Tuesday, July 12, 2011

{Virtual Coffee}

If we were meeting for coffee today it would be somewhat of a miracle because I have been AWOL or perhaps AWL because I have been truly absent with leave, my own personal leave. And I could not tell you why other than it was just a gentle segue on my own part that I barely recognized my own absence.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you I have been to my cottage two weekends in a row. The first weekend my sister brought this mini-kayak for Riley

as last summer he was driving her own full-sized kayak on his own, without help and only ride-by supervision. He took to it like stink which made me go out and get this 8-foot puppy to paddle along side him.

Unless you have already paddled, it would be hard to describe other than it brings a special feeling of control and power that is rare to experience at any age.

And lest you think I am a bad mother endangering my son out on a lake by himself, I would tell you that there was always someone riding close by.

He discovered that his open style kayak is great for resting on in the early morning sun too.


If we were meeting for coffee today I would introduce you to this guy who has been beating up my country house something fierce.

I have had to call in unfriendly reinforcements as if I were to leave him (and his rather large family) on their own, I would have no house left. I would add that there has been lots of bird medicine appearing in my life and that in the last week alone these three unusual feathers have crossed my path.

And what would a blog post about nature be without a shot of dock scat?

It was easily six inches in diameter and, if you are like me, you are imagining the size of the thing it came out of.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you I have caught myself doing absent-minded-professor-like things like putting empty pickle jars in the fridge.

And that this is just an example of the harmless things I have done.

If we were meeting for coffee today I might broach the subject of my most recent change that has come upon me. I'm not even sure how to put it all into words, only that it is natural and likely long-time coming. I would tell you I have been feeling a certain lack in my life and instead of filling it with time wasters I have chosen to go inward and listen, or try to listen to my directives.

I would tell you I filled myself up with nature these last two weeks with lots of these

and this momma merganser with her nine (!) babies

On Saturday Riley and I went to the local beach and found exactly this many people there by 11:00 a.m.

We had the place to ourselves for awhile so we made some sand art

before the crowds hit. Later that day I discovered that now, when my knees get sunburned, they could double for elephant skin.


Which is a might sight better than what I discovered behind my knees.

I can't believe I never noticed them before but then again, I rarely look in a full length mirror and when I do, my legs are usually covered.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that also in the last week I went to upgrade my ancient cell phone and came home with this

after being sweet-talked into it by the salesman. I knew almost immediately it wasn't for me so after a few days I went back and exchanged it for this

which is what I really wanted in the first place and it's kind of scary how much fun it is. I would ask you what apps you might suggest as the apps store is kind of overwhelming.

If we were meeting for coffee this week I would tell you that last week Riley had his first swim meet and at the pep rally just before it started, I thought he looked both so tiny and so grown up at the same time.

I would tell you how easy it is for him to make art out of nothing, like dirt on the road


or with an old pop bottle and gathered twigs.


How deeply he inspires me when I have these feelings of being in backward motion.

And then I would say I am sorry for not letting you get a word in edgewise and I would listen to your story because it is so important that we do that for each other.

And then we would head over to Amy's Lucky Number 13 and see what her pot is brewing.


10 comments:

Lis said...

Oh, sweet heaven ... so good to have you back! I've missed these caffeine-infused posts which travel the gamut from coffee spewing (the bird poo and images of what shat that out) hilarious to pausing, deep in thought and wonder ...

so glad you are listening to your inner rhythms and honoring the need to draw within ... but don't leave us too long, okay? Your candid humor (elephant knees? OMG I will never look at my knees in innocence again!) is so needed as we lumber through these -ahem! - changes gracefully (well, as graceful as an elephant rampaging, at least in my experience)

I think I need a kayak ... if only to float away from the craziness for awhile and bask in the big sky.

xo love Lis

Snap said...

Nature sure knows how to nurture.

That pickle jar isn't empty ... it still has juice!!!!

Unknown said...

I love your heart-felt humor and so enjoy coffee on Tuesdays. I'm glad that you have returned to entertain us with photos of scat and elephant knees Ha! I have those too...

Riley is rockin' the Kayak. So cool of you to let him discover such a fun hobby on his own.

Thanks for the laughs and have a great week.

oreneta said...

Hi again, so nice to have coffee together and catch up. Inner voices are sweet and wonderful. So is that boy.

Kim Mailhot said...

It is good to know that nature and motherhood have been filling you up in such sweet ways, my friend. I am sure it helps to center you and let the listening happen.
Love the birdie visits!
Enjoy the iPhone technology!
Talk soon, okay?
Love ya!

Claire said...

oh, i've missed our coffee chats, but this post more than makes up :) i LOVE those feathers! the c-o-l-o-u-r-s - wow!! and seeing your lovely boy in his element :) but your poor knees :(
thank you for such a lovely chat!!

Elisa Black said...

I love all your nature shots-- the birds, the feathers, the butterflies and the lake. I agree with what one of the other commenters said-- nature is very healing. I just went kayaking recently with my sister and our kids and we all loved it. I've canoed many times, but never kayaked before. It's an awesome feeling. I love your son's creative/artistic eye. Thanks for sharing over coffee!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back :) I enjoy reading what you have been up to. Great pictures that you include.

Curious to what kind of phone you got in the end because I am looking to upgrade mine.

juicy couture said...

Thanks for posting. Great article.

Sherry said...

Great post! I could so just lie back in that kayak and soak up the sun...and I love that you are going inward and just being and enjoying life that is around you. ♥