Morning Mists of Peace

August is such a push-pull month. It’s hot and it’s sticky. Stack that up against corn on the cob — I’ll take it.

It’s dramatic. Thunder storms, flooding rains, roaring winds and then stagnant humidity. Nothing to do but sit in front of the fan and drip. It’s annoying for everyone, but can be its own little hell for menopausal women who are dripping anyway!

But then there are these quiet, lovely, misty mornings. The mist gathers on fields and it gathers on bodies of water. And it is beautiful and peaceful and calm. There is nothing more delightful… hmm… checking for hyperbole… nah, maybe equally delightful, but not more so!… than slipping into a lake or a pond and swimming into the mist.

For me, this is a place I meet Peace. I don’t indulge that often enough. Where do you meet it? And do you go there often enough? Do we ever? Take these caresses of Peace where they’re offered…

The Peace of Watermen and Women

You know me. I’ll wax eloquent all year long about the water. There is no time more special for me than the summer when I’m able to swim outside — I know, you’ve heard me say this often enough — but I like watching water almost as much as I like floating in it.

Its Beauty stills my soul.

But in all my water rapture, I often forget that there are those who make their living, a very hard-working living on the water.

Water is beautiful, but it can be dangerous. It can also just be unpleasant. When the cold wind blows frigid water or the boat is rocking in the tempest, it’s got to be a challenge. And yet this is the work they’ve chosen.

And so often (and lobsters are certainly a lovely case in point), the bounty they bring back is extraordinary.

Water is full of lovely gifts, but it doesn’t always make it easy to retrieve them.

So here’s to the Watermen and women and all they do for us. Here’s to their hard work and generosity. And here’s to the Peace they make with their work and the Water.

And oh, I am so grateful for Summer and the Peace I find in the laps I swim. I am so lucky.

Sweet, Summer, Sabbath Peace

This weekend may be the first since I started my reading sabbatical that I’m really living the life that’s planned… reading, writing, swimming, summer foods. Not too much more.

It’s such an overwhelming privilege to have this time to just fill up. I fill up with interesting books. I fill up with strength. I fill up with silence. I fill up with summer fruits and veggies.

It’s amazing. It’s necessary, because I’m pretty depleted by the end of the year, but that doesn’t make it less amazing.

I don’t really have time to read during the year, not things of substance — and often I don’t have the brain space to absorb anything that’s not directly related to what’s going on that minute.

I love my job. But I love new ideas as well. I love the people I work with… but it takes me a while to settle into taking in rather than giving out mode… So… oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

And today. Sorta grey and cloudy. I’d better get my swim in early. I’d better pile a cucumber on some bread. Isn’t life grand? Well, my life is grand. I hope yours is

Sweet Summer Sabbath Peace to you, my friends. I wish you long conversations with friends and quiet times with yourself. And a leisurely swim, or whatever does it for you… Peace. Fill up, so you can give out.

And enjoy dawn in Lewisburg!

The Moving Sun, A Summer Sabbath, The Moving Peace

It took me halfway through the year to remember how much the sun travels not simply across the sky, but North and South. Now it’s true, I don’t have a window on the Bay the way I used to.

But I’ve listed the times of the Sun’s rising and setting every day for half a year, being fascinated by the times, and yet, have not watched the sun rise. So, how interested am I really?

But as always Deb Slade helps me to see. That’s what we do, isn’t it, help one another to see and understand?

It’s a lovely day in my little valley. There will be church and swimming and gathering with folk from the Synagogue for Israeli dancing. And then, a surprise visit from an old, old friend. What could be sweeter!

I hope you find Peace in your day. Peace in the rhythm of your life. Peace in the rhythm of this world…

Enjoy the time of the light… Enjoy the Peace you can make in the time of the light!

A Screech of Gulls — A Sound of Summer Peace

I couldn’t remember the collective noun for gulls the other day, so I looked it up, (don’t we love Mr. Google). A screech of gulls. What was ever more appropriate?

They’re a pesky sort, these gulls, and yet entirely amusing — well, as long as it’s not your food they’re threatening. Mine! is another word they seem to screech.

But they are wholly themselves, know their niche in the world and inhabit it with flair.

It’s a grand thing.

