Acting Not My Age

Last Saturday I was home, in my house.  That seems obvious and redundant all at the same time but I have really taken on the belief that home is kinda wherever you and your people are.  Maybe I've actually adopted a traveler's heart.  Or I'm just mildly crazy.  Or both.  It's hard to tell really.  

I woke up in my house on a Saturday morning for the first time in ages.  I stood in my kitchen with a coffee cup in hand and weighed my options.  A cycling class?  Running outside?  

A text went to Karen that read something like this...let's drink slow coffee and do nothing.   

Then I found myself sitting on her couch with a coffee in hand and nothing in the air other than visits and sunlight streaming in.

  

Then, with more caffeine than would sufficiently fuel a giraffe, we proceeded to have an Amy and Karen Saturday reminscient of summer style.  There was boot shopping and kitchen dance party-ing to Taylor Swift's shake it song and homemade pizza on the grill and two batches of pumpkin dark chocolate chip cookies and sunshine on our faces. 

 

Her girls made us water complete with fruit garnishes.  Made us water.  That sounds funny but that's really what I would call it, they were so cute and proud.   

 

Then, we went to go for a walk and after a quarter of a mile I said, "Let's drive out to see Summer."  Karen said, "Okay."  So off we went to see Sil and the kids which led to me getting this idea stuck in my head that I had to learn how to do the sideways jump click your heels off to the side thing that looks like oh so much fun.  Karen could do it right away and I had to work on it.  But work I did and soon was clicking right along.  

And then?  Then I pulled a classic acting not like my age stunt and started wrestling the kids.  After a sneaky leaf tickle move in which I felt rather helpless, I took a kick to the face and stood up with, "I think my lip is bleeding."  That's what I get for acting my not age and I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Once back in town, we walked.  Got our lungs moving while the sun went down, which was how I orignally planned on starting the day.  I'm sure glad all that happened in the in-between happened first though.  The in-betweens tend to be where it's at.   

Popsicle Grin for the First Day

I'm currently sitting in a hotel room and it's 10:40 pm on the official first day of fall.  I just arrived here, much later than I probably should have if I was being responsible.  Instead of following the plan of leaving after work, I opted to grab my camera and a coffee while the sun started to go down and have a date with the pumpkin patch.  An alone date.  It's kind of my thing.  A little tradition so to speak.  I knew I should have hit the road to this training destination, but I do believe in throwing shoulds out the window sometimes.  This time, out the window to hit the road for the sunshine shining through the yellow leaves.  

There are certain bits and pieces of me that I wish to never lose, they are the important ones.  

I love fall.  I love the feeling of a first day.  I love experiencing.  I love going and doing.  I love evening sunshine.  I love taking pictures.  I love scarves with dangly earrings.  I love being outside.  I love traditions.  

Therefore, the pumpkin patch won over leaving town at a responsible time.  

It was worth it.  I needed some time with my camera and the air.

When the light filtered through the trees in a rainbow ray as I pulled my wagon full of pumpkins across the grass, I stopped.  Popsicle style of grin.  Kool-aid kind of smile.  Not losing the important bits and pieces of me with this season of life.  

And seriously, this actual season - the season of fall - is truly a gift every single year.  It's a reminder to slow it down and snuggle it in and keep traditions tight.  The days from now until December 26th are my favorite of favorites.    

He Had to Go Right Now and a Magic Flower

The other night I was sitting out front of my house in a green fold up lawn chair.  I was chasing the sunshine as it dipped behind my roof on the patio side.  So front driveway with green fold up lawn chair it was to still warm my bones in the evening sun while eating grilled zuchinni and onions.  It probably was supper, I'm assuming it was but I never quite know because I've been known to simply graze.  

A plate full of grilled zucchini and onions was in my hands and I was sitting alone, doing my thing enjoying the last bits of the evening.  The neighbor down the way was outside playing tennis with her little boy.  She stood on one side of the street and he stood on the other.  The number one thing I love about my neighborhood is that it's located on a square so things like tennis matches across the street are the norm around here.  

Neighbor kept looking at me.  I kept smiling back.  She kept looking.  I smiled again.  I started to think maybe she thought my choice of food was weird or something.  

All of a sudden her little boy threw down his tennis racket while yelling - and I'm talking yelling, "I GOTTA POOP!!!  I GOTTA POOP RIGHT NOW!!!"  He took off like a jet and I think he was heard for blocks.  

I laughed out loud.  That kind of stuff is like gold to me.   

