Touching beauty
even in those darkest places
gives hope of what’s possible.
shine ornament
lights ornaments 2
Long nights & chill factors;
retreating deep inside
touching roots, holding firm.
leaf ormaments
fruit ornament
Expressing beauty already present
patiently revealed on leafless branches
clearly seen even by the blind.
Like trees, let us proudly
parade our ornaments,
especially our calm smile,
for the world to behold.
lights ornaments
berry ornaments
lemon ornaments
We are children of the earth. We rely on the earth, and the earth relies on us. Whether the earth is beautiful, fresh and green, or arid and parched, depends on our way of walking. Please touch the earth in mindfulness, with joy and concentration. The earth will heal you, and you will heal the earth. ~Thich Nhat Hanh (Your True Home)
smilecalm 
Your photos are so beautiful. Such beauty. Your words are gentle and poignant. And I love the quote at the end, of course.
Calm smiling to you, David.
Mary
makes me happy experiencing
your kind, bright presence, dear Mary!
may your day be well, david 🙂
Beautiful post 🙂
makes me happy
to receive your kind note, Irene!
wishing you a gentle, healing day 🙂
Thank you and healing vibes your way 🙂
Thank you for sharing such peace, light, and beauty, David, despite the fires that are burning. Sending you blessings and gratitude for the reminder to smile and walk lovingly on our shared earth. ❤
i’m happy to receive your kind gift
of light & beauty, dear Carol!
so wonderful that we can walk
on this earth at the same time 🙂
Superb photos and sensitive, insightful poetry, as always, David. All good wishes for the holidays and the new year!
thank you Tom
for being a bright light
& kind support 🙂
who needs
Xmas trees
when we have persimmons
that it’s a neighbor’s
tree makes me
even happier!
wishing you
brightness, Tippy 🙂
You show us the glorious trees
Their ornaments of bright fruits,
Grasses that glow and weave
What else can we, children of the earth desire.
miriam
i’m smiling to your
kind words encouraging
simple truth’s, miriam!
this would be a most
wonderful holiday campaign 🙂
You know how to play with words, David. Wonderful words with lovely pictures.
thank you, dear Rupali!
as i look at the pictures
and think of something to say,
seems the words
play with me 🙂
i love these David!…i love nature and you’ve captured it beautifully again ~ smiles hedy 😀
smiling to your kindness, dear hedy!
i push the button
& the camera, magically
knows what to do 🙂
☺️💫🤓😀🤗 well seen David 🧐💫
Lovely persimmons!
Lovely words!
Thank you, Tom!
Neighbor’s gifted the fruit
& the fruit gifted the words 🙂
Thank you for this incredibly beautiful post, David. The photos are wonderful, especially that persimmon tree! My day got off to a rocky start through miscommunication. I received my Parallax book order this week, and after doing some reiki for my other and myself, I felt better. Then I picked up Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, “How to Fight.” I read the first few pages, and I was able to let go almost completely of the upset and pain.
smiling to your kind reflection, dear Sunny!
i’ve not seen that book yet
and i’m wondering if Thay
suggests sticks & stones, this time,
or again, greater insights
such as deep listening
& loving speech 🙂
This is beautiful David, and yes, may we all touch our Earth with mindfulness. as we reach out ever more mindful of each other..
Beauty in every pixel of your photos..
Wishing you Love and Peace as you enjoy your weekend David. 🙂 💚
my pixels are shining to your mindful kindness, dear Sue!
so wonderful we can share
the fruits of our practice
and behold the day’s beauty 🙂
Indeed, a most beautiful day, even if here today we have a blizzard.. 😀 Take care David, and it was my pleasure 🙂
What a beautiful post, David. Thanks so much! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your ornamentation
with me, Linda 🙂
Thanks for another insightful and uplifting message, David. I hold onto the belief, expressed so well in your opening verses: “Touching beauty / even in those darkest places / gives hope of what’s possible.”
There is much beauty and goodness in the hearts of humankind to drive out the darkness that seeks to dominate our world.
thank you for your beautiful words
of encouragement to embrace
my own advice, dear Rosaliene 🙂
Feeling the healing in your calm smile today David. The earth is my healing ground and I walk with reverence each day 🍀🍁🌿🎄
makes me smile knowing
you walk so reverently, Karen
on the ground that supports us all 🙂
Such beautiful captures David. Feeling grateful for your keen eye and words and how they reflects the goodness of nature and our being, 💛
smiling at the beauty
you’ve ornamented
this post with, Val 🙂
Touching beauty
even in those darkest places
gives hope of what’s possible.
David. (((HUGS))) Thank you for these words and for this enLIGHTening post. 💝🎄💝
makes me happy
you’re able to use your light
& shine into & transform
those dark places, Amy 🙂
Wowowow!!!!
Thank you for the reminder…..
There is beauty everywhere – if I just remember to keep looking for it.
thank you for your bright kindness, Eliza!
after several calm, deep breaths in awareness
beauty within can be revealed 🙂
Nature’s ornaments
Always the best!
Beautiful photos,
Thank you. 😄
such beauty
you offer, Betty!
just ripe for
the picking 🙂
thank you David for this calm and hopeful offering
Makes me happy, Micheal
that you experience
calm & hope!
