13. Monday meander

Fuzzy wuzzy.

Day and night gifts keep pelting down on us.  If we were aware of this, gratefulness would overwhelm us.  But we go through life in a daze.  A power failure makes us aware of what a gift electricity is; a sprained ankle lets us appreciate walking as a gift, a sleepless night, sleep.  How much we are missing in life by noticing gifts only when we are suddenly deprived of them.

~ David Steindl-Rast

Drifting off to sea.

Hello!  How was your weekend?  For those of you celebrating it, how was your Thanksgiving?

The skinny.

I had a wonderful time visiting with family.  The food was good, the laughter was plentiful, and the company was excellent.  I did feel a touch of sadness that my own children and grandchildren couldn’t be there, but reminded myself that they are in my heart, always.  Maybe one day we’ll manage to get the entire clan together under one roof to celebrate family, love, and whatever holiday or event it happens to be.

Besides, I did get to speak with them all on the phone, and that was a gift worthy of great thanks.  My father was happy, too, that he got to speak with and hear his great-granddaughters along with his grandsons.

Standing tall and reaching out.

The drive up and back wasn’t bad, either.  We must have timed our travels just right because we didn’t have too much trouble with traffic.  We learned a few years back not to travel on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving or the Sunday after because the highways are jammed.

Communing with the trees.

As lovely as it was to visit with family, it’s also good to be home, and reestablishing the new habits I’m working on.  I didn’t work too hard at keeping up with them while we were away.  I did get some exercise (a walk or two every day), but did not find time do my yoga and meditation practices.  As for food, well… forget about it!  M and I brought along some healthful foods so we’d at least fit in a few fruits and veggies here and there.  Otherwise, we ate and enjoyed what was served.  And boy, was there a lot of food served!  I sampled quite a bit of it, but can proudly say I didn’t set myself back by gaining weight.  I didn’t lose any either.  That might have been asking for too much on a holiday known for gluttony.

Going seedy.

As we learn to give thanks for all of life and death, for all of this given world of ours, we find a deep joy.  It is the joy of trust, the joy of faith in the faithfulness at the heart of all things.  It is the joy of gratefulness in touch with the fullness of life.

~ David Steindl-Rast

Life in the meadows.

We are experiencing another warm-up here on the Eastern Shore.  It was in the 60’s yesterday and feels like it’s in the 70’s today.  I forgot to check the thermometer when I was out on my walk, but I’m guessing mid-70’s.  We still have butterflies flitting around, and that surprises me.  I even saw a praying mantis flying around the meadow yesterday.  The birds, however, are all winter birds.  A large flock of red-winged blackbirds held a convention in our front yard earlier today, and we’ve had giant murmurations of starlings dancing in the sky near sunset.  I noticed on our way out on Thursday that the seagulls are back and hanging out in the fields.  The bald eagles make their presence known on a daily basis now.  I either see them or hear them.  Usually I hear them whistling and chattering before I see them.

The bluebird of happiness.

This week I resume the medical rounds, but it’s not too bad.  I have some sort of appointment once a week for the next three weeks.  All the tests I’ve had so far have come back normal.  I’m beginning to wonder if I should bother with the rest, but it is probably a good idea to follow through so that in the end I can rest assured that all is well.  I certainly feel as though all is well, and I suspect what I feel is the truth of the matter.  Even though I’m only almost two weeks into my 55-Day Be Well Challenge, the changes I’ve made appear to be working.  The trick now is to maintain my enthusiasm and momentum.

Cones and needles.

I reckon that’s about it from the Wabi-Sabi Ranch for today.  Thank you so much for stopping by, and joining me on another walk around the place.  If you have the time and inclination, meet me on the dock for sunset.  It’s at 4:43 this evening.  Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and, if we’re lucky, a few clouds will move in and enhance the colors and light of the setting sun.

Meadow abstract.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Today’s joys:  Watching and listening to the eagles; bright sunshine and warm temperatures; a walk through the meadows and the woods; good books; playing with Izzy and Bella (the cats-in-charge).