Lessons from the fall rain

Golden hour lights up the grassy bike trail along the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

I’m beginning to appreciate the many layers of fall.

It seems like yesterday that I was moping about the heat of summer leaving us. It packed its shades and sunscreen and just flat out left our country seemingly overnight, leaving leaves all over the place in complete haste. The nerve!

The grassy trails and forest during a bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net
I guess that meant while I moped about being home all summer, I must have enjoyed something about it, huh?

Why yes… yes I did. It was an amazingly long endless summer of forest bike ride adventures that never seemed to end.

Golden hour lights up the grassy bike trail along the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

At one point, I got home after a ride, thought about what I was actually getting to do every. single. day. and verbally said out loud while wearing a slightly fatigued smile, “Whew… I’m getting tired!”

Believe you me… it was a joy-filled tired.

Gorgeous fall flower blooms in a forest bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

One very big summer perk? I got to experience our river run dry to the point of providing hundreds of private secluded beaches.

What was the problem about summer again?!

I can name a few things. Like our smoke-filled skies resulting in a bright orange sun through the weeks of haze.

But at least that forest fire wasn’t flickering in my backyard, right?

Country meadow with black cows in a grassy field, during a bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

As it stands, today is pouring rain. In fact, we’re due for rain all week long. And no doubt those private beaches are about to turn into one raging river shortly.

I’m inside the house, now WISHING I could be on that cooler weathered trail watching those shiny black cows in the meadow enjoying the fall sunshine.

Water fowl lining a log in the wetlands, during a bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

The thing is, when I was enjoying this bike ride, I had been wishing it was a little warmer.

As I watch sheets of rain fall onto my thirsty lawn today, when I captured these ducks enjoying their family reunion, I forgot about the brisk air.

The gorgeous layered wetlands forest spotted during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

Pictures tell such a story don’t they? Shooting is like painting art with a camera lens.

I’ll be coasting through an area when IT smacks me front and centre. I have to dismount the bike and capture that moment. Just have to. It’s like putting a little piece of that layered wetlands magic inside my pocket and taking it home.

The gorgeous layered wetlands forest spotted during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

Then after that click, satisfaction takes over and I take a moment to be INSIDE that picture. The camera goes back into the bike basket, then study the area. Listen to the sounds of nature and fully appreciate the incredible perfect oil painting in real life right before me. How lucky am I!

Picture taking encourages you to live in the moment. Ever notice that?

Note to self: carry a camera a little more…

The forest during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net
Riding through these trails resembles a fairytale storybook.  There’s river, country, forest, bridges… it’s never the same for very long.

Who needs Neflix?

Scratch that. I need both.

Lush forest greenery during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net

A rainy fall day certainly has me appreciating these sunnier fall days!

So why then do I allow myself to ‘wish it was warmer?’ when now that I look back, that brisk sunny day was absolutely perfect as is?

Lush ferns growing on a tree, spotted during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net
I suppose it’s a matter of fully accepting a change I have no control over.

While planning and goals are fine and well and even imperative, living IN the moment really does matter. I think it matters the most.

Because, if we’re always wishing for the next best thing, we may miss out on the best thing that’s happening to us right now.

Especially since are not guaranteed a tomorrow.

What if right now IS the best we get?

We’d better scramble to appreciate it… or make some changes so we can.

Lush ferns growing on a tree, spotted during a fall bike ride through the Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net
Ok fall rain, I get it. You taught me a valuable lesson today. So I’m going to appreciate why you are falling and what I can do to make the most of it.

I get why fall has layers. It’s so we aren’t stuck on one page for too long.

We get to experience gusty wind storms that, while we’ll ultimately have raking to do later, the rain of vibrant leaves is a sight to behold.

The cool brisk sunshine that encourages us to go explore outdoors, forgetting about the pile of dishes in the sink. For the moment.

Oh, the colors! While summer brings petals in full bloom, we now get to enjoy leaves in technicolor!

And ultimately rain. It may hold us hostage indoors moreso, however there is nothing quite like the sound of rain pounding on the roof. (just not for weeks on end, ok?) Perhaps I’ll even light up the fireplace…

Changing seasons is like a storybook, flipping to a new page every moment.

Gifting us with so many new opportunities to not only talk about, but to actually LIVE our best life possible, every step of the way.

A sunset overlooking the train bridge from Vedder River Rotary Trail in Chilliwack, BC Canada | funkyjunkinteriors.net
What’s not to love about fall again?

Besides… summer is just around the corner… (smacks typing hands)

Are you good at moment by moment living, or are you more of a goal setter? What’s your secret to an enjoyable life?
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Categories: Fall, Photo Shoots, Photography, Seasonal, Sights where I live
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11 thoughts on “Lessons from the fall rain

  1. Donna, your photos are fabulous! I’m truly enjoying your eye behind the camera.

    We had several inches of hail cover the ground today in South Surrey, a harbinger of winter to come, so again, your photos of autumn made me appreciate the season and all the little changes that are occurring.

  2. Donna,
    When I look at the pictures of where you live, why would you ever want to leave there? It is absolutely beautiful, truly like a fairy tale. Be content where God plants you, there is a reason for it!

  3. I enjoy your photos and your narrative of the seasons. Looking forward to Fall once this heat wave leaves us here in southeast Georgia.
    Happy Fall to you!

  4. Sadly, I have to really work at living in the moment. With a type “A” personality, I like to plan, organize, etc. When I do take time out to hike in the woods, for example, I find taking photos a distraction to enjoying those moments, so it was interesting to me to read that’s how you enjoy them. That’s not meant to criticize, by the way, just Interesting how we’re all so different. Your photos are very pretty!

  5. Love the photos…such a peaceful, quiet, mysterious place (in the heavier woods); rain does make all that possible. Beautiful country. Thanks for sharing.

  6. Beautiful Photos. Why don’t you make some rustic old wood frames for them?
    You can get photos blown up to BIG sizes for just a few dollars.

    • Such a great idea Nylene, thanks! I think for that I’m going to start bringing my ‘good camera’ out there every now and then… curious to see what they’d look like in comparison. I’m using a good quality point and shoot but lots of detail seems to be missing when I compare what my other camera can do. Thanks for the nudge!

  7. Hi Donna. Beautiful photos. I am very much a moment person but I do, for sure, plan for the tomorrows. Today, this moment is all we really do have and I love your way of explaining that concept. Thank you for sharing. Blessings and smiles.

  8. Very aptly worded. From your words and photos one can tell that you were gifted with a wonderful summer and a spirit open to it. You have grown. I am generally the type that lives life one day at a time. While raising our large family I was given the gift of flexibility and an acquired ability to let go. It was a learning curve which I was able to accomplish with God’s grace. But now I am trying to still be that way and it’s harder. I was comfortably in my element raising a family but not so comfortably in “The” element now. I am going on a new learning curve. Goodness but I think I will be ‘growing’ again. Thanks for a wonderful post. Hope your son and brother and sister are well.

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