Been pondering on the porch today. I feel well enough to perch in the swing. The day was so pretty with a glorious breeze. Oldest sister-in-law came over for a short porch visit. She always says she’s not an outdoor person but she enjoyed the breeze on the porch and remarked how pleasant it was. She said, “I can actually see why you enjoy sitting out here all day.” Then she told me she sat on her porch yesterday when their electricity was off. I might make a porch sitter out of her, too.

Been squirrel watching this morning. They’ve been on the bird baths and climbing up the sunflower stems till they’re dumped off. They are so funny when they’re scratching themselves. One of the squirrels stood up and raised his arm and scratched himself under his arm, his hand going so fast it was a blur. He proceeded to scratch his stomach and his head and under his legs. Squirrels have all kinds of critters on them so he was probably scratching his fleas. Research says they can run up to 20 miles an hour and his arm was probably going that fast while he scratched. Saw a black squirrel this morning. Had to look twice to be sure. Seeing a black squirrel is considered good luck in most spiritual communities.

It’s evening now. The sky is full of large odd shaped clouds and lots of jet contrails. The clouds looks like mythical gods, dressed in hooded robes with lightning bolts in their hands. The sun is almost resting on top of the horizon and so bright and blinding I can’t look at her to get her color correct. She’s like a light house’s sterling silver beacon on a stormy sea beaming through and silhouetting the magnolias and the oaks. Beautiful when I shade my eyes and get a quick peak.

Mother Nature has painted the horizon a pale honey gold and the sun walks on the sunset stage dressed in a formal gown of dandelion taffeta. Father Sky is dressed in his goldenrod linen suit with a vivid tangerine pocket square. As the sun takes Father Sky’s hand to walk down the horizon, Mother Nature brushes watercolors on the gathering clouds in beautiful pastel colors of aquamarine, blue, purple, orchid, and pink, her pastel brush strokes beautifully layered on the cotton candy strips of clouds that quickly dissolve.

Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight and left to wake the moon and stars and the crescent moon, five days old, was awake and already pinned high on the dark blue sky canvas of dusk. The twinkling stars were waked and Father Sky threw them into the heavens to sparkle in the inky blackness of night. The day disappeared and the night settled in.

Read this on the internet and thought about it while I was waiting for Mother Nature to begin painting her masterpiece of the sun setting. Here’s what I read — “This moment really reminded me to treasure the small moments. What might seem pretty insignificant could mean the world to the people you love the most.” When loved ones are gone, those little moments are such wondrous treasure chests to open in our memories. Little blooms of happiness and we don’t realize the significance of them as they are happening. All the moments Chief would bring me a wildflower bouquet or the first beautifully colored fall leaf are my treasured small moments. “Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us,” Oscar Wilde.

I love to sit in the swing and call up memories of my childhood here in this house and memories of my marriage. Chief and I spent so many happing weekends here for years eating by candlelight, using our wedding china and silver. I loved doing the table settings and he always noticed. I miss him so much! I’m so grateful to have all these beautiful memories of being here with him. You know, “the most beautiful things in life are not things. They’re people and places, memories and pictures. They’re feelings and moments and smiles and laughter.”

Many, years ago our home here was robbed. They took the china and crystal, the chandeliers that had hung in my great grandmother’s home, even took the broom. It had taken me years to collect enough china and crystal for our large family dinners. Many things stolen were wedding presents of my mother and father and trinkets I loved from yard sales. I was devastated. Chief asked our Episcopal Priest Al Perkins to come over and bless the house. Al hugged me and said, “Lane, those things are just stuff. You’ll collect your treasures in heaven, honey.” A feeling of peace overcame me. I let all that angst of the robbery go and I felt joy again.

Our material possessions will never make us happy. God gives material blessings to us so we can be a blessing to others. The feelings that come from our hearts as we experience life enrich our lives and give depth to our emotions. Happiness and contentment are found in God. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart, Psalm 37:5.

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne