CATCH A FALLING LEAF

Posted on October 10, 2023 by hafong

Today’s meditation practice is to an imagine of catching a falling leaf. It’s not too hard when I am looking out towards my large living room window. Even with my eyes closed I see the tree with its golden and orange leaves framed like a photo, lit by the morning sun. How beautiful the picture. I breathe in and out. The leaves are slowly drifting down like soft feathers. I reach out with my hand to catch one. I close my hand over it and felt it crumble. We live and then we crumble. That’s how it is. One life time. Spring, summer, autumn and then its winter.

There’s joy and sorrow in each and all. There’s growth and celebration in spring and summer. Come autumn there’s a slowing down. We mature, getting ready for winter and our rest/sleep. There’s much to learn and get ready. There’s sorrow but also joy, having lived a good life – the best we knew how. I have learned much in this autumn. I have celebrated. I have learned how to forgive and what to let go. I am a good gardener. I know how to tend and weed. I feel blessed.

THANKSGIVING

Posted on October 8, 2023 by hafong

A glorious sunny October Sunday. Hopefully it’s not the last hurrah. It’s Thanksgiving in Canada. We have much to be thankful for. We have an unpredictable summer followed by an equal autumn. It was a good growing season resulting in an abundant harvest. We are cleaning up and harvesting the last of the garden.

The garlic is planted and mulched with compost. The winter compost bin is put in the garden near the house. The water tanks emptied into the raised beds and the garden. The pepper plants are cut and dropped in the raised bed. We thought we would leave the carrots till later. The flower pots gathered for storage. We are almost ready for winter. We are ready and waiting for our Thanksgiving supper cooked by my nephew for all in the family. We are thankful.

MORNING LIGHT

Posted on October 7, 2023 by hafong

Peace is elusive these days. Just when I think everything is copacetic and I can finally coast, along comes a monkey wrench. I take nothing for granted now. I breathe and stay in the moment, appreciating what is. Mornings are the best. I love how the early sun hits and lights up everything, creating Monet paintings of my very ordinary home and household objects. And I feel peace easing into my body.

It is Saturday. I have no place to go and nothing to do. I can stay in my pjs the live long day and languish as I used to long ago. I can still remember how. Tomorrow is another day.

EASY PEASY

Posted on October 6, 2023 by hafong

I’m falling madly in love with the easy peasy way of doing things. It is so nice to give yourself a break once in awhile. When my brother said let’s discuss Thanksgiving and maybe we should just skip it this year, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Our 92 year old parents have been having more health issues this year. Just when you think everything is ok, something else happens. Though things have quieted down, we are all tired. It’s good not to fuss with ‘celebrating’ and gathering. I like the thought of celebrating and giving thanks in rest and quiet. I have given up the mantra of ‘I must. I must.‘ With that thought, this is my day 5 and 6 post for the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Easy peasy.

After a windy and cold night of -5℃, it is a sunny calm day. It’s not a sweltering day but it looks warm at 10℃. We finished harvesting what we want yesterday and covered the bed of brassicas. They are looking well. The lone pepper in the bed is done though. I’ve baked a batch of pumpkin muffins. The rack of pork is cooking in the oven. We are giving thanks and are grateful.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY – Hula

Posted on October 4, 2023 by hafong

It’s a weird kind of a Wednesday with clouds, rain, wind and sun all in one day. I’m not functioning at my best, lacking sleep. My word bank is scanty if not completely empty. I’ve never resorted to a wordless Wednesday before. I thought I would try it today. I was introduced to hula dancercise on Facebook. The music is energizing. Looks like great fun and I hula hoop. Bet I could lose a whole lot of inches off my waist if I can keep up. Something to aspire to. Enjoy.

MY PATH

Posted on October 3, 2023 by hafong

Finally some sun on this third day of October. My garden is still producing. I’ve just harvested a bowl of goodness – some green and purple beans, 3 Sunburst squash and a few sprigs of broccoli. Life is good though challenges and difficulties never stop. Having this space to tap and sigh and bitch a little helps a lot. You will not find any Pulitzer winning writing here. It is but some mumbling of a simple woman travelling her path.

