life — Page 268

The Change of Seasons

September 13, 2012 at 8:14 am by Claudia

Night around here is suddenly much cooler. As are the mornings. I’ve been sitting on the porch, mug of hot coffee in my hands, gazing at the subtly changing landscape. The light is changing. Flowers have become a bit faded, leaves are ever so slightly yellowing. Though it’s still early in September, fall is definitely in the air.

Don was talking about the sort of melancholy feeling that can come with a change of season – at least this change of season. I know what he means. Perhaps it’s because we know that fall, as beautiful as it is, leads to winter. Fall used to be my favorite season and I still love it. But since I’ve had my gardens, spring and summer have become my favorite times of year. I know that I will have to say goodbye to my flowers in the not-too-distant future. Though fall’s crisp air fills me with energy, I also feel that melancholy that comes along with it.

I think I feel these things more deeply as I get older. I know the fragility of life in a way I didn’t when I was young. All of us of a certain age do. How can we not? I’ve got what would be termed a ‘milestone’ birthday coming up later this year. I’m in denial; I’ll freely admit it. Time seems to move much more quickly the older we get. In the blink of an eye another year has passed and I feel time running away from me.

It makes every day more precious. I have to remind myself not to take these days for granted. I have to remind myself to treasure my time with this sweet girl, who also feels the change of seasons and is once again nesting on the sofa.

I have to remind myself not to get annoyed when my dad calls one too many times in the course of an evening. I must treasure the time I have left with him.

I have to remind myself to appreciate all the blessings I have at this moment in time.

I have to remind myself to stay in the present. For that’s all we have, really.

So, at this moment in time – Happy Thursday.

A reminder that A Favorite Thing #3 is this Saturday. I’ll have the post up and ready for your links at 8:00 pm EST on Friday.

Pothos, a Poll and a Plan

August 18, 2012 at 10:14 am by Claudia

:: I used to root pothos this way, but now I’m having my doubts. Is this too long a cutting? Any tips would be welcome.

I haven’t rooted anything like this for years – since my bedroom at my parents’ house was filled with houseplants in the mid seventies. I have a pothos in the bathroom at the cottage which has been around here for a long time. It was getting too leggy, so I decided to take a cutting and root it.

:: I’m taking a poll about the post I wrote yesterday. Would you like to join in on a meme/party about “A Favorite Thing?” And if so, would you prefer it on a Friday or a Saturday? Several of you have already responded, but I didn’t add the information as to which day of the week until later in the day yesterday.

So: Friday or Saturday?

:: I’m in the process of moving to WordPress. Hopefully, all will be complete sometime early in the week. It’s a big deal, it’s daunting, but I’m really happy with the new look. I’ll explain more about my reasons for the move later.

:: What are your plans for the weekend?

Happy Saturday.

A Different Kind of “Reveal”

August 13, 2012 at 8:54 am by Claudia

Yesterday. Late afternoon. I’m sitting in my usual chair in the living room which is directly across from the front door, giving me a view of the front porch and one of my hanging plants.

I gaze upon this same view every day.

But this particular late afternoon, the sunlight was shining in just such a fashion as to reveal something previously hidden.

Beautiful, large, intricate spiderwebs.

Three of them, actually. One on either side of this post.

And one above the hanging plant.

I sat there, amazed. I made Don get up and look at this ‘reveal.’

Because that’s what it is, isn’t it? A reveal?

Something I looked at every day, something I assumed was one thing…was actually another thing entirely.

What appeared to be the total picture…simply wasn’t.

That’s a lesson, my friends, that I have to keep re-learning.

Back in my performing days, I did a lot of Gilbert & Sullivan. One song title immediately comes to mind: “Things are Seldom What they Seem.” I can’t remember all the lyrics, but the next line was, “Skim milk masquerades as cream.”

I find this enormously comforting, especially now. There’s always something more to see. There’s always something more to be revealed – something that was always there, but remained hidden until just the right time. Until the “Reveal.”

Oh and, yes, I see that my porch posts need a good scrubbing. But you know what? It’s way, way down on my list of things I want to do. They look plenty white from a distance. I guess they have their own sort of reveal!

Happy Monday.

The Change of Seasons

Pothos, a Poll and a Plan

A Different Kind of “Reveal”

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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