I watched a beautiful sunrise this morning.  In a short ten minutes, I observed changes that will never happen again.  The clouds will not be in the same formation and the colors will not be the same.  It was a once in a life time experience.  Sure, the sun will rise again but it will not be exactly the same as this morning.

The sunrises and sunsets over the past few days have been phenomenal.  It makes one think about how lucky we are to live where we do.  The wide open spaces, fresh air and natural beauty should not be taken for granted.  There are many people that live in smog-filled, crowded spaces where the air masks the colors of the morning/evening and wide open spaces do not exist.  I couldn't imagine how that would be.  

When I went out to refill the deer food dish and the bird feeders, the dew from overnight glistened in the morning sun.  In the areas that the sun's rays did not reach, frosty crystals were clinging to the leaves.  The ninebarks in my yard are bursting with fall color and the insects are still out and about.  I had to stop and take in the backyard scenes.

Last night the wildlife was abundant on my drive home.  It was getting dark but it was still light enough to see them in the fields.  Just a short distance from town, a cow moose and her yearling twins were creating a 'moose-jam' on the township road.  Mama and one youngster jumped the fence as my vehicle and another approached.  The second calf ran along the fence line until there was a spot where the fence was not as high.  Without any effort, it scaled the fence and joined its family.  What a beautiful sight!  The occupants in the other vehicle and I watched as the moose stood and allowed us to observe them.

Further up the road, two white tail deer came out of the ditch and crossed the road.  The doe ran but the the fawn stopped until I was about 20 feet away.  Talk about a 'deer in the headlights'.  It must have known that I saw it from a distance and was slowing to a stop and was not in any danger.

As I thought back to the wildlife observations of last night, the beauty of the sunrise, the morning dew and the frost covered leaves, I felt an immense gratitude for where I reside.