Greeting the Day
I’m up, showered and ready to meet the day. Sweetened strawberries are waiting to go on our vanilla almond granola, both gathers at yesterday’s farmer’s market. It’s an old brick building, huge, from the turn of the century, nothing fancy by any means. It’s good to just get out and hustle along with the rest of the shoppers and vendors, getting an experience that’s more alive and less sterile than the average grocery store.
Today I’ll go to Roman’s birthday party. I look forward to seeing my in-town sisters Kay and Susan, just giving them a hug and watching the rest of family run around playing. I don’t plan to stay long, just share the meal and then head home to take care of other Sunday tasks I’ve set for myself.
We are having a fortunate spat of good weather, cool for this time of year and not humid. That combination is rare for late August, I can tell you. So I should be able to enjoy being outside for awhile and not get dizzy from the heat. Yay!
Yesterday, on the way home form the market, Gary and I stopped at an art supply store to get more gesso, to prep painting surfaces like canvas. Gary and I had an enjoyable visit with a young artist who works the store, someone who shares his knowledge and passion freely. It’s good to branch out and be included in the edge of the artists’ community here. It’s another direction for me, but it’s a connection to years-old forms of expression, going back to the late 60’s. It’s good to think about those times and the paintings I sold for rent in my younger days. It’s good to connect with another means of expression that doesn’t require words or food. It’s almost a kind of meditation, once the mind gets focused and in gear.
Right now the fan in front of the window is blowing cool air on me and I am feeling positive and energized. I wrestled with a big wad of anger last night, but had someone wise to talk to over the phone, so I managed to sleep deeply and without turmoil. This morning I feel no fear and am ready to embrace this one day for what it is, an opportunity to be free of surrounding weights and an opening for joy.
Butterflies are outside the window, courting the butterfly bushes. The air smells faintly of apple mint, freshly cut back form the walkway yesterday. Fat bees are working the fuzzy mint flowers. Petunia hanging baskets are revived and putting out new leaves and blooms, giving color when I need it. Even the scrawny rose hedge that keeps dog walkers on the sidewalk and out of my garden is putting out tender pink roses, not too showy, just doing their job. I can look up and not notice the weeds poking here and there, just trying to get a foothold. I think they are not long for this world but today even they can grow blissfully in the sunshine. Their time will come soon enough; no sense dwelling on it.
I hope everyone who reads this finds a way to celebrate the day with a spot of joy, whether it’s a contented pet or sunlight coming through the trees. Maybe if we relish what we have we’ll find strength to wade through high waters yet to come. Over miles and time, it is a source of power to know I have friends who care about the tiny details of my life. Today you get to know I am smiling and determined to get the most out of this day. I carry the sweet scent of each of you and the way you touch my life, a powerful shielding adornment for my expansive reality.
I’m grateful for the time and energy you all spend to stay connected.
Today I’ll go to Roman’s birthday party. I look forward to seeing my in-town sisters Kay and Susan, just giving them a hug and watching the rest of family run around playing. I don’t plan to stay long, just share the meal and then head home to take care of other Sunday tasks I’ve set for myself.
We are having a fortunate spat of good weather, cool for this time of year and not humid. That combination is rare for late August, I can tell you. So I should be able to enjoy being outside for awhile and not get dizzy from the heat. Yay!
Yesterday, on the way home form the market, Gary and I stopped at an art supply store to get more gesso, to prep painting surfaces like canvas. Gary and I had an enjoyable visit with a young artist who works the store, someone who shares his knowledge and passion freely. It’s good to branch out and be included in the edge of the artists’ community here. It’s another direction for me, but it’s a connection to years-old forms of expression, going back to the late 60’s. It’s good to think about those times and the paintings I sold for rent in my younger days. It’s good to connect with another means of expression that doesn’t require words or food. It’s almost a kind of meditation, once the mind gets focused and in gear.
Right now the fan in front of the window is blowing cool air on me and I am feeling positive and energized. I wrestled with a big wad of anger last night, but had someone wise to talk to over the phone, so I managed to sleep deeply and without turmoil. This morning I feel no fear and am ready to embrace this one day for what it is, an opportunity to be free of surrounding weights and an opening for joy.
Butterflies are outside the window, courting the butterfly bushes. The air smells faintly of apple mint, freshly cut back form the walkway yesterday. Fat bees are working the fuzzy mint flowers. Petunia hanging baskets are revived and putting out new leaves and blooms, giving color when I need it. Even the scrawny rose hedge that keeps dog walkers on the sidewalk and out of my garden is putting out tender pink roses, not too showy, just doing their job. I can look up and not notice the weeds poking here and there, just trying to get a foothold. I think they are not long for this world but today even they can grow blissfully in the sunshine. Their time will come soon enough; no sense dwelling on it.
I hope everyone who reads this finds a way to celebrate the day with a spot of joy, whether it’s a contented pet or sunlight coming through the trees. Maybe if we relish what we have we’ll find strength to wade through high waters yet to come. Over miles and time, it is a source of power to know I have friends who care about the tiny details of my life. Today you get to know I am smiling and determined to get the most out of this day. I carry the sweet scent of each of you and the way you touch my life, a powerful shielding adornment for my expansive reality.
I’m grateful for the time and energy you all spend to stay connected.