Victorious!!

This morning as I opened the inside  door to head out for our usual walk ,something bounced off the brim of my hat. I looked down to see what it was, and was revolted by the sight  of a squirming mass of black in an egg sac about the size of a fifty cent piece. It had fallen onto the corner where  the screen door meets the frame. Spiders!!

We both instantly  sprang into survival mode; the spiders and I!

I grabbed the spray bottle of Fantastic, which, lucky for me,  happened to be sitting near the door, along with a handful of Kleenex,  just as thousands of miniscule black dots began to boil out of the egg sac and scatter in every direction. They were instinctively running for their lives. And I was instinctively trying to terminate them.

Fortunately for me  the  Fantastic lived up to its name as I  rapidly sprayed the sac and the skittering little dots into a soaking wet blob, which the wad of Kleenex sopped up  immediately. After a few more sprays designed to pick up any strays, I quickly disposed of the mess with one flush.

Everything  looked spic and span so I said to my patiently waiting dog, “Okay Sparky, let’s go”. I really must  give him credit. He just sat there watching my rather frantic antics and he didn’t even bark.

As we made our ways towards the Trail, I felt a  strange sense of  exaltation. It was Woman against Nature, and I won!!

It’s In the Eye of the Beholder

Today  I met a very charming lady called  Reet, (short for Margareet). She  was visiting here from Holland . Somehow she fell in step with me as I was walking my dog, and we began what was to be a most enjoyable conversation. And I must add , she really challenged my thinking.

Knowing how proud Dutch people are of the gorgeous tulips they grow, I began to point out some of the lovely displays growing in many of the gardens we were passing. I talked of my personal favourites, which were the purple fringed tulips that I grew in my back yard.

I asked her which were her favourites and was amazed at the discussion that ensued.

She said while they were very proud of their tulips she was always interested in seeing different flowers that grew in many  of the countries she visited. She knew about the daffodils and narcissi but had been really taken up  with the cheery bright golden flowers she saw everywhere she looked in our area.

When  she  asked me what they were called  I was rather puzzled. The only golden flowers we had were daffodils and they were  pretty well gone by this time of year.

When I said I wasn’t sure which flowers she was talking about , she said, “Look ! There’s a bunch of them on that lawn!”

I almost burst out laughing as I saw she was  pointing to a thick patch of dandelions!

“O, ” I replied, “they aren’t flowers, they’re  weeds. And people spend hours trying to get rid of them.”

“Why  would they want to do that?” she asked in astonishment. “They are gorgeous!”

“But they are WEEDS!” I repeated, emphasizing the word.

“What is your definition of a weed? “she asked with a strange expression on her face.

I replied that it was a plant growing where you didn’t want it to grow. because it caused you problems.

“But weeds are ugly!” she insisted. “This flower  is beautiful and has a happy sunny face! It cheers me up,” she laughed , “so it can’t be a weed.”

Then I went on to explain how dandelions quickly turned into fluffy  gray -headed seeds, and soon they would cover the lawns with so many dandelions they would eventually  choke out the grass  if they weren’t destroyed.

However, that very scientific ,common sense explanation didn’t alter her opinion one bit.

“I still think they are  beautiful,” she smiled, “and I would rather have a cheery yellow lawn that made me smile every morning when I got up, than a lawn of plain old green grass .”

What could I say to her logic? It just went to prove the truth of the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

And maybe, when you think about it, she had a point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Renewal

I won’t need to have a shower when I get in from our walk today.

My soul has been inundated; totally soaked in Beauty , as I walked down the trail and tried to take in the breathtaking glory of God’s Garden.

I was feeling the ‘tyranny of the urgent’ when I wakened this morning and very nearly didn’t take the time to come this way because I had so much to do. However, an inner urging changed my plans and I am so grateful, because God’s plan was different than mine. He wanted me to slow down-mentally, emotionally and physically. He wanted me to take the time to let my soul catch up with my body.

