“I see the moon and the moon sees me, down through the leaves of the old oak tree!” Thought about this children’s poem by Meredith Wilson when I was walking Penelope this morning. I was watching a swarm of fall oak leaves floating gracefully to the ground and when I looked up I could see, through the leaves of the old oak tree, the moon hanging high in the fall blue sky. Second day I’ve seen the man in the moon before he bedded down for the day.

The water oaks are dropping their leaves, dressed in their brown sweaters, with every whisper of the wind. The few patches of yellow cloaked leaves, that made their appearance this weekend, have already let go of their branches. One of the old oak trees across the street had a large patch of yellow leaves, looked just like a jack o’lantern face to me. Course Stew started the Shady Oaks lecture when I asked him if he saw the jack o’lantern face in the yellow leaves.

The day has been so pleasant. Bright blue sky, cloudless till lunch, when a few thin wisps clouds made themselves known. They stretched and stretched, just like they had been waked up from a good night’s sleep, and got so thin they dissolved. The wind was rustling the leaves and I could hear a mountain breeze sound as the wind blew through the huge fir trees across the street. The acorns are jumping from the oak branches, pinging on the metal porch furniture like little bombs. Penelope and I jump when an acorn strikes the furniture.

The wind chimes had an arresting sound today, loud and boisterous. A fat wren tried to light on the large wind chime pipes and fluttered around the pipes playing a curious melody. When the breezes stopped, the wind chimes’ pipes played soft quiet hymns.

Walked down the street at dusk to see what color Mother Nature had painted the horizon as Father Sky tucked the sun in for the night. On my return walk to the porch I tried to think of the perfect color to describe the light-orange-pink of the gloaming sunset. Maybe the color of a nectarine. I love the color gradients in a sunset. Sometimes I imagine they’re a sample paint strip. I try to name all the layers. Today is a peach colored paint strip — peachy orange, candlelight peach, Georgia peach, pinky peach. Mother Nature is enjoying her watercolors and painting gloriously. A pale turquoise was stroked across the layers nearest the twilight sky. Her palette always inspires me and delights me with her beautiful layering of colors.

Was watching how beautiful light is in nature today. The rays of sun drifting down through the bamboo branches, the light highlighting the yellow butterfly wings, the setting sun filtering through the fall leaves on a dirt road, the dim daylight beauty of eventide, the bright light of the sun setting. In Genesis God said, “Let there be light: and there was light.” God lights the world with his light and comforts us with its warmth.

God is a lighthouse in our lives, a beacon of love and light that inspires us and encourages us. Just as the light beam from the lighthouse helps boat captains steer safely through troubled waters, God’s guiding light pilots us in the right direction when we have storms, giving us hope of brighter days. God’s love and grace can be beacons of comfort. God’s light helps us see in dark and leads us safely to the light of his love. Share God’s light with others by being compassionate and kind. Let your light shine!

“Even on our darkest days God’s peace is a golden light continually shining on us,” — Unknown