KEEPING YOUR HEAD UP

Years ago, my Older Son took swimming lessons at the home of a marvelous teacher.   She was stern, but very encouraging.  The children made huge advances in their swimming and she made them strong in spirit.

It was often a harrowing experience for the mothers on the side.

On the last day, the children had their test.  One of the challenges was to tread water for five minutes, using three different styles when the teacher called them out.

These students were determined to pass on to the next level and they worked so very hard.  While the mothers clenched their teeth, gnawed their fingers, and practically wept, the children paddled and treaded and bobbed and struggled to endure the five minutes.  I will always remember one child in particular, whose little moon of a face was the only thing sticking above water.  The teacher shouted and shouted "You can do it!  Keep going!  Only one more minute!  You're doing great!" the entire time.  It was very moving.

Sometimes I feel like that child.

That's why I haven't written lately, or read your posts, either, friends.  But my list of Things to Get Done Right This Very Minute will be whittled down soon, and I'll be back!

Meanwhile, I'm so thankful for my flower garden!  This is the first time in years I've felt well enough to keep on top of that physical work (yay, celiacs!).

GARAGE SALE TIPS

Because I used to be such a pro at yard sale shopping, I thought I should share some of my experience with you:

1.  If you have never found anything good at a yard sale and you wonder what all the fuss is about, perhaps you haven't gone early enough.  It's the general custom for owners to expect buyers an hour before the posted time, and really, that's the time to get good items.

2.  Plan your escape BEFORE you get out of the car.  Park where you can get out and/or turn around--or better yet, turn around and park facing out so that you don't have to worry about crashing into trees or pedestrians.

3.  Be careful about pulling too far off the road.  It might LOOK like grass, but it could be a deep bog that swallows the front end of the car, requiring the owner to get his tractor to pull you out.  (If you're a woman, you can garner pity rather than disgust when you act tearful.  And besides--remember this is great entertainment for the hosts and all the relatives who have come to hang out for the day)

4.  Just let that crazy pushy maniac of an antique dealer do whatever he wants.  I've heard people say they don't put out the good stuff till he's gone anyway.

5.  Keep your ears open.  You can learn of other yard sales this way, along with juicy details about the new Super Walmart coming to town, Sophinia's health, Percy's divorce, and the ripeness of the fruit over at so-and-so's orchard.

6.  If it's crowded, don't take too long to decide whether or not you want to buy something.  Or at least put your hands on it while you think!  This will prevent you from going home with three lovely wooden child chairs (one painted yellow, one green, and one blue) while a rather rude person goes home with the red one.

7.  And of course, always follow the de-clutter rule:  If you buy something new for your house, something old has to go.

WHICH STUFF--MINE OR YOURS?

A friend told me that she is having a huge clean-out.  She is tired of having too many things and having so much clutter.  She went to the sanctuary of her church and thought about this sincerely, praying that God would give her the ability to let go of Things.

I think it's great.  I agree with her very very much, and I wish for this in my life too.

But I'm still going to her yard sale to see if there's any of her stuff that could become MY stuff.

ANOTHER TWO

Last summer at a routine medical checkup, the doctor asked if I was sleeping well in the mornings. 

"Well, we sleep with some windows open.  The birds often wake me up."

"Oh yes," replied the doctor.  "They can be noisy, can't they?"

And my reply:  "Oh, it's not really that.  I'll be sleeping sound, don't you know, and suddenly I'll be sitting upright in bed with a sharp intake of breath:  'OHHH!!!  It's a yellow-billed cuckoo, we have a yellow-billed cuckoo at our house!!  I didn't even know we had one of those!'"

The penalties (and rewards) of learning bird song.

On Tuesday we went on another naturalist-guided walk.  We identified 37 different wildflowers in bloom at the Wildflower Reserve at Raccoon Creek State Park.  And again I added two birds to my Life List:  the Blue-winged Warbler and the Yellow-throated Warbler.

ADDING TO THE LIST

This week I added to my Life List by two.  No, I haven't replaced sugar with eating broccoli in order to add years to my life--but I did see two birds I had never seen before!  A Louisiana Waterthrush and a Swainson's Thrush can now be added to my list of Birds I Have Seen During My Lifetime.

We spent a day with a kind and very knowledgeable naturalist who teaches us the names and "goings-on" of the plants, animals, butterflies, and birds of our area.  I very much appreciate knowing the names of things in my world.