Bronze girl statue with butterfly
Almost home now. Only eighty miles of driving before hugging Barry “hello!” and hearing what’s been happening here in the Upper Peninsula during the past five days. But first: must eat dinner and have an outdoors adventure. What better outdoor experience than to sit overlooking Lake Superior here in Marquette, eating the most lovely gourmet salad at L’Attitude and writing a blog? It’s probably 75 degrees and so beautiful! Who would believe this is the first full day of autumn here in North Country?
Butterfly
Part of me still remains back in Georgia, wondering how all the folks are handling the flooding. It’s really dicey in some of the northern Atlanta suburbs. At last count, six to eight people had died in the flooding following torrential downpours for days. The shuttle driver was even a little apprehensive about getting us to the airport safely and on time. He drove over flooded highways yesterday evening and seemed a little cautious.
We all eyed the Yellow River as we passed over. It lapped hungrily just a few inches from the busy highway. “If the Yellow River crests,” our shuttle driver said ominously, “We’ll be cut off from Atlanta.”
Luckily, the river only churned in its red-orange-brown fury of too much rain. We crossed over the bridge and made it safely to the airport. The other problem involves the shallow root system of the trees. With the drenched soil, many big trees are toppling, slamming into houses and roofs. Not a good scenario.
Butterfly (2nd view)
But let’s backtrack to yesterday. Back to the state Botanical Gardens in Athens. Oh, it was a lovely time in between rain showers! And have you noticed what elusive image was captured digitally? A butterfly with wings opened and closed! I have been furtively stalking butterflies all summer, with very little success. They land, nibble on flowers, and depart, all before the camera is properly aimed. Thank goodness for an entire garden of flowers! They grow lazy there, drunk on nectar. And I got a shot at them. Thank you, Butterfly, for cooperating.
Pink flower over tile
The two flights back home proved enjoyable today. No fuss. No real delays. If you have Gypsy blood and travel a lot, you experience all sorts of challenging experiences on airplanes and airports. I could write a book, I tell you, of traveling adventures! How you learn, over and over and over again basic lessons about trust and faith. (Even this morning, when the Mind tried to worry about flooded culverts and bridges and swept-away roads…it was necessary to surrender to something beyond the Mind’s tendency to worry and exaggerate and fuss.)
Statue called "Peace"
This statue of a dove of peace in the gardens summarizes this very well. Our minds create peace or war. What do we choose in each moment?
Family of red flowers
Right now I choose to eat some more salad. Excuse me. Excuse these Lake Superior flies too. Must keep swatting them away. Lovingly, of course.
Black rain-soaked leaf
This black rain-soaked leaf looked so stunning. Almost mystical. Let’s make this leaf our transition between summer and autumn, between Georgia and Michigan,between rain and sunlight. Hope everyone enjoyed their fall equinox!
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