March Porch Vacation
The wind is like a bold sprawling signature signing its name across the cloudless sky. It rustles and scatters the curled-up brown oak leaves in my yard and makes the chimes on my porch loudly sing. There’s an engine running in my neighbor’s garage, making me the feel restless, as though I should be in my kitchen cleaning. Every now and then a bird chirps loudly, complaining about the empty feeders, I suppose. Our dog Jasmine is stretched out next to me, lazily sunning herself. She, afraid of gunshot and thunder, is oblivious to the wind whipping past our cozy porch scene, even as the sound of its unleashed force causes me to shrink.
The engine has stopped, but now I hear raking. I resist the urge to flee the porch for a more concrete activity. Closing my eyes, I imagine the wind is the Atlantic Ocean and that I’m sitting on the shore of the Massachusetts peninsula I grew up on. Back then, I didn’t worry about the future. I didn’t have to schedule time to relax. Pulling off my periwinkle sweatshirt to expose more of my skin to the sun, I follow Jasmine’s lead and let my posture go. With a deep breath in and a long one out, it feels good to stretch out my legs, to be determined to stay put and soak up the gift of the day. ~ 3/3/07
March 4th, 2007 8:52 pm
OK, I struck a similar pose down in the gazebo a few days ago. The sun was streaming over my body, I was completely relaxed and Christy(11 year old daughter) says “Mama, I don’t want to hurt your feelings but you look like an iguana!” I started laughing so hard because it was a perfect description of how I felt. I’m glad you resisted the urge to clean and enjoyed the sunshine. BTW, like the pink tennies.
Susan
March 4th, 2007 9:03 pm
Dogs are good mentors. Soaking up the gift of the moment sounds like a very good idea. It’s easy to get sidetracked into busy-ness or business.
March 4th, 2007 9:30 pm
What a beautiful dog! I love it when its just warm enough to sit in the sunshine but still cool in the shade.
March 4th, 2007 10:22 pm
I’d be with you and Jasmine except for this darn snow and cold weather up here!
Love the pink sneakers!
Jasmine is a beauty!
March 5th, 2007 8:16 am
I love your pink shoes! Jasmine looks content and sleepy, nothing quite like time in the sun! I love it.
Sorry Jasmine hates thunder and loud noises….I didn’t have an answer regarding the doggie door. I can’t get mine to stop chewing up their little log cabin homes!
March 5th, 2007 9:45 am
Funny, as you set and dreamed of the shore I was sitting out in the yard dreaming of the mountain breezes as I soaked up the same sun and winds. With my eyes closed, It could have been summer in the Blue Ridges. And if I opened them just a slit the trees around the house became the mountains I dreamed of. For a few minutes at least, I was there in the mountains once more.
It almost makes it livable waiting for the summer dose of mountains once more.
March 5th, 2007 9:52 am
You bought PINK sneakers??
Jasmine looks like a big cat. xo
March 5th, 2007 10:29 am
Yes, they’re my answer to the ruby red slippers I’v alway wanted and more practical maybe? I think Jasmine looks like Aslan!
March 5th, 2007 10:53 am
ooohhh…i need a moment like that today! but, i’m afraid the wind is a little TOO blustery and frigid in our neck of the woods. i’ve already had to chase down our garbage can lid and other various paraphenalia that have blown off our porch. i’ll have to have my moment inside……
March 5th, 2007 10:57 am
I was just telling my husband I would give almost anything for a sun porch. Walking by the ocean yesterday, I closed my eyes and breathed in the sun on my face….ahhhh….
March 5th, 2007 11:03 am
Jasmine is just beautiful! I’d never seen her.
I’ve always said that dogs have it RIGHT…they eat when they’re hungry, nap when they’re tired, play when the mood strikes them. Sounds like you had some great quiet time on that porch enjoying the moments.
March 5th, 2007 2:01 pm
That wind was really, really cold here yesterday. If I were in the sun, perhaps with coat, mittens, hat and scarf… it might be nice. I see it will be almost 60 here today, but then only in the 30’s tomorrow. You would think we could have one small snow this winter.
March 5th, 2007 8:58 pm
How lovely that though windy, it was warm enough to take the sun with Jasmine—who, btw, is beautiful! Is this a slight respite from the possability of more snow and ice? Here it was in the high 80’s today…! More than lovely!
March 6th, 2007 3:25 pm
How wonderful to be able to sit out and enjoy the sun.
Jasmine is a beauty!