Another beautiful porch swing sitting day. Nothing like pondering in a swing surrounded by flitting birds. My yard was filled with cardinals. I counted 8 pair at one time. In late afternoon a small flock of goldfinches joined the college of cardinals. When I was a little girl I remember seeing a cardinal was a occasional treat. My yard has become a haven for them. Maybe Chief is sending them as gifts from heaven. There’s just as many on the back deck, too. Maybe they are tired of foraging and have become bird feeder dependent.

For the third time in the last few days the large wood thrush came by and took a bath in the bird bath. He just splashes around, puts his head in the water, fluff his feathers. I love watching birds in the bird bath. Used to only see them drinking but have seen several enjoying their morning baths. Oldest brother came by late afternoon with his friend. Penelope loves her. They had counted 60 finches on brother’s feeders today. They are rapidly cleaning out his bird seed. He’s got a thistle sock feeder and said it was covered in finches, too. The goldfinches will be around here soon, I hope.

Can you remember the last time you experienced quiet time? Most of don’t have a quiet moment till we lay our heads down at night. We are over scheduled and our lives are planned down to the minute. We’re bombarded by noise or technology. I’m guilty of that, too. I turn the radio on when I’m in the kitchen because it’s too quiet. I’ve discovered, though, that quiet time is when I have a flood of memories. Used to think I didn’t have a good memory but since I’ve started writing down my ponderings my mind is giving me insight into memories of days gone by. My Chief loved his quiet time. He’d sit in the yard late afternoon and watch his cats play. One would occasionally find his lap. Maybe his quiet time inspired his poetry.

Maybe my love of porch swing sitting is because I love the quietness of life. Ate a late breakfast on the porch this morning. Love my breakfast days on the porch. Hate to admit it but I had a blanket in the swing with me. The world had not begun her bustling life so it was me and P and the cardinals and chickadees. No yard working sounds, no train whistles. Only the occasional cawing from two angry crows disturbed the peace.

When I was young I’d go to sleep at night in the summer listening to the swing chain squeak while my daddy sat on the porch in the swing. We didn’t have air conditioning and all the windows were open. It was calming and comforting to hear the quiet conversations of my parents as I drifted off to sleep. Daddy would sit with one leg up in the swing and slowly push the swing with the other leg. My oldest brother sits in the swing just like daddy did. So do I. Margaret Mitchel wrote how she loved to listen to her family telling stories on the porch at night. Some of the stories she heard found life on the pages of Gone with the Wind.

Was popping a bag of pop corn tonight in the microwave and glancing over at the stove top I remembered all the nights my daddy would pop corn for us on the stove. He used a big old silver pot. He’d cover the bottom in oil then pour then pour in the kernels. He’d put the lid on the pot but once it was popping quickly, he’d take the lid off and shake the pan as the corn popped and filled the pan. I always marveled at how he did that. Never did even one kernel escape the pan. I remember many Walt Disney Sunday nights watching tv with my little brother and filling my small bowl with popcorn from the big pan. Tried his popping technique when my children we’re little after I told them how their Grandaddy did it. Well, we had a good time but popcorn flew all over the kitchen. I don’t remember what we drank with our popcorn as children, but I had to have a Coke with my popcorn, tonight. Always eat mine from a metal colander so nothing gets broken if I have a swing moment.

When I relax in my quiet moments, I appreciate all my blessings. I think everyone needs a moment of quiet to reflect on their life and faith. We need to unplug our selves from the noise and distractions of daily life. Step away from the chaos of living and spend a moment in solitude, a moment of quiet reflection. We can find peace in quietness.