Delights: May 7 to May 13

May 7: I strained to hear the radio on the other side of the screen door. And then I realized: in the wooded backyard before me, the breeze tickled the leaves until they laughed; the birds — so many voices! — shared evening plans; and the garden fountain burbled into its pond. I could hear the announcers’ excitement when the Nationals scored a run. And in between I let nature be my ball game.

May 8: So many happy — vaccinated, socially distanced — people eating good food, savoring views, singing in families to the DJ’s tunes. A dad danced with his two-year old son to Friends in Low Places. Joy suffused the child’s face, and ours too.

May 9: Jazz and blues, wine and brews, artists selling their work. I was not the only person covered in sunshine and smiles in the little coastal town’s first festival in a very long time.

May 10: Summer is just a blink away. So we left the house without blankets, coats and cushions. The cold wind blew the sun away and Jeremiah, two vaccines done, wore his mask for warmth. The fabric dragonflies quivered with each shudder, ready to take flight in search of their own summer.

May 11: Despite its thick glossy leaves and tropical lushness, I’d neglected a houseplant in a distant room. I found it today canopied in extravagant orange blossoms, with more already decorating the floor. May I be as gracious and forgiving as that beautiful plant.

May 12: My yoga teacher led us through High Boat, with our arms and legs raised, and Low Boat, with limbs hovering close to the mat. Again and again. Now I understand why, when I mistype “and,” my iPhone autocorrects it to “abs.” 

May 13: Nate shoveled eighty pounds of organic matter from the bottom of a small pond and fitted a gurgling fountain. Kevin spread sunflower seeds to attract gold finches and gilded the garden with a hanging basket of flowers. (“Red: your favorite color!”)  Jeremiah bought the groceries and positioned the patio chair just right. Today was not Mother’s Day. And yet I felt like a queen.

Blogs you might like: I very much enjoy the gentle and welcoming insights of these bloggers:

Thistles & Kiwis, from Wellington, New Zealand, where you’ll enjoy the approach of autumn, breathtaking photos of food and flowers, and a peaceful writing style that invites gratitude. (And be sure to open the full blog page to see her splendid feature photos.)

Notes from the Hinterland, in which Laurie Graves (from Maine) talks about her garden, her writing and the environmental (and Saturday-afternoon-saving) virtues of No-Mow May. 

Touring My Backyard, where Ju-Lyn from Singapore laces up her running shoes and gives us a close look at her beautiful “backyard.” The photo of the powder puffs in this post is particularly lovely! 

Readers, if you’d like to browse my past essays, consult the “word cloud” featured at the very bottom of this post. Find a theme or two that interests you and sift through the sands… To receive notifications by email each time I make a post, just scroll all the way down this page (next to the “word cloud”), look to the left and click on the black button that says “Join Me!” And if you think a friend might enjoy these, share the Delight!