everyday normal...

It's been a very productive morning and I thought I might take a lesson from my sweet pups and spend some time in the garden.  I've got a cup of tea, they tend to just drink the water from my plants, but in theory it's pretty much the same. Hubs helped me load Sis's quilt this morning, and one thing led to another, I tend to get very focused while working on projects and next thing I knew, I'd put in the final stitches.  Ironically, her's went smooth as melted butter. I think I deserved a stress-free quilting session after the drama with Hubs' quilt the other night. 

I've evidently made friends with a couple of hummingbirds.  If I am out in the garden, they sit on the string of lights and talk to me.  It's pretty comical, if I speak they respond.  The thing is neither one of them wants the other to crowd them, so I spend a lot of time ducking as they chase each other off.  

The garden tends to be a very magical place. Being as it is harvest time, I spend even more time out here.  I was so amazed to see that one of the pinata peppers suddenly turned a bright yellow.  I'm wondering what other surprises they hold in store for me.  

I spent a lot of time this morning harvesting lettuce seeds.  I am letting a lot of my garden go to seed at this point.  I try to always plant heirloom seeds for that reason.  Once they go to seed, I can gather them up, dry them out and I've got a head start on next years' garden.  If you have never harvested lettuce seeds, let me assure you, it requires a lot of patience. They are smaller than dandelion seeds and almost as challenging to pick.  

This is definitely my time of the year.  The breezes are not bitter, the sun is not brutal (at least not right now).  The leaves around me are starting to change and I find a certain peacefulness to it all.  Yesterday when Hubs got home we took the pups for a walk at one of their favorite parks.  There is an overflow for a nearby river there, so a mild stream basically runs through the whole park.  Mostly it is a dry bed, with small pools of water throughout.  We planned ahead this time and both of us wore shoes and clothes that we didn't mind getting wet.  Beau has been very brave and loves bouncing in the shallow water, constantly trying to coax his sister to join him.  Yesterday, while we were only semi-watching she finally found her nerve.  And once she did there was no stopping her.  For almost an hour they splashed, bounced, ran, jumped and splashed some more.  It's warm, without being stifling hot.  We will probably take them again a few times this week.  Puppies need time to romp and play and walking along the dry creek bed is quite a workout for Hubs and I. 

The other day, I cursed the box of squash that I peeled and canned.  Not sure I would ever do that exercise again.  It took three long hours.  Today, I cooked up the last three that I had saved for lunch.  I'd planned for it to be lunch for Hubs and I, the pups had another idea.  They love cooked squash.  I mean really loved it.  I think on Friday I will be sure to get plenty of pumpkin to cook up for them.  I already knew they adored dried apples and dried watermelon, who knew squash would be a huge hit.  I definitely want to have plenty of it on the shelves for them to enjoy until the next season. 

Mommy... we want more squash...
PLEASEEEEEEE!

I sometimes wonder if I have brought my world into too narrow of focus.  Am I too unworldly?  Have I limited things too much?  I don't know, I don't think so.  I am the happiest I can remember ever being.  My days are filled with things that bring me pure joy.  I feel I contribute a far greater value to my life than I ever did before.  I no longer check boxes that say I was here.  At the end of each day, I feel accomplished.  Maybe I haven't made a difference to some huge company, the kind that do not know your name if you pass away.  Maybe I haven't brought home a paycheck.  There isn't really a pay scale attached to my world any longer.  But the intrinsic value is so much higher. 

There is so much craziness going on right now, it seems like every day there is a new crisis to worry about, a new drama or fear being drummed up.  Here in the garden there is only beauty, abundance and peace.  The kind that comes from the hummingbirds songs, from watching the butterflies floating gracefully above my head and the squirrels jumping like tiny acrobats without wings from tree to tree high above me. When I am able to stop and soak this up, I am able to look beyond those things.  

I still pay attention to them, as they have the potential to impact me and my loved ones (heck everyone) but I only pay attention, I no longer get lost in them. 

Well... I'd better get busy.  My garden needs a drink and I want to put a few more rows on my next sweater before Hubs gets home from his first day back to work. 

But first a bit of silence in the garden...

love and prayers... 

p.s. that first picture is of my sew Beau, he went into the sewing room and picked out the fabric that he wanted.  He laid there with it forever and was quite forlorn when I said he couldn't leave the sewing room with it.  He's so funny.