TwoBlueDay

Bromeliad

mrschili did a meme this morning, and one item really caught my eye:

“51) Where do you wish you were?
I don’t wish to be anywhere but where I am.”

This was probably not intended as a deeply philosophical question in the meme, maybe more like “wouldn’ t you really rather be somewhere cool like Tahiti, or Cleveland?” I could be wrong about that, however, and it could have been a very Zen sort of inquiry. Anyway  .  .  .

I used to be quite an impatient person whether in traffic, or as a pedestrian, etc. I didn’t like that. So I started running a phrase/question through my head a lot: “What makes me think I’ll be happier somewhere else than I am now?” Over time, it worked. Not only do I have no assurance I’ll be happier somewhere else, I have no assurance I’ll even be alive somewhere else. I know it’s very trite to say so, but nobody knows the future. It’s my job to make myself happy here and now. Sure, I can make plans (which are, perforce, tentative), and have cheeful anticipatory feelings about how wonderful it will be when I get to the ice cream parlor, but I may never get there, and they may not have my favorite flavor when I get there (or the sugar and fat content may be the straws which break the camel’s back and I may keel over on their shiny tile floor).

Of course, I don’t want to forget that whatever I’m doing right now, wheresoever I am, this is part of my life. Why should I waste this part of my life, which I’ll never get back, by comparing it unfavorably with some other part of my life I think/hope is going to happen in the future?

I ain’t gonna start chanting “Om,” but, you know, maybe I should.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      Melody Parfumee

Angel Trumpet.

Today I spent the afternoon with Babycakes. We worked on a school project for her (she’s doing a “research” of salmon).  I think it is good that the idea of looking for information about a subject and preparing to present it to others is put before these 1st graders. She is enjoying the project, although I think she’s also “stressing” about it a bit. 

BlueMoon is down at Disney staying overnight with a couple of friends before participating in a mini-triathalon down there. This is something she enjoys. We’ll take Babycakes/NewMoon down tomorrow and have a Mothers’ Day brunch.

Our temperatures are already into the mid to high nineties. So let’s heat in on up with Lunasa:

Both flower photos today were made from the same exposure, just processed differently. I think they are a variety of begonia.  So, above is #1.

And, logically enough, #2.

Which one has more eye appeal to you?

“Poppi” is what Babycakes a/k/a NewMoon calls me. I hope she always does.

I did hot sweaty lawn work this morning. Some weeding, and adding some gravel to some planting beds. We use a gravel called “Cedar Bark” instead of mulch. My Honey and I slaved last spring to do all the beds. The rocks are all still here, of course, but there is some settling into the soil, so a bit of replenishment was needed. Working outside and sweating are a wonderful way for me to progress towards the centering I discussed last time. I really get into this activity at our Cape Cod place, although the heat factor is quite a bit different! It was up to 90 by the time I came in to take a cool shower and drink some cranberry-pomegranate juice.

I’m adding a musical bit to my posts these days in lieu of my former rants about one thing and another.

Foy Vance:

Leonard Messel Magnolia. This is one of the magnolia varieties which thrive up north. This one was on Cape Cod. They even grow in Minnesota!

The petals remind me of little wings, so…

How about some “Little Wing.” Monte Montgomery on the guitar with this Jimi Hendrix classic.

Before now, I had not seen pink lacecap hydragnea.

How about some tulips?

Happy Birthday.

This rose is known as “Dainty Bess.”

Today is an ominously portentuous day for my friends the Chili family. I hope it brings better news than expected.