Walking After Sandy

We finally were able to take a walk again this morning.  Walking after Sandy was an adventure of dodging piles of pine needles, debris, and sticks, though not nearly to the extent that we had to after Irene last year.  Oh, but it was also so very delightful!  I usually walk every day so missing four days left me quite antsy.  I breathed in the strong, cold wind and was so grateful to be back outdoors.  It makes you feel so alive after being cooped up for so long.  Cold wind, fresh air, bright sun, and exercise - I found God today out walking after Sandy.  (By the way, I kept hearing the melody to "Walking After Midnight" as I was writing this.  Just sayin'...)

Weathering the Storm

The wind was still blowing like crazy this morning.  At one point, I looked out back, and there was a squirrel sitting on the deck railing.  I guess he had paused in his running back and forth.  For some reason, the squirrels seem to find a need to run from one end of our deck to the other; sometimes with nuts, sometimes I think they're just having fun.  But what amazed me about this little guy was that he was calmly sitting there in such strong winds like it was a calm, pleasant day.  As we've seen in the past couple of days, nature is very powerful and sometimes destructive, but also incredibly resilient.  That little squirrel weathered the storm, and then went about his day today running nuts (or whatever) from one end of our deck to the other.  And ultimately, that's what we do, too - weather the storms.  That's how God made us.  I found Him today in that resilient little squirrel calmly braving the winds.

Avgolemono Soup

It was definitely a soup day today, and lucky for me, I had made a batch of avgolemono soup a couple of days ago.  It's a greek soup that we used to eat a lot growing up, and I found a super-easy recipe for it several years ago.  It translates literally to egg-lemon soup, and it has chicken broth, rice, and a little dill along with the requisite egg and lemon.  It's so good, and perfect for a cold, blustery day like today. I sat down with my steaming bowl of soup and was warmed from the inside out.  Ahhhh... pure comfort.  I found God today in my yummy, satisfying bowl of avgolemono.

"Composing" a Storm

I sat down to write my blog and was looking out the window at the storm, praying and thinking on where I found God today.  We had had music playing for quite a while - a playlist of about 45 songs.  I was getting into my zone - watching the trees bend and sway in the strong winds with the rain pouring down, when I realized the piece that was playing was a perfect soundtrack for the storm.  It was right about the 2 minute mark, and the strings were as dramatic as the frantically waving trees.  It filled me with wonder that someone could "compose" a storm.  The piece ends as subtly as it begins, the storm has passed, and all is calm.  It was a dramatic moment, watching the storm outside coincide with the music inside where I was safe and warm, and it was in that moment that I found God today.

This is a link to the piece if you'd like to listen to it.

Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi

Crocheting Again

Today I learned to crochet again.  My aunt first taught me when I was a teenager, and I crocheted several afghans up through my early twenties.  I only knew how to do one type of stitch at a time - nothing fancy - so I always did various types of afghans.  When I was expecting my first child - my son, Morgan - I started an afghan for him.  He was born before I completed it, and to this day (25 years later) it remains unfinished.  I had this lovely notion of crocheting while my babies slept and/or played alongside me.  I quickly found out motherhood is nothing like that. :)  I remained busy from then till now with a few breaks along the way, but for some reason I never got back to my crocheting.  Until now.  I happened to come across a video online and thought I'd try it out again.  I bought yarn and a crochet hook, and guess what?  It's like riding a bike!  I can do it!  I was so pleased with how easily I fell back into the rhythm of this wonderful craft.  I still have a few bugs to work out, but I love it.  It was so comforting working the yarn and watching my crochet fabric grow.  Re-learning an old craft that brought me so much enjoyment - that is where I found God today.

Cozy Day at Home

I love a vacation, but it's always so nice to come home.  And even though we had a lot to catch up on today, at least we had the perfect weather to do it.  It was overcast, with a cool, autumn breeze blowing through the windows, and occasionally we would get a rain shower - a perfect day to enjoy the comfort of being home.  It seemed like anytime I was getting bogged down in my to-do list, a little breeze would refresh me, or I'd get distracted by the lovely sound of rain falling.  Is there any sound more soothing than rainfall?  It was awesome weather for a cozy day at home, and that is where I found God today.

