Dirt, Water, and Sunshine

 

Dirt, Water, and Sunshine

Last week I wrote “I’m walking on sunshine.” I am. It is wonderful to have my mama staying with us. If you missed that post, you can check it out HERE.

I love Florida sunshine. And I love the weather this time of year... though it isn’t all sunshine. 

No matter what the weather, our cat, Tiki, loves to sit on our enclosed back porch. Mike often lets her out in the morning. She sleeps on the chaise or sits in front of the windows watching squirrels and birds in the backyard.

Early this morning, a plunking sound woke me. Mike was already in his office and Tiki was outside. She was at the window looking into our breakfast nook. She tapped at the window again asking to come in. 

Tiki: Weather Watcher

That’s unusual. She likes to stay out as long as we let her.

I opened the door and she scooted inside. The cat was barely in the house when a heavy rainstorm appeared from nowhere and moved across the lake toward our house. The rain pounded the yard and deck. The fierce wind threatened to blow the Spanish moss from the trees.

Somehow the cat knew the storm was on its way. We both watched it move toward us. 

It was dark and intense, but it was also strangely beautiful. 

Our house has a metal roof. Tiki curled up on the couch and I  headed back to bed, quickly lulled into a deep sleep by the sound of the storm on the roof. By the time Mike woke me up, the storm had ended, the sun was shining, and the grass was green. Rainstorms in Florida are often sudden and intense, but over quickly.

I grew up in Florida. I know it can actually rain in the back yard and be sunny in the front.

Yes. At the same time. 

But isn’t that kind of like life? We focus one direction and see clouds. Darkness. Rain. For some, that is discouraging. Yet if we look at our lives through a different window…or lens, we see sunshine.

My paternal grandmother once told me when I was bummed on a rainy day, “Remember, Becky, every living thing needs  a little dirt, water, and sunshine to grow.” 

She was right. I only came to fully understand the “dirt” part when I became a mom. 

Tiki came in to check out the blog.
She's great at proofreading, but never says anything about it.

Walking on Sunshine

 I’m Walking on Sunshine

When I was a teen, there was a popular song by Katrina and the Waves called “Walking on Sunshine.” It is a song of pure joy and anticipation of a bright future. 

Walking on sunshine is all that and more for me. 

Sun Through the Trees &
The Azaleas are Blooming!

My mom is in Florida. She is living with us for the moment. Mike and I bought this house with her in mind, but she wants a place of her own. I get it. Like me, Mom is fiercely independent. Actually… maybe a bit more fierce, truth be told.

Mom and I met with a wonderful realtor. We described what we wanted. Vicki showed us several options in the area. 

The condo Mom is looking at is perfect for her and not too far from us. The negotiations are in the works. But until she moves, Mike and I are enjoying having her stay with us.

 I’m walking on sunshine. And in sunshine.

Mom and I have enjoyed walking in our neighborhood, chatting with neighbors, sitting by the lake, and mostly, admiring all God has created. 

Each walk is a blessing. A time to talk. A time to enjoy nature’s beauty. I revel in this sweet time with my mama. 

As I type this, we are sitting on the back porch. The weather is perfect. 

Mom is talking with her oldest great grandson. Mike is down by the lake with his nephew checking a boat motor. I can hear their voices as well as the motor of another boater out on the lake. The sun is pouring through the window and I can hear the rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze blows from the south. The Spanish moss sways gracefully from the oak trees in our backyard. 

As the song goes… “I’m Walking on Sunshine…Whoa-oh,…and Don’t it Feel Good?”

Where do you find your sunshine? 

Our Bird "Neighbors"
Loving the Sunshine!