The month of August falls squarely in the middle of the Five Element cycle*. According to Gail Reichstein, Wood Becomes Water, Chinese Medicine In Everyday Life, “Earth is considered the prime stabilizing force.” Think also of the season, a time that brings spring’s seeds and summer’s growth to fruition, harvest, plenty. Think Mother Earth, nurturing, nourishing, balancing, accumulating, allowing and perhaps even sustaining deeply rooted hope. In today’s world of daily disasters, atrocities and frenetic technology, it is good to step back for a few moments and simply to be.

Recently I have stepped outside my comfort zone to join a book club led by my friend Ana del Rosal (https://www.mountainrosevt.com) and quip that by doing so I am expected to read books I may not have known of and, mostly, to contribute to potluck – my biggest step! Last night we discussed How to Do Nothing, Resisting the Attention Economy, by Jenny Odell. This read was not always easy, but certainly proved to be significant. Putting down our cell phones or moving away from our computers for even a short time, is certainly worth a try. Understanding the addiction to social media challenges our intelligence to find other ways to spend waiting minutes or begin the day.

One of my favorite things to do is practice framing and reframing. I use the latter for problem solving and the former to capture scenes when I choose to take a leisurely walk to simply enjoy the beautiful state in which I live. Yes, ok, I get it. When I actually click the button on my phone to take a picture and not simply file in my memory, yes, ok, I have not turned my cell phone off.

But when you see the pics I am sharing with you, perhaps I will be forgiven.

Today was one of those days – serious rain followed by sun then by clouds then by hot sun then by a good drenching while the sun was shining then by thunder and a downpour then by bright sun …..But walk we did. Coming upon a road closure with two Labs on leash was a real find! Even the invasives are gorgeous as they thrive. Driving home from the local market I was forced to stop to capture the view. Letting my girls play in the beaver pond was so breathtaking, I just had to whip out the phone … and you know what followed.

So, perhaps I pay even more attention to details when I try to frame a picture. Perhaps this falls outside of the “attention economy.” In any event, signs of August and Earth are crowding my lens and I am enriched by them. May you be as well.

Enjoy. Love from Sophie, Lizzie and me

*Five elements are Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire.