Monday, November 29, 2021

Simple Times








Our life is frittered away by detail. 

An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. 

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!

 I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail . . . 

Simplify, simplify.

                                        --Henry David Thoreau


In our current world, it is not easy to follow or to practice Thoreau's words, but when the opportunity comes, it's truly treat to spend some quality time living those thoughts. 

That's precisely what happened around here yesterday. 

Balmy temperatures and rain overnight on Saturday melted the majority of our snow cover.  

In fact, we learned later in the day that Schweitzer Ski Area had to shut down because of the warmth. 

Seems they need freezing temperatures to "make" snow with their machines. 

Here at the Lovestead, trips outside were lingering rather than the quick dashes here and there to get things done in an effort to return to the comfort of the house. 

The yard was green and basically dry, and, oh, what fun that was for the three doggies and me! 

So comfortable and so pleasant and seemingly a not a care in the world, thanks to the Thoreau opportunity mentioned above. 

Details of a holiday weekend were complete, so Sunday marked a day of relaxing transition with little to do other than enjoying life with no real schedule.

On one trip outside, I heard the melodic chatter of eagles and watched at two landed in the big cottonwoods over in the Meserve Preserve.

The two big birds were nice enough to stay in their respective perches while I went back to the house to get the camera.  

After what they probably considered an ample photo shoot from the old lady down on the ground, both launched from the limbs and flew off.

Soon I heard that pretty eagle talk again as they found another tree a few hundred feet away with no photographers pointing cameras from the ground below.  

Outdoor play time happened often yesterday.  Each time slot was filled with pure, raw, calm and delightful enjoyment. 

In one case, Bill and I accompanied the dogs to the hay field where space for running is abundant and where there are no worries of little ones straying into danger. 

How often do we stand out in the hay field, calmly strolling around on bare ground, enjoying the pleasant air and watching dogs in their own doggie Heaven??

Not often. 

And, so we appreciated the moments and the sights of fun and frolic with our four-legged beloveds bounding across the open field or stopping briefly to sniff out the ground or chew on pieces of wood. 

All creatures here on the place seemed quite content with their lot in life yesterday. 

If only we could say that every day, especially during the long winter months. 

Happily, the next few days will provide more such opportunities for outdoor enjoyment, but with the holiday times over and another soon to come, there are things to do, things to do. 

Hopefully, when more of our lives are frittered away and all the Christmas holiday "to do's" are completed we'll have more time to "Simplify, Simplify."   

Happy Monday.
  























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