Observing What Nature Provides

Providing Skies Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our activities this past week have provided us with a number of lessons through nature experiences.  From watching the sunrise to digging in the landscape beds, we have seen and learned a great variety of art and science concepts ranging from the primary colors to the erosion process.  Our adventures and activities reinforced something I discovered many years ago as a youngster:  nature is one of the greatest teachers in and of life.  These lessons may be easy or hard, simple or complex, seen or unseen, yet they exist and are there to help see us through life.

Change Starts Here Lisa A. Wisniewski

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” –C.S. Lewis

Sunrise Coloring Time

We’ve had some beautiful sunrises this past week, all of which were full of color to brighten the skies and the landscape reflecting the light.  Seeing the sunrises reminded me of lessons learned in art class regarding the primary colors— red, yellow, and blue.  These colors are primary colors because they cannot be made from any other colors.  Red, yellow, and blue are the source of all other colors.

Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors together.  The secondary colors are orange, green, and violet.  Orange is created by mixing red and yellow.  Green is made from yellow and blue.  Violet is made from blue and red.

Sunrise April 22, 2020 Lisa A. Wisniewski

As with many concepts regarding art and science, there is a different perspective or theory of the primary colors.  Part of the reason for this is regarding different ways of mixing color.  These different ways are called subtractive color mixing and additive color mixing.  Subtractive color mixing occurs when using paint or ink.  Paints and inks reflect light, and thus when combined, typically produce duller colors.  Additive color mixing is done using light as the color source.  Light is an emitter or radiator, as opposed to a reflector.  Mixing different colors of light together produces more light.

Now for the difference in primary colors when using light as the source.  Sir Isaac Newton discovered that mixing red, green, and blue light from a rainbow reflected through prisms and mirrors created white light.  Newton called these colors primary because they appeared to be the ingredients necessary to produce clear, white light.  Each addition of light produced a brighter color.  Red and green light produce yellow light.  Red and blue light produce magenta light.  Green and blue light produce cyan light.

Additive Color Example Lisa A. Wisniewski

Now for a bit of a twist to all the above.  The colors seen in the sunrise (and the sunset) are due to the light being emitted by the sun and the angle at which the light appears on the horizon.  There are also factors in the amount of molecules in the air (moisture, pollution, etc.) that have an impact on the colors we see.  Add to this the human eye capacity for detecting color, and you have an awful lot of science going on in viewing one sunrise.

For more details on primary colors, check out this article.

“Sunlight is painting.” –Nathaniel Hawthorne

Diggers Beneath the Skies

Thistle Whose Roots Run Deep Lisa A. Wisniewski

We spent a number of hours this past week weeding and edging around the garden and landscape beds on our property.  Our activities allowed us to see what is going on in the earth below.  We found a variety of plant root systems and decayed matter, along with a number of worms and grubs as we dug

The variety of plant root systems ranged from the long, white roots of the dandelion and thistle to the shallow surface roots of the clover and grasses.  Roots of the dandelion and thistle run straight down, whereas those of clover and grass run laterally along the earth’s surface.

Worm and Grub Mecca Lisa A. Wisniewski

The worms we found closer to the surface of our digging.  We noticed the earth around the worms was riddled with tiny pinholes.  These pinholes are the result of the worms moving through the soil.  As they move, the worms create little pockets or tunnels.  These tunnels help to aerate the soil, allowing nutrients to flow more freely to the roots of plants.  The aerated soil also is less prone to bacteria and fungus, as the holes create airflow underground.

Seeing the grubs reminded us that they are a vital part of the food chain in nature.  Grubs are food for moles, birds, raccoons, and skunks.  Moles are food for a variety of birds and smaller animals.  Each creature adds to the food chain and cycle of life.   So, like many other processes in life, the smaller details add to the complete picture, and each detail is a step in a process that takes time to mature.

Once again, a lot of science going on in the one aspect of the soil, and many lessons to be observed, learned, and remembered for years to come.

Reality to Experience Lisa A. Wisniewski

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” –Soren Kierkegaard

Really? Oh, My!

Sadie provided us with several great lessons this evening as she came across a skunk down by the pond.  I was transplanting a tree on the hill above the pond when I heard Sadie bark.  Looking up, I saw her squared off against the skunk.  Her upper lip was curled, revealing her fangs, her back was arched, and she was ready to pounce.

“No, Sadie, no!” I yelled as I threw down the shovel and took off down the hill toward her and the skunk.

Shifting Skies, Omen for the Night Lisa A. Wisniewski

The skunk was obviously not happy, and there was no way Sadie was going to back down.  I prayed as I ran that the skunk would not spray Sadie.  The skunk shuffled backward.  Sadie went to swat it with her paw.

“No, Sadie, no! Let it go!” I yelled as I came closer.

A faint but distinct smell then permeated the air.  Oh, no!

 Sadie swatted at her face with her paw.  The skunk had sprayed her.  Now she was mad.  She whacked the skunk with her paw.

“Sadie, let it go! Sadie, LET IT GO!” I yelled as I came up behind her.

The skunk ran off toward the woods as I knelt down to examine Sadie.  No cuts, bruises, or signs of injury, so that was a huge relief.  By divine intervention, she only had a faint smell around her lower lip and face.  Oh, thank you, God!

 “Let’s go to the house.  We need to get you a bath,” I said as we trotted off together.

Leo was waiting for us and eagerly sniffed at Sadie.  He scrunched his nose when he detected the area near her lip that had the skunk’s scent on it.

“Don’t get too close, Leo,” I said, “Come on Sadie, let’s get you downstairs to the shower.”

