Day Two at Hilton Head Island (Sunday)

Day Two at Hilton Head Island at our time share in Shipyard Plantation where we have vacationed for more than a decade.  I began the morning with my usual meditation and rituals and then a nice long walk on the beach.  Here are a couple photos.  First time I've seen a jellyfish with her stalk extended so clearly.  This is a Cannonball common on our beaches.  Looked it up in "Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast."

Family is Forever

Well, one more day here at the Pond and I'm off tomorrow noon for Hilton Head Island for two weeks in a time share on Shipyard Plantation.  My family has been doing this July 4th two weeks for many years now and it is a highlight of my life.  Other than Thanksgiving and Christmas, this is our only time during the year when we are together.  The photo was taken last Christmas when we were clearly all having a jolly time.  This is what life is really all about - family love and togetherness.   I hope your 4th of July break is as full of fun and love as ours always are!

Free-writes

Great morning meditation.  Now on the porch watching fish jump and just being.  A good day to just be.   The dog next door is still barking - now 90% of the time.  She is very old.  Wonder if she is lonely or angry or scared of dying?  I'm finally learning that "dying is a part of living" is a good way of looking at it.  That's what my mother's long-time African-American friend (70 years) always said.  And it is consoling.  My goal is to LIVE until I die rather than getting there and having regrets.  My bucket list is getting shorter every week.  As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything at all on it this morning.  How's that for a way to start a day! For an "achiever" (Enneagram type 3) I'd say I've come a long way, baby.  Actually, I think I've grown into an "Adventurer" (type 7) and happy where I am.  Seeking to avoid pain as a "Happiness Specialist."  And, actually doing very well at it, if I do say so! But then, I've always been looking for the next great space!  (How in the world did this post evolve into this?)  Nothing like free-writes to open the heart.

Mistress Mary, How does your garden grow?

Look at my beautiful spaghetti squash!  There's a big one and another small one - in my garden right at my front steps!  I planted seed from one I bought at the grocery store and now I have vines growing all over the place  - looks like they may make 20 feet before they are through.  But, only three fruits so far.  None cooked yet.  Another beautiful HOT day on the way.  Makes one happy to just be alive watching things grow with plenty of water and much energy from the sun pouring down.   Mistress Mary, How does your garden grow?

Beauty of the Pond

Want you to see a beautiful photo friend Frank took while here recently.  It is so unbelievably lovely here now - even with the temperatures so high.  I'm not quite sure how long these 90s are gonna last, but with air conditioning it is only an inconvenience.  Still, it feels more like August than June.  Have a nice big spaghetti squash in my garden.  What a kick it is to have such good luck - saved seeds from one and then planted them in little pots, transplanted to the garden, and now!  I'll get a photo in the morning - too dark right now.  Life is beginning to settle down a bit again so I'll do a better job (I think) of getting regular posts in.  Sleep well, all.

Creativity - Frank's Pens

Sitting on the screened porch again.  The Pond is almost totally quiet again.  I love it like this.  Saturday's yoga class had a delightful gift - two beautiful deer were walking the labyrinth!  They stood with ears pointed upward listening and then nibbling something from the earth - probably attractive because of the new-mown areas.  Take a look at the beautiful pens my friend, Frank, brought for me - He made them! All some kind of exotic woods.  Such a wonderful gift to have friends who are so very creative!  Somehow my friends who come here all seem to be very creative, but then, aren't we all?  Thanks be to God!

Quiet Time Interrupted

It has been six days since I last wrote.  Unbelievably busy time in my life.  The major reason I have been writing posts for the blog less often is I have a delightful pen pal I am communicating with daily and much of my writing has been going into that process.  It is not truly satisfying the yearning I have to write these posts, so I am back at it this morning.  One of the most emotionally disturbing things that has been going on is barking dogs at the neighbors.  So annoying I have asked them to move and so eventually, hopefully by the end of this month, that annoyance will disappear.  It has really tested my patience particularly early in the mornings when I do my meditation on the deck.  They start the moment I leave my cottage and are still at it this morning now an hour later while I sit on my back porch.  The quiet here is its most precious quality and I will protect it.  For several years now I have known that to find Me, to find my real Self, I must find quiet.  Not only me, but those who come here for release…..Sara (a Pod Sister) and I had a delightful two days together.  Yesterday we had lunch at Fusion and a Happy Feet foot massage afterwards.  What a delightful excursion!  Mostly, though, we have shared our lives since our last visit.  What a joy to have a friend with whom all can be shared!  She is waking now and will be leaving within the hour, so I'll end for this morning.