Peace be with you, my friends, on this rainy summer morning… Enjoy the gulls, they’re part of Nature and they’re part of Summer. Accept the inconvenience, laugh at their antics and enjoy the way they gather and stare into the future… What do they see when they do that you wonder? What do they look for.

Be good if humans would stop and stare into the future for Peace, wouldn’t it. But we can!

It’s the Solstice! Celebrate the Peace!

We did our celebrations family style. We gathered at my brother and sister-in-law’s cabin, which is on a mountain north of Williamsport. His daughter Sarrah was home from New Orleans for a summer visit with her boys. There we were, my whole family, minus Sarrah’s husband, gathered. It was achingly sweet, and yet, my heart couldn’t help but notice that there were as many missing as there were present. The years give and the years take away.

But there was the mountain beauty, a pond full of fish to feed (a live pond, Tom reminded us), a warm day with a cool breeze (June!), Tom’s stromboli, and a whole bunch of strawberry shortcake (June!). There were great conversations with my brother about the life we sorta shared growing up (I was three years behind him) and lots of reminiscing about life that had already flowed over the dam.

It was a pearl of a day to add to the string of beauties I already hold of June days with my family. I’m a very lucky woman, I know that. Yesterday was a perfect celebration of the summer solstice. Hurrah! Peace and Love be with you all!

Terri was the one eating the roasted corn, starting her summer off with her own yum!

The Peace of a Slow Summer Day

It’s early days in the Summer season, some people insist that Summer starts on Mid-Summer instead of it’s being, you know, MID-Summer. I love the European start it on the First of May. We’re all jonesing for it anyway, right? From watching FB, you’d swear some folks thought it started in January. Nope, that’s global climate change folks. sorry.

But there’s nothing sweeter than June days in Pennsylvania when they decide to act like June days. Nothing to do but relax — or at least to pace yourself through the day.

I loved this sunset for this reason (The local television station loved it too and gave it a prize! Hurrah Trish!)

I got my porch opened (at last! at last!) yesterday. And so today, i get to write this sitting on the porch that looks way more like the screened in porch of a summer cabin than the downtown town house it is. It’s rustic and cozy and cool… and so quiet.

Hopefully the weather will last for the wedding this afternoon. Cool, calm and lovely is a wonderful day for a wedding!

Wishing you all the blessing of a slow, early summer day with no particular place to go and only lovely things to do, if you must do! Go ahead. Waste it on Peace. I’d write more, but i have to have some strawberry shortcake, right now!

Ah, Summer, Berries, Peace

This is the time when the sweet foods of summer begin. Here come the berries. Oh, yum. Such delight.

I don’t know if there’s more to say about the richness than “Welcome!” I don’t know what there is to say to one another other than “Let’s Enjoy!”

This is so fleeting, Let’s celebrate. And Peace is in the delight and the sharing of that with one another. Berries for Peace, yes indeed. (and cherries! and lettuce! and radishes! and…)

Welcome to early Summer. Let’s make a trifle of Peace!

Watermelon and Peace?

Summer foods and particularly summer fruits have a Peace all their own, I think. Although I tout the maxim that we should eat foods grown within a 50 mile radius of our home as I was taught in Chinese Medicine, I confess I lose sight of that when certain summer foods begin to show up in the grocery store far earlier than our fields are producing them.

Watermelon is one of those things. I could eat summer watermelon for breakfast every day.

So when Dag posts these pics and vids of her pack of wagging pups delicately taking turns eating watermelon, it makes me laugh and laugh. And completely understand.

Indulge in Summer it’s what it’s for. Share that indulgence with whoever your with. Let them delight too. Summer Delight. Summer Peace.

Spring Salad Peace

I love salads. A lot. I love them when they are huge infusions of green. Kale salad? bring it on. Tastes like you ate a lawn? Exactly! Hurrah!

And now it’s flowers in the salad time! More goodness… although if you’ve got leftover salad, pick the flowers out, eat them tonight, they don’t overnight well!

After Winter’s Heavier meals, spring salads come with packed with wonder as well as the vitamin C and whatever else they’re filled with.

Each of the Summer months have tastes all their own, but Spring has salad.

And that’s enough food Peace to gladden a heart!

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

Tag Archives: seasons