Early Morning Smile

Picture forwarded to mama aka grandma - of her youngest daughter and youngest granddaughter. A special time for both of them.

Looks like continued hot and humid days in the woods.

Beginning Of The Week

A good breakfast to start the day. Or rather the breakfast was 3 hours after arising. French toast with blueberries and bananas - topped with maple syrup and my usual 2 or 3 cups of green tea. Also the last of my zucchini bread. I have been told that I am not eating enough. This looks hearty to me!!

How can One Woman find so much to do early in the morning. In the past breakfast at 7:00 and now it between 8:00 and 9:00.

Errands in town that use to take about an hour and a half and now it seems half the day is gone.

Help arrived to re stack the wood pile. Logs are added each time a tree falls. I do not have a wood burning fireplace and have this stack of wood. I like looking at it and you never know - in case of an emergency I may have to build a fire and sit outside lol.

The helper warned me to watch where I step. He found a snake nest while shoveling dirt to put in a low place in my yard. I did not know snakes made a nest. Really never thought of it before.

From the limited research done - I understand - very few poisonous snakes make a nest. Will do more investigating before I share something on this.

Is anyone reading this more knowledgeable?

From the woods on a hot and humid day.

Thank You

Most fragrant earth,
touched by dew
and
driven by
the summer rain;
The seeds
strewn amidst the flowers
compete;
The quietly emerging
veggies,
nudging each other across
tangled branches
some
weighing themselves down
waiting to be plucked

They
may not be
as
artistic
or
pretty,
as her flowers
that adorn
the family table;
But there is
the beauty
of affection,
all mixed into
casserole
and they preen
in pride,as
the little granddaughter
lifts the lid
and says
"Grandma, Umm,
smells good."

To think Ugich -- who lives in Inda - wrote this poem for me. Me - One Woman who has returned to her homeplace in the woods in Tennesee. One Woman - who writes, gardens, reads, meditates and prays - and has found peace in her 3 score and 10 years. She makes my heart smile!!

http://kaimhanta.blogspot.com/

Weakness

A few days ago I ran across an old acquaintance. So much has happened in her life over the last few years. Her father in his 90,s passed away recently. 3 years ago her husband passed away and a few years before that her sister and brother.

A huge stately home in the nearby little town and she is at the end of distributing contents to family members. She asked me if I would like to come by and look at what was left and see if there was anything I would be interested in. I am not a yard sale person - but - an estate like this made memories of times in the past surface.

I have downscaled a number of times and want nothing else - but could not resist an early morning meeting with my friend. Camera in my hand and yearning so to take a picture of this home. The wonderful old trees were skimming the ground and the shade so dense that I could not take a picture. The wide front porch filled with aging wicker and a large swing.

This home had been in the family over a 100 years and I could almost feel the walls whispering to me as I wandered through the almost empty rooms that were piled with boxes and items from another era.

I chose not to view the 5 rooms upstairs but looked through the kitchen items left. A very old metal knife (I could use), just my size was a very old small platter, several granite bowls and a beautiful glass vinegar cruet ( I like to use them as a small flower holder).

Books are piled everywhere. Old and musty books and I am returning where I can sit for several hours looking through them (do not need these) spotted a 1950 Better Homes and Garden Gardening Book and favorite book from my childhood - a 1933 Nancy Drew mystery.

Going out the door I spotted a gardening pad and a pair of deer skin gardening gloves. She said they were her mother's. The gloves slipped on my hands like they were made for me. As I write this post -the thought comes to mind - do I dare wear them. I almost feel as though the owner who is no longer on this earth - might smile. What do you think?

Now to the cellar - oh my everything through the years must have been saved. Saw nothing and then I spotted the very small drop leaf table with one chair. The paint peeling and its old condition made it very appealing to me. I ask about it and was told this was her mother's kitchen table from many years ago and no one wanted it. "I want it" so next week I will pick it up in my trusty truck and put it on my small front porch. I visualize a plant on it and times I will sit and dream, have a cup of tea, write or even read. Also picked up a very small and old garden basket.

Next week I will also pick up a dozen old flower pots. So One Woman is smiling at her wonderful gifts. They are old and have character. Hope that describes me. But then the number may say old but why is it she feels no different then 25 years ago?

Small Vegetable Garden

She is amazed at all this small garden is producing A 12 x 12 sqaure and herbs planted among the flowers. If a day is missed picking - then the compost pile grows. There are even things that have rooted in compost pile and will be interesting to see what it reaps.

This garden was planted for one, and with the thought there might be something to share with visitors.

She feels guilty adding to the compost pile. Has thoughts of the many that would make a meal of these items.

Wherever you are on the planet - warm thoughts are sent your way.

Remember

"The past is gone,

The future never arrives.

In truth, there is no life outside of this moment."

Leonard Jacobson

Welcome Back To Me

A row of sunflowers were planted - the rain came and washed all of them away but one.

She is a beauty.