Did lots of porch pondering today. Another wondrous day, blue sky and lots of interesting clouds to watch meld together and change shapes. I sat in the swing for a long time. Penelope napped in the play pen. Lots of cardinals and chickadees and finches on the bird feeders. Several squirrels frolicking up and down the old oak tree.

Oldest brother came over and visited. He brought me a red amaryllis plant. I’ve never had one so I’m excited to watch it grow. He had to brag about the one he had last year, had four big blooms. Lectured me on how to take care of it. I listened cause he taught me how to grow great tomatoes. He sits in the swing just like our daddy did, one leg up in the swing the other leg pushing the swing. I sit the same way, too. Maybe that’s an inherited trait. Got cool as the day went on but I was determined to watch the sunset pageant at dusk so I put on a sweater and waited for the pageant to begin.

I think the clouds buffaloed Mother Nature this afternoon at dusk. The sun slide down a horizon of pale turquoise and honey gold as a bright white light. Mother Nature was getting ready for some vibrant colors but the clouds thinned her watercolors and she brushed on pale but beautiful blues and golds. Father Sky kissed the sun good night, tucked her in her golden cloud cover, and went to wake the moon and hang the sky jewels to wake the night.

When I went on the porch this morning I saw where Grandpa raccoon had tea partied in my plastic garden box. He opened the box, had a gallon of weed killer on top of the box to deter him, and got out my scissors, my pruning sheers, my gloves, a plastic spray bottle, and the seed cake feeder I wasn’t using. After throwing those things all over the porch he proceeded to get the cardboard box of slug killer pellets out and pour it all out on one side of the porch. I think he was smart enough to not eat any but he made a mess. Stew swept it up and we used the blower to be sure it was all off the porch and then we washed it off. Wish raccoons hibernated but they have a short dormant state called torpor, kinda like the chipmunks, where they sleep for a few weeks in the cold weather. They aren’t bothering the bird feeders so I should be thankful for that I guess.

I was pinching the dead blooms off the pansies today and a yellow cloudless sulfur butterfly lit on one of the fading blooms and sat patiently while I photographed it. How wonderful the last thing the pansy experienced before I pinched the boom was a butterfly tap dancing, her thin black legs tickling the bloom. The butterfly saw the beauty in the last of the bloom’s life. Guess you could say she kissed it goodbye.

Was looking through some quotes tonight and I read some great quotes attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. There is actually a book with her quotes and some facts about her. I should purchase it. Anyway, here is one of my favorite quotes of hers. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for new and richer experiences.”

Life is meant to be lived and experienced. I’m one of those who aren’t brave and willing to try new experiences. I did inner tube down a river this summer and loved every second of it. Worried about snakes and floating away from my family before we got in the water, but it turned out to be a glorious day with my oldest son and his family and wonderful memories for me and my grandchildren. Was actually the most fun I’ve had since my unicycle days.

God wants us to be strong and courageous. Our lives are full of challenges and hard decisions and sorrows but through our faith and our prayers we can face whatever comes our way. God is always with us. I believe that and I’ve experienced his love in some dark moments. He doesn’t leave us when life gets tough. Our faith in God gives us courage and helps us conquer our fears. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”— Nelson Mandela