Stormy Weather

6:13

6:45

I woke at 5:40 to thunder, stayed in bed till 6:00 when it thundered again so I got up, happy to hear the sound of rain (an inch) on the roof.  It's been awhile since hearing the 'rhythm of the falling rain,' probably since last fall. I finished my blog around an hour ago, then went for a paddle in the drizzle over to Warner Bay and decided I would add a couple more photos.

Wood Ducks

Long Point's Rock Pile

Kayaking In Gray

Friday was sunny but surprisingly cool.  By 4:30, however, we were forced inside by a drizzle.  Still, it was a good day to be outside.  I started with a paddle and then yoga with Julie, always a good class.  I then made a couple of stops, to Evans Liquors, to replenish our manhattan supplies, then Sav A Lot, to pick up a few things for dinner.  When I got home, I knew I was going to join Evie who was working in the yard.  So I took off my sweats, put on my jeans and Evie and I weeded for a good hour.  We worked on the beds around the house, pulling, digging, and roughing up the borders.  It's a wonder of nature how weeds flourish, the perrenial gets choked out.

We took a break around 1:00 and Evie made me a menemen for lunch, an omelet with tomatoes and feta cheese.  We both took a break, to read, watch TV or nap but by 2:30, we were back out in the yard, trying to finish up what we started but there is always more that can be done.  Around 4:00, Evie powered up the mower to just do some trimming around the beds but the temptation to cut the entire yard was too much, so off she went, cutting the yard (at a slow and careful pace) which we cut two days ago.  It needed it! It started to rain as she was cutting and she had enough, so I went out in the drizzle and finished it up. I must admit it looks grand and it would make any fifties father proud.

We were not sure about dinner.  We were both tired from the day, so we decided to make it easy, pull out some frozen pizza, enjoy wine time and have dinner whenever we felt like finishing up our second or third glass of wine, always a nice way to end the day.  Pizza rarely tastes as good as a leftover but it's pizza, so we both enjoyed it, with a salad of course.  Friday night is always a weak night for TV.  Thank goodness we save programs, so we watched Colbert then another episode of Keeping Faith although it's almost impossible to understand what the characters are saying as there are no subtitles.  I give us credit for staying with it.  We are not sure whether to continue or not its so frustrating.

On a gloomy Saturday like today, I thought this poem appropriate; the first few lines were on the chalkboard at my yoga studio.

Advice from a Tree

By Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,
Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!