Neighbor kept looking at me.  By this time I'm thinking, hey neighbor lady who is normally quite nice - I'm not sure why you keep looking at me.  I wasn't just part of the scene that involved the yelling of POOP twice.  

Then, I looked down.  

I was wearing hot pink running socks with my flip flops and blue shorts.   

A little boy who had to poop really really bad and right this second and felt the need to announce it the world made my night.  In turn, I'm kind of thinking the odd neighbor sitting in her driveway in a green fold up lawn chair eating grilled zuchinni and onions while wearing hot pink running socks with flip flops and blue shorts might have made the little boy's mom's night.  

On another note, you can totally pull a flower out of a pot in the fall, as in just give it a solid tug until you think it's all gone and all that's left is dirt.  Then, you can put the pot in your garage for the entirety of the ridiculously cold North Dakota winter.  And then, you can notice in the spring there are green sprig things growing from the dirt.  Finally, you can put the teal pot back on your patio with the notion that maybe those green sprigs will grow while you water it while the sun shines in May and June.  Finally by July, you'll have yourself a real flower on your hands again.  Magic I tell you.  Or maybe it turns out I had picked out a perennial last year for my teal pot instead of just an annual.  Magic or Horticulture 101.  You decide.  

Sunday

Today was a good Sunday. 

I ran four miles early and it felt right for the first time in a long while.  I sat in the sun, let it make me sweat even more, and read from my book club book.  I smelled fresh from the dryer laundry.  I made a loop to visit out in the country with some of my favorite people.  I watched my niece mow the yard.  I wrestle hugged my two nephews because they are way too cool for real hugging, but they will wrestle hug me and laugh the best giggles.  I sat with my sister-in-law on their porch and visited while the little wild one went up and down the slide.  I saw yellow leaves, a sign my favorite is just around the corner.  I found a ladder that will work perfect for a quilt rack I've been envisioning in my brother's shop and then power washed it off in my dad's shop and now it is drying in my garage.  I ate so many I lost count pieces of fresh from the oven Momma Debi bread with spun honey, bread I convinced her to make just for me.  I captured one of the best big old trees against the prettiest sky and ditch grass blowing in the breeze.  I watched my sister get on her two year old, not yet broke, horse for the very first time; I love witnessing brave.  I saw a night light with a princess reflection on the ceiling, followed by shrieks of delight from Emma Jean.  I laughed with Danae and Blake because that's just what you do with Danae and Blake. 

And on the way home, I pulled the car over for this. 

Well actually, I had to drive for a ways to find a spot on the highway I could turn around and then drive more to find a spot I could actually pull off of to get this taken care of as it demanded attention.  Made it just in time. 

Just in time before the sun slipped behind the coulee.  Of all the things to regret, a sunset is never one.  

A good Sunday.  Bring on Monday.    

Sunsets are Universal

The world is a big, big place.  

Obvious yes.  

But really it is beyond vast with many, many opportunities to do and see and feel.   

I think of this each and every time I travel anywhere, even if it's simply a couple of hours to a neighboring town.  There's different everywhere, in every hop-skip-and jump and I love that sentiment.  Like squeeze hug kind of love it.  

Sunsets are universal in the notion that the big orange ball which sits high during the day makes its descent down to dip behind the horizon.  A sunset is quite literally the sun setting and that doesn't change with location.  

However, a sunset is far from universal in the experience and landscape which surrounds it.  A desert sunset in March on top of South Mountain is entirely not the same as a North Dakota sunset in an open prairie field on the same evening. 

I've decided this.  I don't have to pick which different I like better, in travel and in anything really.  I can experience them both, them all, with the appreciation for the other at the same time.  I love that sentiment as well.  I don't have to be a one track person, because I am free to swallow up many of those opportunities this world and all its places and faces offer.  

The view is worth the trip up the mountain, which can be interesting.  Interesting in the sense of car sickness and random skateboarders flying down the narrow road and a man who is dressed too much like a cowboy stopping on his horse in the middle of the road.  All worth it.  Besides, I love when odd things happen.  Big fan. 

It goes without saying that a sunset is even more special when shared with loved ones, especially when they are loved ones called my parents who I catch being all together while sitting on a bench visiting away while I run around like a crazy person with my camera. 

The world is a big, big place with endless opportunities.  I know this.  You know this.  We all can forget this.  Let's raise a glass to not forgetting.  

Let's also raise a glass to traditions.  You know me, I am a tradition groupie.  Momma Debi said, "It's our tradition to go to In-and-Out Burger after South Mountain sunsets."  My heart went yes!  Because who am I to argue with any tradition, especially that one. 

No one.  I am no one to argue with that.