Once upon a time …

This chair came into my life … serendipitously.

I loved this chair and because Karl and then Bear, liked to be on Beardog Point … near the chair, I started sitting in this chair more than on the front porch.

Time passed.

The chair developed a crack in its upper back. Although it did not fail, I was concerned about imminent failure and because these chairs are only available for purchase in the summer months, I preemptively purchased a replacement.

And then there were two.

And then.

Then the chairs started to speak.

Say what you will, the chairs spoke … fairly often. I think they were old souls as they were a bit cranky mostly … what you might call curmudgeonly.

And so, more time passed.

And this last Winter … cracks in the backs and base of both chairs and both became unsafe for sitting on.

For some time, I ignored the situation and either sat gingerly or used only their arms for my coffee cup … after all, one burns more calories standing and certainly the more burning of calories the better !!!

But this Spring as the weather turned pleasant and Bear and Auggie were out by the chairs AND I wanted to be out there with them…

I kind of sort of looked at the new chairs, in new colors.

But what to do about THE Chairs. I decided to put them in the woods, in a spot near where we returned from our walks … a kind of chair retirement spot.

YES!

Now I felt ready to purchase new chairs for sitting on and I did.

The color is called “Merlot” and it fits with the colors of the woods.

I went to the original chairs and found to my surprise that they were just plastic chairs. Their soul was gone – they had passed. I know that some new folks reading this have just averted their eyes and tiptoed away to find another blog. It is ok. But I know what I know and what I perceive and the chairs magic had left so I had no difficulty disposing of the earthly remains.

The new chairs – the merlot chairs.

So far, they have not spoken but I sense that they might.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…

Ecclesiastes 3:1 by King Solomon

*** The Chairs posts:

Serendipity

This Chair

I bow to the inevitable

A beautiful, sunny, cool weekend … around the house:

I took the above photo in May 2010.

I’ve looked at it every Memorial Day since.

Memorial Day in the United States has somewhat slid from a somber remembrance day to something between that and a fun-filled kick-off of Summer. I think the balance is good. I want to never forget those that gave their lives in service of their country. No matter what I think about war and violence – they were asked or volunteered and they stepped up. But with any loss … those of us left do a service to the loss by living on with integrity, compassion and joy, i.e. making sure the loss was not in vain.

Although our Memorial Day weekend got off to a rocky start…

with the skunking and clean up and accompanying anxiety which took all of Bear’s energy on Saturday morning…

Sunshine and blue sky – unusual for Memorial Day in Montana … but welcome!

Bear was back to himself by Sunday morning. A little funky smelling still: combination of some skunk and the skunk-off neutralizer. It takes awhile to fully go away, but it is not really noticeable except close up.

Not only do we have unusual sun and clear skies for this Memorial Day weekend, we are also having unusually warm (hot to us!) temperatures. We hit 80F yesterday and it looks to be the same today (Monday) and tomorrow.

The lilacs have bloomed and they are wonderfully fragrant inside and outside. The heat of the sun brings out the fragrance when I walk near them outside.

The fushcia (and blue lobelia) are ok with the warmer temperatures: early sun and shaded afternoon warmth.

We are all feeling this first bit of heat. The behemoth air conditioner and fans were drug out of closets … in May! Bear and I are particular heat wimps but Auggie feels it also and was in early in the afternoon until it started to cool off. I know, in another 3 or 4 weeks, if we get some June 90’s, 80’s will feel “cool”.

Even with the heat, we are enjoying a slow and simple weekend with walks, naps, good food and each other’s company.

Remembering … Honoring the sacrifice by living with Joy: Memorial Day weekend.

AKA Attitude and Perspective adjustment!

I use a LOT of paper towels.

In an effort to use less paper towels, I bought flour sack towels (cloth).

About 2 years ago.

I’ve since added more of the flour sack towels and also some “bar” towels.

I’m using less paper towels but I do have to wash (pump water, run washer/dryer) the cloth towels.

I am unsure if the exchange of paper making/landfill space taking is negated by the washing/drying/manufacture of cloth towels.

But I proceed.

And for some time I grumbled about the washing/drying/folding part. Particularly the folding part.

And then!!!

One morning I grabbed the dry cloth towels, dumped them on a clean-ish counter top in front of a window and folded there.

It was an awakening… an ah-ha moment.

Folding towels, and looking out my kitchen window … a kind of blissful time, a restful, peaceful time.

And so, it happens that the task of washing/drying/FOLDING towels becomes something/some time to be looked forward to.

I am sure there is a lesson here.

Maybe, just maybe … those tasks, those things in life … those things that we dislike and/or dread … can be made pleasant … by a change in location or a change in attitude or a change in perspective.