simply a moment | 9.15.24

On my walk, Sunday, September 15, 2:42 PM:

Leaves on the sidewalk crunch under my feet. I hadn’t realized how impactful the few days of cool weather has been on the trees just two days ago. Hardly any leaves had turned – yet today, not only have many leaves on many different kinds of trees turned, they are also falling, falling, falling. A dog being walked by its owner is just panting. Kind of snuck up on me – thankfully it’s on a leash! He looks like he’s a bulldog mix. It might be a she for all I know.


I stopped to take some pictures of leaves on trees and the ground and see that two other dogs are at a standoff . The owners apparently know one another. And the dogs? One decided s/he wasn’t going to be friendly. The other responded in kind; they may know each other and they may just do that every time they meet.


As I arrive home, my first thought: Where is my car? … and then I remember: my sister has it. A reminder: I need to have the garage auto door looked at – does the remote opener actually function. I just need to make sure the opener works or will it need to be replaced? And if I need to upgrade, how much will it cost? I make a mental note to talk to my neighbors and see what they suggest.

The azalea bush has bloomed again. This is probably not its last time this year…

I check my watch for my walk stats: 43:14 min; 1.10 mi; 2:12 -2:55 pm; 80 degrees; 47% humidity . Exercise goal achieved! Go Me!

Welcome October | 10.1.23…

7:15 p.m. As I type this, the sun is setting. This has been a lovely Fall day, just warm enough to be without a jacket. I took a long, unplanned walk, to Franciscan Monastery and “wrote”, i.e., spoke via Apple Notes about the trip to and back. What follows is a very edited version of those spoken notes.

Sunday, October 1, 2023.

At the Monastery. I’m sitting on the bench overlooking the forest; to my right, the Ronald McDonald house. The sun shines. The trees are not quite as leafy as they were a month ago. I hadn’t planned to come to the Monastery today – I left home without ID or bus fare or a credit card or cash. I was just going for my normal daily walk but I found myself heading north and Here I Am .

It’s a lovely day: Quiet; there’s a cloud or two or three or four, but they’re not menacing – just adding to the overall glory of this day. I enjoyed a quiet morning in bed, dipping into the three new books on memoir writing I bought yesterday; listening to WSHU’s Sunday Baroque; and jotting down thoughts in my journal. Just relaxing. Enjoying doing nothing.

According to the clock it’s 1:33 PM and this is Sunday, October 1. A month ago I was here and I challenged myself to learn something new every day. Well, I suppose I did but what I didn’t do was document what I learned. C’est la vie.

So again, here I sit, partially in the sun and partially not if I turn a little bit. I’m just resting, enjoying the breeze and the scenery, and looking up at the sky following the trees to their very tippy tops. Such a beautiful, peaceful setting. I see a young boy running uphill and wonder where he’s going.

The koi pond is overflowing with plants; I barely saw any fish; wonder why they let the plants grow that way? I’m sure there’s a reason. I tell myself I’ll take a couple pictures of the Koi pond on my way out.

And thus the day comes to an end. Welcome October 2023.

today|…

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today, we had a break in the weather AND  I took my first walk in almost a week.  It’s just been too durn hot; weather not fit for man or beast – tho’ I see plenty of dogs and their owners out for strolls, primarily in the early morning or evening.  My normal walking path is to and through the park; round trip I clock a bit over a mile.

today, the park was pretty quiet – no children on the swings or jungle gyms, etc.  They were probably all at the pool! On an errand Tuesday, I drove by the park and was surprised to see the pool was open!

today, I was also delighted to see a new reading bench in the park!  Wished I had  a journal + pen with me  (actually I  did – on my iPhone – but that’s just not the same as feeling /seeing a pen glide across a page).  The new bench will no doubt be very popular; hopefully, I’ll get a chance soon to give the new bench a test run.  Note to Self:  Carry a pen and small paper pad or index cards. Wish there were a few more benches scattered throughout the park.

today I’m having all sorts of problems with Word Press so I’ll bring this post to a close and hope that I can get the issue resolved on Monday. Apparently “helpers” have the weekends off!

have a good weekend.

cheers~

sometimes mondays | 1.6.20 …

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… are bright, sunny, even tho’ a tad bit cool (temp range 37° to 47°) , and just perfect for a brisk mid-afternoon walk on my favorite route: through the neighborhood park.

