On My Mind

Mid-Summer Update

As I sit here, I can look out my back door and see the breeze blowing in the flowers and birds in the feeder. The sun is golden and the grass has gone dry. We're harvesting our garden and delighting in seeing our lovely property bloom over the last year that we've lived and loved here. 

I don't really know why I feel this way, but this seems like the summer of "relish". 

I'm relishing everything that presents to my senses. Every thing I look at is "art". I'm taking it all in, living in the present. I have an immense feeling of gratitude and it makes me feel happy, peaceful and appreciative. 

* Maybe it's because I have a lovely husband of one year who shows me love & support I've never known *

* Maybe it's because I have 3 wonderful children who love me as much as I love them ~ they are my greatest accomplishment *

* Maybe it's because I have a loving family that is fairly drama-free and extremely appreciative of FAMILY *

* Maybe it's because I know time is short and of the essence and knowing this, I make the most of every moment *

* Maybe it's because my mind is always taking artful snapshots and I CHOOSE to see the beauty in everything *

or

*Maybe it's because I have summers off and I'm relishing this time off before I go back to the mayhem *

or 

*Maybe it's because certain toxic people have not been front and center in my life for the last year, and now the restraining order is no longer in effect and I know that the peace may not last * 

MAYBE IT"S BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ABOVE

at any rate, overcoming obstacles with a right attitude has gotten me to this grateful place in my life, and knowing when it's good and appreciating that. THANKING the Universe for the opportunity to live a life well and hoping I am doing it right and enough. 

That's what I think about... doing it right and doing enough of it. Life is so short and full of complications and Mean People. We have to do things to nourish our souls and recharge when our bliss meters point to near empty. I'm all about BLISS and I am thankful my

life has enough blissful people and things to keep my meter up in the medium to high level almost all the time. 

Some things I've done this summer *so far* that make my heart sing:

*camping with Wade's family, 46 people and 14 dogs all got along*

NOT working, at work. Not missing it one iota. 

Working at home: on a garden, on to do lists, housekeeping, cooking.

Tending a garden and flowers. Reading. Sitting in the quiet. Rocking in my rocking chair.

Camping at the Mopar Nationals, just me and my hubby, our yearly tradition. Rodeo's and fairs, floating our boat on the river. Gathering river rocks. Sitting in the swing and laughing with my girl. Morning coffee on weekends with my husband.

Birthday bash for Kristina and Wade at Kitty's. FAMILY getting together and feeling 

the love, clearly.

LISTENING to the quiet. Taking care of myself. Banking my bliss! I COULD GO ON! 

We'll see how the rest of the summer goes. Update soon! 

First Day of Vacation

Here it is, finally. 

Summer!

The years go by so fast! I look back on my blog posts and 

I was JUST blogging about summer coming and appreciating life by slowing

down.... and here, it has raced yet again, to another summer.

We had a very rough year. And a magical one, too.

Lots of heartache and sorrow and struggle. People we thought loved us

tried to destroy us. Now I watch my back everywhere I go.

But, not to be overshadowed by that, we also had much LOVE!

We got MARRIED! And, it had the look and feel of the wedding of my dreams.

Our family came together and made it beautiful.  

And now we live in a house on a hill with 7 gorgeous acres that I find like paradise.

I LOVE it here, and I love the people I live here with!

This morning was my first vacation day. I savored it.

I moved my glider rocker out to the front porch where I can sit and look at that magnificent

oak tree and gaze out at the mountains and trees. The birds chirp and the dog lays at my feet.

I sip coffee and READ, read, read to my hearts content. 

Then I got up and did a little housework, and then I did some creating. Then I sat back down and 

rested. Did some gardening. Fertilized plants. Admired flowers..... sat and rested. Sipped rootbeer in my 

rocker again. Just love it! 

Taking time to sit and rest and enjoy life..... priceless. 

Our porch is in transition. We poured the concrete and next year it will be  fabulous outdoor room!

This is a wedding item I refurbished by cleaning up and giving it chalkboard paint. Now it's a cute vignette in the yard! (safe from rain, of course!)

Above, partial view of the oak tree. 

Stay tuned for more summer stories! 

Runaway Train

It is a slow moving, runaway train coming at you. 

You can't see it, or hear it, but you

can feel it. You know it's heading your way. And it has no mercy for you. 

It doesn't care if you get masacred in it's path.

*YOU ARE IN IT"S WAY* 

You can get out of it's way, or you can be steam rolled by it. One way or the

other, it doesn't care. 

It has no understanding of the damage it can do. It just wants its way. It doesn't 

care if it blows over you and your entire family, home, job, community. It doesn't even care

if it ruins itself in the course of it's action. 

IT JUST WANTS IT"S WAY. 

So, you understand... until it sets its course in a different direction, it's coming for you.

Until someone can flip the switch for it to take a different track, it is still on the track that's coming toward

YOU. 

It'll stop in other towns, and it will take on other passengers on it's way. Whatever

feeds the machine. It'll pick up more weight so when it crushes you the blow will be mightier still. 

 And the conductor is the devil. 

So we pray for the angels and God to 

derail the train and send it back to hell, or bring it back into the light and get it off 

OUR TRACK. 

Taking Time

We rush around every day to the next task and seldom

 stop to just do nothing at all. 

The beauty is in nothingness, if you know how to look at it.

 I like being alone. And I like the tv off. And I Iike to just sit and watch

leaves falling from trees and I like the radio off in the car sometimes. 

I don't always like to continuously be thinking. 

You have to turn it off sometimes.

