fish stories

May 22, 2023

I spend the day on the Skagit River watching my son, and other instructors, teach spey casting to other like-minded fishing people. I carry my camera instead of a rod, but just like the students I learn new things and have a very fun day.

My father taught all three of my boys to fish as soon as they could hold a rod and sit in a boat, just as he did me. It stuck with them however, and all three of them have had periods of time when they were deeply emerged in fishing. This son however, is still at it. I enjoy watching him in his element, teaching others to do what he loves. He is patient and lighthearted, bringing joy to his instructions. The river is high and lines are flying and by the end they all emerge with smiles on their faces.

I feel at home in this setting, and understand a little bit more why I am drawn to water and nature in my photography. I think of my dad throughout the day and wonder what he would think of this grandson of his, making a living doing what he loves. I also wonder if it is too late for me to take up this beautiful hobby. Thinking I might just ask for a few private lessons.

sleeping in

May 19, 2023

“And I should mention the light
which falls through the big windows this time of day
italicizing everything it touches...”

― Billy Collins, Ballistics

I wake early, like I do most mornings. Lying in bed, I listen to the birds out the window and allow myself to fall back to sleep.
I wake two hours later.
My morning chores don’t get done, and the garden, with its fresh new seedlings calls to me. But instead I drink my coffee, take photos of my breakfast,
and come to this familiar place, to write a few words.
Nothing earth shaking, nothing out of the ordinary, but something I do a few times each week to keep my balance.

After all these years of blogging, I no longer question the why.

cooling down

May 17, 2023

“It is never a waste of time to be outdoors, and never a waste of time to rest, even for a few hours.”
― May Sarton

The unusual hot weather keeps me inside for most of the day and honestly, I am bit miffed. But as soon as the sun starts to do down there is a slight breeze coming up off the lake so we eat outside. After we are done, I sit with my book and my camera as he cleans up the kitchen. I cook and if I ask he cleans up.

I am back to playing some with diptychs.

mother's day

May 14, 2023

“I know I walk in and out of several worlds each day.”

― Joy Harjo

I sit in the garden with my coffee, the dog, and my camera. It is early, and it is Mother’s Day.
I think about my mom and my kids. I think about all the mothers I know in the world and how each one is worthy of being honored today.
I also know many who are struggling with this day for various reasons, and sit with them for a bit.

I sit and listen as bird songs start to fill the air, knowing soon the lake will be full of summer noises, as the day promises to be warm and summer like.
I sit and watch, knowing the birds will soon come out of the trees to eat, either at the feeder or on the dew kissed grass, looking for worms.
I just sit and listen and watch and think of all the mothers in the world.

I walk in and out of the different worlds I live in throughout each day and have come to understand this shifting is normal, at least for me.
I have let go of hard fast rules of what I will get done. I have let go of the lectures I use to give myself inside my head about how this or that needed to change.
I am learning that each of these worlds have within them their own rhythm. Each are beautiful and deserve my attention, for they are what make up my life.

I watch as the dog gets up and goes back inside, knowing he will go back to bed with my husband.
I turn my camera off, put the lens cap back on and just watch and listen a bit longer before I grab my empty coffee mug and get up.
I walk back into the house, eager to get on with my day for it is Mother’s Day, and I get to spend it with some of my kids and my grandson.

I will take it all in, fill up my heart, and listen with love.I will laugh and maybe even cry.
I will look for bugs with Percy, and eat food two of my son’s have prepared for us to feast on.
I will miss my mom and my one estranged son, so I will no doubt step into one of those other worlds at some point in the day,

but. . .
I will feel all those feelings without scolding myself or apologizing, because these worlds are what make up my life. And I am grateful for all of them..

decorating

May 12, 2023

““Make your home as comfortable and attractive as possible and then get on with living. There's more to life than decorating.”
—Albert Hadley

Over the past week we moved almost everything in our home to two rooms to have new carpet laid. We looked like hoarders. The dog’s ears were sad, as he wasn’t sure where he could lay until we stopped for the day to read or watch some TV.

Picking out carpet was very stressful and with any luck, I won’t have to do it again. There are way too many choices! I know Curtis, the lovely man helping us, got worried every time we walked through the door. All in all, it took about six weeks to tell him to go ahead and place the order.

We also bought a new couch, twice. The first one was gray. . . but before they delivered it, I changed my mind and had them order a brown one instead. It was delivered today.

Some people find this kind of thing fun. I don’t. What I do find fun is going to the yearly Master Gardener’s plant sale with no plan, filling my little, red wagon with odds and ends, without really knowing where they might end up in the garden. But somehow it always works.

The carpet and the couch did too.