Concert on the Green

Last night was a concert in our town. I walk there from home, feeling very European. Always take a picnic to listen to the music from the lawn. I lay down a rug and place my bandana quilt on top. Puts me right in the mood for a picnic! Took a pizza with spinach, calamata olives and feta cheese. Perfect for a summer evening.

The music isn't always my preference, but it doesn't matter. An Elvis sang to us, the children danced amongst themselves or with a parent, dogs walked, bubbles blew in the breeze. Even though I go alone, I am happy to be in the midst of it all. I met a dear family last night, talking with the mother and her children was wonderful. Those are the moments I feel connected to this world and perhaps that my purpose is to bring the promise of a light to others.

Summertime and the Kitties are Good!

I’m watching the kitties for my aunt and uncle, out of town for the weekend. The house cats are used to my visits and greet me as per normal. The outside kitties are such a treat! Blackjack has been a regular feral visitor in their yard for several years, coming and going on a rather regular basis. One day last fall he showed up with four kittens in tow. So they thought they ought to rename “him” to provide a more feminine name.

The kittens grew, as kittens do. They could be lost litter mates to my Bitty, though she is just a bit smaller. Near as we can tell, they must be about the same age. Aunt N shares the stories of their playing and growing in the back yard. She was determined to catch them this spring for neutering. After several attempts, she was able to get all of them captured for their operations. What a surprise to learn that Blackjack is male after all! Tomcats always have such a poor reputation for being mean, but he was determined to save his kittens (they are all almost exact replicas of him) after their mother apparently couldn’t. He knew just the right spot, the place he’d visited in Aunt N’s yard! Now he never leaves and the kittens are deeply rooted there. They play in the yard, eat rather well on the deck, and scoot under the gazebo at the slightest sign of danger.

While feeding them the past few days I’ve been surprised they let me get as close to them as I do. I talk, they listen, seem to appreciate my visits, but then, I am putting new food in clean dishes for them! Even Blackjack will allow me to talk to him. He hissed a bit at first, but I just opened my heart to him and he seems to accept me now. He lets the kittens eat first.

Extraordinary April Morning

An ordinary April morning.  Until I decided to make it extraordinary.  So I made crepes for breakfast.  Totally unplanned, but I was reading and thinking about making days special.  Not just the holidays and special events and occassions.  The ordinary days where we live our lives.  Our lives are just the moment, the here and now, not the past, not the future.  That makes every day a day that should have something extraordinary about it.  So I decided to make crepes for Derrick so he would wake up to a special breaksfast with me.Needless to say, Derrick was thrilled to be greeted with the crepes for breakfast.  My son has always been a discerning eater!  Made me happy to use my china for breakfast, too.  So what if I only used the top two in the stack? It didn't take that much longer to clean up after we finished eating.  Especially when I consider that these are the memories of ordinary days that he'll take with him when he goes on in life.  Mornings that we shared a nice meal together, making it special just for the two of us. 

Entertainment provided by Bitty.  Music by Bach.

Heaven's a Little Closer at the Lake

Sometimes it’s hard to tell where the lake ends and the sky begins. Looking over the lake from the deck on a chilly morning and thinking there isn’t a better way to start the day. A quiet house, a cup of tea, my journal and the view. Life simply can’t be better than this.

When I look at the lake, especially with the sky reflected in the water I wonder which is more real. Is it the sky with the clouds? Or is it the water itself? Imagine, looking down on the water from above and seeing yourself floating there. Is that how Spirit views Spirit?

It won’t be long until the green returns to earth and trees. Already birds are beginning to twitter and fly, letting us know warm weather isn’t far beyond our grasp. Trees will bloom with color, flowers will pop everywhere. The willow trees are greening, the daffodils give us hope.

Spring break has started. One full week without the students! Yippee!! Not going away this year. Just clearing up, spring cleaning, working on some creative projects, and getting ready for the last 7-8 weeks of school. And so another year goes by. How does that happen so quickly?

How I love Sundays! This morning was perfect. Up later than usual, but not so late as to feel guilty about it. I made a batch of blueberry scones for breakfast. It was a recipe my sister gave to me. It called for dried cranberries, but I had some fresh blueberries from the market and they called to me, asking for the substitution. Derrick loved the scones. It makes me feel happy when I make something he likes so much. I remember my delight when he would say, "Mmmm!" long before he could talk. He had four for breakfast. Then, as he told me later, another as an appetizer before lunch!

Yesterday I had a surprise visit with a friend that was passing through town on her way back from a conference. It was good to see her because she has recently gone through a breakup, following a relationship of nearly 7 years. I was glad to see her because I was able to really get a good reading on how she is feeling and doing.
"A friend well may be reckoned a masterpiece of nature." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Follows a note I sent to her this morning . . . "I am thankful that you are doing as well as you are. I thing that it is a testament that you are definitely ready for this next pahse in your life. Wondrous may it be! Be kind to yourself as you acknowledge that these days will bring a fluctuation of feelings. Anger, remorse, guilt, sorrow, happiness, relief, and so many more. This is all natural. Let the feelings flow through you as they need to do that you may move on. Don't get stuck on any one that might try to trap you. As you purge your emails and drawers, you will make room for new ventures, creative winds, and the like to enter into your life. Remember, all relationships have a time a time, a place, and a reason. As you think about your relationship with G, you will come to see that it was right . . . It was one that helped you bridge the difficult time in losing your father. It was one that had interesting place, over two continents! How exciting is that? And the reason? Perhaps one that helped you come to grips over the two places that have been most important in your life? An intellecutal stimulation that will fill your thoughts and soul for days to come . . . help you determine what it is you really want in this life. The words exchanged on paper between the two of you may become something of a story on its own, don't you think?"

Now, why can't I see this as good advice for myself as I strive to overcome my own lost relationship? Time, place, and reason. If it works for B, shouldn't it work for me? Certainly something worth considering.

Deep peace of the running wave to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.

adapted from ancient Gaelic Runes

Who says that only Ireland can be emerald? Thankfully there are many beautiful green spaces in central Indiana! Even though it will be several weeks until we can see green like this again, it is surely on the way!

Last night celebrated St. Patrick's day quietly at home. The best way, in my opinion! I made an Irish stew especially for Derrick. It was good, but the smell was absolutely heavenly. Of course, my traditional Irish soda bread helped that along. I found some lovely cheeses at the grocery that were good accompaniments. One was a Dubliner cheese from Kerrygold, buttery and smooth. The other was a beer cheese, which Derrick thought much better.