Picking up the phone, I dialed my parents number.  Mom answered.  “Sadie found the skunk you were telling me about earlier,” I said.

“Hurry up and get her washed with tomato juice,” Mom replied.

All Good Now, Mom! Lisa A. Wisniewski

I grabbed a can of tomato puree from the cupboard, opened it quickly, and watered it down.  This would have to do since we did not have tomato juice in the house.  Sadie handled the bath pretty well, though she was not fond of having the tomato concoction put on her.  After rinsing off the tomato mixture, I checked to see if the smell was gone.  It was.  Oh, what a relief.  I then bathed her with shampoo as a precaution because she had had a skin irritation prior and I did not want the tomato mixture to irritate her skin.

Then we bathed Leo, just to make sure the smell had not rubbed off on him when he examined Sadie.  Of course, we had just cleaned all the carpets and hard floors in the house the night before, and had everything smelling nice and fresh, so now we had to go through the house and make sure the skunk scent was not anywhere else.  God was good to us and we were able to get a slight smell out of the house with mist solution of vinegar and Dawn dish soap.

The dogs started barking, and I realized Mom was at the door.  She brought a recipe my dad had written down for “skunk wash”.  She also had the ingredients to the recipe, just in case I did not have them in the house.  We reviewed the recipe together and I had all the ingredients:

1 quart hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1 teaspoon Dawn dish soap

Rub on dog and let sit for five minutes.  Do again then rinse.

Since Sadie was still wet from her bath, I decided to wait a while before treating her with the skunk wash.  Mom went home and I went for a run in the rain to clear my head.  As I ran, I realized that though we did not need one more thing to do on our list for tonight, all that had transpired was not a total loss.  We learned an awful lot in a short span of time, and though all the items on our to-do list would not get done, it was not the end of the world.

Calm Sea Lisa A. Wisniewski

I was surprisingly calm, and in reflecting on this realized it was because life happens and God and my dogs have done their share to help prepare me for incidents like this.  Everything happens for a reason, and we may or may not know the reasons in this lifetime.  Getting upset or worrying does nothing to get us any further ahead in life.  The quicker we accept situations and circumstances, the quicker we can move on in our journey.

Returning home, I mixed up the skunk wash and treated Sadie’s face, as there was just a faint odor in that area.  The house now smelled clean thanks to our homemade remedies and to a few open windows.  While not all was well with the world around us, our little piece of life was livable.

Unlimited Broadcasting Station Lisa A. Wisniewski

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through with God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” – George Washington Carver

Winds of Time

One observation we have made over the past few years has been that of eroding soil in our yard and surrounding area.  Erosion is caused by water and wind.  Water running over the soil picks up particles.  Continued cycles of this picking up of particles allow ruts to form in the soil, allowing the water to flow more freely, deepening the ruts.  Given we have had record rainfall in our area going on three years in a row (over 57” in 2018, 52” in 2019, and currently at 14”, or 4” above normal for this year so far—normal rainfall is 38”), it seems the anomaly in the rainfall has helped with the erosion factor.

Winds of Change Lisa A. Wisniewski

The winds this week have been very high as well, blowing grass, trees, and pretty much anything in sight.  Wind causes erosion similar to water, picking up particles of soil and other items in its path.  The repeated process can in time lead to erosion and depositing of soil particles in other areas.

Combined wind and rain patterns can lead to rapid erosion.  Our area has also seen a number of land developments with farms and larger tracts of land being converted to housing developments.  The removal of trees, shrubs, and grass to create the housing developments has severely depleted the ability of the soil to soak up excess water.  Without the root systems of the trees and plants to help remove the excess moisture from the soil, the soil becomes saturated, resulting in water runoff.  The loss of the tree canopy has also left large portions of land more susceptible to wind erosion since the areas are now exposed and don’t have the root systems to help keep the soil intact.

Lifelong Process Lisa A. Wisniewski

As with other processes in nature, this did not happen overnight, and it cannot be corrected instantly.  One thing we have been doing is using the weeds we pull and edging pieces of sod we remove to help fill in ruts and crevices in our yard.  While this is also a process, it does help.  Areas of the yard that were completely bare back in 2017 now can support grass growth this year.   It is tedious work, but comes with the benefits of being outdoors, getting exercise, learning many life and science lessons, and seeing the beauty of nature from many different perspectives.

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” –William Arthur Ward

New Finds

First Mayapples of the Season Lisa A. Wisniewski

Despite the winds and rain this week, we have tried our best to keep active and conquer the elements.  Though most of my runs and bike rides have been wet, I have taken the attitude to persevere.  My efforts have been rewarded with sights of the first skunk cabbage and mayapples in the underbrush of the trees along the roadside.  While the skunk cabbage is not a cabbage and the mayapple is not an apple, both offer some neat facts:

• The floral sheath, known as a spathe of the skunk cabbage generated heat that in late winter can thaw frozen soil and melt a circle in the surrounding snow.
• The fetid odor of the skunk cabbage (hence its name) attracts flies and gnats, which pollinate the tiny flowers on the plant.
• May apples do not really appear in May, but rather in late April.
• The immature fruits, seeds, and all other plant parts of the mayapple are poisonous.
• Mayapples were once used as a powerful purgative.

Seeing these plants was a reminder that life and time are moving us onward, though current conditions in the world may make it feel otherwise.  We are nearing the end of April and will be moving into May, which offers a variety of natural events to look forward to, such as the full moon on May 7, which will also be a supermoon and the blooming of additional flowers, trees, and shrubs adding color to the landscape.

Always Something to Offer Lisa A. Wisniewski

Nature always has something to offer to us.  It is our perspective toward what nature offers that determines the extent of the effects nature can have upon us.

