This morning was a perfect pondering from the porch swing day. A faint breeze winged its way across the porch not strong enough to play the wind chimes but strong enough to keep the porch pleasant. My box fan hummed along with the songbirds’ symphonies. Father Sky sketched a dark cerulean blue summer sky canvas and hung bleached white clouds on the skyline’s clothesline. Mother Nature added crystal clear sunshine to complete the day’s beauty.

A charm of purple finches came for breakfast on the feeders, so noisy the cardinals gave up on eating and went home. Even the doves just watched the finches from their power line perches. Those little birds cause a ruckus when they visit in a flock. The males are so handsome dressed in their deep raspberry plumage, their mates softly beautiful in their grayish velvet brown dresses. I enjoy their antics.

E.E. Cummins wrote a beautiful short poem on the purple finch titled O Purple Finch. The poem in paragraph form reads, “O purple finch please tell me why this summer world (and you and i who love so much to live) must die. if i should tell you anything (that eagerly sweet carolling self answers me) i could not sing.” In many cultures the purple finch is a symbol love and devotion. Talking of purple finches Nomad Life Reflections reads, “Some say the purple finch symbolizes joy, resilience, and new beginnings.” I love the finches.

The zinnias are just magical today, holding their blooms straight up in the warm sunshine to welcome the butterfly tap dancers. I’ve been standing around watching the butterflies so they’ll be used to my presence and not fly away when I began to photograph their portraits. I’m ashamed of the grass in their garden but the blooms have never been so picturesque in color. I think the grass is protecting their roots from the heat. One of the zinnias is covered with crayon orange blooms, so pretty. Never had blooms this color. Zinnias are symbols of endurance, affection, and strong friendship. Makes perfect sense why dearest friend and I love the colorful zinnias. I’ve got to get brave enough to step over the little fence into the knee high grass to cut a bouquet. I just feel like there is a snake family vacationing and cooling off in there. Next time oldest brother visits I’m going to ask him to step in there and cut me a bouquet.

Went out after a late supper to walk Penelope and watch the sunset. We were walking later than usual and I could see Mother Nature had already lit the sun’s wildfires across the horizon and they were blazing beautifully. As we got close to home Mother Nature dipped her watercolor brush in hot pink and was delicately painting the high clouds. I stepped in the house to quickly get my camera and when I came back the wildfires were almost out and the pink clouds were now steel gray. Mother Nature paints a glorious sunset but she waits for no one’s eyes to view her masterpiece.

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.” I love that! Ever think about the seasons of life and which season you are experiencing now. We can’t turn back the clock. It keeps on ticking. When we’re little we want to be “big” boys and girls. When we’re teenagers we long for the freedom of adulthood. When middle age comes we look forward to retirement.

I’m pondering in my reading chair on being 70 years old. I love my age. I’m finally old enough to not care what people think. I think we’re happier at this stage in our lives. We’ve earned our gray hair and our wisdom from life’s experiences. We have the time to focus on what really matters the most to us — our faith, our family, our grandchildren, and our friends. We’ve learned to say no and have earned the right to choose how we spend our days. The list of things we should do or must do is getting shorter. We realize how short life is and we are finally comfortable with just being ourselves. We appreciate the little things that make our hearts happy. We love to laugh. And we have stories to tell!

Biblical scripture highlights the challenges and blessings of aging. Psalm 90:12 reads, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This verse serves as a prayer for us to understand life is short and we should make the most of each day. God is always with us even as we age. Isaiah 46:44 reads, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” God will never push us away.

“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life,” — Wu-Men