“I am a wanderer passionately in love with life.” — Aleksandr Kuprin … Me, too.
Even gray days are colorful on a fall day traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains. — Photo b Pat Bean
Rainy Fall Mornings
I woke up to a gentle rain this morning, with the hazy light of a gray sunrise streaming in through the slats of the shutters on my bedroom window. At night the narrow, rectangular blank spaces of this wooden curtain cast a pattern of light and shadow on the ceiling above my head.
Virginia creeper alongside the parkway. I do so love the color red — Photo by Pat Bean
I often lie away and study this artful illumination, letting my mind drift into fantasy worlds. I don’t like sleeping in the dark, so I never close the shutters, preferring to let the pale light that flows into my bedroom comfort me.
The first thing I do on awakening this morning is to go out on my balcony and stare at the mountains to the north of my third floor apartment. They are one of the reasons I have stayed put now for nearly two years.
These tall peaks that stretch nearly 10,000 feet up to the sky bring peace to my nest of bright new furniture and growing stacks of books. I tried to take a photo of this morning’s misty mountain scene, but my camera battery was dead – and by the time I charged it, the mountains had been eaten by the mist, a sure sign it’s going to be a full gray day.
But that’s OK. I love gray days. They turn the mind inward and slow down the chaos of the world.
On this day two years ago, it was also raining. I was in Front Royal, Virginia, waiting at an almost deserted RV park for the rain to stop before I headed south on Skyline Trail through Shenandoah National Park and down the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Appalachian Mountains.
What a grand adventure that autumn was. But then this fall is charming, too. While my body may remain rooted to one place these days, my mind still travels the road. And autumn is a great time to travel wherever you are.
Blog pick of the day.
Bean Pat: Things I love http://tinyurl.com/pcqvnhk One of my favorite bloggers captures nature at her artful best.
Pat Bean's blog 
Gray days can be so relaxing. Even a light rumble is good and rocks me to sleep. It’s a little slice of heaven on earth and Lord knows, we need it.
I do so agree Totsymae. Thanks for commenting.
Must be a fantastic view out of your window. I envy you.
It’s the Catalina Mountains, and their faces are ever changing. Thanks for commenting Pit.
You’re welcome.
You’ve pointed out here one the things I enjoy so much about keeping a journal – that ability to look back at a given day and know what I was doing, how I was feeling, and what was exciting me, on that day years ago. Often when I feel stuck, or unsure, reading my journal reminds me that how I feel and how I think is entirely up to me. External factors have very little to do with it.
Thank you for the pat, Pat! Coming from you it means a lot!
I’ve never looked back much at my journals, but when I do I always find something surprising. I think I’m going to be looking back at them more in coming weeks. It simply feels like now is the time to do so. And you’re welcome Alex.
Hi Sis, I enjoyed your pix and comments. Hope we get to come out to Tucson before the year is out. Love, Rob and Deloris