I usually reserve writing my post for the evenings after supper and any TV that I might want to watch…which is very little. The Voice, American Idol, maybe something special…but there’s very little on there that interests me. I’m at the farm working on the laundry and taxes and everything I’m doing, including writing this post, is dependent on the electricity staying on. That is a dicey prospect in the country, especially when we are under high wind and storm alerts like we are at the moment. (3:00pm yesterday afternoon to you.)

Since it’s 81℉ as I write this, I am sitting out on the front porch, listening to the birds in the flowering quince on the creek bank. I can hear the water in the creek gently gurgling as it flows by the house. Actually, there are birds everywhere and I love the sounds as they echo down the holler and through the woods. It gives a slight echoing sound. The trees are leafing out a lot now so when the wind blows, you can here it blowing over the far hilltop. There is a chipmunk rustling in the leaves to my left, looking for a meal. The washing machine drones heavily in the background as a bee buzzes around me. 

I saw a blue heron glide in and land across the road in the creek bed on the far side of the neighbor’s garden. The mama robin is busy bringing worms to her babies that I showed you yesterday. The dogwood and redbud trees still show ghostly splotches of color in the mostly bare trees on the hillsides. Grandma’s clematis vines are reaching for the sun and wrapping themselves around the pole out front. The snowball bush she insisted every generation have their picture taken in front of is still doing its best to grow. It doesn’t look nearly as big and healthy as it used to and I don’t know why. I just accept what is.

The catbirds love the shrubs along the creek and their cries make me think someone’s kitten might be wandering around, but I haven’t seen a cat here in well over a year. I can tell they are gone because the chipmunks are brazen these days. I walked around and took lots of pictures of the spring wildflowers for you. I want to go for a walk before the rain comes and see if I can get a picture the Jack in the Pulpit up by the old log house my cousin’s family owns. 

Waking up and doing my work around the house with NO television blaring is a rare treat for me. I thought of going home when the laundry is done, but I think I’ll stay another night. Sometimes my batteries just need a recharge that only this place can give. I don’t know what I’ll do when I can no longer come here for my respite from the rest of the world. This is such a special, special place in my heart.

When you read this, it will be Thursday and the week is over half gone already. It has been 45 days since we entered this shelter-at-home period. In some ways it’s flown by. In others, it seems like we’ve been doing this forever. Of the things I’ve been kept from, hugging my family and friends has been the number one thing I have missed. Eating in a restaurant is number two. I would like to not wear a mask or worry about contamination. I’d like to get that money back that I’ve lost out of my retirement. I’d like to lose the extra C19 pounds I’ve packed on. 

Overall, we’re still blessed beyond belief to have gotten this far without the virus affecting our health or that of our peeps. We’ll just keep plugging along day by day with an attitude of gratitude.

❤️

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV