Among the peacefulness

Our side shade garden

Today I had the perfect start to my day. Awoke rested after a great night’s sleep. Enjoyed my hazelnut coffee and a healthy “Morning Glory Muffin” made by my friend Jedn on the deck in the cool of early morning. I sat in my big new rocker and took in the flower pots overflowing with blooms, the green of the trees wrapping the yard like a present, the songs of the birds speaking of so many exciting possibilities. As I opened to the day, intent on living it to its fullest, words kept pushing their way to the surface of my mind…a little scribbling later and this is what I created.

Among the Peacefulness

Thoughts dance wildly
They move back and forth
Undulating to a subtle rhythm

Among the peacefulness of plants
They slow and softly wander  
Moving gracefully among the leaves
And settle in the sanctuary of the garden

Sitting with the flowers
They open to life’s magic
Magnificent shapes speak of possibility
Brilliant color awakens calm
The silence of their song invites love

Relay for Life

With June Brady and Demet Nalbant

The photo shows us being silly – walking the track during the Silly Hat and Mix/Match hour – but this was serious business. We were participating in the Johnson County Relay for Life on Saturday, an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The event is organized to support celebrating, remembering and fighting to find a cure. (Go here to read more about my experience and here to see a short feature article about our local event.)

Dad

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad!

My father is such an important reason that my life is abundantly delicious. I don’t take for granted the choices he made that powerfully shaped my life, like loving my mom more than anything (I’ve written about their love in Blessing by Example, Practice and Not Quite Perfect, and LOVE), working hard and building a career in the Navy to provide for his family, making time for the good things in life – like family time (boating and skiing on the lake, snow skiing in the mountains), supporting his kids (cheering us on at sporting events)…I am grateful for having a Dad that believed in me and always gave me room to learn and grow. I am thankful that when I think of my Dad, my heart smiles and I feel really happy. What a gift to have a Dad who loves you.

I love you, Dad, and count you among my blessings every day!

Yummy greens

Our first batch of produce from Wild Woods Farm CSA!  This is our first time participating in Community Supported Agriculture. We went in with our neighbors so we’ll plan to split our stash each Thursday over the summer and into the fall. My brother Mike and his wife Lisa have been doing this kind of thing for a few years, and we always thought it was pretty cool. I can hardly wait to go mix up a big plate of these and stuff myself on a tasty organic salad. Yum!

10 to 22 (+)

it’s june. month of weddings. including mine – ours – jim and me. coming up: 6/22. we’ll be 22. officially, that is. i add another 5 years since we met in fall ’86. Athens, GA. young. adventurous. fun. a joyful road ahead. ah, young love.

flash forward. ah, mature love. filled with memories. making more memories. grateful for every day. TOGETHER. filled with gratitude for the gift of JIM in my life, the love we share. counting down to anniversary day…10 to go.

A good formula

The day started after a delicious night’s sleep. You know, when you wake up feeling refreshed because you experienced the restful passage of at least 8 hours of dreamy, comfortable sleep. After a couple of night’s away, being in my own bed next to my husband made it extra special.

I added some inspiration time.  I enjoyed my coffee with candles glowing in the early morning light, reading a couple short pieces from favorite books that always move me toward positivity and connection with the important things in life (e.g., My Grandfather’s Blessings), and reflecting on the abundance in my life and capturing those wonderful gifts in my gratitude journal.

It’s usually on days like these that my ‘soft spot’ shows up like an old friend whose been away for awhile. I noticed it a couple of times today, like when I started to cry at lunch time after reading a sweet thank you note from a friend whose 11-year old niece is moving with Grace through her journey with Cystic Fibrosis, and like when I cut through all the words and actions during a meeting to get to the ‘heart’ of what’s important.

I relish these days when I manage to bring my heart to the table, when I have the courage to set it down slap-dab in the middle where it can’t be ignored, and when I let it share with me new possibilities.

What a lovely way to start the day!

So I’m in Indianapolis for a business meeting. There will be coffee in the meeting room to accompany our hot breakfast. Yet, I doubt it will be very tasty. I passed on the coffee in the room because the only creamer was of the powdered variety (I’m a bit of a creamer prude.)

Starbucks in the hotel lobby is right on the way to the meeting. So I swing in. It’s quiet. Just the 2 women working the shop, and a woman in line placing her order. In response to the cashier asking the other guest if she’d like anything else, the guest says “I’d like to pay for whatever she’s having,” cocking her head to point to me.

This total stranger bought my venti decaf skim latte today! I thought that was so kind. She made me smile. I got curious. Asked her what brought her here and we chatted as we waited for our coffee. After she left, the place was somehow full of energy and the employees were having fun with the guests. By the time a couple of my fellow Board members came into the cafe, the place had a bit of a buzz about it.

A single act of kindness inspiring goodness. That’s nice.

I made a promise to myself to pay-it-forward and buy the drink of the person who comes in after me tomorrow.

Salt and the sea

It’s Friday night ‘deck time’ with Jim. I’m shelling salted peanuts, reminiscing about the early days of our relationship when summer vacation was spending all day every day for an entire week in Gulf Shores, AL in our loungers under a bug blue umbrella drinking our ‘juice’ (back then we figured cheap bear with lime juice qualified as healthy) and shelling salted peanuts, with our ‘bubba dog’ Tucker either hanging out between us, digging a big hole in the sand in front of us, or back in the room being brilliant and staying cool in our air conditioned room.

The gulf coast of the ‘southland’ turns to the southern coast of Portugal and Sagres, our first stop on vacation late this summer. I’m researching beaches (now, doesn’t that sound like some serious study you could dig into?) near Sagres. I came across the photo below, memories of many other European beaches flooding into memory, and found myself saying out loud, I can see myself there!  🙂  Counting the days to vacation-bound…

 

 

The power of an open heart

courtesy of jingbling.com

My friend Celeste gave me a magnet for my birthday earlier this year that has the quote below on it (there’s a graphic of a woman in a heart opening yoga posture, too).  Many times this wonderful gift has reminded me to trust my heart.

P.S. I’m pretty sure that men are especially powerful when they open their hearts, too.  🙂

Dog in the window

courtesy of pierref.eu (Bobby in the window)

I was in the guest room this morning and stopped to appreciate the sweet poem below which is framed and sits on the dresser. It was written by my niece Jillian when she was 6. She grew up in a family with 2 Dalmatians and has a soft heart for dogs (and these days rabbits, too). I have a soft spot for the 4-legged furry companions as well and this poem makes me smile and feel warm evry time I read it. Here’s to my creative and expressive niece, and to dogs! And to the smiles and feel-good feelings that both generate  🙂

Come Down, My Dog
By Jillian Lee Flaherty (Age 6)

Come Down, My Dog
Little Puppy in the windo
Will you come down to me
It mite be trow that me and you
will be in the zoo.
we will play evry day
oh so fun
I’ll hope that life will nevr be done
with you
and me
my dog.