Five Good Things #4

In a month when the people are being bombarded by either rainstorms or else scorching heat that could melt you to the sidewalk, I thought it would be a great idea to step into the air-conditioning, take a deep breath, and come up with five more “good things,” for which to be grateful.

1) Electricity. It isn’t until we get a bad storm and the power goes off that we realize how dependent we’ve become on it.  And, the longer the power outage lasts, the more we miss it, as we go around flipping light switches that don’t work and longing for food we can’t cook.  Yes, power is a great thing and I never take it for granted.

2) Your special chair. You know the one I mean.  It’s the chair, probably in the living room, that opens its arms wide to you, no matter how the rest of the world feels about you.  Mine is a black leather recliner, which may not be considered a “feminine” chair, but, since I’m the Queen of My Castle, it’s my throne.  This is the chair into which I drop when I’m physically exhausted from working around the house.  It’s the chair into which I cuddle to read on a rainy day or to watch a movie in.  It’s my little sanctuary from the storm.  If you don’t have a relationship with a good chair, you really should develop one!

3) Good conversation. There’s nothing like chatting away with a good friend and losing track of time.  This past week I had two lunches with two different friends and it made me realize how much good conversation feeds my soul.

4) A good hairdo. This is primarily a female thing.  As a woman I’ve been subject to all kinds of hairdos and have spent many tear-filled hours bemoaning bad ones.  Fortunately, I’ve found a good one and a stylist who can maintain it and I know how lucky that makes me. In just the past week I’ve been stopped four times in stores or restaurants by someone wanting to know who does my hair, so I think this particular hairdo is working for me.  It’s unique in that it’s long in the front and short and stacked in the back.  Having in the past gone through “bride of Frankenstein” looks, I consider my present hairdo a very good thing.

5) Peace. This does not refer to world peace.  I’m not idealistic enough to believe that we’ll see that in my lifetime.  I’m talking about those periods in life when you don’t have any horrible things going on.  You’re not fighting through a big family drama.  You’re not struggling with a negative medical diagnosis.  You’re not having financial problems.  You’re just living your life with a minimum of stress.  This may be the best of all five things.  These periods are precious and are meant to be cherished. And I wish this kind of peace for all of you reading this today.

So?  Are these good things for you, too?  Do you have some other ones to contribute?  As usual, the comment section is just waiting for you!

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Five Good Things #3

Lately I’ve felt my spirits starting to slip a little for any number of reasons, so I thought it would be a good time for another installment of “good things.”  My first two installments were “10 Good Things,” but I’ve decided to reduce it to five, so as to not overwhelm the writer or the reader.  That would be you.  After all, five things are plenty to sink in and give you something to ponder.

(1) Fireflies. What says summer more than they do?  They have been out in full force around my house lately and they really take me back to simpler times in my life.  I remember how my little gang and I used to wait until dark and then run around the neighborhood, clutching Mason jars and vying to see who could catch the most.  At the time, it was just the most fun!  Ah, good times.

(2) A package in the mail. I’m one of those people who actually enjoy getting the mail, bills and all.  But, when I open up the box and see a package inside, I get a little surge of joy.  I mean, even when you’re expecting something you have ordered, it’s nice to actually receive it.  It’s like a little present to yourself.  And, if it’s something you’re not expecting, well, that’s even better.

(3) Organ Donors. They are often the forgotten heroes.  Last Thursday was the first episode of  “Boston Med,” a documentary of actual doctors and hospitals filmed in real-time.  One of the story lines was about two people waiting for a lung transplant when a healthy lung becomes available.  As they interviewed the people waiting and their families, it made me so aware of what a gift it is for someone to think ahead and make their organs available.  It is a really good thing.

(4) Bacon. For me, there is no aroma more welcoming than that of bacon cooking.  And not just any bacon.  I have found the perfect bacon.  It is Oscar Mayer Louis Rich Turkey Bacon.  I know, I know, you wouldn’t think turkey bacon would taste real and I’ve found that other brands don’t.  But this stuff is heaven!  You put two pieces on a plate folded between a paper towel, microwave them two minutes and then remove them. And you have two perfectly cooked pieces of bacon with no grease and they taste wonderful! And here’s the best part.  A piece of this is 35 calories, 2.8 gms of fat.  One piece of regular bacon is 120 calories!  Think of that next time you want to chow down on a great BLT!

(5) Sunrises. Every morning I step out on my balcony in the dark and watch the sun rise on the horizon.  And every morning I’m in awe of God’s handiwork.  What better time to say my prayers?

And I can’t think of a better way to end this post.

Got some good things of your own to share? Jump right in!  The comments are all yours.

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After the rain…

Whew!  We’re finally getting a bit of a reprieve from the wet gloom and doom!  I wandered out after the last rain and found that the wet leaves cling to everything, whether they’re supposed to or not…

and zombie creatures emerge to forage, like some bit actors in the squirrel version of “dawn of the dead.”

But, on the “plus” side, Lila, my favorite tree, stretches her arms out to embrace the long-absent sun.  Note how her long hair hangs down.

And my wind chime tinkles merrily with each passing breeze, adding harmonious embroidery to the edges of the day…

And, finally, my hard-done-by yucca plant survives and triumphs, showing that love trumps dog pee any old day!

Yes, life is good.  Thank You, God.

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The Sky is Absolutely Free

On days like this, when the economy continues to tank, the market is sinking fast and prices continue to creep upward, I find no alternative other than to turn my thoughts outward – to nature.  And one of my most favorite things in nature is… the sky.

Nowhere else will you find something this beautifully breathtaking that doesn’t cost you a cent.  And it’s never boring. The sky has so many moods – cheerful and fluffy, moody and brooding, and sometimes just plain elegant, and I love them all!  I took this shot one freezing evening, just as sunset began.  The leafless tree branches look like filigree set against the beautiful watercolor mix of blues, lavenders, pinks and white.  For me, it’s magical.

What initially caught my attention was the jet leaving a trail behind, which, in my ignorance, I’ve always thought was skywriting.  It wasn’t until I listened to our local weatherman that I learned that such lines in the sky are called “contrails.”  They’re made by the condensation left behind jet aircraft.  They form when hot humid air from jet exhaust mixes with environmental air of low vapor pressure and low temperature.  And here I thought someone was trying to leave me a message in the sky! 

Here’s another shot as the colors shifted.

When the news seems to be all bad, I find it so therapeutic to just step outside for a moment or two and look around.  There are so many gifts we’re given every day that we take for granted. We’re too busy.  We’re too distracted.

For me, the sky is a precious blessing from God that is ours for the savoring – absolutely free!  And the beauty of this gift is that tomorrow we won’t be receiving a notice saying, “Due to increasing costs, the price of each sunset will now be $19.95 a day.  Visa and debit card accepted.”

All I can say is, “Bravo, God!  Bravo!” and “Thank you.”

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