My peace. My priorities. My pleasure.
At the end of the day, perhaps I shouldn't have eaten a whole BAR of hazelnut Chocolove, but at the time it seemed both imperative and enjoyable.
Pic: My view from the hammock.
Pic: Bee on thistle; English Garden @MSU.
I missed being outside, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving Nu by himself because of all the health stuff. This way, both of us get to be around each other, get some fresh air, and build our stamina.
It was a good start. The only downside being Nu wore his Doc Martens and got a blister and then wished he'd listened to me--I hate being right sometimes.
Pic: This was our best "ussie" via our reflections--waving creepily at our reflections in the Red Cedar River was L's idea.
Beal Gardens yesterday and Farmers' Market today--I can still enjoy other people's adventures in gardening this summer.
I am filled with gratefulness for sunshine, rain, sweet breezes, summer produce...
This is the summer of the sweetest cherries I've ever eaten...
This is the most bug-free summer I remember...
Just one more month of this radiant, glorious time; enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Pic: Beal Gardens, MSU
But... after I meditated yesterday, I realized that I haven't been spending time outside as much as I used to after the garden was squashed. Yet I need the outdoors and summer sunshine now more than ever. It's a bit like that Zen saying about meditation itself? "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour.”
I should be spending MORE time outside not less. Inside is chores and worrying. Outside is sunshine and wonder. I can do better and be better when I feel better.
Today I had a ramble in Ted Black Woods with L and T and biked with Big A after dinner.
Tomorrow I will spend time in the hammock.
Pic: Ted Black Woods
Between its appearance and my Chelli's confidence in me, I'm hopeful for the upcoming week.
Then yoga with Big A via Portal, A trip to the dollar store with Nu, a call to Cousin N to arrange next week's family get together, a long soak, leftovers for dinner.
A take-it-easy kinda day.
Pic: Baker Woods, MSU
Nu helped me with the bigger limbs while Big A did our annual mow. After they got tired, it was just me listening to bird calls and dragging stuff out and taking it to the piles by the firepit and being plied with lemon water by Nu and visits from Big A.
We have kindling for the rest of the year. At least.
The rest of the day was a nice soak, then Impossible burgers I had prepped at breakfast, smores by the firepit, and so to bed (with a detour to finish Elif Batuman's Either/Or, which I loved).
I haven't seen L in a while so I headed down the street after dinner for a hug and to update her on all the stuff going on. And omigosh--there were just so many fireflies out and about. L said they'd been out for a week now... I guess I've been such a shut-in, this was my first time seeing them this year.
So although my picture looks like unrelieved night, there are a few some sparks and sparkles here and there.
I may have taken that as a sign.
Along with the roof ruckus, came the quick death of my garden--perennials like lilac, phlox, hydrangeas, hostas have all been squashed flat. All the annuals--coleus, begonias, geraniums--ditto. If they'd asked me to move my precious plants ahead of time, I would have found a way to do that. Somehow the peony bush seems to have survived. Yay? Friends think the perennials will come back next year... Yay, I guess.
I keep thinking the garden looks like devastation and that I'm devastated. And then of all things, I worry I'm exaggerating my feelings. Things are worse in the world and could be worse here too. There's nothing to do but get through.
Pic: My flattened garden. Just a few weeks ago, I was so hopeful about starting.
I mean Nu is literally picking cherries here 🤗. Between the squirrels and the rain, we didn't get any cherries last year, so Nu decided he'd get in there even as our cherries are just beginning to turn pinkish.
And... Nu got offered the job he interviewed for at the mall yesterday! He says he was interviewed by two "older ladies" (this was defined for me as "20s or 30s" LOLOLOL) with "great energy." He'll start in July. He's so chuffed that he landed his first job interview ever.
In other child-related news, in an unexpected development, I'm experiencing a sense of calm post At's car accident now that he's taking the bus everywhere. I didn't realize before how much his driving and his driving while brown status weighed on me.
I'm about 70% packed for my trip to LA tomorrow. I'm gone for just two nights and Big A is fully capable (and better equipped by training) to take care of convalescing Nu, give Scout his meds, etc. but it still feels weird to leave. I'm ostensibly headed to my cousin's wedding--earlier than planned since the date has been changed due to a cancer diagnosis in the family. That sadness--and the superficial stress of making sure I remember the zillion things I need for my saris--are on my mind. I suspect my cousins and I will revert to being our silly childhood selves when we actually see each other.
Pic: Red Cedar River this morning.
The city has emptied out--what with the end of the MSU semester, graduating students, and the long Memorial Day weekend ahead of us.
I was on my own for dinner tonight, so after I fed Scout and Huck, I had a whole column of pistachio baklava and about half of a small watermelon.
I regret nothing.
Pic: The largest solar carport in North America had just three parked cars on this morning's walk with L.
I think that was a solid vacation--it didn't feel "fake" to me at all. I had a lovely time, meeting people Big A works with wa...
