First visit to the porch this morning, I noticed how pretty the sky was, dark blue, sparkling clean. Just a few clouds, drawn in straight lines. The clouds looked like God had struck his white pastel stick across the sky in two places and then used his finger to smudge the strokes. I walked Penelope and we watched three yellow butterflies enjoying the blooms in my wheelbarrow. Saw a black swallowtail on the rose bush. The swallowtails are so prettily dressed in black and blue with orange-red eye spots on their wings. I’ve never had so many butterflies in my yard before. I love to watch them fly. They dance through the air.

Back from dog walking and plant watering, I sat down in the swing to ponder. Penelope napped in the play pen, lulled by the soft wind chime pinging and the gentle breeze. I looked at the sky and the line clouds had thinned and now looked like gossamer bridal veils floating on the breeze.

Late afternoon I watched the rain clouds gather in the sky, fat and purple-gray, angrily hiding the sun. The wind picked up and the thunder boomed and the clouds dropped a “gully washer” on my yard. So happy, we really needed the rain. As the heavy downpour turned into a shower, I watched the cardinals through the back door busily feeding in the rain. They must have voracious appetites. Research says cardinals have a high metabolism and have to eat all day. They eat one-fourth to one-half of their body weight each day. I apologize for thinking they are piggish at the feeders.

Saw a huge horsefly today that was carrying a bumble bee folded up in its front legs. I was cutting a few zinnias before the rain and it landed on a bird feeder pole right by me. The fly was huge, not sure if it was a horsefly, but I’ve never seen a fly that big and I’ve never seen a fly carrying a bumble bee. That would have been a cool photograph!

Read a funny thing on the internet today about getting old and how being old is comfortable. That is so true. Godfrey Desh says, “Being young is beautiful but being old is comfortable.” She continues, “Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth. May you always have: Love to share, Cash to spare, Tires with air, and Friends who care.” I love that!

When we’re young we want to be old and when we’re old we want to be young. Some of us, me, are happily ensconced in middle age. I love this time in life and all the perks that come with it. If my Chief were with me I’d be blissfully happy. Actually, being over 65, at age 67, I am considered to be in old age. Anyway, I love my gray hair and wrinkles. I’ve earned them. I have the wisdom from life experiences that comes from being older. We “olders” have more time for our grandchildren, more time for loved ones. We draw social security and have Medicare. We can sleep late and stay up later. We can say “No” to requests and not feel guilty. We can eat Hershey kisses while we compose letters and blogs. We can even eat dessert first and our meal second. We care less about what people think, are comfortable in our bodies, and confident with ourselves. We have a higher level of tolerance and the patience of Job. We have old friends who have been with us through thick and thin. We have empathy and gratitude. And we no longer sweat the small stuff.

“Aging has a wonderful beauty, and we should have respect for that,” – Eartha Kitt.