Solitude

I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Solitude is good company, isn't it?  I think so.  I treasure my solitude, my time alone is precious to me.  It always has been, even as a child.  It didn't matter if my friends were around or not, I was perfectly happy playing by myself.  As an adult, I feel the same way, although I have to note that too much solitude is not good either.  I need solitude, but I need people, too.

Sometime after I got Sawyer and Blossom I developed the habit of going outside with them every morning and drinking a cup (or two) of coffee. This is one of the things that having dogs changed about my life!  Weather permiting, we do this every morning.  Sometimes it is still dark, sometimes the dawn begins while I sit on the old glider, on the weekends it is already daylight and the sun is rising.  It is a quiet time and although I'm usually not fully awake, it is a peaceful way to start my day. A little solitude in the morning goes a long way to get me through the day.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

A few weeks ago at an art show I saw a sign that said, "Nothing is certain" and then continued on with a saying or something.  I didn't take time to stop and read the sign, but thought to myself that that was the truth.  I rolled those words around for awhile in my salad-spinner brain.  We live in the present moment, unable to go back in time, but not knowing what the next second will bring to our lives, or to our world.

Monday afternoon I walked into my manager's office.  Without taking his eyes off his television, he stated that there had been an explosion at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  Stunned, I stood there watching the chaos and the frenzied aftermath.  Last night the top story on the 10 o'clock news brought the news of another explosion, this one also killing people and injuring many more. Stunned, I sat and watched the rescue efforts. Today the pictures of the devastation told the story of last night's poweful fertilizer plant explosion.

I've thought back to other events that stunned.  I remembered standing in another office on a September morning watching the World Trade Center tower burning; it would be a long, numbing day.  I thought of the afternoon last December when news of a school shooting stunned all of us.  And the morning news of a shooting in a Colorado theatre some time before that.  Nothing is certain, is it?

Once again I've tried to sort it all out.  How can a loving God let these awful things happen?  Why do they have to happen?  Why can't we all just live in peace and consideration with one another?  I firmly believe there is a reason for everything that happens, everything.  I firmly believe that God is in control, but still why all the suffering?  I don't know.

This morning I read an article on Fox News that spoke to me so I share it here, if you want to read it . Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled  When I saw the article's title I thought of John 14:1. I had read it this morning in a devotion book.  It was for yesterday's reading, but I'm a day behind.  When I clicked on the article, it did feature that verse (imagine that, the Bible being quoted) and was a heart warming and encouraging article. 

No, nothing is certain in this world.  But we move on, stunned sometimes by what happens around us, always remembering that our hope lies in our faith.  Let not your heart be troubled.

Bluebonnets

The bluebonnets, as with most wildflowers, have been sparse this spring since we had no rain last November.  I feel like I have discovered a small treasure whenever I see even a few blooms.  I did find a few clumps along the way to a dog show in Austin on Saturday, and snapped a few pictures.  The season is almost over so they will soon be going to seed.  Hopefully, there will be rain next fall to start the crop on its way to a more bounteous display!

Sometimes...

a girl just has to do what a girl has to do.  Sometimes you just have to break out of the normal routine and do something different.

It all started last night as I left for obedience class with Bentley.  Sawyer had a melt down; he really knows how to pull my heart strings, too.  He had his saddest face on and was barking at me with the bark he uses to fuss at me sometimes.  I felt bad, so I mentally promised myself that I would load him up real soon into the car and take him to our favorite park to walk the trails. 

I've gotten out of the habit of walking (again) and need to get back into it. All the dogs need exercise, especially Sawyer who has packed on a few too many pounds for some reason.  I need the exercise and fresh air, too.  I always seem to have an excuse on the evenings when I don't have to go anywhere and none of them are really acceptable.

Today, as I worked at the-job-to-nowhere I thought about my promise to take Sawyer to the park.  I decided that it would be the perfect evening to do so and resolved that I would not make any excuses.  Just load him up and go.  So I did, and I was glad that I broke with the normal routine. The temperature was around 70 degrees and the late afternoon/early evening light on the trails was lovely.  It was very refreshing and left me with some positive thoughts. Sawyer enjoyed the easy pace of the walk and being able to have limited snooping opportunities along the trails; it was good for him, too.

As we walked along I realized that taking time to do something you enjoy is very important.  Just working all the time at the job or chores drags you down.  Living only in the routine of life drags you down. Taking time out for a walk, or anything else, is refreshing and rejuvenating and lifts your spirit up.   I need to add "take time to do the things I enjoy" to my list of things to do regularly. Just break out of the routine and enjoy.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven Ecclesiastes 3:1

Serendipity

I was making pictures of another subject this afternoon when I saw this Mama and her babies, too cute not to get a shot.  Unfortunately, I was a little far away and had to zoom in so they are a little fuzzy.  I love little surprises like this!

Serendipity: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for 

(Merriam-Webster, 10th edition)

How to irritate myself

Twice lately I've found myself trying to make pictures without a card in the camera.  Twice!  Both times I was just snapping pictures and finally looked to see what one looked like and there was the big banner across the LCD screen "NO CARD IN CAMERA".  I was irritated with myself but there was nothing I could do; no card, no pictures. Grrrr!

Where was the card?  Resting quietly in the computer at home.  Have I learned my lesson?  YES!  I can't stand to be without a camera!  From now on, check the battery and the card slot before dropping the camera in my bag.