Brief Moments

A drop of rain holding fast to a leaf has caught my eye this morning. In the midst of the verdant vegetation and with several shades of green foliage, there on that leaf the one drop reflects and radiates from the sun's rays. Truly a beautiful sight and so grateful I saw it this morning, that I caught that brief moment.

The pace here is such that I get to catch more brief moments and experience brief moments. Yesterday, I thought the day held a long wait at the Toyota dealership while Sequisha got a little check up and oil change but the time went by quickly in the waiting room because I came prepared and I also knew someone was coming to pick me up so that we could eat lunch together. Kind of how we live life as Christians, prepared for our wait with the Word of God and with the knowledge we won't remain because Someone is coming for us. So I spent time playing on my iPad and then beginning a new book that truthfully, was hard to put down. A lady came into the waiting room...a little aggravated and agitated because she had a long wait ahead of her and she hadn't brought anything to keep her occupied. Oh sure, there is the blaring TV and a few magazines...there are snacks and free drinks but nothing to really help her pass the time. She made a few phone calls and acknowledged the dealership had tried to help her by taking her over to the outlet mall to help pass the time. She was not interested. Truly, she probably wouldn't have been happy even if she brought something to do. If there was any contentment for her it was that she could find people new to the room and complain about her situation. Vivian picked me up around 10:30 and we went to the Moose Cafe for breakfast. Their breakfasts are as good! My first time to have breakfast there. We had a great time and while breakfasting the dealership called because Sequisha was checked up and ready to be checked out. Her new front brake pads are wonderful!

Since I had not gotten a lot of sleep Tuesday night my plans were to stop at Fresh Market and then go home for a long afternoon nap. After pulling in a parking spot, I glanced at my emails and saw I had one from the Amish store...I know crazy...Amish emailing, that the peaches I had ordered were in and needed to be picked up because by the end of the day, or they would go to those on a waiting list. Punted on Fresh Market and headed up to the mountains of TN. It is such a beautiful drive even with most of the drive being on a freeway. There was hardly any traffic. I picked up the peaches and a few lemon fried pies and I was out the door. There are several produce stands along the route and there is one in particular that is worth stopping at. They had ugly but delicious nectarines, fragrant cantelopes and something I had never seen before, Goose Beans. I had already purchased the fruit when I asked about Goose beans. They are grown in Kentucky and are an offshoot from the Kentucky Wonder Bean. When they cook, they cook up like soup beans and kind of make a bean type gravy...I mean who knew? So, I bought a couple of pounds and think I will make them tomorrow night. There really is so much to learn about produce that I never had a clue about in Houston. Like the peaches, I had never heard of Sun Hi and after eating one last night, I will never forget Sun Hi peaches. The peaches had not been refrigerated after picking and came directly to the store from Michigan. The instructions are to let them ripen, then put them in the refrigerator..something to do with the enzymes bringing in the best flavor. That Amish lady sure knows her peaches.

After filling up with $2.11 gasoline in TN, I headed toward home. Got a little nap in and then went to Bill and Vivian's for dinner.  It is really good to have a friend who loves to cook and bake because after a scrumptious dinner came dessert...Coconut Cake.  Slap your mama good! She also sent home a slice of that cake with me. Ah Southern hospitality at its finest. We sat out on her back porch which I think has the best view ever of the mountains and talked and laughed. I also got to play with Tucker the dog who doesn't know he is a dog. Kind of like my Buddy who doesn't think she is a cat unless it benefits her in some way to act like a cat. We talked of experiencing God's presence in the mountains which is quite easy to do if we take the time to experience those brief moments. I mean really in cities our view is well designed masterpieces called buildings designed by man but out here, the animals, mountains, flowers, trees and some of the most beautiful weeds you will ever see and you know God made this world and we get brief moments to observe and take rest in them.

There was a nature moment in the backyard yesterday and thankfully, did not involve snakes. Buddy and I were observing a bunny rabbit in the yard, although me thinks Buddy wasn't watching for aesthetic purposes. The bunny began to behave differently than I have ever seen a rabbit behave. For goodness sake, in Rancho De Five, they just eat and hop away. Of course throughout all this behavior of this bunny I am Googling as fast as my fingers and thumbs will work...trembling rabbit, then rabbit lying down extending back legs, rabbit lying on its side calm and relaxed...I was afraid that the bunny was going to bingo little babies or die. I am frantic watching for sneaky snake to appear and I must once again revive my role as Paul Revere, only instead of yelling the British are coming, I would be yelling the snake is coming...  Little bunny foo foo took a quick spit bath and hopped off after her relaxing spa time in our backyard. Either that or trying to relieve any gastrointestinal pain it might be experiencing. That is another thing I learned from Google.

Yesterday really was about brief moments for me. Moments that came unexpectedly and rewarded my soul with joy and with contentment. Enjoying time in singular sections not in my oh too often multi-tasking way of life.