Friday, June 17, 2011

Outdoor evening

It's almost the longest day of the year. I heard kids shouting, looked outside and saw them playing on the neighbor's swingset. I saw the chickens in my neighbor's yard. I decided to go outside.

We cut down a tree near the chicken coop last month. I sat on the stump and watched the hens going about their scratching and roosting and chuckling. They came running up, but soon dispersed when I didn't throw in any greens for them to eat. Some of these hens had a cold on Monday but they all look fine this evening. Art has been caring for them while our neighbors are out of town.

I walked into our easement and spent a few minutes pulling up weeds so the native species we planted last spring will have room to take over. With an armload of plants, I started for the yard waste bin but stopped to chat with my neighbor first. We both have kids in their early 30s, grown and gone, and grandchildren who come over. His grandson's swingset is what has attracted other neighborhood children to spend time there. My neighbor and I agreed that life is good.

After disposing of the weeds, I walked through our garden, noticing how the trees planted last spring are going to yield fruit - an apple, pear and cherry tree have lots of tiny round green fruit that will be ripe in another month or two. And the blueberries are thriving, and the honeysuckle we planted last week has found the post we want it to climb, and the grapes this year are going to find their post as well.

Art had put netting around the trees to keep the birds out. I saw a small bird running around the cherry tree, making a clicking noise. Looking into the netting, I saw a baby bird tangled in it. I tore the netting away from the bird and lifted it out. It ran into the bushes and after a few minutes the clicking from the mother stopped; I think they must have found each other again.

I sat in the garden for another ten minutes, surrounded by our garden, seeing what's come up in the raised beds, looking forward to the harvest. I agreed, again, that life is good.

Half an hour later, I went outside again to watch the chickens heading into their roost for the night. I think it must be the light, but at dusk they meander to the ladder, in a particular order, and walk up to the shelter for the night.

On my way back in I saw my cat, Larisa, stalking by the driveway. I picked her up and took her inside. She shot through the house and leaped through her door in the back. I went back out and she had already returned to her stalking. Not good. I shooed her away and watched the little bird - apparently still without its mama - until it disappeared into some thick shrubbery. Larisa slunk under the truck to evade capture again. For the first six years of her life the cat lived entirely indoors. Stalking must be instinctive. I think about the ecological balance of our neighborhood and feel mild guilt that we let her out.

I've begun taking a natural supplement - it's got hops, valerian, passion flower and a few other herbs in it. I notice I'm not trapping worries in my head and rehashing them until I get anxious, and the hot buttons that sometimes cause me to be defensive don't appear to be active. It's not at all like a tranquilizer. More like something that makes me more me. I'm grateful to the friend that recommended it.

Life is good.


20 comments:

Deere Driver said...

All sounds great! I need that supplement!

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Lovely post, Linda! Life sounds -- and is -- good, indeed!

June said...

I like this post. A lot.
Wandering around noticing things is highly, highly underrated. I believe we should all do more of it.

Grandmother Mary said...

Remember the book: "Management by Walking Around"? That's what you're doing only it's not other people you're managing. It lets you take in all that's around you. And feel grateful. What a good practice.

Arkansas Patti said...

What ever the suppliment has done, you are certainly mellow. Such a nice day.

Teresa Evangeline said...

You do sound very much at peace, and what a lovely way to spend the day, noticing all the good in the small moments of life.

DJan said...

Lovely post. I hope the little bird found its mama, but you have certainly done your part. It does sound like a good life, Linda, filled with lots of peacefulness. I myself doubt that the supplement is totally the cause; maybe it just gave you a little boost in the right direction. :-)

Anonymous said...

Glad the herbal supplement is helping you. It's always nice to feel energized and worry-free.

Out on the prairie said...

You may become the spokesperson for that supplement.The chickens sound fun to watch.

Rita said...

What a lovely, lovely post! Yes, life is good. Very, very good!!

Yes, stalking is instinctive in cats. Being a skilled hunter is not a given, tho. ;)

Sally Wessely said...

A metaphor comes to my mind: you have found yourself planted in retirement and have found a post to climb so you can fully bloom. Peace and fulfillment ooze from this post.

Perhaps the supplement has greatly helped your mind set, but I think there is a lot more of an awakening going on. Thanks for sharing your outdoor evening and thoughts with us.

marciamayo said...

Life in good, indeed.

Tracy said...

ahhh, life is good it sounds and thanks for the herbal supplement you are taking. Sometimes our minds just need that little extra boost so good for you!
I love just wandering and putzing and just 'being'!

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Yes, life is definitely good. Enjoy the long days, and the brief moments, and that supplement you are taking!

wheels4me said...

That was a wonderful post about the beauty of long summer days in the NW.

Congrats on growing a great garden with soon to be delicious produce.

Ms Sparrow said...

Isn't nature the best healer of all?

Anything Fits A Naked Man said...

That natural supplement sounds wonderful! I may need to check that out!! Great post!

Perpetua said...

What a wonderful post, Linda. I can feel your contentment in every line. Thanks for sharing the little things in your life with us.

Linda Reeder said...

I just found this post, and there is something about it that just makes me sigh and relax. Life IS good.

Deb Shucka said...

Sounds like the perfect summer evening! Lovely post.