During MSQT, I played a bit with watercolor pencils and made a quick drawing of the sky and a tree. I hadn’t used the Watercolor app in sometime so I thought it’d be fun to revisit. Me thinks I’ll play some more, a lots more…

The dryer just shut off – a signal that laundry (an all day affair, it seems) is done…and time for dinner before I wind down for the evening. Tomorrow’s another day and there will be left-overs from today’s agenda plus new items that need my attention…

Cheers~

 

sometimes mondays |8.19.19 |…

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I recall seeing these lilies last year and was delighted to stumble across them again

   Noting that today’s temperature was on the way upppp, I took my daily walk early … and I’m so glad I did! The temp, as I pen this, is now 97° F …and climbing. Yuk! After I walked, showered, had brunch, I went upstairs, about noon, to attend to today’s @computer/calls tasks. First on my list: today’s blog post. Hah! It is now 2:50 pm – I’m not sure where the time went. I recall reading an email that directed me 1)  to a book that  2) sent me down a rabbit hole. And now, I’m up for air… can’t even say I’m any wiser and I’m definitely not ahead with today’s agenda possibilities…but, hey, that’s just how sometimes mondays  roll.

Guess I’ll replenish my iced H2O and resume my list. One done and next? Hmm, let’s see: guess I’ll throw the dice and see what’s next!

Hope your Monday is cool and relaxing.

Cheers~

sometimes mondays| 8.12.19 …

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I took an earlier than usual walk this morning, at the tail end of morning rush hour. The sky was as clear as crystal and the temperature, in the cool 70s. As I wended my way, I saw a gift bag, sitting on the ground at a bus stop. Of course, I had to take a look-seek : the bag was empty, save for some sort of advertisement. Amusing… curious … why was the bag there? Oh well, tho’ I’ll never know, I thought: perhaps this day was the gift. Yeah! I think I like that thought, a lot!

What gift/s did this day bring you?

Cheers~

TGIF | 7.19.19 …

…’cause the thermometer’s scheduled to reach at least 98 degrees today and 100 degrees tomorrow …

Listening to Educated by Tara Westover – my new walking companion. Very interesting and I like the narrator’s voice …

Observing rush hour traffic, birds foraging …

Eating a mixed berry jam oat bar, tasty …

Feeling a cool breeze! Refreshing, if only momentary …

Home again:

Thinking about this afternoon’s agenda: Journal Club; hair appt; buy ink for printer; maybe a stop at the shopping mall across the street? …

Grateful for air conditioning, the ice maker and a shower ….

Inspired by this quote: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fun looking forward to Sunday Friendstitching gathering; seems as though we’ve not met for months …

Wishing you the best weekend, ever… hoping it is cool!

Cheers~

weekending and today

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The weekend started with a quiet bang. Saturday was lovely ~ an invitation to walk to Zeke’s, sit outside and enjoy a new-to-me latté  (made with lavender spice and honey). After one sip, a gust of wind, caused my drink to spill the minute I sat it down! The barrista was kind enough to make me another and I switched to a caramel latté  – I found the first drink a tad too sweet.

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Easter Sunday we joined friends for a delightful, delicious potluck dinner. The evening sunset was spectacular. I am so delighted that today’s smart phone technology makes taking such dramatic  photos as easy as can be!

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Today beckoned me outside once again:  Come. Take a long leisurely walk to the park. I enjoyed not only the weather and sight of the sky, folk reading, kids playing, flowers, azaleas and trees blooming, and also the sidewalk art, always a delight to see.

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Lovely memories of a lovely weekend. Ah! Spring!

unraveled wednesday | 4.17.19…

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Still recovering from Sunday’s 12K walkathon…adding yesterday, another 8K+. I normally average circa 5K on a daily basis, weather and other factors permitting. Today’s incentive: spend several [more] hours in my craft room, purging and reorganizing – bringing outer order and inner calm to my creative memory keeping environment as well as my mind.

Calmed and ready for a break – a treat – I journeyed to my favorite (and only) local coffee shop within walking distance. On the way there and back, I listened to the latest edition of What Should I Read Next ? ~ Modern Mrs Darcy podcast, episode 180. This week’s featured guest, Liberty Hardy, host of BookRiot’s All the Books podcast, read 600 books last year! Reading is her full time j-o-b! And then some! Can you imagine? I encourage you to listen to the podcast -even if you’re not a podcast listener. It was fun …and I’ve added Liberty’s fave author: Elizabeth McCracken’s Giant House: A Romance to my TBR list – I don’t usually read fiction in this genre but this one sounds like fun so I thought I might give it a try…any one read it already?

The Quilt Show is two weeks away, May 2-4, and I’ve just a few loose ends to tie up…but for all intent and purpose, I. am.ready.

Joining Kat and friends for another UW. What’s unraveling – or not – in your life these days?

Cheers~