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.  All is riddle, and the key to a riddle is another riddle.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson

May we allow ourselves to see nature in the many different forms it takes in our lives.  May we be open to a variety of concepts and lessons it offers, and may we use these lessons learned to build stamina and strength from all nature provides.

Green Sea Lisa A. Wisniewski

Nature Provides

Green sea of waving grass
Blowing the breeze as it comes to pass,
Rippling in waves across the meadow
As time sways in the sun’s glow,
Back and forth the reeds move
Undulating in the storm of the truth
Nature provides within its beauty
Of earth, sky, river, and stream.

Sun in the Sky Lisa A. Wisniewski

Sun in the sky rising up
Filtering it slight to blade and bud
Warming the air and the soil
With a flare the never tires of its toil
Burning bright for all to see
Acting as a guide eternally,
Part of what nature provides day after day
Within life, be as it may.

Sun, Wind, Rain and Earth Lisa A. Wisniewski

Sun, wind, rain, and earth
Run with time as it turns,
Weaving together to form
The many kinds of weather to endure
So that the cycles of life may continue on
Through each night and new dawn,
Impressing upon us all
The many blessings of its call
Hidden in all the nature provides
As time rises and falls within our lives.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Thank You! Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our thanks this week goes out to God and nature for the blessings they both provide day in and day out.  Thanks also to Sadie for her “investigative reporting” to add to this week’s post and to Leo for his help in editing the story.  Thanks to Mom and Dad for offering up their knowledge to help us deal with our adventures this week and throughout life.

-Lisa, Sadie, and Leo

Resources and Related Links

Primary colors – https://science.howstuffworks.com/primary-colors.htm

Observing How Things Come To Be

Day Coming To Be Lisa A. Wisniewski

The past week has brought a number of changes in nature to light in our area.  From weeds popping up throughout the landscape to seeds now sprouting with life, many things are transforming from one state to another.  With sunrise at 6:38 AM and sunset at 7:48 PM, there are over 13 hours of daylight to observe nature and its many changes.  Seeing all these changes this week made us contemplate how things come to be in life, so we thought we would share some things we learned in our research on this subject.

Miracle in the Making Lisa A. Wisniewski

“Creation is a miracle of daily recurrence.” –George Bernard Shaw

Frosty Morns

We had several mornings where frost covered the landscape creating a lace-like blanket.  As the first rays of the sun’s light hit the frosted grass, we saw little sparkles like diamonds.  This made us wonder how frost forms and what allows it to sparkle.

Frost is formed when air cools.  The cooling makes causes the air to reach the dew point, or temperature at which it becomes saturated with water vapor.  When the saturated air comes in contact with slightly cooler surfaces of grass and leaves, the water vapor condenses, coating the surfaces with dew.  When temperatures are below freezing, saturated air coming in contact with a freezing cold surface transformed directly from a gaseous state into tiny ice crystals, which we call frost.

Frosty Morning Lisa A. Wisniewski

Frost is frozen water, and water becomes a prism of sorts when hit by light.  This is what creates the sparkles on the grass on frosty mornings.  The sun’s rays hit the frost crystals, warming them enough to form drops of water. The water drops catch the sun’s rays and refract the light in different wavelengths.  The different wavelengths of light become visible colors in the color spectrum.  Since the water droplets are so small, the amount of light being refracted is also small, creating the seemingly moving sparkles of color.

Frost this time of year tends to be a hazard for tender plants.  When frost on the plants is hit by the sun’s light, the frost melts, and becomes a magnifier of the sun’s warmth.  The warmth of the sun on the tender shoots and leaves burns the surface area, creating a deadened appearance.  Though some plants are able to recover from the burn of the frost, many have trouble coming back to life, which causes grief for farmers and gardeners who may have crops or land plots started this time of year.

Nature’s Library Lisa A. Wisniewski

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” –Marcus Tullius Cicero

Frost Prevention

There are some ways to help prevent frost from causing damage to young plants.  Here is a list of suggestions provided by the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

• Plant in an area that slopes toward the sun. Sloped areas will warm up more during the day and take longer to cool down at night.  Cool air, which tends to be dense and heavy will flow away from plants growing on a slope.
• Plant in an area surrounded by trees. Trees act as a blanket to reduce the amount of heat radiating from the soil, helping to maintain a more even temperature to combat cooling effects.
• Place a stone wall around the planting area. The stone acts as a heat sink, absorbing heat from the sun during the day and slowly radiating heat during the night as it cools down.  The increased heat around the plants will help maintain a healthy growing temperature, reducing the possibility of frost damage.
• Plant near a lake or pond. The water acts similar to a stone wall, absorbing heat during the day and radiating heat off the surface at night.  (Hence the mist often seen rising from ponds and lakes in the early morning hours).
• Use plenty of organic planting matter (soil, compost, peat moss, etc.) when planting. The organic matter holds moisture and reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil.  As a bonus, organic matter provides nutrients to help plants grow into a healthy state and can also act as a weed barrier.

Flowering Pear Lisa A. Wisniewski

Like the frost on the plants, we humans can be negatively affected by the atmosphere and surfaces surrounding us. Though we do not shrivel and die, we can have our growth stunted by the “frostiness” of anger, rejection, loss, grief, or other life circumstances.  The keys for us humans are to seek the light, surround ourselves with healthy relationships to act as barriers for negativity, use hope and faith as wellsprings to help sustain us during difficult times, and remember that love of various kinds can act as our “moisture” in life to nourish us.

