ELEMENTS OF SELF - THE SHADOW

The theme for this week's "Elements Of Self...The Shadow" with host Juliana at Shakti Mama had me connecting a lot with my faithful companion, my shadow. Unlike a lot of people who need people around them all the time, I am quite comfortable being with myself...just me, myself and I, and sometimes I let my shadow tag along. I don't feel the need for constant conversation which is probably why I enjoy my solitary early morning walks and why I can spend hours alone digging in the dirt and tending to my gardens. Although I like to have hubby's help, I will send him off to a different section of the garden so I can be alone with my thoughts.

Walking is my time to clear my head of negative "garbage", collect my thoughts and recoup, ready to start the day fresh. Even on days that I need to push myself to get started, I will always feel better after, and will only skip my walk on very hot humid mornings. I am looking forward to the cooler fall weather when the air is crisp. My favorite walks are ones just after a snowfall with the sun is just coming up on the horizon, and the only tracks in the snow are my own.

Being a "shortie"
I like the way the early morning sun cast me
as being really....
tall.

A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature.
It is earth's eye;
looking into which the beholder measures
the depth of his own nature.

Thoreau, Henry David

I took this picture at the shallow lake edge just as I was leaving after spending the afternoon swimming and kayaking with hubby and our daughter. I like the solidness of the stones, the smoothness of some while others are a little rough around the edges, the variety of colors, the fluid softness of the water transparent and calm at the moment but constantly changing...characteristics that can be used to describe my ever changing moods and feelings.

As a child, I loved the water
and put me in it now,
I will become that kid again.

Just fooling around
...me and my shadow
...I love how well we get along together!

JUST THREE DAYS

The past weekend was a special time for my daughters and me...three whole days for some girlie time without the guys...time for Frenchy shopping, belly dancing, yoga, walking and kayaking.

Our yoga instructor

dressing up for our belly dance lesson...

the girls...

me and my oldest...

me and my youngest...


Dressing down for a late night walk

...safety before beauty!

A great day for kayaking!

twice around the lake for the girls...

me and hubby/dad...
ok, so it wasn't a totally "girlie" time,
but someone had to haul the kayaks to the lake for us
...should I mention that "someone" loaded the kayaks onto the truck
and forgot to load the paddles,
so "he" had to go back home to get them.
I guess you do need a man to add a little excitement!

THE FULLNESS OF A DAY

The bright cool day Saturday was a welcome reprieve
from the hot, humid weather
we've been having of
late.

A wonderful day
for a morning walk
with

...me, myself and I

...a full day of gardening

...supper at a friends cottage,
... our first corn boil
of the
season

...an evening swim
and kayaking
...while watching
the sun
go
down.

ANNIVERSARY SPOILS

What do you get each other after 32 years together? (33 if you want to include the year we “sinfully shacked up” before officially tying the noose) Over the years the allure of jewelery has lost it’s sparkle and we’ve never been the “say it with flowers” type of people…much too wasteful, we’d rather invest in shrub roses that will last a life time …and as for an overnight “date night”…we’re empty nesters with a very fine nest at home, so with no kids and no neighbors there's no urge to get away. A fancy meal at an upscale restaurant…my mind won’t let go of “we could buy a week’s worth of groceries with what we’re paying for this one meal, which by the way, isn’t enough to fill an ant’s gut.” That comes from being raised in a family of ten where frugality was a necessity not a life style choice.

After several weeks of wondering what to do (that’s me… not hubby, who was blissfully unaware of the approaching anniversary until I gave him the heads up a few days prior to the date, by suggesting that he may want to stop and pick up a card) the answer came to us quite by accident.

Now, I love to swim, hubby…not so much, which means I seldom get to go to the lake since I don’t like going alone. But out of the blue hubby gets it into his head that this weekend we would go swimming, and he would take over an old inflatable dingy that had belonged to our girls when they were little so he could boat while I swam. I had forgotten we still had the thing. It’s been stored in the attic for at least 20 years. Needless to say, after digging it out and inflating it, it was much smaller than we had remembered and due to it’s age, untrustworthy.

But all was not for naught! It got our little minds in gear to the point that we went out and bought ourselves two new kayaks, paddles and life jackets…nothing too extravagant…just basic 8 foot beginner kayaks…200 pound capacity, but all that we would ever need, yet small enough to handle, and store ...something we can both enjoy and something long lasting.

We had kayaked for the first time on a beautiful river in Morrell, PEI two summers ago along with our two daughters and our son-in-law and his family, and had such a great time we knew it would be a hobby we would like to take up.

Putting away one of our kayaks
after a fun trip
to the
lake.