Monday Magical Miracles

This morning I got out of bed, went downstairs to let Toby out for his morning business, made coffee and sat on the screen porch alone.  As I read the newspaper, yes, I still have the Chicago Tribune delivered every morning, I thought how I would spend my day.  My husband is now being taken care of, my sister-in-law has gone home after a week's visit and assistance in the move of which I am forever grateful, my daughter is busy teaching dance classes, my son is busy with work, and now what do I do?  I can do anything, I can go anywhere, but what do I do? 

The first thing I do is sit and read the newspaper, and enjoy a good cup of coffee.  I am one of those coffee drinkers that I call "high maintenance" when it comes to drinking coffee.  I use 1 packet of Sweet n low, and a generous splash of Coffee Mate.  When I don't have these 2 extras, I am cranky. But it is my fault if those 2 items are not added, because I am the one that does the shopping.  So I have no-one but myself to blame for being cranky.

After reading the newspaper and enjoying my high maintenance coffee I get dressed, talk to my daughter, my brother, my son, my sister-in-law on the phone.  Yes, young ones, there are still those of us that like to hear a human voice when communicating instead of getting a text message.  I like to hear the sound of laughter, not LOL, I enjoy the telling of a happening, not shortened to text talk.  After dressing, I go outside to work in the garden.  It has been so neglected lately, by time, by heat, by too much rain that it is looking a little sad.  The weeds seem to be the only thing flourishing. 

The black-eyed Susan's do well in any weather...so reliable, so beautiful. This is my addition to Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday....hop on over and check out all the beautiful entries here on Kim's site.

The "Limelight" Hydrangeas are beginning to bloom.  I have two of these and they produce enough flowers that I dried them last year and decorated our Christmas Tree with their gorgeous, golden blooms. 

This little spider was dangling in the midst of the hydrangea bush, so I snapped his picture.  I did not even notice the spider web that surrounded him.  It was so fine that I couldn't see it until I processed the image.  That is one surprising part of this photography that I find so amazing.  Things that are unnoticeable to the naked eye, suddenly appear on your computer screen that you had no clue it was there.  Magic!!

What could be more magical than a Monarch Butterfly feeding on the coneflowers and posing so nicely for me.  Sometimes I go a whole summer without seeing these beauties, but there she was just waiting for me to enjoy.  I still have a hummingbird that comes each day, and one of these days I am going to catch her on camera.  She is so fast that by the time I get the camera and get ready she is long gone. 

After working in the yard for awhile, the temps began to rise and since the sweat was dripping into my eyes, decided it was time to come inside and cool off.  As I was snipping off the dead heads of the red verbena I accidentally cut a live one and decided I certainly was not going to waste that beautiful bloom by throwing it into the weed pile.  I think it looks just about perfect sitting next to the little red wagon and the little red tricycle on the kitchen windowsill. 

Decided after it cooled down a bit to take Toby for a walk across the street at the pond.  The sky was still blue enough that the reflection in the water was beautiful.  The Weeping Willow Tree was hanging low today.  I think sometimes kids start swinging on those branches to see how far they can swing out across the water.  I know if I was a kid that is what I would do if I happened upon some low hanging willow tree branches. 

The sky is beginning to grow dark, there is prediction for stormy weather, hopefully it will only rain.  We have had too much storm damage in the area already this summer with high winds and frightening flashes of lightening.  All in all a good day, nothing exciting, but a good day.  I could do without any excitement for awhile. 

"There are two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle."   -  Albert Einstein

Until next time......