God’s Love Lisa A. Wisniewski

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” –St. Augustine

Weeds of Life

In our activities this week, we found a large number of weeds growing in the landscape beds and along the roadsides.  We found dandelions, wild mustard, and thistle, to name a few.  Interestingly, these species are also considered to be wild flowers and have medicinal purposes.  Though in today’s world we view them as weeds, they are actually necessary to help keep the cycle of nature flowing.  All three of these examples grow to a point where they form seeds then start to decay.  The seeds are carried by the wind, deposited in soil, and take root as time and conditions allow.

Dandelion Lisa A. Wisniewski

Oddly, in order for seeds to be produced from any plant or life form, something must die.  Now we don’t mention this to be negative, for we have enough negativity in the world and don’t care to foster more.  We mention this because all life is important, and with each ending of life comes a new beginning.  It is our perspective as humans of this life and death cycle that creates the negativity, not the natural cycle itself.

One thing to remember about weeds is they often do produce flowers, which add color and beauty to the landscape, and also act as food for pollinators.  Wild violets are one example in our area that we found this week.  In several neighboring yards and in patches around our fields, we found tiny seas of these purple flowers.  While many people do not like to have this “weed” growing in their green lawns, we have come to welcome them in ours because they attract pollinators like bees.

Violets Lisa A. Wisniewski

The violets we found are the common blue, also known as Viola sororia.  Like other members of the violet family, this species has five petals.  The lowest petal acts as a landing platform for bees. This petal also has lines to guide the bee into the nectar filled inner spur, which is formed by the two side petals.  The spur points upward, forcing the bee to turn upside down to reach the nectar.  In the process, any pollen carried by the bee is dusted onto the seed producing pistil.  The bee then receives a dusting of pollen from the stamens, and often carries this pollen to other plants.

In addition to adding color to the landscape and providing food for pollinators, weeds have other redeeming qualities such as:

Thistle Lisa A. Wisniewski

• Preventing soil from eroding
• Extending their roots into hard packed soils to help aerate the soil
• Lifting valuable minerals and trace elements to the surface of the soil through their root systems, allowing other plants to benefit from the nutrients
• Acting as sources for dyes and other useful products

In general, weeds are plants growing in an area where they are not wanted.  This does not mean they do not have value (though admittedly it is sometimes hard to see the value).

Clouds: Weeds in the Sky Lisa A. Wisniewski

Like the weeds in our gardens and landscape beds, we humans have weeds in our lives.  Things like financial struggles, learning difficulties, illness, or injuries often happen to occur where and when we don’t want them.  While these things do not on the surface appear to be beneficial, often they are necessary to call our attention to other details in life that are of importance.  They also have the potential to teach us valuable life lessons, provide perspectives we may not otherwise have found, or allow us to recognize the value of life itself.

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seeds of Hope

Red Tulip Lisa A. Wisniewski

As mentioned previously, some plant had to die in order to produce the seeds that we now see coming to life.  In our observations this week, we noticed each plant or tree has its own way of sprouting, developing, and helping to keep the cycle of life going.  The seeds of flowering plants can be divided into two types: monocots and dicots.  Monocots are seeds that produce a single leaf.  They have narrow leaves with smooth edges and parallel veins.  Their flower parts are in threes or multiples of three and have vascular tissues scattered throughout their stems.  Some examples of monocots are grasses, corn, orchids, and lilies.

White Tulip Lisa A. Wisniewski

Dicots are seeds that produce more than one seed leaf.   Their leaves may be smooth, toothed, lobed, or divided.  Their flower parts are generally in fours or fives, and their vascular tissues are in rings that encircle the center of the stem. Examples of dicots include the many varieties of beans cultivated for food.

The many blossoms on the flowering Eastern redbud, crab apple, flowering pear, and buckeye trees have also brightened up the landscape with their purple, crimson, white, pink,  and yellow blossoms.  Though many of the blossoms lost color throughout the week after being covered in frost several mornings in a row, there is still a sense of beauty in the flowers and the aura of hope they connote.

Vetches and Grasses Lisa A. Wisniewsk

The tulips, daffodils, bleeding heart, violets, and wild mustard have added their blossoms to the mix, creating little pockets of color in the landscape.  These pockets of color now have a sea of green grasses, clover, and vetches surrounding them, making a vibrant picture before us.  Combine this with several periods of blue skies and white clouds, and you have a scene full of wonder before your eyes.  The variety of color and life forms is amazing to us, for we find it to be a wellspring of hope for the present and future days.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” –Robert Louis Stevenson

Pulling it All Together

Pulling It All Together Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our adventures this week took us through a variety of weather patterns, plant facts, and life lessons, all of which allowed us to learn how certain things come to be.  As illustrated above, much in life starts with a seed of sorts.  The seeds is impacted by its environment in various ways, sometimes producing fruit, other times producing weeds that may or may not be viewed as wanted or positive.  Regardless of the seeds’ outcome, life goes on.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” –Romans 8:28

May we come to see the variety in nature as lessons for life.  May we use these lessons to help foster positive environments to others, and may we keep the cycle of how things come to be going.

Frost on the Grass Lisa A. Wisniewski

How Things Come To Be

Frost in the morning covering the grass
Comes across the sun in its path
United together by wind and breeze
In a silent hymn that rings
Through the sparkles that dance upon the blades
In a mystical chant of praise
Calling the soul watching in wonder and awe
To unfold the walls
Of fear, doubt, and anxiety
And set itself free in how things come to be.

Many Little Seeds Lisa A. Wisniewski

Little seed in the ground taking root
Soon to become a green shoot
Lifted up by the sun,
Fed by the rain that runs,
And held in the hands of time
To become a plant full of life
Blossoming and blooming
In spring’s soothing
Atmosphere of hope,
To steer the soul through the unknown
Of seen and unseen
Directed by how things come to be.