It's that way with your computer, and your smart phones and GPS and

all the other things that interrupt life.  You need to turn it off sometimes.

Children are dying for their parents attention. Turn it all off and look 

at that beautiful thing you created. It won't be there for long and

trust me you will be wishing you'd turned your eyes and ears on them

because they'll grow up and out. 

You can be in a room with someone and not have to say one word and

it can be beautiful and say everything that words don't need to.

My daughter and I had a day together today, just the two of us.

We watched a few House Hunters episodes. We watched the leaves

falling outside the big front window.

She worked on her scrapbook and I put family pictures on Facebook for my 

dear husbands family. 

We sat at the breakfast table talking and listening to good music: Zac Brown, Nora Jones, Ray Lamontagne, Jack Johnson. 

There wasn't a lot to it, but it meant the world. 

Connect without having to entertain or purchase anything. 

Just be together.

It's not just good for them. It's good for you, too! 

Your Last Sunset?

Orange, late summer sunsets.

Seems a lot of them lately have been

on our backs as we head home in the evenings. 

And I stop to notice them. 

We decided Friday night's sunset was the most beautiful 

we've ever seen.

To the West, a golden glow with clouds opening up 

for rays of light to fan out overhead like angels wings 

and to the East a rainbow lasting over an hour in a

thunderstorm cloud cover. 

I am very thankful I have someone who stops with me

to express gratitude for a sunset.

Last night, we were on our way home in the evening as the

sun was setting. 

We were coming home from the hospital where my husband's sister

lay dying of cancer.

We shared a quiet drive home and almost there, I turned to the

West to see yet another breathtaking sunset, and a big ball of golden

light radiating from the mountains. 

I could not help but wonder if this would be Evelyn's last sunset.

Certainly the sun is setting on her life. 

I think about these kinds of things. 

We all have our time. Our sun rises and our sun sets. 

We all go about our busy lives and I wonder how we

can get so busy we don't stop to appreciate a beautiful sunset. And there

are people out there who don't. 

It's been very much in the forefront of my mind how fast time flies lately.

I should have maybe yet another 30 good years ahead of me.

But I don't know when my time will come.

My final sunset.

We never know. 

But we should be stopping to appreciate the ones we can see right now, while we 

are here on this earth.

You might know by now I'm no so much talking about appreciating sunsets. 

I'm talking about appreciating what we have, and what we don't have. 

Making the most of our lives NOW. Or making the most of the least, in simplifying 

our lives. Calming down. Loving. Being patient. Our health. Paying attention.

Living and letting live. 

It's going fast, life. 

I hope you choose to stop and have a look at your next sunset. 

You never know when it may be your last. Savor it. 

Just Breathe

 Just Breathe.

You are exactly where you are supposed to be. 

 Open the window, and let the air in.

And the sun. 

NOT all who wander are lost.

But in case you are lost, just stop, stand still, and

breathe. 

Eventually you find your way home again.

And sometimes home is not where you thought it was, 

but instead, a delightful place you never imagined.

Sometimes you have to let go of old baggage, and stop looking

in the rear view mirror. You're not going back there anymore.

Stop looking out that window expecting to see the same thing over and over again. 

Let the rain wash away the old footprints of the path where 

you came from, and see the scenery change. Look out the window and expect something different. Make fresh tracks. 

 Stop worrying about things you don't need to worry about. Stop thinking

about things you cannot change.

And start thinking about the things you CAN change. 

See what beauty is already around you, and always was. 

Believe that being happy isn't about anything but what is inside of you, 

and the possibilities that wait to unfold. 

  

You are right where you are supposed to be. 

Just breathe.

And know everything is going to be okay. 

Summertime - And The Livin' Is Easy....

As most of you know, well all four of you who read my blog... summer is MY time. I wait all year, starting on the first day of school, for the first day of summer. I count down EVERY day and even proclaim at the end of a working day that we are "one day closer to summer." Some may say this is silly, saying in September that we are one day closer to summer, but take it from me, this is for sanity's sake. It's my way of looking forward to my favorite time and being positive when the weather turns gloomy.. for that is when my mood turns gloomy as well. Summer is my winter's light at the end of the tunnel.

As for THIS summer, well, it's been jam-packed and it's not over yet! We've been camping, floating the river, took a trip to California, lots of bbq's, been to the races and the drags, celebrating family, life and warm weather when we've got it. 

I LOVE SUMMER! 

Now we are in August (ALREADY!?!) and this month we have the Country Music Festival to attend like last year, and Wade's daughter is getting married this month too. Nathan has a birthday and I do believe my first day back to work (ugh) will be this month as well. 

I can honestly say that as busy as this summer has been, and I did at one time complain a bit that it is go, go, go a bit too too much... it has been a wonderful summer full of fun and good times. I never floated a river before, and I've never been to LA. Now I have! My summers of the past have included college, homework, ebay and staying home. I didn't do anything and i thought I liked it that way. 

But now I'm out there living life! LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE! 

There are some who pooh-pooh my enthusiasm. My mush and gush. But, it is who I am and I believe life is for living and we must have a positive attitude or we have a negative life. It's all in how you choose to live and I choose to live as cheerfully as possible!

So, I will enjoy my simple pleasures: a stalk of wheat, a golden sunset, the smell of hay and the sound of frogs croaking at night. The way my curtains blow in the gentle breeze, the song of the yellow finch at the bird feeder, how the light hits the leaves in the maple tree in the front yard. THAT, is truly what life is about. 

Enjoy what remains of your own summer.