If Only It Was Green

   I am one of those folks who will reuse or repurpose something until it literally is no more.  Take my canning pot, as an example.  Once the enamel got a bit chipped, it started rusting rendering it not the best for canning.  Since I had three of the same pot, I simply got down another from the upper shelf and relegated the rusty one to be used in the greenhouse.  There, rust does not matter.  Plants are not choosy when it comes to containers.  So, the pot found a second life in the art of gardening.

  The other day, I grabbed the pot that had been sitting upside down on the greenhouse floor for some time.  I needed it to haul the fine compost to the garden.  I filled the large pot time and time again and carefully deposited the mulch under the broccoli plants.  With the last emptying, I had to start giggling!  There, on the inside of the pot sat a blob of dirt from the last time the pot had been used.  It was the perfect silhouette of a movie character...one of the most loved characters in the recent history of all movies...Grogu...better known as "Baby Yoda".

  Yep, I had been carrying that pot for the last hour without ever noticing that image!  After seeing it and having a fit of giggles in the middle of the garden, I figure there had to be a reason that Baby Yoda came to visit.  In this old, messed-up world full of insecurities, bitter divisiveness and downright hostility, this puppet dude is the one thing that most folks agree on...he is adorable.  So, finding his image in my garden (and I admit to having an overactive imagination) gave me the inspiration to plant more, share more and care more.  Now...if only the image in my pot was green!...with big, sad, puppy-dog eyes and the innocence of a babe...I would be in awe.  As it is, though, this is just little blob of dirt but the thought of Baby Yoda did brighten my day.

Taking Time for Autumn

   Being down here on the Bayou by myself most of the time, I sort of lose track of time.  There is no need for it.  This sounds strange for someone who collects and repairs antique clocks.  "There is no need for keeping track of time."  But...here I am.  I pretty much live by the "feel" of things.  Most days are centered around the weather not time.  I plant when the weather is right.  I work when the weather is right.  I fish when the weather is right.  There are days when I cannot tell you the time, the day of of the week or even what day of the month it is.  There is no "rat-race" when the rats are doing their thing and I am doing mine.  I go for months without ever leaving the place. 

  That said, I do pretty much keep track of seasons!  Those are hard not to recognize when they flip.  Today, it occurred to me that autumn must be near.  As I was working the Small Gardens for my fall planting, a sure sign of the seasonal change was evident.  Next to the gate of the vegetable garden, two stalks of blooms wafted gently on the breeze.  One was the chives that now dot the hillside in wild abandon and the other was a nerine lily.  Usually, hundreds of these blooms (both) can be spotted around the place but with the severe drought that has befallen us, these are the only two to be found.  Both of these are spindly due to that lack of rain.  It saddens me but, at the same time, gives me hope.  If it is autumn, perhaps we shall began to see some rain coming our way. and the summer heat will be pushed away for a few months.  I am ready for that change and thankful that the plants are doing their best to remind me that it is "time" for the seaonal change.

Whisper Soft

   As I was out wandering about the place earlier, I noticed something falling from the sky.  I watched as a feather slowly, slowly descend from somewhere in the treetops.  Then, it softly landed at my feet.  It is a gorgeous feather.  One side of the shaft is brilliant white and the other is a soft grey and it is as downy soft as a whisper.   I am not certain what type bird lost this feather so I figure it is just an "angel feather".  It is one of those "signs" that tells you things are all going to be alright.   We all need that right now...at least, I do.

  There are many different beliefs of what a feather symbolizes but most have good connotations.  A good many do refer to angels or those of our past.  Some say that finding a feather means that angels are near and are protecting the finder.  Others say that a loved one from your past is paying a visit.   White feathers supposedly symbolize purity, peace and understanding while grey represents enlightenment, harmony and wisdom.  The two together is a perfect sign.  Whether you believe in signs or not, is none of my business but you do have to admit with the state of the world today, it is nice to find something that talks of peace, harmony and wisdom.  

Friend Cardinal

  If you listen to others, there are signs all about us that heighten our spiritual awareness.  These things can be found in everything from a falling feather to an animal that comes to visit unexpectedly.  I am good with that.   There are signs that we should notice and heed.  Then, there are those that we should ignore.  I pick and choose which I want to bring meaning to the day.

  This morning while out working the vegetable garden, a bright red cardinal came to visit.  This normally skittish bird had no qualms of being within a few feet of me while I worked.  (When it came time for me to get the camera, the bird scooted up to a low hanging hickory branch and sat "hiding" behind twigs.)  As I planted yet more peas and put in a row of lettuce, the cardinal would flit from one fence to the next.  It was watching my every move and I soon became quite accustomed to hearing the flutter of wings just above my head.

  There are those that say a visiting cardinal is carrying a message from those from our past.  In times of trouble or illness, a male cardinal symbolizes hope for renewal and well-being.  Through all of the woes, we should be persistent.  As the cardinal kept its watch over me, I pondered the thoughts of signs and meanings.  Maybe this is one I should grasp.  Renewal and well-being would be a rather nice change of events for me.  I will take it.  I will take it.

Don't Worry! It Is Just A Cloud! Maybe?