Great In-Laws

We're home from our three day trip to the Williamsburg area with my in-laws.  Jeff and I were staying at an inn in Yorktown, and his parents joined us there for breakfast this morning.  After the meal, it was time to head home, but Dad wanted to take a quick look at a house just a little way down the street that had a cannonball still stuck in the side of it.  I decided to join him while Jeff and his mom did some last-minute transfers between their vehicle and ours.  It was a cool, misty morning - great for our quick walk.  We got to the house, Dad took some pictures, and we headed back, chatting along the way.  He and I were laughing about some joke that I don't even remember when it struck me again how blessed I am to have such a great relationship with them.  They truly feel like "Mom and Dad" as much as my own parents do.  As I sat here thinking on where I found God today, I saw the scene from this morning -  Dad's face laughing along with me, and Mom up ahead waiting for us in the cool, soft grey light.  The blessing of great in-laws, great family... yes, that is where I found Him today.

Mango "Ice Cream"

Yesterday, Jeff and his parents got ice cream at Dairy Queen, and I just had to sit and watch since I can't eat dairy foods. But this morning at breakfast, one of the other guests mentioned that there was a Ben & Jerry's close by, and guess what? Ben & Jerry's has the best dairy free sorbet! I discovered it on a trip to Maine a few years ago, and I've only had it one time since then. I couldn't wait for us to go. Finally, after lunch we drove down into town for ice cream/sorbet. I got the mango sorbet, and my mouth was watering before I ever took my first bite. Oh my goodness!! It's so creamy you'd swear there was actual cream in it. It was amazing, and best of all I got to eat "ice cream" right along with everyone else. :) Yay! I found God today in Ben & Jerry's creamy, dreamy mango "ice cream"!

York River Sunrise

We had a wonderful time touring Jamestown today. The weather was gorgeous, the crowds minimal, and time spent with my in-laws is always a lot of fun. But first thing this morning, Jeff called me to come see the sunrise over the river. We're on the third floor of the inn, and he had opened the window to get a clear view. The cold, fresh air was the perfect accent to the pinks and golds filling the sky and the water. Standing there with the chill air and the colors washing over me I knew that would be my God moment of the day. Today, I found Him in the amazing sunrise over the York River.

Yellow Leaves

We're visiting Williamsburg for a few days with my in-laws. I had parked our car at their campground and was waiting for them to maneuver into their space. My window was open, and I had my arm resting on the sill, and my chin resting on my arm as I watched Jeff help direct the camper into its spot. I was feeling very relaxed and almost sleepy as I watched these goings-on when suddenly a whirl of bright yellow leaves cascaded down all around us. It was enchanting! It definitely woke me from my stupor and I lifted my head and looked all around trying to take it all in. The cool breeze, the sun shining, the leaves falling - it was like an autumn wonderland. Though It was over in seconds, I found God in that brief moment of beauty when the yellow leaves rained from the sky.

The Ocean's Gift

The madness never stops.  It seems like we just run, run, run all the time.  But wait, no, that's not exactly true.  Today, Jeff and I took a few minutes to walk out to the ocean.  And as I stood there, the blessedly cool wind blowing my hair straight back from my face, I closed my eyes and was at peace.  I felt a light spray of the salty ocean on my skin... it was a gift.  It was a short respite, but it renewed me, and I thanked God for it.  The ocean is one of God's greatest gifts to us; I was blessed by it and found Him there today in it's magnificent, calming presence.

Electric Jack

I mentioned my electric jack-o-lantern in my blog last week when I was writing about candy corn, but for some reason I just kept forgetting to put it out.  Jeff, however, was right on top of things,  and when we went out for tea he mentioned that he had set it up for me.  I was very glad he took care of it, but then it went right out of my mind, so later when we were pulling into the driveway, it was a nice surprise for me to see it's little plastic smiling face. (It doesn't take much, I know.)  It always makes me smile when I look at it.  Maybe it's just because you can't help but smile at something (or someone) who's smiling at you, but that big, toothy, orange grin makes me happy whenever I see it.  I'm glad someone around here finally remembered to get Jack out of the closet because that is where I found God today.

Renewed Appreciation

We were all bemoaning the fact that it's in the 70's today.  We're so ready for some cooler temperatures, but except for a day here and there, it seems fall weather is taking it's own sweet time.  The funny thing is, I used to dream of this kind of weather.  I hated being cold.  If I'm truly objective, I have to admit our temperatures here are pretty good.  Not too hot in the summer nor too cold in the winter.  But somehow that doesn't keep me from griping.  Then Marlayna mentioned that it was only 16 degrees in Fairbanks, AK where her boyfriend is stationed.  Well now, doesn't that just put things in perspective!!  So I changed my outlook.  I decided today's weather wasn't so bad after all, and when the cooler days come, I'll just appreciate them that much more.  I found God today in my renewed appreciation of our beautiful weather here on the Outer Banks.

