To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter. . .to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life. - John Burroughs
Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another. - Juvenal, Satires
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.
- George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet. - Hal Borland, Sundial of the Seasons
Nature is man's teacher. She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence. - Alfred Billings Street
You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. -St. Bernard
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. - Rachel Carson
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like falling leaves. - John Muir
Contemplate the workings of this world, listen to the words of the wise, and take all that is good as your own. With this as your base, open your own door to truth. Do not overlook the truth that is right before you. Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Also learn from holy books and wise people. Everything - even mountains, rivers, plants, and trees - should be your teacher. - Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in
trees,
books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
- William Shakespeare
Interconnectedness. Spirit and body chemistry. Loving intention. Living with awareness of oneness with all aspects of life – including each other and food - lies at the heart of enlightened eating and the mystery of food's ability to nourish both body and soul. By approaching food meditatively and with loving intention, we may go beyond the level of thought and intuit the sacred connection between Mother Earth, food, and humankind. - Deborah Kesten, Feeding the Body, Nourishing the Soul
If thy heart were right, then every creature would be a mirror of life and a book of holy doctrine. There is no creature so small and abject, but it reflects the goodness of God. - Thomas 'A Kempis, Imitation of Christ
A drop of water has the tastes of the water of the seven seas: there is no need to experience all the ways of worldly life. The reflections of the moon on one thousand rivers are from the same moon: the mind must be full of light. - Hung Tzu-ch'eng
Pictures are copyrighted by Mary Ann Sterling
Va. Carper
June 29, 2004