Chasing The Sun

Three mornings ago I woke up and looked out my office window and this is what I saw! Blossoms over night! I looked out in the back and saw many more. I always marvel at the timing of things like this. The trees know the exact hour of their blooming. I feel the joy of God being over all. Down to the tiniest blossom, He is the overseer. I am feeling a contentment in our lives I don't ever remember being so vivid before. I ask myself have I finally discovered the hour of my own personal blooming?

Maybe this is why we cannot pay nearly $600.00 to see Celine Dion even though I love her talents. I am finding such joy in the things that are ours for free. Things that last, things that create a heart print that is not easily forgotten at the curtain call. Things that deeply impress the eye, heart and soul. The beauty of this earth that does not have a price tag on it. Is it in this way that men are created equally? It is the man made things and situations of this world that make us balk at that phrase, but in God's creations it is made perfectly clear.

Our day trip this week was right in our own backyard. We drove around Mt. Diablo and viewed it from every compass point. We traveled the back roads chasing the sun. I wish we had two hundred words to express varying degrees and kinds of beauty. I just cannot explain the reverential awe we felt as we went and looked with eyes wide open at our gifts.

Being outside and focusing on the land is so refreshing
and elevating and we felt so joy-filled.

The sky was a real show all day. The clouds were moving constantly and the display and variations were amazing. Sometimes it was raining, sometimes it was white marshmallow puffs, other times misty and mysterious. We were supposed to get snow. This is a big deal at sea level. I think it has been over thirty years since snow fell on the ground here and stuck even for a nano second. So far no snow, the sun had other plans.

My all time favorite house in our town.
I go by hoping some day it will
be for sale but so far..no.
We have all that we want and
wouldn't be moving in reality,
but this is my total day dream house.

The grass is like apple green velvet
and I am loving that orange tree.
A bit of heaven on earth!

Be still my beating heart~
I am not coveting I really am not!
Just enjoying the view at my dream house.

Up the road a piece,
I just had to walk under this canopy
of pink blossoms.

Across the street even more pinkness.

Was the inspiration for the pink and blue
80s decor found right here?

Mt. Diablo behind the misty clouds.

Peaking out to give a photo opp.

If your eye could see this for real, it was just breathtaking.

One of my favorite vista points in the area.
Again not fully captured in two dimensions,
it needs 3D 360 surround for the full effect.

For Jim, he loved this sinking tractor.
He is such a boy! (Thank Heavens!)

Who can find anything wrong with
their life when gazing upon this?

The creeks were filled with muddy
water from the rain soaked banks.

Our view of the south side of the mountain as we ate lunch~
dashboard dining, it was freezing out.

It is in these moments I feel the most companionship in our marriage. I feel it is just us, no interruptions, no ringing phones, no computers, just us. No one tapping on our shoulders or knocking on our door for something, no household hassles, just us. Stripping all that other stuff away gives me 20/20 vision for the man I married and the happiness of it. I love that! It is in these moments that I love us and what we have together. All the challenges, the memories, the spiritual oneness, the babies, the grandbabies, the home...all of it. All worth it, all of the most value, a great and simple life.

Cotton ball clouds dwarfing the mighty oak on the hill.

Back lit by the sun! We found it!

We traveled some very tiny one lane roads,
no room to pass and this guy was not budging.

This one looking at the other one as if to say,
"Get out of the road, Bird Brain!"

Rusty countryside charm.

Cattle grazing and lazing in the sun.
What a spectacular day!

People are constantly asking us how we like our new life and being retired. I wish there were more expressive words, at least 200 of them, that could express our thoughts of love and family, contentment, gratitude, peace and happiness. That could express how we love the big and small things of it, the time we have to enjoy and serve others, the way our testimony of God grows daily, the way work is so enjoyable on your own time clock and terms! It is just all good.

The things that use to just whiz by at high speed now just wait and linger and fill us up. It like sprinkling MSG on your life. Everything seemed enhanced and delicious. It is just being high on life and we love it. And these little day trips we take seem to be very instrumental is making us see and appreciate what has always been here. So it looks like they will continue as long as there is some place to explore and enjoy!