Weed Sprouting Up Lisa A. Wisniewski

Weed that sprouts up in the landscape
Offers up what it can to create
Medicine and cures for mankind
In the annuls that pour forth life
From root to shoot to flower to seed
In and through how things come to be.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Sadie and Leo Say Thanks Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our thanks this week goes out to everyone helping each other through life.  We’ve had our share of helpers and been helpers to others in return, and we appreciate being able to both give and receive.

We also remember this week our late canine friend, Bo, who would be celebrating his ninth birthday on April 17^th.  Though Bo’s time with us was extremely short, he helped us to learn a number of important life lessons and allowed me to realize that we all have our limitations.  These limitations often are just part of nature and how things come to be, and it is our perspective of these limitations that plays a part in determining whether or not we overcome them.  I am certain Bo is doing his share in heaven to help watch over and guide others.  Thanks for taking care of us, buddy!

-Lisa, Sadie and Leo

Bonus Post: Alleluia Offering

We decided to do a bonus post for Easter to try to help spread some hope and light in the world.  Hope you enjoy this.

Lisa, Sadie, and Leo

Observing How Things Change

Sunrise Under Changing Skies Lisa A. Wisniewski

This week is Holy Week, marking the remembrance of events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Many traditions of this week call for reflection and remembrance of the struggles Jesus encountered upon this leg of his journey on earth.  With the current pandemic in the world, a number of traditions and observations have had to take on a different method or means of occurrence.  In our own house, we’ve had to adjust a number of activities, along with our thought process and perspective.  Outside, nature is also changing, offering up green grass, flower blooms, clearer skies, and warmer temperatures.  Seeing and experiencing these changes brought some questions to mind, and we thought we’d share some of them in this week’s post.

Living Questions Lisa A. Wisniewski

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.”-Rainer Maria Rilke

What Causes Change?

The first question that came to light this week was regarding what causes change.  As with many things in life, an event typically triggers a reaction or response.  Sometimes the reaction or response is simply to maintain the status quo.  Other times, additional activities take place.  Reflecting upon this made me think of Newton’s Laws of Motion:

1. Every object persists in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.
2. Force is equal to the change in momentum per change in time. For a constant mass, force equals mas times acceleration, or F=ma.
3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Moving Along Lisa A. Wisniewski

Though the laws apply to objects from a physics perspective, there is some correlation between these laws and intangible things like thoughts and feelings.  Before the pandemic, the world was moving along through normal daily activities and events.  While not every activity or event was positive, there was still a general direction of movement.  The pandemic changed things a bit, altering the course of many, not only in a physical sense, but also in a mental, emotional, and spiritual sense.  As the first law states, forces impressed upon life caused a change in course.

Eastern Redbud Lisa A. Wisniewski

Similarly in nature, we were experiencing a slow but steady change in growth of plants and increasing daylight hours.  The increased daylight combined with warmer temperatures sped up the process of growth in many plants, resulting in an explosion of blooms on the apple, pear, Eastern redbud, and buckeye trees in just a few days’ time.  The forces of light and heat have compelled the landscape to change into a more colorful and vibrant environment.

The virus causing the pandemic started in a small area.  It has since spread rapidly, gaining strength and force through social interaction among people.  What started out as a tiny virus in one location has become a major medical issue throughout the world.  Though the virus has a tiny mass, the speed at which it is moving has turned it into a major force, which is an illustration of the second law.

Bleeding Heart Lisa A. Wisniewski

In nature, we’ve had a number of storms move through the area this past week.  Many started out with a few drops of rain or slight winds.  The increasing clouds produced more rain, leading to downpours resulting in flooding.  The raindrops themselves have small mass, but the increased rate at which they formed and fell to the ground created forceful rivers of water, offering another illustration of the second law.

The pandemic’s severity has resulted in the cancellation of many social gatherings and activities throughout the world.  The symptoms and resulting illness of the virus are the action, the world’s response of cancelling events and activities is the reaction.  While it may be hard to gauge if these are equivalent, the general concept of the third law can be seen.

Apple Blossoms Lisa A. Wisniewski

The growth and greening of plants in the area the past week is nature’s response to the increased sunlight and warmer temperatures.  The action of the sun’s rays allows for the reaction in plants to convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy, resulting in increased amounts of chlorophyll in the plants, making them greener and more vibrant.  Once again, it may be difficult to measure if these are equivalent actions and reactions, but the general concept of the third law can be seen.

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”- Corrie ten Boom

What Determines Rate of Change?

Rate of Change Lisa A. Wisniewski

Another question that came to mind this week centered around the rate of change and how it is determined.  Contemplating this made me recall a chemistry lesson from high school.  In the lesson, we learned four ways to increase the rate of change of a chemical reaction:

1. Increase the temperature of the reactants.
2. Increase the concentration of the reactants.
3. Increase the surface area of the reactants.
4. Add a catalyst, or substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing change.

A catalyst can also be a person or thing that precipitates an event.  An example of a chemical catalyst is platinum.  The catalytic converter on a vehicle contains platinum, which speeds up the reaction required to convert toxic carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.  An example of a non-chemical catalyst may be a doctor whose diagnosis helps increase the probability of a person surviving an illness.

Many Catalysts at Work Lisa A. Wisniewski

To decrease the rate of a chemical reaction, one would decrease the temperature, concentration, or surface area of the reactants.  The removal of a catalyst can also be used to decrease the rate of the reaction.  The current guidelines and mandates regarding social distancing and limiting of interaction among people are illustrations of ways to decrease the spread of the virus causing the pandemic.