Licking the Frosting

I've been feeling overwhelmed lately.  It seems as if the to-do list is never ending.  Today, one of the things on my list was to bake a cake.  I got it in the oven, did some stuff while it was baking, and then took it out to cool.  Finally, it was time to frost the cake.  I usually drop the frosting on in dots, and then smooth it around to connect them - it keeps the cake from crumbling on top.  I smoothed the frosting around, evened it out till I was satisfied, then almost without thinking I licked the spatula.  Yummm!!!  It's almost like I woke from a trance.  I went at that spatula like nobody's business - licked it totally clean.  Happy, happy, happy!  That's all I was thinking.  What's a to-do list when you've got frosting waiting to be licked?  It's absolutely one of life's little pleasures, and that's where I found God today.

Mackerel Sky

The sunrise this morning was stunning.  I learned from Jeff a long time ago that this type of cloud formation is called a "mackerel sky", supposedly because the clouds resemble mackerel scales.  I have no idea what mackerel scales look like, but I do know the sky this morning took my breath away.  I have no other words.  Here are the pictures.  This is where I found God today.

(The pictures were all taken within a few minutes of each other and are in sequence.  You can see the deepening colors as the sun rises, and then the slight lightening as it gets higher in the sky.)

Mallard Escapades

The Mallards are back.  We don't see much of them through the summer, but today the clan was back with their usual antics.  I heard them before I saw them, and when I went to the window to look, they were making their way out of the pond and up in to our yard.  They waddled around for a while, quacking and nibbling at whatever it is they nibble at in the grass, then continued their noisy way down the pond.  One little straggler was late for the party.  He walked around the grass where his friends had been, didn't seem to find anything, then finally swam away to catch up with the group.  It gives me such joy to watch and listen to them.  (I really wish I knew what they were saying to each other!)  I found God today watching the Mallard escapades in our back yard.

Found It

I was looking for my chili recipe today and just couldn't find it anywhere!  I looked in the recipe book where I always keep it, but it wasn't there.  So I checked my other recipe books - I have several - and no luck.  Then I started checking all kinds of odd places and still no recipe.  Ahhh!! I was getting so frustrated!  Finally, I took a breath, calmed down, and went back to the first place I looked.  And guess what?  There it was!  I was in such a rush the first time that I went right past it.  I just needed to slow down, like I'm doing right now.  Today was one of those days when writing this blog started out feeling like one more chore added on to a long list, but when I slowed down enough to look for God, I felt a calming, a peace, and that's just what I needed.  Finding God in my day is a blessing, and I found Him today when I finally found that recipe, but also when I took the time to write about it.

The Bird in the Window

During our church service today, Maureen gave a very inspirational talk on pastoral care.  She had just gotten started when a beautiful blue jay flew into the tree outside the big church window behind her.  He sat on one branch for a minute or two, then switched to another branch, almost as if he was trying to  find the best perch to listen from.  He seemed to be looking in the window at us all, though my eyes aren't the best so I can't be positive about that.  He sat on his second perch for a minute or two then flitted to another branch and finally flew away.  I was thinking to myself that it was as if God had sent that little bird, like he was watching over us, listening in, and enjoying the service, but I thought maybe I was reading more into it than I should have.  Then after the service, Jeff said to me, "Did you see the bird outside the window?  It was like God was checking in on us, and being satisfied, he moved on."  So I guess I wasn't the only one taken by the blue jay. :)  He made me smile inside and out.  Today, I found God, or perhaps more appropriately, He found all of us, through that beautiful bird in the window.

Lemon Ginger Tea

I had a fun but exhausting day.  Fun because I spent the day with Marlayna, exhausting because we were shopping, and I always find that exhausting.  She does, too.  By the time we got home, we felt like we'd run a marathon.  We had a quick dinner, and I was already getting into my "finding God" mode, when she said, "How about some tea?"  Sweeter words were never spoken!  Just the thought of relaxing with a cup of tea was pure bliss.  So I sit here, writing this blog, and drinking a hot cup of lemon ginger tea, and yes, I am finding God right here in this moment.