This month will be an exploration of solutions for easier ways of doing and living. I’ve started already by adopting shorter posts and letting go of my desire of writing a thousand words a day. It is a much easier goal to obtain. The other day, I made 3 instead of my usual loaves of bread at a time. Dough for 3 loaves is so much easier to knead. Then there’s only 3 pans to wash after. It was a much more pleasurable experience.

I’m not sure of what the next thing to be. I haven’t got a clue right at the moment. I won’t whack my head trying to figure it out. It will come on its own. I don’t need to work so hard at living though that is my personality trait. I can change. It won’t be easy. Old habits die hard even those that hurt and harm us. The payoffs of change are great. I will and can make the effort.

THE BEST LAID PLANS

Posted on October 1, 2023 by hafong

October 1, the first day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I hope to write a post each day of October and share it on the Ultimate Blog Facebook page. Of course sometimes when we have hopes and aspirations, even the best laid plans can go asunder. Being such a dismal and rainy day, there’s a high chance for failure. Such negativity! I can hear the tongues clicking. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m giving it a good go.

I’m choosing sweet, simple and to the heart – meaning short. When I first started this blog, I had aspirations of writing a thousand and two words a day. I have never achieved or even got close to the count. But I do love the written word. And I am good at short and sweet, stuff for Hallmark cards. So I’m going that route. I enjoy challenges, interacting and obeying rules. The rules here are fairly easy and simple to follow. If we choose to post in the daily thread, we have to read and comment on the 2 posts immediately above ours. I plan to do that. At this moment, I have no extra energy to go beyond. I thought I would put that right up front.

So here’s good luck to me and all. One post a day for October. That’s it. I have no idea about what I will write each day – probably just more mumbling about my day to day life. It keeps me sane and hopefully sweet.

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Posted on September 27, 2023 by hafong

Many times I have found myself caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s a very difficult position. With experience, I’ve realized that I don’t have to own either. It’s not my responsibility to carry both loads. I can do my best in the situation but I am not that powerful. Seeing that now makes everything easier. Life is still hard but I can breathe through the difficulties and function with purpose and joy, knowing that I am doing the best I can.

WHAT IS FOR SURE

Posted on September 26, 2023 by hafong

What I know for sure is that life is never smooth. There’s always bumps and hiccoughs. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Otherwise it would be a dull journey. If there were no hitches, obstacles and detours, I wouldn’t know how to problem solve, adapt and change directions. Difficulties can be good medicine so I’m sucking it up, pulling up my socks and swallowing it. I’m being a woman.

What I know for sure is nothing is for sure. What’s here today can be gone tomorrow. Hence the adage of don’t hang on to things and no attachment. We’ve/I’ve known all this forever but not truly understand it. I only get it on rare occasions, like right now in late evening, tapping on the keyboard. I get it now in the midst of a hiccough but once the moment(s) is gone, the understanding can be lost again. And I go back to taking things for granted. I feel safe and secure again. And it is good. I need times in safe harbour, out of the storm.

SEASONS

Posted on September 23, 2023 by hafong

Autumn is perhaps a season I hate and love the most. It’s a contradiction and you wonder how it could be. I wonder myself. These last few days have been heavenly. My energy was boundless and flowed seamlessly. The days are golden and I feel on top of the world. I’m feeling the equinox high. I wish they could last forever. Knowing that it is not possible, I used the days to my advantage, harvesting, processing, cleaning. These chores are much easier and pleasureable when I’m buoyed by the sun. I feel a rhythm, a smoothness and a gladdening of my heart. I shall store the memory of this feeling for other days and seasons.

Those other times will surely come sooner or later. I will not be of good cheer. I will be stuttering in speech and movement. And everything will be hard and dark. But if I am wise, look and plan ahead, I can do the hard stuff on those sunny energized days. Then I have the luxury of sitting back, eating bonbons and taking care of ‘poor me‘ on those cloudy days. There would be less chance of me raining on someone’s parade. It’s a plan worth refining.

onethousandandtwo

Looking at Infinity

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