Gratitude 160: Hammocks!

I have had this hammock for years. I picked it up back in the early ’90s when I was in Nicaragua. Sadly I kept it tucked away until such a time when I had the “perfect” place (meaning perfectly spaced trees in a yard) to hang it. The years dragged on and I never found the “perfect” yard for it. Finally, when we purchased our present home, it occurred to me that if I waited for “perfection” before I started enjoying life, I would have a pretty miserable life! So I perused the catalogues and garden nurseries and found a simple frame on which to attach my hammock and voila! Perfection! It took years, but I am finally enjoying the hammock. There is nothing so relaxing, and spiritually edifying, as resting in the hammock, gazing at the clouds–or stars–in the sky, listening to the cacophony of a multitude of birds of various species, and being mindful of the present moment. It is in moments such as this that the cares of the world recede and I connect with a larger, higher, more elevated presence. Of course, one does not need a hammock to do this. But, hammocks help. 😉 I am grateful that I finally hung the hammock and can enjoy the peace and contentment elicited by the mere sight of it!

Gratitude 159: Exploring new places with my husband

One of the many things I love about my husband is that he enjoys exploring new places in nature almost as much as I do. Hiking along narrow trails through verdant forests refreshes and rejuvinates body, mind, and soul like nothing else I know. And sometimes  along the trail, one is fortunate enough to come upon a beautiful glen or a luscious flower-filled meadow that makes the hike worth the while. On today’s hike we discovered Blue Hen Falls in the Cuyahoga National Forest. We lingered here because the scents of the forest, the sounds of water falling over precipices and tumbling over boulders further downstream, and the earthy, damp smell of vegetation filled us–me–with awe and wonder. At the top of these falls, we rested and took time to sit a while and experience this “gan eden” as fully as possible. I am truly grateful that I can share this new-found place with my husband.

Gratitude 158: Dandelion Bouquets

I love flowers. I love receiving bouquets. My favorite bouquets have always been the dandelion bouquet gifts from my children. It has been years though, since I received a dandelion bouquet. My children are all adults in faraway places, with children of their own. But recently my son and his daughter, our granddaughter Genevieve, drove over for a “daddy-daughter day” outing. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for sitting out on the porch and watching GG run and play in the back yard. And what a heart-warming delight when she breathlessly ran up on the porch and with an ear-to-ear grin presented me with a dandelion bouquet! They are STILL the most beautiful bouquets in the world. I am grateful for dandelions and their feathery seeds, but most of all, for the dandelion bouquets given to me by my children, and now by my granddaughter.