   It is strange how we sometimes look at things and see beauty then can see something entirely different when we try to look back at the same object.  Just yesterday, the clouds in late afternoon sky appeared to frame the hidden sun in a perfect manner.  I spent several minutes photographing the clouds as I was enthralled by what was set before me.  The magnificent view was enough to leave me spellbound for a good ten minutes until the wind shifted and sent my lovely vision askew.  Nothing could prepare me for the photographs that I viewed today.  What popped out at me was not what I saw yesterday....not at all.

  In the photographs, I found a face with deep set, hollow eyes and a rather horrified looking grimace of a mouth.  What?  This was not what I saw at all!  Thinking perhaps it was just a quirky incident, I looked at the other photographs...yep, just the same.  That face was still staring at me as if it was trying to tell me of some terrifying incident that was to come.  Do the clouds know something?  Are they harbingers of what is to come with the pending storms potentially heading our way? Should I be worried?  

  Life has a way of making some of us ponder things far too deeply.  I can live for the moment in most circumstances but, occasionally, I get a gut feeling that usually bears truth.  These clouds, however, are just that...clouds.  

Take It Or Leave It...

  Even if you do not believe that signs can be sent as a personal message, you have to admit that there are some pretty incredible sightings.  Orbs in photographs, a white feather floating down from the sky when no bird is in sight and cardinals visiting on the windowsill are all explained as "signs" from beyond.  If you do not believe..fine..go on about your business and brush these things off as nothing.  To my way of thinking, if it brings comfort, then by all means...believe!  Why not?  Life can be pretty crazy and, occasionally, we all need to have something that tells us we are not alone. 

  A few days back, my brain was cluttered with a thousand things.  The mind was troubled with events surrounding the Bayou.  The turmoil would go into a slight lull only to return with a vengeance.  It is not like me to lie awake at night pondering what might be as I have always had full trust that my life was being handled by a stronger power than I possess.  Granddaddy had once told me that each day of my life had already been planned and I should simply strive to do the best with what was given.  It had always worked like a charm.  That said, I sure have been having a lot of sleepless night lately as my brain just cannot seem to let go of the anxiety.  (A few weeks ago, a conversation with a snake helped tremendously but was not lasting!  Yes, I talk to the critters of the Bayou.)  

  After one such sleepless night, I headed to my peaceful place.  The waters of the Bayou and Bay always seem to have a positive effect on my troubled mind.  To the east, heavy clouds hung close to the horizon promising a stormy day ahead.  I was all for that as a good storm clears the mind.  After twenty minutes or so of meditation (good for the mind) and stretches (good for the body), I turned to head back up the hillside.  It was then that I saw a reassuring sign that all was going to work out for the best.  The thick clouds had lurched up as if two hands were forming a heart.  A clearing in the middle held the only bit of brightness in the entire sky.  A sign?

  I have always been told that the heart is the center of physical and spiritual being.  It is where compassion and understanding begin and where true wisdom originates.  (Not to be confused with knowledge, here.)  Anyone can be fed information and retain it but true wisdom is knowing how to apply that information in the everyday life.  In short, you can be smart but not wise.  My spiritual wisdom seemed to be shaken to its core and, to retain my peace, I have to restore it.  Spiritual wisdom is not something that can be taken for granted.  It has to be maintained.  I am fully coming to believe this is all true more than I ever expected.    

  Whether the heart-shaped cloud could be considered a sign or not remains to be seen.  Since that morning, the nights have been more restful, however.  Peace...it is good for the body, mind and spirit.

Dreams of Birds and Tranquility

  It is sort of ironic that a Great Egret was circling the pier early this afternoon.  The bird flew in three large circles around the entire Bayou (and pier) before coming to land in the midst of the marsh.  It is not uncommon to see the egrets but having one circle around me after having a dream about one last night was a bit...well...soul-stirring.  In my dream, a Great Egret flew in to greet me on the pier as they often do but this one came to my side and gently laid its head on my hand.  Its wings were wide-spread and its beautiful white feathers gleamed so brightly that I could hardly look at it.  Then, the bird flew straight up and out of sight.  When I awoke, my heart was racing and I felt as if something was on the verge of happening.  In view of my love for the critters of the Bayou, perhaps the dream of an egret befriending me was enough to move me but seeing the bird today has caused a good bit of pondering. Was there some deeper meaning to the dream?  Was the bird trying to tell me something?  If one is to go around looking for images and signs, they are sure to be there, yet, I was not looking.

  It has often been said that there are deep meanings to our dreams.  An appearance of a Great Egret has been associated with a new beginning.  That an preceding task set before you has been completed and that a new prosperous, peaceful life is ready to be attained.   In other words, it is time to stop living in the past and get on with the future.  The battle before has been won the hard way and now a life of peace is at the threshold.  While a lot of folks do not put much trust in dreams, one can only hope that something like this one holds true.

  Then, there was the actual bird flying in circles around me and my home.  The large, white egret flying around and around the Bayou with me as the centerpoint was purely fascinating.  I like to choose that the bird in the dream was foretelling of peace and prosperity and the bird doing the flying was letting me know that this tranquility was to be found where I live.  The Bayou has always been my little piece of paradise so this comes as no surprise. Then again, the bird may have been just trying to decide where would be the best place to catch supper.  Who knows?  It is something to ponder, however.