In nature, we are seeing increased growth and vitality.  This is in turn offering less examples of decay or decline in plant life.  Warming temperatures, increased populations of chemicals in plants, and opening leaves on trees and shrubs offering more surface area are all contributing to the surge of plant life around us.

Flowering Pear Lisa A. Wisniewski

“We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow along the way.” –Gloria Gaither

How Does Change Affect Us?

Our third question ponders how change affects us.  The increase in number of cases in the pandemic has resulted in tighter business and travel restrictions, heightened stress and anxiety levels, and alteration of work and home schedules.  These changes have in turn affected the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual sides of many people.  Some of the effects have led to positive outcomes, while others have had more negative impact.

Focus on Today Lisa A. Wisniewski

One thing we have discovered recently in our household is whether the outcome is positive or negative, there is still an opportunity to learn new concepts, skills, or lessons, as well as gain perspective on life.  So often our perspective of a given situation or event plays a part in the effect or outcome for us and others around us.  On many occasions, our view of change plays a major role in our life story.

The Lenten season and Holy Week ask us to consider making changes in life.  Whether these changes are physical, mental, spiritual, or otherwise, they offer opportunity for growth.  Lent and Holy Week also  offer a gateway to spring.  Spring in our area means a brighter landscape full of leafy trees, blooming bushes and flowers, increased daylight, and many opportunities for outside activities.  These events in turn create an environment for learning and growing, which then offer opportunities for brighter, more positive perspectives.

Truth of Truths Lisa A. Wisniewski

“The difficult truth about truth is that it often requires us to change our perspectives, attitudes, and rules for living.” –Susan Lenzkes

What Now?

Obviously, we are wondering what comes next in our journey as we navigate through the many changes of life.  One thing we’ve recently tried to focus on in our household is concentrating more on the present instead of the future unknowns.  Our results have admittedly been mixed, as some days are harder than others to focus upon.  Our focus is often disrupted by events around us, however, if we challenge ourselves to take each day one step at a time, we seem to have better results.  After all, everything in life is a process or series of steps, be they measured in distance, time, growth, or some other unit of measure.

What Now? Lisa A. Wisniewski

Perhaps that is part of the beauty of Holy Week as well—each day offers an aspect to focus upon, and each focus acts as a step toward the next day’s focus.  As a quick summary, Holy Week offers the following:

1. Palm Sunday, remembered for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey as those along the way laid down palm branches.
2. Monday, the day Jesus cleared the temple of inappropriate activities.
3. Tuesday, the day Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to teach in parables and warn of what was to happen in coming days.
4. Wednesday, though not described in the Gospel stories or other books of the Bible, is believed to have been a day of rest for Jesus and his disciples. This day offers time to reflect within and discover some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
5. Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper.
6. Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross.
7. Holy Saturday, the day Jesus spent in the tomb.
8. Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead, offering hope and fulfilling the prophesies of old.

Impacting the World Lisa A. Wisniewski

As illustrated in the events of Holy Week, it was a roller coaster ride of sorts.  So many actions, reactions, thoughts, feelings, and catalysts, all worked together in the movement of time to precipitate change.  This change affected the world then and still has an impact on the world today.

“Where the soul is full of peace and joy, outward surroundings and circumstances are of comparatively little account.” –Hannah Whitall Smith

Why Celebrate?

Full Super Moon April 7, 2020 Lisa A. Wisniewski

Easter is a holiday that moves each year.  The general rule for determining Easter’s date is it is the first Sunday after the Pascal Full Moon.  This year, the Full Moon was April 7^th.  It was also a Super Moon, meaning it appeared bigger and brighter due to the moon’s proximity to the earth.  Though many people are wondering what there is to celebrate this Easter given the state of the world, there are a number of reasons, depending upon one’s perspective.  A few reasons we are offering:

1. As illustrated to some extent in Newton’s Laws, life goes on. It may not be the straight path we would like, nor may we appreciate or enjoy the forces working against us.  However, regardless of what happens, how many changes we do or do not undergo, life continues.
2. Easter is a long-standing tradition whose message has a force with potential to be powerful, uplifting, and even saving if we keep our hearts and minds open to the changes in and around us. Instead of Newton’s F=ma, we could think of it as E=gm (Easter = grace multiplied).
3. Easter is a celebration of light and life, the opposite of darkness and death. It offers us a reaction to evil actions in the world.  It is a “moving” example of Newton’s third law.
4. Easter is a catalyst of sorts, keeping the reactions of faith, hope, and love going in a perpetual cycle that in turn sustains life.
5. From a nature perspective, there is the beauty of the daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, bleeding heart, phlox, Eastern redbud, flowering pear, crab apple, and other blooming plants and trees. There is also a sense of awe in the sounds of the birds singing, water flowing in streams and creeks, and spring peepers calling by the ponds and lakes.  There is also a sense of wonder in the wild violets, dandelions, wild mustard, and other plants used historically and today as medicines for ailments and illnesses.  The extent of nature is endless, and the knowledge gained by observing it can help you throughout life.

{Phlox Lisa A. Wisniewski

May we find hope amidst the many changes we undergo in life.  May our hope act as a catalyst in and through us to help others along the way, and may we come to see the positive the variety of changes we encounter.

How Things Change Lisa A. Wisniewski

How Things Change

How do things change?
Well, in and through life’s rains,
There flows a river of time
And as it goes, it finds
Light from the sun,
To guide it upon its run,
Water from heaven’s skies
To keep it from going dry,
And grace from the sea
Of a savior offered to thee.

