Little Jolts of Joy

Have you ever had an unexpected jolt of joy, a little surprise that lifted your spirits? Maybe something like an unusual cloud formation, or maybe a child's delighted grin over some small discovery. My husband recently described a ground squirrel whose fat cheeks were filled to overflowing with acorns. We are no lovers of ground squirrels, as they have created extensive tunnels throughout our property, but this little critter was so cute, Lou couldn't help but smile.

I was driving down the road a couple days ago when I received my own little jolt of joy. Trees hugged both sides of the road, and shadows muted their autumn foliage. Then I went around a curve. A section of the land on my right was cleared, and the golden light of late afternoon illuminated the trees on my left. The trees suddenly sparked and glittered like multi-colored jewels. It was breathtaking, and I slowed my car, wanting to prolong the experience.

Another day I was stuck in traffic, waiting for a slow train to pass. I glanced over to the side and thought, what a nice view of Old Town Helena! I had my camera in the car, so I took a shot through the window, and you would never know there was a long line of cars in front of me and a train just out of view down the hill.

That same day I saw this fall display, similar to many around the area this time of year:

Whenever I walk through my garden, no matter the season, there is almost always something that creates a little jolt of joy, if I am open to it. (There are certain negative moods that refuse to be lifted, but I try to avoid them.) Autumn is a favorite season, with its mild temperatures, fresh air, and warm colors. Here are some recent images in the garden that I appreciated, and you may wonder at how little it takes to make me happy!

 

Have you had any little jolts of joy today? All it takes is sensitivity to small things, as well as to the spectacular (which even, sadly, many people will miss).

Blessings to you all!   Deb

A magic morning in Helena

This morning in Helena was magical. The magic part of it was that I was up, dressed, and out the door with my camera at six AM. Those who know me well know that I am not an early morning person. On the days I go to work I have to depend on an alarm clock to get me up. My natural biorhythms don't wake me up before eight AM, which for a gardener in Alabama comes close to being a sin. But every morning as I was leaving Helena on my way to work, I would look at the mists coming up from the waters of Buck Creek and promise myself that I was coming back one morning with my camera.

Today was the day, and it was worth it. I felt so good when I left Buck Creek park that I decided to stop by Joe Tucker park and walk around the lake there. Positively invigorating. Almost enough to make me an early morning person. Both of these parks are inside Helena, close to where I live. I am truly blessed.

Technically, these parks might not be considered gardens, but I think a garden is any planted area, whether tended by God or man, that lifts the spirit. So here are a few "garden" photos from this morning. More of them can be seen if you click on Buck Creek park or Joe Tucker park to the right under my Photo Galleries.

Early morning mists rise from the waters of Buck Creek.This old tree is a guardian of Buck Creek. The misty waters of Buck Creek -is that a beaver or a log? I'm not sure.This is a view of a newer section of Old Town, Helena, from Buck Creek.This body of water above the dam on Buck Creek is called Lake Davidson.a view across the lake at Joe Tucker parkThis is a great place to sit and watch the ducks at Joe Tucker park.This beaver dam can be seen from a bridge which crosses one edge of the lake at Joe Tucker park.
This gray heron lives at Joe Tucker park. Mallards also live here, and geese are regular visitors.Magic mornings to you all - Deborah