31 Comments

❤️👍

Expand full comment

Thank you Sharon

Expand full comment

Stunning photos that bring another gorgeous element to your words and message.

Expand full comment

thank you Paulette

Expand full comment

According to my 'saves' Karen, you provide my favorite thing on the web. 'I wonder' if you know that? Don't know how you will ever top today's post. As others have said, I will be returning to it, again and again, regardless of Tuesday's outcome. I happened to be listening to a recording of Arthur Rubenstein playing a reflective portion of Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons' while viewing your post. It was especially enjoyable while watching the mist video. I cannot list all of my favorites today. Each and every bit of your 'I Wonder' story is so beautifully illustrated with your (that's right your!) just right photos of the world out there, just waiting for each of us to take notice. Truly a favorite post!

Expand full comment

Thank you Sandy!

Expand full comment

Beautiful writing and photography, Karen. Especially the exquisite consecutive photos of the Red Shouldered Hawk.

On Election Day and the days that follow closely behind, I wonder what it would be like to be a Great Blue Heron, posing in still life, staring off into the distance. Since I have already voted, I am going to find myself a nice comfortable log, over looking a quiet bay and make a concerted effort to think of nothing at all.

Expand full comment

Thank you Lor - it's a great time to be like a heron.

Expand full comment

The colors of a trees leaves show when there is no longer chlorophyll to mask the color. Those oranges, reds, yellows and bronzes are there all the time, covered by its miraculous energy producing green. I assume trees know losing their leaves is part of a cycle as they have already grown buds for spring.

Thank you Karen for bringing us back to our humanity.

Expand full comment

Thank you Sharon - that's fascinating, I didn't know that!

Expand full comment

Thank you for the offering of peace, wonder, and curiosity .

Expand full comment

Thank you Deborah

Expand full comment

Your train of thought, Karen, was so clear in your share. Your images are tied perfectly to your words and thoughts. “Not all who wonder are lost.” I think you perfectly illustrate the truth of that saying.

Your mentioning/imaging of a female kingfisher brought to mind that I hear one almost every day. A thick stand of several oak species overlooks a stormwater pond (the water level of which is rapidly shrinking!) that attracts many species. The thick oak tree canopy makes spotting most birds difficult. I’ve begun using the Merlin Bird ID app on my phone. When the birds have something to say I just sit with my dog and begin recording. Seeing the app’s results heartens me to know these species are present in our area.

Your image of the female Belted Kingfisher drew my attention to the white feathers near the wingtip! They resembles native Snowbells! Powered by flower power.

I liked that you shared your wisdom on making judgements of others based on having no knowledge of them. Yet they are our neighbors, perhaps dear friends of others we know.

The WaPo article you shared provided a framework from which to approach difficult times. Not just Election Day. And WONDER was a key part of the process. With all the pre-election catastrophizing in social media feeds I usually enjoy, limiting my exposure to same is mandatory.

I can’t thank you enough for your daily posts that require my sitting and concentrating on your offerings. And I take them with me into my day. 🙏🏽

Expand full comment

Oh I love that the kingfisher feathers resemble snowbells! And merlin sound Id is great! Thank you Gary.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Karen, for this amazing pre-election post. I plan to repost this tomorrow in my Monday morning cup of thoughts to share with my readers and reread it myself in the next few days.

Expand full comment

Thank you Sue

Expand full comment

Absolute best pre-election post I've read ... thank you! And I love how creatively you led us into that. I'm going to read and re-read this over the next couple of days. Masterful, Karen!

Expand full comment

Thank you Jeanne

Expand full comment

I wonder what the red tail hawk was thinking as it sat on the post.

Expand full comment

Ha ha - I often wonder what the birds are thinking!

Expand full comment

Thank you for the invitations to wonder....

Expand full comment

Thank you Leah

Expand full comment

Beautiful as always.

Expand full comment

Thank you Mary

Expand full comment

Wonderful essay, a medicine for many ills.

Expand full comment

Thank you Michael

Expand full comment

Our world needs more wonder and less assuming - thank you for the reminder to be curious, and for sharing your beautiful perspective on the world

Expand full comment

Thank you Alexa

Expand full comment

I wonder how long it will take humans to evolve to appreciate your perspective? I pray before it is too late...

Thank you for this compelling thinking and writing. You have a big brain & big heart Karen. Please keep showing us the way...

Expand full comment

Yes Karen. But not enough... yet.

Expand full comment

Oh Clark, so many have. Thank you! I'm glad I'm one of many and not the only one.

Expand full comment