Quiet Contemplation::9

I am a bird watcher.

I have been for some time.

I try to be a bird photographer.

I have tried for some time.

I am most definitely not.

What I have learned over the years,

especially when a rare species visits the yard,

is to just look at it.

Watch it carefully.

You never know when and if you will see it again.

Most importantly do not run to get

your camera because if you do,

the bird will most surely be gone

by the time you get back.

(this Rose-breasted Grosbeak stayed around long

enough for me to snap a picture through the front window pane,

which is another thing that doesn't work too well.)

Quiet Contemplation::8



Today I am 47 years old.

I am a woman

wife

mother.

I am a daughter

sister

auntie

friend.

I love the outdoors

nature

the moon
and yoga
and my canoe.

I like the smell of

evening scented stock

old fashioned roses

and onions frying in butter.

I listen to classical music,

Josh Groban

Randy Travis

Fleetwood Mac

Simon and Garfunkel.

I read mostly

non-fiction

home school books

and nature stories

(like Thoreau)

I love to eat

SOUP!

and to drink

red wine.

I adore my family.

I have 1 husband

4 daughters

3 sons-in-law

3 (soon to be 4!) granddaughters.

I love my life.

Quiet Contemplation::7



It is wicked hot outside.

Supposed to be this hot for at least another week.

Too hot for weeding the garden even.

Nothing to do but play chess on the deck.

She is quick to learn.

Knows a Rook can only move rank and file.

Can anticipate the L shaped moves of a Knight.

Loves sliding her Bishop on the diagonal.

It was a nice afternoon.

Quiet Contemplation::6

Winter.

Lots of sunshine.

No need to slather chemicals all over your child

so she won't get eaten by bugs and burned

by the sun.

No spiders and flies in the house.

No sand on the kitchen floor.

Just pure loveliness.

Winter.

(I'll bet some of you living in the US during this heatwave would agree.)

Quiet Contemplation::5

I have been thinking that I should slow down.

Stop working so much around the house.

Stop filling each day with a to-do list that leaves me exhausted.

But then I just do the same old same old day after day.

Today I awoke with an achy back.

That didn't stop me.

I was out weeding the garden.

I just had to. It was super windy and I

knew there wouldn't be any mosquitoes.

An hour later my hips, knees and elbows hurt.

I could do no more.

I had an Epsom salts bath.

I did an hour of gentle yoga.

I had lunch and then read my

Taproot magazine.

I took a leisurely walk with Athena.

I sat on the hammock swing.

I guess if I won't do what I know to do

my body will make me.

Some lessons are harder to learn.