Powerful moment!

While out hiking I picked up this beaver stick. As I hiked along while holding the stick,  I suddenly felt great surge of power. I felt whole, well and very strong again for the first time since last Spring.  I stopped walking looked down the trail, put my bins to my eyes and saw the most gorgeous Coywolf looking right back at me. What an exhilarating experience. That is the first time I've ever seen one while out hiking!  What a gift! 

And if that wasn't enough beauty for one day~I went to our land after my hike to visit my Petey's grave.  He would have been 9 today.  As I was leaving,  I heard a Raven calling, I looked up, located the bird, it was 2 Ravens and they were harassing an Immature Bald Eagle!  The Raven has always been my sign for Petey. The Bald Eagle my sign for Dad.  What a day!  Each is such a gift.  I'm so grateful to be able to get outside and enjoy each moment. 

PA visit

This morning was my PA visit.  I had a delightful 45 minute drive with gorgeous scenery, the leaves are all peaking. The colors are magnificent,  I was in awe the entire drive.  I'm doing really well.  Since my Lyme Journey began I've lost 20 pounds!  It was over a 4 month span of time and I ate tons of fat and high quality meat, so I lost only body fat.  I'm back to a weight I haven't seen in decades.  My blood pressure is now down to 110/70. It had been slowly creeping up the last 10 years. It started in the 140s/90.  I'm still struggling with lots of Lyme symptoms, but none so severe that they are keeping me from living life.  They are nagging and remind me that I still have Lyme disease.  My PA assured me that symptoms I'm still having are completely normal and will over the next few months begin to subside. No more being a hero, take the OTCs when needed.  The stress I am putting myself through and not getting any relief when symptoms are bad isn't good for me either.  I am to stick 1000% to the diet she has me on and continue to take the Herbal Antibiotic for another 4 months and longer if symptoms persist. No sugar or carbs other then vegetables.....so the little bit of cheating I've been doing since vacation, must STOP.  I can add some healthy carbs like sweet potatoes back into my diet in another 4 months, and only if I have no symptoms.  She praised me once again, I've been a model patient, and no further visits are needed unless I get sicker.  We can get well by using food and nature.   

Wildlife Cam

I helped this beauty cross the road.  He was stretched out across an entire lane of the road, sunning himself.  I got a stick and persuaded him to leave the road.  The next car would have hit him for sure.

We have a healthy wildlife population near home, these pictures are from across the street from my house.  The wildlife uses a trail through my side yard to cross to fields from the woodlands. 

Grateful

I am feeling so incredibly grateful to be feeling like me again. The beauty of the fall colors is exactly how my heart is feeling right now, it's just bursting with happiness and bliss. I feel completely alive again for the first time in many months.  I am grateful for my sight, my sense of smell, my hearing and the strength in my body that allows me to get out into Nature and fully immerse myself in Her spender. It was a ten day today, 66 degrees, sunny, crystal blue skies, a slight breeze, the scent of Fall filling the air, and the faint sound of the insects singing their final songs as the seasons change.  Today's Nature blessings included 2 Red-shouldered Hawks, an adult at the PO and a Immature up at the park.  2 Brown Creepers, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, and lots of other beautiful little passerines.  On our hike we happened upon a flock of turkeys, taking refuge in the park to avoid hunters, as it is turkey season, my best boy....stayed and did not chase them!  We also saw multiple deer. 2 Incredibly beautiful Monarch Butterflies and a lone Garter Snake were in the upper field.  My heart is completely open and ready to receive all the beauty around me. I will never take my health for granted again.  It is the most important thing of all, with out it, you can no longer live fully.  I am grateful for another chance at life.....I aim to make the rest of mine awesome. 

New Park

We have a new park in our town!  Can you tell how happy we are?  Wickam Woodlands is the crown jewel of our Warwick parks!  A gorgeous crystal clear lake filled with fish and hiking trails is now open to the public.  The land was part of a NYS Prison system, closed a few years ago, it was sold to our town for $1. There are 733 acres total, only about 50 are part of the park, the remainder will be sold to businesses.   I'm so excited to have this new place to bird and hike.  There are lots of ducks, eagles and osprey that frequent it.  I really believe that I live in heaven.  Warwick is filled with everything I love.

Golden Eagle at the Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, Matt Zeitler Photo

Bald Eagles at the Mt Peter Hawk Watch, photo Bill OKeef

Bald Eagles at the Mt Peter Hawk Watch, photo Bill OKeef

Glorious Sunrise

Today we awoke to the most glorious sunrise of the week. We could tell rain was upon us so we took our hike right after we had some coffee and breakfast. We were able to watch an adult and a immature Bald Eagle circling over the house. We have seen eagles everyday since we arrived. Low tide is here and there's a seal resting on the rocks while the storm rages around it. Perfect day to lay around eat up all the left overs, like lobster tail over a salad and read my book. I'm reading Rewilding our Hearts. It's excellent. 

Happy heart

Our vacation is winding down. In 48 short hours and we will be back at home.  It's been a dream come true to be able to go with the flow in such an awesome setting. My internal clock has been reset and my soul feels renewed. We ate incredible local seafood every night. We simply love it here. It is our favorite place to visit annually.

Monhegan Island

Yesterday we took a delightful boat ride twelve miles out in the ocean, out of Port Clyde warf to Monhegan Island. On the trip out we watched a Northern Gannet and a Bald Eagle.  Monhegan Island is beautiful, with breathtaking views. The entire Island is covered with hiking trails. We hiked around 3.5 miles.  We had a wonderful day capped off by stop at a local brewery and Bobby had a couple beers that he loved. So incredibly blessed to have this trip and to feel well enough to enjoy it.

Joy

I love being able to be at this incredible home in tenants harbor. The ocean is all so encompassing that your problems melt away. The sight, sound and scent fill your senses to the brim. Awesome for me to sit and watch the birds and seals. Yesterday we saw 3 Bald Eagles up close and personal. A family of Ravens are keeping Monty on his toes as they constantly fly over the deck and talk to each other. Monty has started to bark at them. This morning a large flock of Juncos has arrived. Thre are warblers migrating thru. Lots of adorable chatty Red-berated Nuthatches are in the conifers. So far no takers on my offering of black oil, corn and peanuts. We have been eating local catches each night. So far we found delicious Maine oysters and local caught tuna. Perhaps the best we have ever eaten!

Tenants Harbor

There is no place on this earth that I feel more at home then this gorgeous home we rent on the Maine sea coast. This is our 3rd year in a row that we rented it. Each time we arrive I am overcome with immense gratitude that we are able to stay in our little slice of heaven again. The drive down the unpaved driveway still takes my breath away. We spend our week living by nature. Waking with the incredible sunrises. Eating delicious local meals by candlelight. Stargazing every evening at a magnificent sky so filled with stars that you feel that you can reach out and touch them. Not a single moment taken for granted. 

And the best bonus of all is, that the gracious owners allow us to bring Monty.