The Fourth of July Nature Walk

      

      Every day that I am not at work, I try to get a four mile walk in for exercise.  Since I live where I do.........this walk is almost always also a nature walk.  On the Fourth of July, my oldest daughter and I headed up early to the lake, where we planned to watch the fireworks later. And that's where we took our walk on that day.

     We walked a part of the trail that I had not yet traversed;  around every turn was a gorgeous view.  I probably snapped twice as many pictures as I have published here. It was a lovely day: perfect temperature, perfect setting, wonderful company.

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    End of Summer Blessings,

 

                                        Chari

Thankfulness Times Ten

 

 Today's Thankfulness theme is what is going on in my life this day.....

( when I originally wrote it two weeks ago..... :)  )

Thankfulness Times Ten

Here are the guidelines I have for this thankfulness theme……

Just find ten things I am thankful for, in the moment. I have no rules...I may go over ten, if I cannot help myself......I may repeat myself.....and, I will write in no particular order of importance. If you feel inspired to do the same....do link yourself here in the comment section.  All of these will go toward my own 1,000 Gifts.

As I go through my days, I keep thinking of my gratitude in themes......like, ten items of gratefulness for each member of my family, when I look out my window, while I am on my exercise walk.......etc., etc., etc. 


I am thankful for......

 

61.........for finding a new "Happy Place"   My boys talked me into going to The River with them. I can't believe I have lived here 25 years and this was the first time I have been here! Actually, I am writing this blog post from my beach chair. :) It is so nice and beautiful here. I love it! 

 

 

This is elephant palm

 

The only flower I saw that day.

This is The Sacramento River.  One of the two most important rivers on California. Well, the other is "just" an aqueduct. So this is the most important river in California. And it's headwaters are in my little town. 

My oldest boy and my youngest boy and a college friend of the oldest.

62. ........a warm summer. Finally. Even if we are in the midst of one of the longest heatwaves we have ever had here. Think 88*-101*, but mostly high nineties. And while our humidity usually runs around 21%, we have been challenged by humidity higher than 60%. And while that may be laughable to our friends in the East or South...... It is a lot more than what we are used to! 

The boys swimming in the river....a much needed cooling off.

 

My personal rule to never complain about the heat of summer is because I have "Fear of The Lord".......I worry that if I complain about the heat, He will cheerfully lengthen our winters. And I want no part of that!! ;)

 

63. ........the wonderful sounds of Nature! At this moment in time there are only two sounds:  excessive cricket buzzing and the mild rapids of the river. Simply wonderful. 

 

64. ........meeting an author this weekend while I was working. She just finished her third book. There is a bit of story about how I came to learn about her first book (hoping for a blog post about it).......but I will suffice it to say that she gave me a copy of that book for my local library.....but I get to read it first!  I am 45 pages in already......having an opportunity to read here on the river in my beach chair. Hooked. It's a memoir. 

 

 

 

65. ..........the lovely flower bed my friend Louise gifted to me for my birthday last year.  It has been a wonderful and colorful blessing to watch the colors appear from spring through summer. And the bees are so happy and the hummingbird comes in for frequent treats throughout the day.

 

66.  ...........the chance to feel FIT at age fifty. Getting my daily walks in has been wonderful. Wish I had taken the time when my kids were younger...... Not just with them. I did that. But I mean for my health. Young mothers......take.  the.  time. 

67. .........my offspring who are so amazing in the kitchen. Such excellent cooks. Makes up for my lack of excitement or desire there. 

My oldest boy led the way in creating a delicious four-course meal after our river outing.
As it was just the four of us home for five days,
he made a comment that it was so quiet on those five days,
none of the melancholics were home.  :)
It was so true. Just a sanguine and her phlegmatic boys.  :)

 

68. .........that my kids made it through the perils of young childhood. All that worry is gone. Of course, they are replaced by bigger and scarier fears.......but I don't expect them to choke on a penny anymore. 

69. ............the internet friends who came by for visits this summer. 

Theresa, whom I have linked on this blog before.......came by from Alaska.   

My Malachy and her J-Bug, both almost 13, got along quite well.
They enjoyed our hike out to the meadow.

 

And JoAnn, who also has six kids, about the same age as mine, but only one girl.....came by from Colorado. 

Chari & JoAnn about to sit down for a tea party.

JoAnn and four of her kids........in our meadow.
My home is on the other side of those low trees in the background.
 

 

I may live in the country, but only minutes away is the most important highway in the west, goes from Mexico to Canada. It means I am on people's' way from Point A to Point B. :)

Like I said on Facebook recently.......Blessed are those who live near I-5, for they shall see many visitors.  :)

70. .........an opportunity to sit here by the river in the cooling air, writing a blog post on my iPhone, surrounded by the sounds of nature, in a very, very peaceful setting. So. Nice. 

 

So. Good. For. My. Soul. 

Blessed. 

I need to do this more often. :)

                                    Chari


P.S.  Research shows that folks who use journaling to write what they are thankful for...instead of just a place to vent, find their lives are more happy, more satisfying.  Let's go there!

Just the Clouds

I kept noticing the clouds today.  There were so many fascinating shapes.  The light on the clouds was ever-changing.  I refrained from taking a photo from every view that caught my eye........till I took the three dogs along with me for my exercise walk. At that point, I simply lost control.  Some of these were taken from the same location.....but the sun was setting, and so the view kept changing....  This is not every photo I snapped.......nor did I snap every angle I spotted.  Just most of them.  ;)

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

by

William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good thing I had some self-control.

 

 

 

Autumn Blessings,

 

             Chari

 

Note:  All photos were taken from the area behind my house.  Sorry about the quality of the pictures.....iPhone.....