May it continue
into the darkness 🙂
We are one, the Earth and us. Listen carefully for it has a tale to tell. This post touches my heart.
makes me happy experiencing
being at one with other ones
as kind and inspired as you, Michele 🙂
Another beautiful post David. I especially like the weeds that shine golden in the autumn night.
smiling to your ornamental light
combined with those grasses
at sunset, Susan 🙂
I enjoy all your posts, David. But this one is especially beautiful – the words and the photos. Love that Thich Nhat Hanh quote!
i’m honored that you’ve
been offering your light
to my posts, dear JoAnna!
wishing you a peaceful holiday
time adorned with happiness 🙂
🙂 Thank you for those lovely wishes. I wish you blessings and peace, David.
Beautiful. 🙂
trees & me
thank you
for sharing
your ornament 🙂
Trees and you are welcome. 😀
Natures ornaments look so graceful as they gently remain on the branches. Have a joyful day.
oh, thank you, Shobhna
for this kind understanding!
twas quite tempting
to eat those ornaments 🙂
Somehow nature’s ornaments are more luminous that our electric ones. Warmest wishes to you, David, for the holiday season.
thank you!
they do dance
with the sunlight!
a joyful holiday time
for you, too, Julie 🙂
That ornamental persimmon is a thing to behold! With metta for you David, and all best wishes, Hariod.
thank you for your kind words & supportive presence, dear Hariod!
wishing you a day ornamented with happiness & colourful fruit 🙂
What a lovely post, David, embracing the beauties of the earth and its inhabitants. I love seeing persimmons trees this time of year in northern California, and this one you present is the biggest and most abundant specimen I have ever seen. Always a joy to be here, thank you.
thank you for receiving this fruity
ornamental expression in the joyful
spirit it is offered, dear Jet!
wishing you warm ease & loving support
during this chilly, holiday period 🙂
Well done and well said.
thank you for your kindness, rezinate!
i spent many years living & working
on the rez.
may you be well & happy 🙂
Beautiful David!
Ornaments and beauty are
everywhere if we have
the heart to see it.
Thank you for sharing
the beauty your heart sees.
Alison
i’m grateful hearing your joyfully
adorning ornamental
words of the heart, Alison
wishing you peaceful,
warmth on these long nights 🙂
Even the word persimmon is magical. Thank you for showing me nature’s holiday decorating. She is ceaselessly dazzling.
With a smile for your eyes and heart,
Celia
smiling to your kind holiday
ornament, Celia!
Like a persimmon
& not like a persimmon 🙂
Your photos and poetic words merge
Hang delicately,
Like the natural ornaments appear here,
and while mixing human and earth 🌏
into a continuous experience,
eliciting
smile calm 🙂
and healing togetherness,
Symbiosis
Peaceful
thank you, dear Ka!
may your holiday
be light & relaxing 🙂
The persimmon tree image with its joyful exuberance really jumps out of the screen! Lovely images and words 🙂
makes me happy that you like them, dear Meanderer!
wishing you a joyful holiday 🙂
Thank you! Wishing you a wonderful holiday, also 🙂
a visited peace in your photos, in your words, in your heart
i’m happy to receive your kind words, Lara/Trace!
happy, joyful holiday wishes to you, david 🙂
A beautiful, festive, uplifting poem. (You are really good at this!)
thank you for this uplifting comment, JoAnn!
wishing you happy, relaxed holidays 🙂
I hope the fire is subsiding right now, leaving its message without harm to you or your home. it is true that we want the earth to take care of us but we need to take care of the earth also.
thank you for this kind, caring earthly expression, JC!
wishing you peaceful holiday relaxation.
Aren’t the natural decorations the prettiest 🙂
Hope you have a delightful December. Happy Christmas, peace and love .
yes, i like the natural ones, myself!
wishing you holiday happiness
and relaxation 🙂
Thank you so much! Have a great end of the year and a Happy 2018!
hello smilecalm its dennis the vizsla dog hay my dada sez if he wuz arownd that persimmon tree he wood tayk down sum of the ornamints and eet them!!! i did not no yoo cud eet ornamints but aparently sumtimes yoo kan!!! i wunder if they ar all mint flayvord and that is why they call them ornamints??? ok bye
hope dada likes the persimmons. thayr good in cookies, too. better than plastic ornmints !
happy, restful holiday, dear doggie 🙂
David, a wonderful post, pictorially beautiful and the words full of hope and promise. The quote at the end is moving and profound.
I see you even managed to sneak your blog name into your words….reversed!!😀 ‘Calm smile’. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 🎄😀
‘Like trees, let us proudly
parade our ornaments,
especially our calm smile,
for the world to behold.’
thank you for recognizing my little
way with words and ornaments, dear Annika!
wishing you happiness, joy & relaxation
now, and straight into the new year 🙂
Nice displays. 🙂
your recognition
makes me
& the fruits
happy, Ben!
happy holiday
to you, david 🙂
Thank you. You and yours too.
What beautiful words and what lovely pictures. Yes we have to tread carefully on mother earth and treat her well for the generations to come. Thank you for sharing your words and pictures with us. Much Love and Light from me 🙂 ❤
grateful for your kind review, dear deepanilamani!
wishing you happy, soft, peaceful light, david 🙂
So colorful and gorgeous 🙂
makes me happy
you find it so, dear joshi 🙂
The trees are so amazing! Nature celebrates the season in your lovely post.
My favorite words:
Long nights & chill factors;
retreating deep inside
touching roots, holding firm.
Happy Holidays, David! xo
thank you for kindly
celebrating with the persimmons, dear Rose!
wishing you warm, relaxed holiday fun 🙂
The photos are great; especially the first one is stunning. I love persimmons, the fruit itself but also the leaves in the fall. Unfortunately, our tree got damaged this year but hopefully, it will recover next year.