Mother Nature has been brutal this summer in my neck of the woods.  First there was a hail storm in late May that damaged homes and cars, then a horrific storm in early July with wind shear that took down 1,500 trees in my community and left us without power.  September has brought Hurricane Irene and just this past week, the remnants of tropical storm Lee which caused torrential rains and flooding.  Today I needed to go out and take a walk to try and appreciate the beauty in the world around me and de-stress.  The lake was very peaceful – just a couple people on the beach and a boat or two on the water .  Soon these boats will be removed and the docks pulled in preparation for winter.  I hope to enjoy the last days of summer here as much as I can!