Events That Collide Lisa A. Wisniewski

How do things change?
Well, each day brings a range
Of events that collide,
Often stretching extents and multiplied
Into proportions unheard of before
Within the distortions of varying storms,
That carry us onward or force us to stop in our tracks
Uncertain of why God gives us what we do and do not have,
Leading us to seek and fill the void seen or unseen
Within and between who we were, are, or may come to be.

Graces Counting Time Lisa A. Wisniewski

How do things change?
Well, the sun, moon, and stars make
Us count time in increments,
Leading us through life in steps
That become a process of growth
Sustained by love sown long ago
On a hill on a cross
By the will of a man sought
Who fulfilled the prophesies
And later willed us to be
Part of the cycle of life
That forever restarts and sustains us come what might.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

 A Note of Thanks

Thanks From Sadie and Leo Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our thanks this week is simply to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  God the Father for keeping His promise long ago; God the Son for His willingness to follow through with His assignment on earth to become Savior of all; God the Holy Spirit for being our Advocate and guide in and throughout life.

-Lisa, Sadie, and Leo

Observing Wisdom of Transitions

Transitions Lisa A. Wisniewski

The transition from March to April this year has been a marked one on a number of fronts.  From the differences in weather to what is seen in nature and circumstances around us, much has changed.  Some of these changes have been subtle, others more prominent.  Regardless of how we categorize the changes, each one has a lesson or lessons to offer us.  These lessons may be difficult to learn or accept, but upon reflection and contemplation, are realized to be beneficial in some way.

Magnolia in Bloom Lisa A. Wisniewski

“Our wisdom comes from our experience, and our experience comes from our foolishness.” –Sacha Guitry

Opening All Around

The many buds on the trees and plants in our area are one of the marked changes from March to April.  The word April comes from the Latin aperio, meaning to open.  The month was given this name because it describes what happens in nature in many areas of the world during this time of year.  In our area, we found hyacinth, bleeding heart, magnolia, and red maple tree blooms and buds coming into view on April 1^st.  This was a welcome sight, adding white, pink, and red to the landscape’s greening grass, yellow flowering daffodils, and purple and blue periwinkle.

First Hyacinth Bloom Lisa A. Wisniewski

The addition of the colors is a reminder that even nature must go through many processes and transitions to reach a given result.  The colors are also a result of much work in nature being done when the landscape seemed “dead” or barren.  All those gray winter days were actually allowing for the current and coming brighter spring days.  The cold and precipitation of March were necessary to allow the warmer days of April to awaken the buds and blooms on the plants and trees.  The transition between the two is made possible by time and the elements of life.

Weeping Cherry Blooms Lisa A. Wisniewski

Like the buds on the plants and trees, we humans are opening to new beginnings in these challenging times.  While our activities may be limited or compromised by current conditions due to the pandemic, we are finding ways to stay active and become more vibrant.  We may need to solve a number of issues or problems (what we call exercises in creativity in our household) to meet our daily needs.  This may be challenging, frustrating, or down right difficult.  However, if we open our minds, hearts, eyes, and ears, we can find ways to move forward.

Red Maple Lisa A. Wisniewski

“Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember that amateurs built the Ark.  Professionals built the Titanic.” –Dave Berry

Basic Steps

One way to move forward may be to break a problem or issue down into more manageable parts or tasks.  This is a lesson I am thankful to have learned years ago in grade school reading and math classes.  The teachers who taught us reading told us to take each word of the sentence or each sentence of the paragraph we were struggling with and break it down.  Read one or several words at a time and reflect on those or consider what they mean.  Do this several times until you work your way through the sentence or paragraph, then see if you understand it better.

Flowering Crab Apple Lisa A. Wisniewski

Similarly, our math teachers taught us to do word problems by breaking them down.  Read the entire problem.  Write down facts given in the problem.  Review what the problem is asking you to solve.  Review the facts and the questions of the problem to see how they are or are not related.  Organize what you know and what you need to know.  Look for a formula or basic math principle (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) to solve.   Take what is known and fill in this formula or parts of the basic math principle, then solve the problem.

While our problems in life may not be as simple as described above, we can use similar concepts to see us through.  It will take time, energy, effort, and some resolve, but we will get to the destination.  What we learn along the way is valuable information that we can call upon in the future to see us through other difficulties and circumstances.  What we humans often get hung up on is the patience or work required to get to where we need (or think we need) to be.  We miss out on much in life if we do not try, for it is through that little word try that we find true freedom and wisdom.

Making Wise the Simple Lisa A. Wisniewski

“The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” –Psalm 19:7 NKJV

Working Through It All

The lessons learned as we go throughout our lives may come in a number of forms, such as educational instruction in school, personal experience at home, or professional development in the workplace.  Regardless of the environment in which the lesson is presented, there exists an opportunity.  We may not see it this way at first or even ever in our lives, but if we really break it down, we find the basic concept behind learning is one of opportunity.  The opportunity usually involves growth, which has the tag along friend of transition that helps get us through the lesson.

These lessons also play a part in developing our faith, hope, and love.  Faith’s tag along friend is hope.  When our faith wavers, it is the stirring of hope that gives us the courage and strength to continue on.  When faith and hope are truly tested, it is love that bolsters us, renewing our faith and hope, allowing us to accept and move through the transitions we must encounter to get to our destination.

Lessons Learned Lisa A. Wisniewski

When I was a senior in high school, I had difficulty with a calculus problem that had been assigned as extra credit.  I needed the extra credit to get an A in the class, so I felt a sense of urgency and anxiety inside, for my own knowledge was not sufficient to get to an answer.  My cousin who lived across the road from me offered to help.  Together we sat and talked through the problem and the concepts required to solve it. We did not solve it right away, but after leaving my cousin’s house, I was able to come up with an answer.  Though the answer was not entirely correct, I did get partial credit for effort and earned just enough points to get an A in the class.

Nature’s Hope Lisa A. Wisniewski

The lessons I learned through that experience were many in number and variety.  I learned that my own strengths and wisdom alone are not enough to sustain me; asking for help does not mean you are weak; seeking out others leads to wisdom gained by both parties; love comes in all kinds of experiences, including sitting across the kitchen table late at night trying to solve a problem; our efforts in life are not in vain, but they may not get us exactly what envision—it is what we don’t envision that happens along the way that gets us to where we need to be in time.

“Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future; faith is the courage to dance to it today.” -Peter Kuzmic

Finding a Way

Future’s Music Lisa A. Wisniewski

While running the past two Sundays, I found myself struggling with faith and hope.  The events of the days prior had left me physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.  While a ten mile run may not sound like a way to recharge to many people, life has taught me otherwise.  Since church services in our area are suspended due to the pandemic, I sought solace in nature, which through the years has become a church for my soul, along with a place to find faith, hope, and love.

As I ran, I prayed, emptying my heart and mind of the many problems or concerns I had.  This greatly reduced the stress upon me, allowing me to open myself up to nature around me.  The birds were singing, the clouds were moving through the skies, and the water was running through little streams and over waterfalls into the local ponds along my running route.  As I took in each sight and sound, I felt a renewed sense of energy, which took my thoughts to a brighter perspective.  This perspective in turn reminded me that despite all that is going on in the world today, there exists God’s love.

Song of Love Lisa A. Wisniewski

Some words to a song came into my mind.  Admittedly, I never really learned all the words to this song, but knew enough of them to make a correlation between the song’s message and what nature was showing me during my running experiences.  If we break down all the transitions and complex processes involved behind the scenes in nature, we find art and science.  Art and science can further be broken down to simply reflections of life.  And life itself is love, which is one of the many messages conveyed by this song:

The Rose

The Rose of the Dawn Lisa A. Wisniewski

Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed

It’s the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taken, who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed, that with the sun’s love in the spring becomes the rose

(Written by Amanda McBroom. Recorded by Bette Midler, LeAnn Rimes, Conway Twitty, and others)

Learn, Reflect, Repeat

Sharing the Ride Lisa A. Wisniewski

The song has been stuck in my head all week, a good reminder of how to get through and to view the present days, as well as the unknown of the coming days.  The lessons learned upon my runs and bike rides the past week have been most valuable, not only to me, but to others around me.  In recounting my running experience with others, I have found a deeper relationship with nature, others, and even myself (which sometimes I do not wish to know).  Sharing with others has offered them hope for the coming days.  This hope in turn helps to strengthen faith.  This faith has allowed myself and others to see and feel love around and among us.

Periwinkle Lisa A. Wisniewski

Last night while running, I noticed additional pockets of daffodils, a spreading patch of periwinkle booms, and a tiny new patch of grape hyacinths in bloom.  The flowers upon these delicate plants are illustrations of nature’s art, science, and love.  They offer us examples of transition in life as they go from shoot to bud to bloom back to seed.  The processes take them through the seasons of their lives, allowing more flowers to grow, spreading the wisdom of life and love in a perpetual cycle.

May the transitions and challenges we face allow us to gain perspective and wisdom upon our journey.  May we learn to accept these transitions and build upon them to become seeds of hope and faith for others, and may this hope and faith in turn sustain the cycles of life and love.

Root to Shoot Lisa A. Wisniewski

Transitions

From root to shoot and bud to bloom,
Days of youth to knowledge plume,
Nature’s sounds to sunsets’ flares,
Here and now to then and there,
Water running in brook and stream,
Each day becoming what it is meant to be,
Earth to sky and night to day,
Each transition in life takes us upon our way.

Yellow, Pink, and White Lisa A. Wisniewski

From colors yellow, pink, and white,
The stellar skies to the heavens wide,
Grain of sand to pebble and stone,
Clouds in bands to rain on the earth below,
Ocean current to tidal wave,
Notion to theory to lesson conveyed,
Word to sentence to paragraph,
Time spent to blessings had,
Each one a part of another’s grace
In the transitions we all must make.

All Facets in Between Lisa A. Wisniewski

From young to old and all the facets in between
We come to hold time as it was meant to be,
Not according to our ways,
Rather afforded by God’s grace
Granted and bestowed
Through understanding and hope
Allowing faith to bloom
And the sun’s rays to make room
For the coming blossom on the vine
As lesson and thought unwind
Forming the path of truth, light, and way
In the transitions in and through wisdom’s wake.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

My Wisdom Through Transition Lisa A. Wisniewski

Our thanks this week goes out to a number of people, all of whom offer examples of wisdom through transition.  First, to my Great Aunt Caroline, who passed away this week.  Though I was not super close to her, what I remember most about her was her willingness to listen and share her time with others.  A very kind, humble, generous woman, she would have been 99 years old next week.  Her kindness to my family and many others offers  great examples of faith, hope, and love.

Thanks also to my cousin Chris, whom I mentioned earlier in the post, for helping me years ago and throughout my life.  Her example of offering hope to bolster my faith has allowed me to learn more about love and life.

Thanks to all the people working to help fight the current pandemic on a number of fronts.   From those doing research to others offering care to still others just trying to help each other and their communities get through the current crisis, many thanks.  Their actions are examples of love through the wisdom of transitions.

-Lisa, Sadie, and Leo