Did not sit on the porch today till mid afternoon. Would have washed away like the pollen during the early morning storms. Mother Nature was really showing off with her lightning bolt and thunder skills. She waked me with her lightning bolts. Looked outside this morning and a few cardinals were happily eating from the feeders in the rain. Course I left all the swing pillows outside during a moment of Shady Oakness! Now I’ll have to wash and dry them all. The swings aren’t comfortable without them.

The earth is always so beautiful to me after a storm. The grass looks greener, the clouds look Clorox white. The sunshine is clean and bright. All is right with the world. My yard is full of birds now. Cardinals, goldfinches, purple finches, wrens, titmice, chickadees, brown headed cowbirds, and doves. So pretty to see the red cardinals perch with the bright yellow goldfinches. Several blue jays across the street are arguing loudly and the resident mockingbirds are singing their whole repertoire of songs. The blue jays rarely visit my yard. The mocking birds don’t visit anymore because my neighbor’s cat has eaten so many of their relatives. The wind must have blown seeds out of the feeders cause Fatty the squirrel and Chubby the chipmunk are under the feeders cramming seeds in their cheeks. The hummingbirds are buzzing around their feeders. The yard symphony is so quiet I can hear the hummingbirds’ wings buzzing.

Four little wrens just had an altercation on the porch right in front of me and Penelope. They were hot under the collar. One of them sat in top of one of the wind chimes and scolded the others. Didn’t know they could be so loud. One of them lit on the porch right by Penelope’s pen. She jumped up and stood at attention watching them. Sometimes one of them will perch in the swing and study me. They are curious little creatures. Years ago in Alex City a little wren somehow got in the basement on cold nights. I’d let him out every morning on my way to work. He would always be perched on the screen door waiting for me to let him free. He did this for a couple of weeks. Always wondered why he didn’t just go out the way he came in. Guess the way out was guarded by Chief’s clowder of cats.

Enjoying y’all’s reader comments on my ponderings. Glad to know I’m not the only one who loves the journeys on US highways instead of interstates. And glad to know some of y’all watch for sharks in the shallow water, too. One of my readers wears his glasses in the ocean in ankle deep water now, prepared from a previous shark sighting in shallow water. Can’t be too careful!

Another reader friend made this comment on her thoughts on the meaning of life. She wrote, “The meaning of life is about all the people we have around us everyday. Just be kind and loving. You don’t need to know someone to smile and wish them a wonderful day. Hug on the older people. I wonder how long since someone has. Give your dog some extra love because he certainly gives you enough. And give your wonderful family an extra long hug, hold their hands, and tell them how proud you are of them. And don’t forget your friends that you should treasure every day, especially the old standby friends, who give you peace and understanding and love and have done it for a long time.” This is good advice for all of us.

I’m packing for a short visit with my grandchildren. Always love to pack a Whoopi cushion in my bag but couldn’t find one today in town. Nothing is as much fun as uncontrollable laughter with children. Laughter truly is the best medicine. I’ve laughed today at the birds antics and some of the comments Stew has said. My dearest friend and I never lack for things to giggle about. We had some happy laughter on the phone tonight.

A few good laughs make us feel better, relieves stress, and lowers our blood pressure. Our ancient ancestors have been laughing for ten million years. Ever got tickled in church and trying to control the laughter, you make eye contact with someone else who is tickled, and then the pew starts shaking. It’s all down hill after that!

Life is better when you laugh!