Archive for ‘March, 2009’

On impatience

Last evening, after I posted yesterday’s “Just one of those days”, Karl and I went for a walk. I was thinking a blast of fresh “Spring masquerading as Winter” air would banish my doldrums. I almost always enjoy being out once I get out, even if conditions are not wonderful and last evening was no exception. We dawdled around our loop and it felt good but also just a bit more of tiring. Whether Karl was feeling the same or picked up on my feelings, he followed me into the house – a bit unusual as he would normally get a treat and pick a spot in the yard to munch and watch. I took the cue and said, “Let’s just go to bed” and we did! Bob NEVER has objections to going to bed at any time of day. It was 6:45.

I slept well. Bob and Karl were quiet all night so I assume they also slept well. Fresh start on a new day.

I listen to a Jesuit produced podcast called Pray as you go in the morning. The podcasts start with music which varies from Gregorian Chants to contemporary to African Monks chanting with what I call a tribal beat. A verse of scripture is read. The Jesuit group that puts this together is in Britain and most of the readers have a Celtic lilt and accent that seems to put a soft serenity into the readings and the questions that follow. The questions are along the lines of “how did that make you feel” and “what did you notice” but with some specificity to the reading.

Today’s scripture was from Exodus and was a short couple of verses where the Israelites are complaining about the wilderness and its lack of good food, conveniently forgetting that they were, in fact, rescued from persecution. Their take at that moment is more “out of the frying pan and into the fire” and they are pretty blunt with God and Moses about their dissatisfaction and impatience. I believe this was near the beginning of their 40 years in the wilderness so they had a bit to go out there.

But, the “make you think” question in the podcast – the thing that really hit home to me, was “What are you impatient about?”. It made me sit up straight, take notice and think. On the tail of a day where everything seemed “wrong” although nothing really was, it hit me that it was impatience with things of no real importance in the overall scheme of life that was at the root of my out of sortness. As is so often the case, a slight change of perspective changes my outlook and my “in feel” and the world seems right side up once more.

Impatience – it has its plusses and minuses. A certain amount of it has been very good in my life. I don’t wait for conditions to be perfect to try something or do something so I’ve had opportunities for which I am very grateful. It is the impatience with the niggling things that often are beyond my control that causes me grief of my own making.

Today, I am rested and well. I have good work. I live in a place I love. I have friends and family. I have a dog and a cat. I am a beloved child of the great Creator. I have all I need and more. Life is truly good.

Just one of those days

Nothing bad happened today.

I got an early start, feeling good as I finished and e-filed taxes yesterday – a chore I had uncharacteristically left a bit later than usual. But, for whatever reason, the day was a bit of a struggle. I was tired and out of sorts from mid-morning on. I could blame it on the weather, hormones or the phase of the moon, but really, I think it was just one of those days…

Karl had one too.

Yea, yea, yea

That above, produced this below…

yea, yea, yea…broken record…more snow.

Even Karl has had enough.

I have high hopes for April, mid-April that is. In the meantime, I can’t promise much in the way of variety.

Actually, this last storm wasn’t much of a storm at my house. The snow that has been falling overnight for the last several nights has been gone before noon as temperatures have barely hit freezing at night and are reaching 40 during the day. The local weather shows high wind in the valley, but my house is in a wind shadow once again and it is quiet. News reports list snow from 6 to 12 inches in Missoula (100 miles south) and south. Location, location, location!

More visitors

While working this afternoon 3 or 4 birds flew into the sunroom/office windows in fairly short succession. While not completely unheard of for a bird to hit one of the windows, it doesn’t happen all that often. After the 3rd or 4th hit, I started looking around.

The yard was full of these guys – not a sharp photo as they don’t sit still! Despite the fact that I have a recent edition of Peterson Field Guides: Western Birds, I have not yet identified a bird correctly on this blog. But, going out on a limb (hee!), I think these are finches, specifically White-winged Crossbill Finches. I await correction… They are tiny – about nuthatch size although the more rounded shape of a gold finch, smaller than a junco.

I’m not a bird watcher per se although I love watching the birds of prey and hummingbirds and it has been interesting to see birds on their migration spring and fall.

Bob was interested.

That is a tail in mid-thwap.

Visitors

Karl was inside when a small herd of white-tailed deer visited yesterday afternoon. They eat the mossy stuff on the downed branches in the yard and woods. If Karl is not out to keep them away, they come right to the house and I will look up from working to see…

I think these were last year’s fawns – still small and hanging together.

Mr. Buck getting a start on this year’s antlers. I’d love to find his shed! I know they shed early in the year and I have not yet found any in my walks in the woods…maybe this year.

Meanwhile, Mr. Karl studiously avoided looking at me AND outside at the deer. Once the deer are acknowledged, he must do something about them and I think he sometimes doesn’t feel like it so he comtemplates his toes instead.

A bit of the glow

A bit of alpenglow from last evening.

…And yes, that is a snow squall moving in from stage left. We had snow off and on all day but at my house, it melted between squalls and ended the day with just a dusting before it fell below the freezing mark.