Spring is officially here! Two of my favorite things to do once the weather turns warm are hiking along the river and having dinner on the patio. The dogs love it to, as they get to lay in the sun and watch the birds on the feeders! It also means […]
Nature

How do you know when summer is truly upon us?? It has nothing to do with a calendar but everything to do with Lightning bugs (Fireflies to you Yankees)! I have seen several coming up from the grass as dusk hits. Soon the air will be filled with their tiny […]
Lightning bugs!!!!
“Beware the Ides of March.” Do you know what this phrase actually means? In Latin, the phrase Ides of March is “Idus Martias.”According to Dictionary.com, the phrase “ides of March” is usually the middle of the month, the timing of the first full moon. The “ides” were the times the […]
The Ides of March
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” Morning coffee, the sun coming up over the horizon, my guardian angel sitting in the tree. We all need to just be still sometimes. We all need that sanctuary. While […]
Be Still

It’s a bone chilling 19 degrees on the mountain this morning who knows what it is with the wind chill. And while the cold is uncomfortable the silence it has brought with it is pleasant. There is a still, calmness to the cold. No noise of passing trucks from the […]
Thoughts from a Cold Winter Morning

I woke this morning, walked out onto the bluff here at The Secret. Still shrouded in darkness by the crisp night sky, I looked up. The stars above were shining so bright I felt I could reach up and pluck them from the sky. The distant lights of civilization seem […]
Morning Sky

It occurred to me this morning as I sat waiting for the sun to come up that winter is the one season that I get to actually sit and have a cup of coffee while enjoying the sunrise. It was a balmy 11 degrees this morning, way better than the […]
Winters Glory

Somewhere below the ocean of clouds the sun sits waiting to make its grand entrance! It’s all about timing. Sitting, waiting, watching as the first sliver of light peeps out over the clouds. Then, quietly, in what seems like an instance it is there, shining in all its glory. Warming […]
An Ocean of Clouds

Star light, star bright…..technically it is not a star, but the planet Venus. Every morning when I let the dogs out I see this bright object in the sky near the moon. Known also as the “morning star”, Venus is the second brightest natural object in the sky. It has […]
Venus

The sun is always there, sometimes in front of the clouds, sometimes behind. At times it sits and waits for the wind to move the clouds from its vision, giving it the chance to shine its rays upon us. On those occasions when we get to witness it fighting its […]
A Lesson in Patience

Last night’s full moon was known as the full “mourning moon”. In old days, this moon was seen as the last light before the cold days of winter set in. A time to let go of those things we don’t want to take into the new year. During this time […]
Mourning Moon

“What a spectacular view you have!” Many visitors to The Secret have marveled at the breathtaking view off the bluff, over the valley, but most see it during the day. To truly experience its magnificence you must see at night. A crisp, clear winter view is a sight to behold! […]