of your post so well.

XO,
Jane

Tiq said...

What a lovely post.

I am deeply touched.

Brandi said...

Sometimes, being on the computer so much drives me crazy. I love connecting to friends, but I definitely try and take some time to just be outdoors -- no electronic devices allowed. I think you put it perfectly when you wrote "sometimes i forget that humans aren't the only part of this immaculate creation, and the center of the world is more directly aligned with nature than structure, with feeling rather than facebooking." That made my heart sing.

Unknown said...

Beautiful post. You made me miss home. I grew up on a street like that. My parents live at one end and my brother and his family live at the other end, so we just walked back and forth. I don't live there...me and my husband live four hours away and it gets hard for me sometimes. Usually when I take my dog for a walk, I try to soak in the moment and let the air outside brighten my mood!

Lovely post!

~Romantic Savy

Rebecca said...

nice post

Melissa: Write it in Lipstick said...

isnt it just so awesome to go outside and enjoy nature. The indoors can be too much sometimes. Cool air gets me out of my funk too :)


Write it in Lipstick

charla beth said...

this is the sweetest.

i love those pictures. what a beautiful place you live in.

Unknown said...

I giggled at: with feeling rather than facebooking.

I got rid of my facebook a little over 6 months ago - it was so consuming and somewhat so dramatic, so my husband and I both ditched it and neither of us regret it! haha

Anyways,back to the entirety of the entry! I love this, I know the exact feeling you are talking about and there really isn't anything like it!

Diana Smith said...

What a quaint neighborhood! I love the simple pictures, must have been a nice walk!

Daydream Living said...

When we lived in Houston, watching the squirrels (eating our dutch tulips bulbs...) was one of my favourite past times (I never saw wild ones anymore). Have a good evening Courtney.
Maureen x

angie on maui said...

What beautiful surroundings...I feel peaceful just looking at those photos. I know I always comment about your writing, but I feel compelled to tell you yet again how beautifully you write. And I love that you are able to recognize the beauty in the littlest of things: a squirrel eating an acorn, God's whisper in fluttering leaves.

It is always a joy to read your blog. :)

xo
Angie

Dee Paulino said...

reading this post was so refreshing due to the fact that I am a big fan of taking walks.

My favorite part is "with feeling rather than facebooking."

Amber said...

what a lovely stretch of road..this is one of the things I miss about my hometown. You dont get streets like that up here in CT

Grace said...

looks and sounds like such a welcoming lovely town. sometimes we get so caught up with technology, work, and other things that we forget about the beauty and breathtaking scenery outside our doors.

Young People in Love said...

mmmmmm mmmmmm good. LOVE walks. They feed my soul.

kimbirdy said...

sigh... i think i need to take more time to just stop and look around me like this. even in a big city there are tons of trees and flowers and animals that i just let pass me by without notice.

Ashley {hudson's happenings} said...

Thanks for sharing the walk with US! Sometimes the best thing is a bit of fresh air, and a long walk. Great way to put things into perspective.

Happy Wednesday, girl! :)

BJJ said...

beautiful photos!

:)

Kristin said...

what a charming neighborhood!

the southern hostess said...

A walk is a good cure-all. Love this beautiful post!

Some Korean Website Highjacker said...

awe, that sounds so lovely! i enjoy those kinds of walks and talks. there's something to be said for strolling and the way it brings out a conversation like nothing else does.

i felt like i was along for the "ride" with all your beautiful photos to acquaint me with the area. ♥

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