Doing Unrequired Things

Birds are really busy singing this morning.  Many different voices, few of which I recognize - but did hear the owl.  Always a nice voice to hear.  Yesterday was a lovely one - so much so I feel energized this morning and yet totally relaxed and eager to continue this feeling of "I'm OK" just as I am.  So often I'm DOING something to accomplish something - today I'll do some more of just being.  And do the little unrequired things - like repotting the lovely fern Pam gave me which has overgrown its surroundings.  Like pulling a few weeds.  Perhaps studying a bit more of "Infinite Self" which Frank recommended to me and kept me absorbed all day long yesterday.  This morning I did a recommended practice of moving rocks from one place to another and then moving them back!!!!  Ask and I'll tell you what that is designed to do for me….Right now I'm enjoying the beauty of the stillness of he Pond, the sound of birds chirping, a turtle jumping into the Pond with a big plopping sound, a fish jumping on the other side, the sun rising, almost over the trees, but not yet.  My tea.  The joy of knowing I am not required to do or be until 2:00 pm when a man comes to look at the dam leak - almost six hours of freedom.  How blessed I am!

Being with What is

Living with what is occurs when there is no comparison.  To live with what is, is to be peaceful.  Why is it I find myself comparing so often?  If I can recognize when I'm comparing and end it, peace will come is the promise of Krishnamurti in Freedom From the Known.  What is for me this morning is a freedom to be and do whatever. There are no scheduled activities.  How I relish such times.    Today I shall attempt to recognize when I'm comparing  and stop.  I shall be with what is.

Paradise

What a beautiful morning!  for the first time in a long while, I'm on the screened porch watching the world warm up.  There is a tiny bit of movement on the surface of the Pond but mostly, everything is still.  An airplane is way off in the distance - I can just barely hear it's soft roar.  No deer are out yet at the labyrinth but yesterday during yoga class two were there.  All of us enjoyed watching them….The dog next door is still barking, but now that I know she will be leaving soon, it doesn't bother me quite so much.  It has been a mighty tough trial for me to attempt to ignore it - without much success, I must say. ... Two birds are conversing - one to my left and the other way over to the right.  No frogs talking.  The photo shows a dragonfly on my foot while I was sunbathing beside the Pond yesterday.  Ah, how fortunate I am to be living in this paradise!

Give up, and you will succeed

Here's my message for this morning - from Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching

Give up, and you will succeed.
Bow, and you will stand tall.
Be empty, and you will be filled.
Let go of the old, and let in the new.
Have little, and there is room to receive more.

quoted in "Chakras and Their Archetypes" by Ambika Wauters, a wonderful book recommended by friend, Suzy.

Bee Balm Bush

Well, I have now made a move that was very difficult for me - given notice of termination of the rental lease for the people in the double-wide next to me.  It was a difficult decision but I'm very glad it's done.  The excessive noise from barking dogs and diesel trucks finally settled it…..Blossoms are showing up on two recently planted bee balm shrubs.  Saw a hummingbird feeding on this one yesterday…..Friend Philip brought tobacco leaves yesterday for use in our fire ceremonies - June 15 is the next one - come bring your drum or a bucket and wooden spoon or stick of some kind.  We'll begin at 7:30.  Everyone is welcome - plenty of room around the fire pit. Have a happy Monday!

Grandchildren

Finally got photos into computer.  Here is my favorite of grandchildren and me at Sydney's high school graduation.  She's on the left.  Others are Jack, Me, Kelsey, Sam (in my arms) and Walker. What a fun time to be able to celebrate such events with the entire family together - including all the grandchildren, parents, and Wendy's parents and brother.  A delightful outing.  We ended the evening with ice cream at Bruster's.  When I get right down to it, family and friends are what really matter in this world.