Enjoy the View

Today’s long ride was fantastic! It was all about relaxing and just enjoying the view. I have done quite a bit of soul searching and self evaluating lately but today I just wanted to ride, clear my mind, and enjoy the view.

Before I even left our yard, I saw a beautiful fox go running across the driveway. That’s not something you really expect or want to see in broad daylight, but it was a beautiful dark red color and ran so gracefully and care free with it’s long tail flowing behind.

As I rode today I also saw a gorgeous cinnamon colored doe standing along the border of the woods in the shade. She heard me coming and just raised her head from eating at the edge of the cornfield and stood majestically with her ears up straight and at attention but just watched as I rode by. She knew I was of no danger to her.

I rode across a concrete bridge over a river that I’ve crossed many times as its one of my favorite roads to ride. Today I specifically chose it so I could see how high the water got this past week during the heavy rains we experienced. The river was definitely higher than it has been but not nearly as high as it was during the storms. As I passed over I could see dried mud on the leaves of trees much higher along the shore that were apparently under water during the recent rains.

I saw lush green grass as well as some not so lush that was freshly mowed and in the road. 🙄 There were crepe myrtles that were such a deep red they were almost burgundy. Also present were many delicate looking flowers in white, periwinkle, red, pink and yellow.

The sky was showing varying colors of blue depending on the time of day and where I was. The clouds were very different as well. Some were almost transparent, some were slightly gray, while others were big and white and fluffy almost like big balls of cotton. That brings me to the fields of cotton that are starting to really bloom. The blossoms are opening up and presenting a promise of the cotton that will soon abound. Once this happens we’ll have huge fields that will overflow with so much cotton they’ll look like snow covered fields much like these from last year.

My brother lives 1000 miles from me and has never seen this in person as he always travels here in cooler weather, so hubby took me to get these pictures last year to share with him.

How many times have there been amazing sights we’ve missed because we were so focused on where we were going, or thinking about our day that is ending, is just beginning, or any of the other million things that try to invade our days so we miss enjoying the view?

I witnessed families swimming in the lake, dads fishing with their sons and daughters, many others riding bikes like I was. It was amazing to see such wonderful memories were being made as the summer starts to come to an end.

There’s a vast beauty that awaits us every day, if we only take the time to enjoy it. The beauty can be heard as well as seen. It can be views like I saw today or the voice of a loved one, laughter, a baby crying, birds, streams, the ocean, or any number of sounds.

I for one am so grateful that I was able to take the time to experience it today. I’m thankful I have an understanding hubby that knows I need ride time in order to refocus and to be able to encounter times like these.

It’s a big beautiful world out there, get out and enjoy the view.

Psalm 145:5

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

Psalm 90:17

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes establish the work of our hands.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in it’s time. Also he has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.