Category Archives: Nature in All Its Glory

Wild Geese

Posted on May 25, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

I want to let my imagination seek out the world I live in and my place in it. Mary Oliver shared the wonderful idea that we are but one in the greater world we live in. Take care and enjoy a wonderful Sabbath.

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

6 Comments

Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath and tagged community, creativity, Mary Oliver, Mindful Practice, nature, sabbath, spirituality, teacher as transformer, wild geese. Bookmark the permalink.

Directions

Posted on May 13, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

Several years ago, I was in a small city Medicine Hat, Alberta. I was lost and stopped several people for directions. The second half of this poem by Connie Wanek reminded me of some of the directions I received. I eventually found my way.

Today, as a I read this poem, I wondered if the second half of the poem’s directions were not the ones I need some days. Occasionally, t is nice to wander. A river that winds its way through the landscape meanders. I wonder why we don’t do that more as humans? When I got to the last line about approaching the horizon on my knees it reminded me of the things I take for granted and do not take time to just meander towards.

First you’ll come to the end of the freeway.
Then it’s not so much north on Woodland Avenue
as it is a feeling that the pines are taller and weigh more,
and the road, you’ll notice,
is older with faded lines and unmown shoulders.
You’ll see a cemetery on your right
and another later on your left.
Sobered, drive on.
Drive on for miles
if the fields are full of hawkweed and daisies.
Sometimes a spotted horse
will gallop along the fence. Sometimes you’ll see
a hawk circling, sometimes a vulture.
You’ll cross the river many times
over smaller and smaller bridges.
You’ll know when you’re close;
people always say they have a sudden sensation
that the horizon, which was always far ahead,
is now directly behind them.
At this point you may want to park
and proceed on foot, or even
on your knees.

12 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Reflective Moments and tagged Connie Wanek, creativity, Directions, eloquent questions, Medicine Hat, Mindful Practice, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Fishing in the Keep of Silence

Posted on May 12, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

I crave a certain quiet and solitude each week. Linda Gregg wrote this remarkable poem about God taking a break as well. I am glad to hear that God is enjoys poetry. I suspect God takes a sabbath to renew the poetic and artistic energies required for the continued unfolding of the universe and for it to go ahead beautifully. In the silence, we fish for the wisdom that keeps our lives unfolding and proceeding beautifully.

There is a hush now while the hills rise up

and God is going to sleep. He trusts the ship

of Heaven to take over and proceed beautifully

as he lies dreaming in the lap of the world.

He knows the owls will guard the sweetness

of the soul in their massive keep of silence,

looking out with eyes open or closed over

the length of Tomales Bay that the herons

conform to, whitely broad in flight, white

and slim in standing. God, who thinks about

poetry all the time, breathes happily as He

repeats to Himself: There are fish in the net,

lots of fish this time in the net of the heart.

14 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath and tagged creativity, Fishing in the Keep of Silence, Linda Gregg, Mindful Practice, poetry, sabbath, solitude, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Splendor

Posted on April 27, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

“More often than not splendor is the star we orbit without a second thought, especially as it arrives and departs.” Thomas Centolella offered that line in the poem Splendor. I stop occasionally and recall what is good about this life; family, a fulfilling vocation, and friends found along the journey. Most days, I travel this orbit rather mindlessly and I need a momentary and mindful pause which brings my world into sharper focus.

Be mindful, weary traveler, be mindful of what you have and hold it close while you can.

One day it’s the clouds,
one day the mountains.
One day the latest bloom
of roses – the pure monochromes,
the dazzling hybrids – inspiration
for the cathedral’s round windows.
Every now and then
there’s the splendor
of thought: the singular
idea and its brilliant retinue –
words, cadence, point of view,
little gold arrows flitting
between the lines.
And too the splendor
of no thought at all:
hands lying calmly
in the lap, or swinging
a six iron with effortless
tempo. More often than not
splendor is the star we orbit
without a second thought,
especially as it arrives
and departs. One day
it’s the blue glassy bay,
one day the night
and its array of jewels,
visible and invisible.
Sometimes it’s the warm clarity
of a face that finds your face
and doesn’t turn away.
Sometimes a kindness, unexpected,
that will radiate farther
than you might imagine.
One day it’s the entire day
itself, each hour foregoing
its number and name,
its cumbersome clothes, a day
that says come as you are,
large enough for fear and doubt,
with room to spare: the most secret
wish, the deepest, the darkest,
turned inside out.

There is some of most of what the poet refers to in that picture.

14 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Reflective Moments and tagged creativity, Mindful Practice, nature, photography, poetry, spirituality, Splendor, teacher as transformer, Tom Centolella. Bookmark the permalink.

Art and Haiku

Posted on April 9, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

We are artists the Fridays we attend. I am not an artist, but have the good fortune to have parents who contribute and are quite artistic. A number of the students are good artists as well. Our first artistic venture was Grid Art. I included a couple of pictures today with a little poetry along with images. I used my cell phone camera so I don’t think the pictures turned out well.

winged clouds above

contrasted against blueness

majestic in flight

Brilliant colour

Emerges from black richness

Ever expanding

7 Comments

Posted in Haiku, Lesson Plans, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry and tagged Art, arts, cosmos, creativity, education, Mindful Practice, nature, photography, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Fueled

Posted on January 8, 2013 by ivonprefontaine

I thought I was ready to get into the swing of things after Christmas break, but I recovering from the blight of the time of the year-the flu. I feel better today, but took it pretty easy the last couple of days. I think tomorrow will be a transition day and the break ends on Wednesday.