Spirits Rising

It was a beautiful morning.  The air was cool and still, the sun hadn't quite risen, and the mist swirling on the water was enchanting.  When I got home, I looked at the pictures, and though they all showed a pretty scene, this one in particular captured what looked like spirits rising from the water.  If you look carefully, you can make out shapes - I see one that looks like an angel in the lower right corner.  It added to the air of mystery (or "mist"ery - haha!) that pervades mornings like we had today.  I was captivated by the thought of the mist revealing "spirits" rising up into the heavens, and that is where I found God today.

Candy Corn

In our house, one of the first true signs of fall is candy corn.  Yay, candy corn!  Since we don't have little ones in the house, we don't carve pumpkins anymore.  (I bought a jack-o-lantern that you plug in and it lights up - best purchase ever!)  And again, without said little ones, I don't do much decorating for Halloween, but the one thing I always do is buy candy corn.  I never even used to like the taste - though I do now - but it's just fun.  I pour it in a dish and it's like "instant autumn".  I bought our first round of it just a day ago, and every time I looked at it today it made me smile.  Candy and decor all in one.  What more could you ask for?  I found God today in my happy little dish of candy corn.

The Humble Potato

Everyone has a different idea of comfort food, and different foods can apply depending on the comfort needed.  Whether you're sick, depressed, tired, stressed, whatever, you usually have a food you crave.  The past couple of days I've had a slight upset stomach, and what I crave to soothe my ills are boiled potatoes.  It's one of the foods my mom used to fix for me as a child when I wasn't feeling well.  (I think most of our ideas of comfort food can be traced back to childhood - and usually to our  moms.)  I prepare them the way she used to - peeled, cut, then boiled; and seasoned with a little (non-dairy) butter, and olive oil.  It's simple food, but isn't that usually the best?  I sat down with a plate of boiled potatoes today and was comforted both physically and spiritually.  The humble potato - that is where I found God today.

The Good Humor Man

I had to drop some cookies off at church today for Ruthie's Kitchen, and I ran into Andy who was hard at work as usual.  I told him I was headed to the kitchen so he came in and turned the lights on for me, and then, also as usual, started making jokes about eating the cookies. :)  I've never seen him in a bad mood.  He always has a ready smile and takes a moment to talk.  I had been running around all morning and had just planned to run in and drop off the cookies, but thanks to Andy, I slowed down enough to talk for a couple of minutes and get a good laugh.  Today, I found God in the blessing of Andy's perpetual good humor.

Angelic Harmony

I had an appointment in Manteo this morning so I had about a half hour in the car to relax and listen to some music.  And it was relaxing because traffic was fairly light, the weather was cool, and the music was great.  One song in particular just blows me away every time I hear it.  It's "Long Time Traveler" by "The Wailin' Jennys".  There are no instruments, just their angelic harmonies.  (I posted another song by them several months back called "One Voice" - check it out if you get a chance.)  I turned up the volume and just let it wash over me.  I found God today in the beauty of their song.

Long Time Traveller by The Wailin' Jennys

The Little Athlete

I passed the ball field at the elementary school on my walk this afternoon, and there looked to be a game or a practice about to start.  There were several boys in the field tossing baseballs around, and as I glanced over I saw one boy going for a ball that was thrown to him rather high and wide.  He took a few steps back, reached out his glove, and caught it effortlessly.  I was amazed.  It's just that he was so small!  I suppose he could have been older, but from his size he looked to be no more than about seven years old.  I thought back to when my son was in Little League, and I guess the kids were doing the same things.  So I don't know if it was because I hadn't watched young kids playing sports in so long or what, but I was struck by just how capable God made us.  So far as I know, there hasn't been a computer/machine built that can chase a ball across a field and catch it.  There's so much going on between our brains and our bodies - all the coordination - and we do it almost without thought.  I don't know why that little boy caught my eye, but I found God today in his effortless athletic grace.

Time With Friends

Our dear friends, Brad and Jean, are visiting from Maryland this weekend, and we spent the day at the Manteo waterfront.  What an awesome day!  Gorgeous weather, nice breeze, and great company.  We walked around the farmer's market, browsed a few shops, stopped in the cafe, and then had lunch.  It reminds me that we don't take enough time to relax and just enjoy time with our friends.  We talked practically non-stop (I think I'm hoarse!), laughed a lot, and shared the gift that God has given us - each other.  It was one of those "stop and smell the roses" moments stretched into a whole day, and I found God today in the special blessing of time well spent with good friends.