A thick patch  of white and pink trilliums spreading throughout  the tangled undergrowth of the woods that lined the trail caught my eye immediately. Beams of golden sunlight filtering through the tall trees brought the flowers into sharp focus like a spotlight shining on a stage,giving the actors their brief moments of glory. I stood quietly, drinking in the sight, as if my soul was giving them a standing ovation. This scene alone was worth making the time to stop and  take in this  moment. But it was only the beginning of my ‘guided tour’.

As my gaze swept over the woods, the countless shades of thick green foliage once again amazed me. Interspersed with the multi-coloured greens were various coloured blossoms; pink, and white apple blossoms, pale pink cherry and deep pink plum blossoms added their scents to that of the deep purple lilacs.

These sweet perfumes came to me on the  morning breeze that kissed my skin. Without its cooling refreshment I would find the sun too warm for my comfort.

The only sound that broke the peace and quiet was the serenade of the many birds on this near perfect day.

Thick puffy heaps of white cumulus clouds were silhouetted against the brilliant blue of the sky.

Even the golden blanket of dandelions along the sides of the trail added to the beauty of this mini Garden of Eden.

As my eyes lit upon a tree laden down with thick deep magenta blossoms framed against  the blue sky, I felt absolutely overwhelmed with the glory of the scene.

It was so intensely beautiful  that I felt my eyes misting up. I cannot find the words to explain the feelings  that all of this beauty built up in my inner being. It was similar to the feelings one gets when observing an incredible sunset. At times like these I want to keep breathing in the sight to the very depths of my soul. Thank  You Lord for allowing me to experience such wonder  this morning..

This Guided Tour was the highlight of my day, and I was able to return to the mundane tasks awaiting me at home , refreshed in soul and renewed in spirit.

How great  is our loving Lord who knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

I roll over with a  GROAN! Time to crawl out of my warm ,snug cocoon, whether I want to or not. As I sit up, I notice the pain that plagued my back , hips and legs all day yesterday seems to be gone. I check it out as I turn and stretch . Not a twinge! “Thank You ,Lord.”

As I lay there for one or two more delicious minutes, a challenge I had heard from Joyce Meyer yesterday morning suddenly sprang into my mind.

She had been speaking about gratitude and concluded by asking ,”How many occasions can you find to thank God for today?”

Maybe this was the day I should try it. It felt good to start out by saying, “Thank You” instead of grumbling about the early hour I had to get up.

I had a lot to do before I got ready for church so I donned  what I termed my ‘walking clothes, pulled on my runners , my jacket and gloves , picked up the lead and snapped it onto the collar of my excited dog . He was dancing all around me in expectation of his morning walk down the trail, and we finally headed out the door.

It was brisk but sunny. “Thank You, Lord,” I muttered. “That infernal wind hasn’t started up yet.” Then I thanked Him for the blue sky and warm sun. It made the walk so much more pleasant, and was such a nice change from the gray drizzly day we had yesterday.

Upon entering the park we were greeted by numerous robins,hopping here and there looking for their breakfasts. The happy ‘cheer-up’ of their songs , invariably did just that: cheered me up, come rain or come shine. “Thank You Lord for these beautiful birds. ” They have always been special to me ever since I was a child waiting for their return to signify the winter had ended and spring had arrived with the robins.

Heading out down the trail with my trusty ‘just in case’ stick,I said “Thank you Lord for this stick to protect Sparky, just in case we encountered a coyote. Then my attention was  drawn to the patch of trilliums peeking through the tangle of undergrowth. That sight always thrilled me. They were so beautiful.

“Thank You Lord,” I muttered half out loud,( I often talked to myself so this didn’t seem strange to me) “for these gorgeous flowers.” I hadn’t seen any for so long I thought they must be extinct in this area. But I was wrong! They were right here almost in my own back yard. God was so good!

As I watched for specific incidents or circumstances I could thank God for that day,  I was reminded of the humorous  story of a 7 year old girl I had taught, as related to me by her parents. Apparently the lesson in Sunday School that day had been about the importance of saying  grace before dinner, so she had asked her Dad if she could say grace that night. Of course he agreed, quite thrilled that his little girl would want  to do this.

