Howdy Folks, this is @zambereileen, posting from the mountains of Southern Oregon, USA. The weather is changing today, bringing to us the windy cool weather that many associate with fall in the Pacific Northwest. It has been warmer than usual for the past few weeks, with no signs of rain forecast. For the past two winters we have had very little snowfall, with subsequent hot, dry summers. This has led to drought conditions, rampant wildfires throughout the American West, and low waters in our reservoirs. My family lives very near two mountain lakes, which we often visit when we tire of life’s difficulties and need a temporary escape. We are fortunate that such freedom is minutes away, where we can walk upon the lake shore and empty our minds of all but the natural world around us. There, silence can be found, broken only by the calls of soaring herons and the warning shrieks from nesting eagles. The waters have drastically receded due to the persistent drought conditions. The boat docks are landlocked, and what was once a vast and deep reservoir teaming with bass and trout has been reduced to a dwindling mud puddle. Even so, there is a majestic yet humbled beauty that resonates throughout the land. As if reminding us that nature is cyclical, drought and famine will be replaced by feasts and plenty, that summer fades to winter and for all things there is a season.Today I briefly escaped from the never-ending deluge of duty and chores to walk along the water’s edge. I wandered aimlessly for a while, letting my bare toes sink into the muddy earth, searching for unearthed lithic treasure and letting my mind wander beyond. I pondered the nature of things, prayed for a winter heavy with rain and snow, and said goodbye to the torrid and parched days of summer.