“I was born to find goblins in their caves
And chase moonlight
To see shadows and seek hidden rivers
To hear the rain fall on dry leaves
And chat a bit with death across foggy nights.”
James Kavanaugh

I woke up early this morning needing to be outside. I needed cool breezes on my skin, dew on my bare feet, the gentle warmth of the sunrise on my face.

I walked through the grass, utterly delighted that after months of little but sun-baked earth we actually have grass, real grass, long, vivid green, and lush grass coated in morning dew. After a drought or a long winter, is there anything more soul-nourishing than strolling through dew-covered grass?

I took my sleep-addled self into my gardens, feeling the stress of unwanted dreams dissolve in the luscious, golden light of sunrise as it slipped and shimmered its way onto leaves and blossoms.

There’s something about quieting one’s soul in nature that dissolves anxiety and returns us to peace. It grounds me, centers me, helps me breathe deeply again. And it renews my excitement about life. Helps me take my rumpled feelings by the hand and step forward with courage and resolve.

I did that this morning, buoyed by light and scent and beauty.

Bear and I had a lovely time running errands. We stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies at the farmer’s markets – massive stalks of rhubarb, new crop Red Delicious Apples, and ridiculously juicy pears – and found treasures at the thrift store. We popped in to the nursery and found rosella and eggplant seedlings, just what I needed to complete my garden.

Bear treated us to fresh-baked cinnamon pastries and coffee at the bakery, and got a bag of bread rolls that will be lovely accompaniment to a big pot of potato soup for dinner. Such a lovely thing to do in the middle of the week.

Now we are home again, thoroughly enjoying an overcast sky and deliciously cool breezes. It’s quiet and peaceful, just the sort of afternoon for baking and cooking and reorganizing the house. I never want to clean house when it’s hot, but give me a cool, blustery day, and I’ll happily scrub, tidy, and organize.

So now I bid you farewell, and head off to the Granny Flat to pull out my boxes of Christmas decorations and start festooning our house with anything glittery, shimmery, and sparkly I can find. xo