Outside

There were some beautiful moments in the middle of this busy day. At one point I sat outside with the sun warming me gently while doing some hand-sewing on a costume cloak. The weather was perfect, leaves fluttered from trees, and I felt so contented to just be there in my yard.

Another moment was on the walk to retrieve Link from school. Gleek decided that with all those crunchy leaves on the ground she didn’t want to be confined to the stroller. So I pushed the empty stroller and Gleek ran ahead. She didn’t just run though, she ran and leaped with her arms extended like wings. She was so beautiful with her hair flying. I remember doing that, running just for the joy of feeling my body move. Running & leaping is almost like flying. Add leaves and there was bliss.

Oh, and the Northern Flicker is back. He comes to stay in our neighborhood every winter. Last year he brought Mrs. Flicker with him. He sits in my honey locust tree and calls out. Sometimes he eats walnuts that were left on the ground or on the tree. I don’t mind sharing with him, the flashes of colors from his wings brighten my day. A few mornings last winter he and Mrs. Flicker hung out on our deck where all the kids could see them and admire. Wildlife in the backyard is always cause for wonder. At various times we have had Quail, a pheasant, a sharpshinned hawk, peacocks, sparrows, magpies, northern flickers, scrub jays, seagulls, finches, a woodpecker, cats, dogs, mice, and a turtle. The turtle, cats, peacocks, & dogs all belonged to neighbors. The mice are the only visitors I could do without, they tend to take up residence inside my walls. I’m not going to count bugs and crawlies, we’d be here all night.

I need to remember that outside has happiness waiting for me to find it.