Under Our Noses

The drab Northwest winter becomes very old for me around February and by March I’m getting stir-crazy. Thoughts of Spring blooms, leafy trees, barbecuing, camping, hiking, and sunny days become almost more than I can bear. Physical exercise helps and I find a walk in the great outdoors puts me back on track. It’s a time and place when I can become childlike and open all of my senses to the wonders of this world.

Let’s face it, we live in a damp, musty climate and most of the wild things that live here prefer that - or at least are equipped to make the best of it. You can’t get much damper than at the beach, so this past winter I took part in some moonlight beach walks during low tides, helping to acquaint people with the myriad sea life that lives there. During each of these we took our time, leisurely strolling the beach to see what creatures presented themselves to us. Colored sea stars, sea anemones, crabs, snails, and numerous seaweeds take on a whole different look under a full moon on a crisp winter night. On the last walk we found a rock totally covered with dog whelk snails; below them were thousands of their yellowish, rice-shaped eggs. Aah yes, spring is definitely on the way...

Under Our Noses

Damp, dark, earthy places

full of leaf litter, fungus,

worms , slugs and snails,

may hide other small secrets

awaiting our discovery.

The mother lode

does not always contain gold,

nor is it necessarily large,

but a treasure ours for the seeking

and worthy beyond measure.

Painted in quiet, muted shades

and infinitely fine detail

by the Master’s hand,

it lies far “below us” in a place

we may think we don’t want know.

But in seeking the mountain

we may trip on the twig,

land face down in the mud,

and come nose to nose

with a masterpiece.

Many, LORD my God,

are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us

no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them,

they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40:5