Moments - D27; Cards & Laughter

One thing I always loved as a kid was the amount of board games and card games my family & I enjoyed.

It is a pastime that, to this day, I love to share with friends and family.

Today was a morning filled with giggles and cards. And hey - since I happened to win the game of Canasta, that doesn’t hurt either….does it? :)

A moment I love. A moment to share.

Moments - D26; Bird Baths and Baby Spiders

Today was a day of conflicting emotions. It was a gorgeous day, unexpected for May 2 - 4 weekend. We went shopping at a greenhouse for the annual plant buy. The emotions were conflicting because I love spending time with my parents and I love gardening. BUT....and this is the catch, this is something that I loved to do at my home. Build my own gardens to be lush and beautiful for the summer. It's the first time I had a pang of sadness for my home. (It was sold back in April.) My gardens would just be starting to show-off and it would be time for me to add the little annual accessories.

Yes - I miss my gardens. But there will be other gardens. Dare I even dream, better gardens.

Once that sadness passed, I had my hands in the dirt at my old home - the one where I grew up. As I sat under the 36 year old maple tree (where every September my Mom took a picture of my brother and I before we started school) I watched the sparrows playing in the bird bath. As I watched, I could feel the calm set in. THIS is what down time is all about. Watching. Appreciating. Enjoying the world around you.

Then I had an inch worm join me in my chair. That was fun! I took a few pictures of him! Here's one.

And later, exploring the gardens, we came across a web of baby spiders. Very cool, and very interesting to watch.

Yes - these are the moments that I love. Watching the leaves rustle in the whisper of a breeze. Laughing at the birds play in the water. Cheering on the inch worm to it's next big jump. And being amazed by the hundreds of spiders.

Moments of my wonder of the world around me. So much more meaningful to me than lamenting the past.

Moments - D25; Roads less Travelled

Today I travelled from my new home town to my old home town. Being the long weekend, the traffic on the highway was atrocious. So feeling somewhat adventurous and in no rush to get home, I decided to ask my GPS for an alternative route minus the "freeways".

I soon found myself winding up an incredibly steep road up the escarpment. It was gorgeous. A slow drive up through the newly leaved trees, an array of green and maroon. The tree lined curving road went on for a good 5 minutes, it was so lovely. So calming and pretty.

Once up the "mountain" I found myself amoungst vineyards and orchards. Then the terrain changed to farmland and I was fascinated by the dirt (or dust) devils in the fields. I saw four of them in my travels home. I haven't seen these in YEARS!

Once home, my day was filled with laughter love and fun conversation. We were unexpected joined by additional family.

It was a day of new experiences, old experiences and love.

Moments to share and remember.

Moments - D24; Black and White NOT!

There are people in the world that will insist that the world around them is full of defined things or moments.  In fact some believe that their path is predestined.  That answers are black or they are white.

I am not one that believes this.  I celebrate the many, MANY shades of grey that surround us.  I celebrate the unknown.  Discussing the unknown and analyzing the same.    For without shades of grey, how are we ever to know what is black and what is white?

And, for the record, while I believe we all have a purpose in life, I also believe that our path(s) chosen are not predestined.  We have choice on how we find and share that purpose in life.  This is the grey.  Choosing a path can be grey.  (read uncertain!)

It’s like having a great relationship with someone.  ANYONE really.  A parent.  A best friend.  A lover.  Answers are never simply black or white - after all there are two (or more) perspectives in the mix.  I believe this amplifies the many shades of grey between the extreme answers.   BUT - without this grey matter I think things between people would be quite boring.  There really wouldn’t be much to discuss or learn.  It’s truly the grey that brings us depth of understanding another soul and what their heart holds.

So I say - “Bring on the grey.  Celebrate the grey.  Question the Black & White answers offered because there is often much more going on beneath the surface.”

A moment shared from deep inside my soul.  Grey.  Celebrate it.

Moments - D23; Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

You know, when I was a kid my Mom would make my brother and I tomato soup and grilled cheese for dinner from time to time.  It was always a favourite of mine.

I forget sometimes just how much joy something so simple can be.  Today, since I was home sick again, I made myself tomato soup and grilled cheese.  The ooowwweee gooey goodness of the grilled cheese (old school grilled cheese with Kraft slices and a slice of tomato in it) complimented my organic basil tomato soup.  It brought me back to a warm childhood memory AND it satiated me.  What more can a girl ask for on a beautiful spring day, stuck inside sick?  Yes - the oooooweeeeee gooey goodness of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

A moment to smile.  A moment remembering past days.

Moments - D22; Rainy Mornings

Today I had to stay home from work again.  My cold worsened overnight and I certainly don’t want to share this with the folks at work.  Fortunately I can (and do) login and work from home….in bed….in my jammies!

My window was open overnight to enjoy the warm spring breeze….and I awoke to the beautiful music of a light rain.    I didn’t even open my eyes.  I just lay there enjoying the moment.  As I rolled over and dug in a little deeper into my duvet the rain became a downpour.  I could hear the rain beating upon the window and the ground below.  It was a beautiful sound.  A smile upon my face as I fell back asleep.

A beautiful moment to remember and share

Moments - D21; Foliage

Yes - that's right.  Foliage.

I see you scratching your head.  Pause.

One of my favourite times of year is when the trees no longer are bare.  They are no longer with bud.  It's that magical moment where within a day they seem to go "poof" and be full of foliage.

Today was that day for me.  It felt like all the trees in my neighbourhood exploded with their leaves today.  It's a magical moment.  And one I look forward to every year.