Enjoyed the day perched in the porch swing watching the handsome cardinals on the bird feeders. The males bright red coats contrast so beautifully with the fawn brown, light orange fall sweaters of their meek mates. I’m watching a pair of the cardinals riding a carnival ride on a dead purple polk salad branch swinging up and down as the wind blows.

“It was a beautiful bright Autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” — Diana Gabaldon,

The wind is light, pinging the smallest wind chimes, playing a soft crystal bell symphony. I lay my head back and let the sun kiss my face as I study the blues of the heavens. The sky canvas is so many colors of blue today. I think Father Sky is taking art lessons from Mother Nature, learning how to tint colors in various shades. Every time the clouds part hands I see turquoise, and pale blue, or deep azure. So beautiful! I notice the dark azure is closest to God, the sky lightening in hue as it touches the horizon. Really thought the blue sky was a solid chunk of azure but today I can see Father Sky has blended different shades of his blue pastels from light to intense to create his beautiful fall sky canvas. He’s drawn the occasional clouds, cutting them free to wander the heavens.

The cloudless sulfur butterflies came out from hiding late morning, warming their wings in the sun, discovering the new pansy blooms, tap dancing on the little velvet faces, their skinny black legs tapping in time to the wind chimes’ tintinnabulations. The day has been so beautiful. I’m so glad the earth has warmed back up. I’ve missed my porch pondering.

Late afternoon the day cooled as Mother Nature propped up her easel to paint the sun setting. She felt frisky and adventurous today, deciding to be a little crazy with painting the sunset, choosing to paint two sky canvases. I look to my left, Mother Nature has brushed a lemon pie, bright yellow with golden meringue, along the top of the horizon. I can taste it’s tart lemons. As Emily Dickinson wrote, “Bring me the sunset in a cup.”

As I look right, the blue sky’s small cotton candy clouds are watercolored in brush stroked layers of pale pink and lavender. So pretty dressed in their pale colors. Never seen two different paintings of the sunset at the same time. Wonder if that’s unusual. Maybe it happens everyday but I’m caught up watching the sun herself.

“A sunset is the sun’s fiery kiss to the night,” — Crystal Woods

Father Sky and the sun couldn’t decide which pageant stage to walk down so they ran down the horizon between the two paintings, hand in hand, the sun dressed as a lemon, gleefully laughing at the spectacle they made. As I walked Penelope the darkness settled and I could see the stars begin the twinkle. I’m chilly as I walk up the front porch steps, happy for the warmth inside.

Watching the sunsets at night emphasizes my faith in God. How can you not belief in a higher being when the sky is a magnificent painting of vivid colors. I guess we could call the sunset one of God’s miracles, a gift to us to show us the day’s ending is just as beautiful as the day’s beginning. Every sunset gives us the promise of another dawn.

I can see God’s love in the sunset and the clouds. The most beautiful sunsets need moisture and clouds. Our lives need rain and clouds to help us appreciate the beautiful sunsets we’re blessed with. We need to be aware of the beauty and miracles in our lives. God’s glory is in the heavens. The sunsets are just routine in our fast paced world. I know I never really paid them any attention till I started sitting out on the porch when I moved back to my family home in Roanoke. Sunsets are just another example and gift of God’s love. Psalm 8:1 says, “Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.” And sunsets are glorious even when painted in pale pastels.

Nothing can stop the sun from setting. She lays her head down every night in a brief and beautiful pageant of life but the sunset’s beauty is temporary. Psalm 65:8 states, “The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” Maybe God is using the brief setting of the sun to help us realize life is short and we need to appreciate all life’s special moments. The sunsets are free and teach us to enjoy the simple things in life. Sunsets tell us another day is coming full of new possibilities. God is good!

“Enjoy the beauty of a sunset, nature’s farewell kiss for the night.” — Sharon Rene