Bounce-back

All of our potted plants thrive with once per week watering, except one.  And it demands to be watered twice per week, wilting severely, if too many days pass without a drink.  I was convinced, that in my vacation absence, I'd killed this plant.  It was so seriously dehydrated that Gar asked, when he saw the perky plant this morning, if I'd replaced it.

This incredible bounce-back from from a major affliction made me realize once again we can learn so much from nature.  Think about the damage to human relationships that are sometimes caused by minor infractions.  When we realize that my plant's near-death experience was remedied by a bit of TLC, it's easy to see that we'd be well advised to administer and accept TLC frequently in our human relationships.  

Hearts in Nature

Family and friends have provided me with a cherished collection of hearts through the years. During this morning's run I noticed several hearts outdoors - a shrub, numerous caladium leaves, part of a pine cone, a tree leaf and a rut in the pavement.  My Google query yielded 5.81 million results for hearts in nature photos.  The link below has many intriguing images.

Images for hearts in nature photos

Stopping to Smell a Rose

Each morning I walk briskly through the neighborhood, rarely stopping, unless there's a chance to catch up briefly with friend.  However, when I spotted the neighborhood's one perfect yellow rose in full bloom, I was compelled to stop and enjoy its fragrance.  This unexpected beautiful blossom was my vivid reminder that it only takes a moment to brighten a day - our own or another's.

Father's Day

Yesterday was a designated day to honor our fathers.  The three fathers profoundly and positively impacting my family are each deserving of daily love, respect and appreciation (Daddy, my husband and my deceased father-in-law).  Each of these men has created unique, deep bonds of love with their children.  Words, cards and gifts one Sunday in June remind us to pause and reflect gratefully upon their lives and impact.  In reality, every day is a perfect day to show appreciation to those we love. Designated holidays days just help us focus our appreciation.

Happy Father's Day!

Broken Eggshell

It's amazing how many birds, squirrels, rabbits and raccoons we see in urban settings.  Growing up in Arkansas, I took these and many other creatures for granted.  Though I could do without the raccoons, even they are interesting to observe.  Most often, I'm delighted to see our furry and feathered neighbors scurrying about busily tending to their duties.  The rare sight of a broken eggshell on the pavement vividly reminds me that even with our best laid plans, tragedy can strike unexpectedly.  As far as we know, our furry and feathered friends just move on.  However, with our appreciation for life, we only slowly move on with the loving support of family and friends.

Snow!

It rarely snows in Houston.  And it never snows this early in the winter.  I took the day off yesterday and had the joy of decorating our Christmas tree with the backdrop of gorgeous falling snow.  We often appreciate the unusual glories of nature. And for Houstonians, this was a special, beautiful day to remember.