I spent time in reflection, as best as that happen when medicated, and considered how rarely the small things in life, that make it incredible, are uplifted. I applaud human endeavours, and some of them are worthy, but forget the triumph of the unobservable. Marcie Hans provided this wonderful poem that shines a light on this dilemma.

Fueled
by a million
man-made
wings of fire-
the rocket tore a tunnel
through the sky-
and everybody cheered.
Fueled
only by a thought from God-
the seedling
urged its way
through thicknesses of black-
and as it pierced
the heavy ceiling of the soil-
and launched itself
up into outer space –
no
one
even
clapped.

–Marcie Hans

47 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged eloquent questions, Fueled, Marcie Hans, Mindful Practice, nature, servant-leadership, stewardship, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Winter Nights

Posted on December 1, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

It is December 1 and Christmas is just around the corner. The last few days I recalled what it was like in rural northern Alberta at this time of the year. We used to sit upstairs and look out the window on cold, cold nights shimmering with white. What caught my eye and ear was the magic provided by the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. They don’t appear in Edmonton as I recall them from my childhood memories. What message was in those celestial colours and sounds?

Small children–

Breathlessly wait,

Peer through frosted window

Soak it in.

Heavens ripple–

Lights undulated;

A celebratory fury

An indisputable guide.

This old house speaks;

Nature answers–

Crackles from the heavens

Sweet symphonic sounds.

Earth’s floor–

Blanketed in white

Celestial colours shimmer

Captures young eyes.

A vivid winter scene,

A sensual, sensory palette,

Reminds me–

Christ’s Mass draws near.

The photo came from Seven Wonders of Canada.

17 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Poetry, Sabbath, Uncategorized and tagged Chistmas, creativity, eloquent questions, Mindful Practice, nature, poetry, teacher as transformer, winter, winter scene. Bookmark the permalink.

Be Alive

Posted on November 15, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I enjoy the counter cultural nature of Parker Palmer’s writing and the concepts in the Art of Hosting. I write about Parker‘s work often and he describes the listening we need to do to our inner teacher and others as counter cultural. When we invite people into conversation, listen deeply, and ask questions which shake our certainty about the world the same applies.

Today, I walked to the top of Cates Hill here on Bowen Island. It was spectacular. A colleague took this picture as I was writing. Notice I am on high ground and wearing sandals. I got up there of my accord

Perched pensively

Pencil in hand;

My senses alive

I awake–

Aware.

Sounds flow,

A breeze caresses,

Sunlight bathes,

Peaceful moments–

I bask in each.

11 Comments

Posted in Leadership, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Uncategorized and tagged Art of Hosting, Bowen Island, community, creativity, leadership, Mindful Practice, nature, Parker Palmer, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

The Right Moment Arrived

Posted on November 7, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

We were hit by a somewhat unexpected winter storm today. The forecasters predicted it for parts of northern Alberta, but it slumped towards Edmonton. Driving was slow, but I took my time and arrived on time, just when I was supposed to arrive. Sometimes in the fog or blizzard of life’s busyness, I lose my way. We are into report cards and we have the latest system designed just for us. I was not very happy yesterday and was letting stress get to me. Today, I took a message from nature and slowed down and it got done.

It arrived–

A winter storm

Unexpected,

I felt unsure

Slow down.

Grasping frantically,

Busyness overtakes

I let go

I arrive on time

In the very moment that just arrived.

16 Comments

Posted in Education, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Synchronicity and tagged creativity, education, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Dance of the Soul

Posted on October 8, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Kathy and I went to the farm yesterday and shared Thanksgiving with Kathy’s niece. We took advantage of a nice day for a walk to the old house and down to a slough on the property. Along the way, we came across a doe. She was skittish and it took time and effort to get a picture. It is hunting season in Alberta so that might be part of the skittishness, but, also this doe has a young one. We did not see the spring fawn, but the mother would stand, watch us, and, then take off, probably reassuring herself the fawn was safe and she served as a distraction.

It reminded me of Parker Palmer‘s book,The Hidden Wholeness. He compared the soul to a shy animal. Last Friday, during professional development, after a reference to the spiritual nature of life, I pointed out to a person spirituality is personal and private tentatively shared with our self first and, afterwards, with those we are closest to. I persisted and hope I left food for thought.

As Kathy and I walked, the deer reappeared several times and, despite attempts at being quiet and still, the deer remained shy and reluctant.

I sit quietly, with occasional great stillness, and my spirit, like the deer, runs for cover. In the midst of strangers and intruders, what else could be expected at moments of vulnerability like the hunting season or when we look to protect that which is closest to us.

Quiet and still

Camouflaged and vigilant

Remains in safe haven

Hidden from view

Protects the important

Distracts the intruders

Returns to its child.

I sit

Wait patiently

Soul peeks shyly

Moves tentatively

Waits for safety