Making Chai from a Cosmic Ocean
morning mist greets the Bell Island ferry
Tulips revisit an old friend
last year’s garlic rises again
a maple tree awakens
morning frost on the warmest day of spring – so far
gifted tulips in bloom
mother and child
henrietta’s descendants
new growth cones and needles
potato field awaits
the sun bids a good evening to spring leaves
Another batch uploaded, and there seems to be an unplanned theme – the emergence of leaves as spring progresses. A “happy accident”. Today was a full day of sun, starting with a nice long walk along a very pretty trail, seeing lots of ducks and a waterfall, and good conversation. Also time to re-organize the little greenhouse for another season of growing stuff, setting up tables and filling pots with dirt. Setting the little seedlings out in there to adjust a bit before re-potting, and hoping they survive! Re-purposing an old work table to use for growing herbs on the deck, where they will be readily available for culinary use. Visiting the garden beds and trying to plan what will go where. Sitting at the table outside after supper with a glass of wine, listening to the wind and the birds (and the passing cars), with the sun warm and the trees on the hillside glowing yellow-green.
Got a new lens tonight (wicked deal) and had to go try it out. Been meaning to get out for some Christmas lights pictures, so this was the impetus. Lovely evening, not cold, no wind. Not bad for December 27th.
There are still many wonders to be thankful for, but sometimes it requires looking closely to find them. It being a beautiful, sunny Christmas Day, warm enough for a jacket because no wind, it was a great day to get outside. The birds sure enjoyed it!
Finally something new. It has been a busy fall, and all I’ve managed to now is to download pictures to the computer. Time to put some online.
There’s not much good about a pandemic, but if you are looking for a silver lining to get through it with sanity intact, sometimes it is no further away than outside the window, or in the garden.
Working from home offers benefits. No daily commute is one. Having access to the kitchen at lunch time is another. All the favourite snacks available – this is both an advantage and a drawback! Being able to get some chores done at breaktime. Some people like that they can work in pajamas. I did try this one day, but it felt very strange. And now that it is summer, it is nice to get outside during breaks and lunch. Fresh air and sunshine does wonders for the morale.
From my home office window I am often treated to brief glimpses of wildlife. The birds perch in the trees and on the wires, or scrabble along in the grass to find worms to eat. There is a small red squirrel who has gotten used to my camera, and is more than happy to pose. As long as there is a pane of glass between us. The Waxwing is a rare visitor, but one of the prettiest.
In the late afternoon, sunshine envelops the world with a warm glow, and illuminates petals of wild daisies so they shimmer like stars against the blue sky. The yellow Butter and Eggs become richer and more vibrant as the shadows begin to lengthen and stretch toward the east.
My best new memory is the surprise of looking up through my window after a phone call to spy whales crossing the tickle at the end of my street. Their blow rising up as a fleeting mist above the water, their dark backs breaching the slate grey water and curving as an arc, before sinking back into their own world. This particular day it seemed like a family of whales was travelling down the bay towards Holyrood, moving slowly after their food. Later in the day they headed out again, towards open ocean.
Those brief moments of fleeting awe arrive as unexpected gifts. Perhaps that is why they are so memorable. That’s not to say that the rest of life is not special, or that we don’t appreciate the rituals that create warm memories of the people we share them with. Yet there is growth in stepping outside these routines, to learn how to suspend time and become aware of how much there is to this world around us.
