Sitting Still

As is the case every day, I have a to-do list to motivate me to accomplish something.  (Don't be fooled by retirement; there's still stuff that needs to be done.)  I got a late start this morning, a result of staying up too late last night, but I was able to get some things done.  But working in the garden mid-afternoon proved to be too much, thanks to the temperature, so I figured I'd take a breather and sit in the shaded portion of the deck for a bit.

And so I sat.  And I watched.  And I listened.  And I fell in love with all of it.

Nothing new here; it was the same old butterflies, birds, dragonflies, bumblebees.  All beautiful to watch.  And then there was a hummingbird.  I don't put up those bright red hummingbird feeders, so any hummers that come to my gardens are there for the flowers alone.  And as the echinacea is in bloom now, there was plenty of incentive to draw them near.  My house wrens have quieted down now, leading me to believe that their babies have left the nest, and my sweet little singers are no longer tied to my birdhouses.  I miss their song.

But there are other sounds to take in.  Just the sound of the screen door slamming is enough to excite my sensory perception.  Although the crows can be annoying with their cawing, it is still a summer sound.  And there is always music emanating from my outdoor speakers.  Nice to just sit still and take it all in.

My gaze was drawn to a dead tree at the edge of my property, and I thought about the hassle and expense of having it taken down.  And just as I was contemplating that, I watched a woodpecker nestle into an opening in the trunk of the tree.  Good save.

Looking to the left, I stared at the treehouse that Pete built for the kids.  Thrown back in time, I remembered the crucifix Sam built (after an overly-exuberant First Holy Communion lesson) and hauled up to the treehouse.  I remembered the bucket-on-a-rope that he set up to haul his treasures up and down.  And more recently, I recalled how the treehouse became my cat's favorite napping site.

I could have posted pictures of many things in this post.  I deliberately did not.  I think you should go find a place to sit still yourself and see and hear your own beautiful things.  Then see how easy it is to fall in love.