Catch A Wave

"Catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world"

~The Beach Boys

I have been thinking of this post for days.

I have been wanting to bring all my blogs together in one place.

I have kept an online journal since 2000. And then started this Blog. And the poetry Blog. And the recipe Blog. And the prosperity Blog. And I started another titled My Mom's Bible to promote my Christian Totes & T-shirts online store.

I stopped updating my online journal one month ago. Most of my time has been devoted to journaling in a paper notebook;

 

counting gifts throughout the day. I have Ann Voskamp to thank for this and Jennifer Dukes Lee to thank for the title of this post.

The counting of gifts has become the record of my days, from the time I wake till the time I fall to sleep. Counting gifts and giving thanks. Catch a wave? I caught the wave of Christ. It is like this. No, it is this:

Thank You God
For these GIFTS
I am about to receive
Through Chirst
Our Lord.
Amen.

All day. Every day. All is grace. The counting of gifts has become the music of my life. I counted:

On Sunday, July 20 I woke at 5:00 to feed our cat, Nadine. I then went back to bed and got up at 6:15. I woke Freddy and went on a short walk with him. We played Frisbee in the backyard and then I had a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. I trimmed the cucumber plant in my garden. I weeded the garden. I watered the garden.

 I edited photos. I made pickled Jalapenos.

I sat in the backyard and read. Freddy sat at my side. I wrote.

Sunday afternoon spent

Waiting for the bright yellow

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

And the bright orange

Monarch Butterfly.

There is now

A Hummingbird Moth

At the butterfly bush.

Yesterday I saw two

Bunny Rabbits, one zig-zagging

Across my neighbor's lawn and

The other still as a statue

Like the Robin I saw

Dead on the side of the road.

I was a witness

To my granddaughter's Baptism

Last Sunday and afterwards

Attended a party. We celebrated

Emily's Baptism and the birthdays

Of my son and his girlfriend.

She received from us

A bracelet we bought

At the Christian bookstore; Peace

Inscribed on the bracelet and 

My son received a photo album

Recalling our trips from Boston

To Austin. I made

A salad for the party.

Roasted Red Potatoes and

Roasted Green Beans with Rosemary.

Two night ago I grilled 

Shetland Salmon and made a sauce

With dill and cucumber from my garden.

Last night I made Salmon Cakes and

Tonight I'll grill hamburgers and

Make a toasted millet and bean salad.

There will be wine, too and

Desert--a cake or ice cream cones.

On Monday the 21st I got out of bed at 6:30. I had a short walk with Freddy. I made Bacon and Egg Sandwiches on Pittsfield Rye for Susan and me. A long walk, then, with Freddy.

I watered the garden. I read The Wall Street Journal in the backyard. Tuna on Rye Toast for lunch. I mowed the lawn. I enjoyed a beer in the backyard. I made Tomato, Basil (both from my garden) and Mozzarella Salad for dinner. We watched Mass on Catholic TV. We watchhed a documentary about an baby elephant, Eisha. I fell to sleep reading Exodus.

On Tuesday the 22nd I got up at 5:30 to feed the cat. Back to bed and then up at 6:30. A short walk with Freddy. Coffee and a bowl of cereal. A long walk with Freddy. Picking up our car at the auto body shop. I photographed a Cone-flower in the garden bed in the front yard.

I photographed a Zinnia. Made pizza for dinner: Mushroom, Mozzarella. We watched Mass. We watched Jeopardy. Finished reading Exodus and started Leviticus.

On Wednesday the 23rd I got up at 5:30 to feed the cat and I stayed up. Spent time of the computer before waking Freddy at 7:15. I made Bacon & Egg sandwiches for Susan and me. A long walk with Freddy. Watered the garden. Leftover pizza for lunch. Read New York Times and The Wall Street Journal in the backyard. I saw a new butterfly at the butterfly bush.

In and out of the house numerous times with Freddy to play Frisbee or tug-of-war. Slow-cooked pork for dinner with corn-on-the cob and carrots. Watched Mass. Watched Jeopardy. Thunderstorm. Freddy frightened. Sleeping next to Freddy on couch.

On Thursday the 24th I slept till 7:15! A short walk with Freddy. Coffee. A long walk with Freddy.

A drive to the recycling center. A piece of toast. Sitting in the backyard. Leftover slow-cooked pork for lunch. An afternoon nap.  And I remembered:

There is a dead peony

In the garden

Behind the house

Where Wallace Stevens lived.

We could sell the dead

Peony on Etsy to raise

Money to buy the house;

I hear it is still

For sale
And a good location.

My garden? Green.

Lime green.

Forest green.

Apple green.

Avocado green.

Moss green.

Olive green.

A half eaten green

Tomato on the grass.

My dog found it.

Where? A squirrel I know

Took it out from the garden

And an eggplant, too.

On Friday the 25th: Woke at 6:00. Woke Freddy at 7:15. A short walk with Freddy. Went for blood test. Made bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. Watering garden. Playing Frisbee with Freddy. Vacuuming house. Food shopping. Mowing lawn. Reading New York Times and Wall Street Journal in backyard. Bacon, Swiss Chard over Linguine for dinner (Susan found the recipe; YUM!). Watching Mass. Watching Jeopardy. Making Dilly Green Beans for us and our sister-in-law (for bloody mary's).

Watching the comedy network. Falling to sleep reading Numbers.

On Saturday the 26th: Up at 5:00 to feed the cat. Back to bed. Up at 7:00. A short walk with Freddy. Coffee. Making Corn & Raspberry Muffins. A long walk with Freddy. Watering garden. A kind note from Debbie Taylor Williams about being moved by my photography. Editing photos. A trip to Enders State Forest with Susan and Freddy.

A visit to The Garlic Farm. Where there is field of Zinnias:

A visit to Eleanor's. Bloody Mary's and Martini's at Eleanor's. Ordering out for meatball grinders. Watching a documentary on The Real McCoy. Falling to sleep reading Deuteronomy.

And then this: