100 days of summer :: day 1

“Wander a whole summer if you can. Time will not be taken from the sum of life.
Instead of shortening, it will definitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal.”
— John Muir

It was a long winter here in the PNW, and my depression often kicked into overdrive during those long rainy days. I was board, lonely, and a bit unhappy. But, the one thing I did most days was pick up my camera and search for something that brought me joy. It was such a relief when early spring came and the earth started to wake up. It gave me hope that I might be able to move out from under that long winter funk and wake up a bit too. I decided I wanted a bit of direction, and commitment and have started today, Memorial Day, off with a new project. I hope to make it through to Labor Day. I would love for you to follow along, or even leave me a message in the hello/contact section to let me know how summer is unfolding for you.

day 1 :: monday
peonies just about to open,
bees doing their thing in the garden,
him offering to clean up some of the yard art,
being able to let go of things that are not my business,
morning toast with almond butter and jam,
sun breaks through out the day,
a long phone conversation with a close friend,
watching the squirrels teasing the dog.

***

Saturday - Yesterday

the peaceful feeling of being all alone in the garden this morning,
flickers and goldfinches, lady bugs, and busy bees,
a nap in the early afternoon, a text message from a friend,
which made me feel blessed, tacos for dinner with hard shells,
(my favorite, he likes the soft shells) the way we laughed
at the way the dog was sitting as he watched us eat,
boats on the lake, and felling like spring is really here.

***

Yesterday

Percy in the house, bug hunting, play dough, and juice boxes,
a few minutes alone to sit in the sun with a rare afternoon latte
watching the birds in the sunflowers I planted a few day back,
sourdough focaccia from Jordan that was his best yet!
all eight dahlia tubers poking up in the garden and, falling right to sleep.

***

today

One thing is certain, and I have always known it - the joys of my life have nothing to do with age. They do not change.
Flowers, the morning and evening light, music, poetry, silence, the goldfinches darting about

- May Sarton

today …. in no particular order
dirt under my fingernails, lady bugs and, small bouquets of flowers,
an unexpected phone call and how good it felt to laugh,
the smell of cookies baking, and maybe a handful of chocolate chips,
being forced to really pay attention, digging deep, surprising myself,
the warmth of the sun, and time to sit on the deck and watch the lake,
the dahlias emerging from the ground with fingers crossed that the slugs don’t interfere,
watching the swallows swooping over the roof down into the yard.
toasted sourdough bread with last years strawberry jam.

***

yesterday

“The answer must be, I think, that beauty and grace are performed whether or not we will or sense them.
The least we can do is try to be there.”

― Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Things that make me feel alive :: part 2
the smell of fresh cut grass, the sound of true laughter,
gifted flowers on the dining room table, morning light,
the first iced coffee of the season, sugar snap peas,
and fresh greens, planting basil and how it smells when you
gently brush the leaves, a pot of sunflowers waiting to be planted,
fresh eggs and just baked sourdough bread
butter cups, four leaf clover, lady bugs and, snails,
slowing down, weeding life in the garden.

***