Sleepy Dog

We got our dog, Forrest, when he was only 6 weeks old.  Too young, I think, to be separated from his mother.  He was in a straw-filled box in a barn, the only one of his litter left due to a birth defect.  After many vet visits, it was finally determined that he had no shoulder joint in his right front leg.  The specialist told us to amputate.  Our trusted vet said that nature usually takes care of itself, and he thought we should leave it alone.  He was right.  When we first met Forrest, he could only run in circles - comical in a sad way.  But after no more than a week with us, he was running straight and true, using that bad leg almost like a rudder.
Right after we brought him home, we went to the pet store to pick up toys and things for him.  One particular toy was a fleecy stuffed dog that he fell in love with.  He took to sleeping with it in a particular way - his head on the dog's tail, and his body lying on top of the dog toy's body.  It's the same every time - he never varies in how he positions himself on this toy when he goes to sleep.  We started calling the toy Sleepy Dog for obvious reasons, and when he'd wear one out, we'd buy another, and Forrest would take right to it.  But he would never sleep with any other toy.  Finally, the day came when we couldn't find anymore Sleepy Dogs.  We searched every store and all over the internet - nothing.  What could we do?  This last one was torn and had his stuffing falling out.  We turned to Jeff's mom, seamstress extraordinaire, and she sewed him up.  Forrest never missed a beat; he was right back to sleeping on top of him as usual.  He was napping with him today, and it was so classic Forrest that I had to take a picture.  Our sweet dog with his Sleepy Dog - that is where I found God today.

Dream World

I opened the curtains this morning and saw a fantasy world unveiled.  The light this time of year is amazing, and with the early morning mist, and raindrops still clinging to the leaves, the view out my window was like something out of a dream.  I took pictures but they don't come close to doing it justice.  The raindrops were sparkling like crystals in the hazy sunlight.  And the sunbeams filtered through the trees set the mist aglow.  It was truly magical.  I found God right outside my back door today.

Mystery Solved

Ever since we moved here, I've been hearing a birdcall that sounded like some jungle animal.  Well, today I finally found out what it was - a Pileated Woodpecker.  I was getting out of my car when I heard it, and it sounded so close.  I turned around to look, and the woodpecker was flying across our driveway from one tree to the next - making that jungle call just as loud as could be.  I was so excited!!  I couldn't believe I finally figured out what it was.  It may be well known to others, but for me, it was like I had made some brand new wildlife discovery - a new species or something!  Okay, that may be stretching it, but that's how excited I was.  I've seen the birds plenty of times, and I've heard the call plenty of times, but I was never able to put them together till today.  It gave me such joy to figure out the mystery, and that is where I found God today.  Click on the link if you want to hear what it sounds like.  (It's the yellow rectangular button under the Pileated Woodpecker heading.)

Call of the Pileated Woodpecker

Salad Experiment

 We were just having leftovers for dinner today, but I wanted to add something fresh to the meal.  When I don't have anything specific in mind, I just search through my refrigerator and pantry and see what inspires me.  What I decided on today was a salad of chopped celery, mushrooms, olives, and capers with an olive oil and vinegar dressing spiced up with a little dill and oregano.  It sounded good so I mixed it all up and let it marinate for a little while.  When it was time to eat, I took a bite, and oh my goodness!  It was sooo good!!  There are plenty of times when I experiment and the results are... let's just say, less than stellar.  Not this time, baby!  Crunchy, salty, briny, yummy - that says it all.  Don't you love it when you try something new and it just works?  I found God today in the awesome taste sensation of my new salad experiment.

Candlelight

It was cool, grey, and overcast this morning and was supposed to stay that way all day.  So I decided to light some candles for the first time this fall.  I just love candles.  I have several large candles and about 50 tealights scattered around.  When they're all lit, they actually raise the temperature in the room!  There have been times in the winter when we've had to open windows to cool it down because of all the tiny fires.  But I just love all those flickering little lights so it's always a special day when I light them for the first time.  I only lit a few today - it's not quite cold enough for all the extra heat!  But oh, how I enjoy looking at them.  I have a few that are mildly scented with vanilla and cinnamon, and what a wonderful fragrance they add to the room.  It's still overcast outside, but there's a warm glow inside from my first lit candles of the season.  I found God today in their golden, flickering light.