She began very confidently. ” Thank You Lord for the potatoes. Thank You Lord for the carrots. Thank You Lord for the chicken.” Her Dad, thinking she had finished  , was about to thank her for doing this, but she continued on, “Thank You Lord for the bread and butter . Thank you Lord for the plates, and the cups, and the glasses . Thank You Lord for the knives and the forks and the spoons. Thank you Lord for the milk and the tea .Thank You Lord for the salt and the pepper.” At that point her dad said a loud, “Amen”

“I’m sure God knows by now how thankful you are Honey, but I think He would like us to eat before our dinner gets cold.”

The child smiled and said ,”But Daddy I have one more thing to thank God for. It’s very important. He lifted his shoulders in resignation and muttered,” Okay Dear. But can you hurry it up ’cause  Mommy and I are hungry.”

She closed her eyes and softly added these word.”Most of all, thank you God for my Daddy and Mommy who got all this dinner for for us.” Then she whispered,”Amen.”

And I’m sure God smiled.

The Answer

My coat and my jeans are slathered with a mixture of wet snow, and freezing sleet driven by a ferocious howling wind.

I am vainly trying to tug one side of my hood across my face in an effort to see through the slush on my glasses. I am so glad I wore my seal skin mitts as they help to protect my face, and they keep my hands from freezing.

Sparky is wearing a coat, but his head is a mass of the icy white stuff, and he is shaking  his head  over and over in a vain attempt to remove the mess that has plastered his ears and eyebrows back against his head.

Never have I sen a storm like this one ! I am actually glad to have the extra weight I am always complaining about, as it enables me to battle my way against the force of the icy gale.

Sparky no longer attempts to mark the rocks along the way. He is more concerned with keeping his footing on the freezing slippery slush on the road.

This unseasonable storm has hit the U.S. as well, and areas a bit to our west have been hit with more snow than they have had all winter.

Once the wind  abated the children  there raced outside in their snow suits and  were excitedly enjoying their last taste of winter, building snowmen, throwing snowballs and sliding down the snow- covered hills.

I know there are two things kids love to do ;play in the snow  and run through sprinklers in  hot  weather. Today they are doing both,  because two provinces to our  west the temperature has reached the 90′s, breaking every record set for the cities in Alberta at this time of year, and out there  the children are running through the sprinklers  with the type of gay abandon and sheer joy that only children can display.

Talk about contradictions! Just a few weeks ago while Alberta  was being buried with snow storms, we in Ontario were basking in unseasonably warm spring- like weather, and now the tables are turned.

What is causing all of these strange phenomena? Nobody seems to  have  any satisfactory explanations, not even the so-called weather experts..

But I am so grateful that there is One who does have the answers, and we can trust Him to work it all out for the best.

Great is Your faithfulness, O God our Father.

Morning by morning new mercies we see.

All I have needed, Your hand has provided.

Great is Your faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

 

There they were !!

Now I knew what made that faint path. At first I didn’t see them there, ,crouching in the long grass ,because they blended in so well.They were evidently waiting  for us to pass by because our dogs were both sniffing along the edge of the trail a short way behind us. Obviously they were the intended prey.

Sparky’s head suddenly jerked up as he  scented the danger . Immediately both dogs  raced up to us. I could scarcely breathe, and I hadn’t even picked up the long branch I usually carried as a precaution . But then I never came this way until it was broad daylight.

Fortunately my Angel was still at work and had arranged for me to meet this neighbour who was walking his dog  as I entered the Park. He didn’t want me to go alone as it was very early Sunday morning and he had seen the coyotes there early the morning before. They were  crossing the Trail going from one bush lot to another  .

As result he decided to accompany me carrying a long pole with him, “just in case”.

Now “just in case” was happening. He didn’t wait, but  immediately brandished his pole and ran at them yelling at the top of his voice.They were as startled as I was and they scuttled backwards nearly tripping over each other in their haste to get away. Then they raced at top speed back through the field towards the bush they had come from.

