No worries!

What do you see when you enter a garden?

What do you hear?

Is there water falling nearby?

A bird singing?

Can you smell the lavender,

or the damp earth?

What do you see?

Life is exploding all around us.

Can you feel it?

Garden by Green Acres, LLC, Roanoke Virginia

 

           That's not Mom.                                            

Are you sure?            

  It's not Mom.                                     

No, too tall, I guess.    

Mom?                          

It's not Mom.                                 

Life can be overwhelming at times – aging parents, sick children, losing a treasured pet.

Even joy can flood the heart, so much beauty, so much love, so complex.

That's where our friends come in.

They walk with us even when we are apart and help us to make sense of our mortal lives.

Where would we be without our friends?

Here's to old friends, new friends and the friends we are about to meet!

Salut!

Does a pelican in the water ever doubt that he can raise his sails and take to the air?

In three powerful strokes, this huge bird is airborne and glides away.

When I lived in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod, and was ready to launch my little daysailer for the very first time,

(not pictured here)

I went to the Harbor Master thinking that I might have to pay a ramp fee.

I asked him if I needed anything to launch and he answered,

"Water."

We got along very well after that.

The moral of the story is to cultivate your sense of humor,

especially when dealing with persons in authority,

and never launch your boat without water.

A great blue heron can often be seen fishing on this beach.

There is a marsh just over the dune in front of her that would seem to provide an easy feast for a heron,

but there she is, hunting in the ocean, getting bumped around by the waves on her spindly legs.

 She lands the fish – not every time – but she gets her prey often enough.

Her perseverance pays off.

Is there one thing that you are steadfast about pursuing in your life?

Are you prepared to withstand the oncoming waves, and the undertow?

Whatever it takes to stay close to your dreams, do it,

even if to others it seems like you might be fishing in the wrong pond, do it for you.

Persevere until you land that special fish that nourishes your soul,

again and again and again.

If you haven't yet found a dream to pursue, be steadfast in finding one.

Your life will blossom for the effort.

"Hey, you forgot to put the seed out.

I can see you in there. You forgot to put the seed out.

Can I come in?

I bet I could find it and save you the trouble of carrying it outside.

I can see you – is that a cat in there? Is that you, Dj?

Hi Dj, can you get the bird seed?

Dj, can you hear me? I'm here, over here, by the door.

Is somebody cooking?

That smells good.

I'm over here!

Hey!"

Delicate clinging vines – this is a time when clinging is good.

Good for the vine and the wall benefits too, aesthetically.

Is clinging ever good for us? We humans?

Holding on to that good or bad feeling – joy or anger?

Being in the moment is preferred, but if you have to cling,

cling to the things that become more beautiful with your clinging,

like a baby's smile or the best day ever in the water with the  boogie board.

It makes you more beautiful to do that!