A day in the life

Morning Glory.

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful.  They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder — Volume One: On Wisdom and Virtues

Morning bike ride.

I have lots to share with you, but I’m going to save the bulk of it for this week’s coffee chat.  In the meantime, let’s go on a bike ride and explore some roads I haven’t been on before.

Heading towards the river.

Yesterday morning it was warm, but there was a pleasant breeze conditioning and cooling the air.  My cycling partner and I set out to find the river that a nearby road is named after.  It was an area we haven’t yet explored on our bikes, and not all that far from home.

The yellow flowers carpeting the sides of the road.

It was only my second ride of the season.  While pedaling my way towards the river, I noticed plenty of side roads with interesting names.  They were tempting, asking me to turn and see what might be down that way.  “Another time,” I said, “because today I want to see the river.”

Looking out over the marsh.

The river I set out to find is the Big Annemessex River.  “Annemessex” is said to be an Algonquian name meaning “bountiful waters.”

Part of the Big Annemessex River.

It wasn’t a long ride, and with the roads being so flat around here, it wasn’t a difficult ride, either.  Even the wind didn’t put up much resistance.

Grasses in the Big Annemessex River.

We passed through the usual scenery.  We started out moving past farm fields that look like they stretch out forever, some loaded with wheat that looks ready to harvest and some with tall cornstalks.  The corn is already taller than I am.  Granted, I am not that tall (5’2″), but the corn around here is already more than knee high before the 4th of July.

In the corn field.

Then we glided through a wooded area that provided some relief from the bright summer sun.  I knew we were getting near the river when the woods opened out to a marshy land of grasses.  The Big Annemessex is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.  It is 15.4 miles long, and flows out to Tangier Sound and then to the Chesapeake Bay.

Looks almost like a painting.

There were Great Egrets off in the distance, and plenty of other birds I was unable to identify.  The birds have been noisy lately, calling and chatting and singing.  We don’t see them nearly as much as we hear them.

I love the way the light plays in the marsh grasses.

It was an enjoyable ride, and I am looking forward to exploring the river area some more in the future.

Ripples and grasses.

By the time we returned home, the breeze had abandoned us and the temperature had risen to an uncomfortable level.  There was only one thing to do.  Go for a swim.

Passing the wheat fields again on the way home.

I spent most of the rest of the day puttering around the house, occasionally going for a swim.  At sunset, M and I decided to go to the Point.  Rumor had it that the haziness was caused by smoke from the Saskatchewan and Alberta fires up in Canada.  The sun, before it was swallowed by a cloud, was an incredible shade of orange.

A fisherman standing on the Point, taking pictures of the sunset.

Unfortunately, I can’t show that to you because the clouds took the sun before I could get to a spot where I could capture a good image of it.

Sunbeams and haze.

I reckon that’s about it from me and from the Wabi-Sabi Ranch on this rainy Thursday.  I had hoped to go on my first (ever) kayaking adventure today, but the weather made other plans for me.  I’ll probably hang around the ranch and either get caught up on my chores or my reading or both.  Rainy days are good for those activities.

Last night’s full moon was shrouded at first.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