As my new friend and I headed back towards the park area with our dogs  firmly attached to their leads, he told me about a woman who had been followed with her little dog back through the park  as far as the street.

Will I stop walking on the Trail? Likely not. I just won’t go early in the morning again..And when I do I’ll take the advice of someone who said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”

On the other hand I may look for a man to go with me.

Young At Heart

It seems that the last few blogs I’ve posted could be put under one common heading, namely,”Tales From the Trail”.

As we walked along the Trail today, and I noticed once again that faint path cutting off into the field,it brought some new thoughts to mind.

To begin with Sparky immediately took off along the Path . I continued to walk and noticed I had lost sight of him. Suddenly  a tiny zooming grey line whipping along the Path caught my eye, and Sparky emerged on to the Trail racing at top speed until he caught up to me.His energy never fails to astound me.

As I continued my leisurely walk, I pondered further on “The Path Less Taken”

The introductory words of a poem I wrote many years ago called “My Choice”, came to mind.They seemed to fit this situation well.

“Two ways I see; two ways so widely differing,

And I must choose, and Choice means Gain or Loss…”

My choice yesterday to follow “the path less taken”, resulted in Gain. Had I fallen or stepped into a hole hidden from my sight, it would have been Loss.

In comparing the Trail to the Path one might wonder why a person would choose the the Path. Why did I?

On the one hand the Trail is quite smooth and well worn, safe, predictable and poses no threats. It is straight and one can see a long way ahead.

It is a pleasant walk with no obstacles to trip one up. It is pretty with bright yellow dandelions peeking up through the tender blades of grass along the edges of the Trail.The  bright green baby leaves bursting forth on the bushes and trees give one a sense of  renewal after the drabness of winter.

A variety of birds flit in and out among the branches of the tall  trees that border the Trail along one side.

On the other hand the walk through the tall grass that half covers the faint Path is anything but easy.

In contrast to the smoothness of the Trail, the ground along the Path is hard and bumpy and covered with  strands of matted tough grass. it twists and turns and the long dry shafts that bend across the Path seem at times to deliberately tangle around one’s legs  and attempts  to trip the traveller who is daring (or maybe foolish ) enough to choose to follow it.

There is little to attract the eye along this route as only a  few scrubby bushes and stunted pines grow here and there across the brown landscape.

It is unpredictable with hidden burrows,inhabited by any number of mice or voles; possibly  something bigger or even dangerous might be lurking there.

No wonder this Path is less taken.

This walk reminds me so much of our everyday life where we must continually be making choices Some are easy, with a pleasant outcome, while others are  hard and challenging with an uncertain outcome Unforeseen obstacles may suddenly appear causing a variety of problems.

In summary, the Trail is predictable,easy , attractive and safe. It offers an orderly type of walk with a clear  view of what’s lies ahead. Many would like their lives to be this way.

The Path is rough, unpredictable, uncertain, not particularly attractive ,possibly dangerous, and  offers little view of what lies ahead.

So why would  a person choose “the Path less taken” when one can comfortably follow the well worn Trail,  ? Perhaps it has to do with the the challenge, the mystery, the uncertainty and the very lack of predictability.of the Path. One can see the end of the Trail. But what might lie at the end of the Path? Is one willing to take a gamble?

In short, to those who choose the Path, the Trail is BORING; safe, yes, but ‘safely  boring’.

In my opinion the ‘path less taken’ is for the Young or at least the Young at Heart.

It is for those  who are willing to walk into the unknown ;the brave of heart who are not easily threatened ;those who are always looking for new sights sounds , adventures and experiences. maybe even those who like to flirt a bit with danger.

Each will choose according to his or her personality.. Neither choice is right or wrong in itself. It’s up to the individual.

It is the wonder of Free Choice that leads us or drives us,calms  us or excites us.

Such is Life and Gift of Being Individuals.

Why then did I choose ‘the path less taken?’Simply put,  I was curious as to where it led. And I’m glad I did.

Ii found it a difficult walk but I don’t regret my choice. The reward was worth it, and it showed me that I am still among the Young at Heart.