I came upon this field of wildflowers dancing in the wind yesterday afternoon. Sunshine plus a breeze plus a bouquet like this from nature equals a spring cleaning for my soul. No room left for any shadows. 

The photo doesn't do it justice, so close your eyes, take my hand and step into the field. Feel the sunshine warming your face, the breeze tousling your hair, the hum of bees and chatter of birds.

Now open your eyes and revel in the brilliant colors. Sway with the blooms in the wind, and be happy as they are to be exactly in that spot in that moment.


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All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

Indian Proverb

 

Oh, did you hear that splash?

Max has waded into the pond for an afternoon swim, and what do you know… Belle has become a water dog, too! 

All it took was the thermometer to hit the 90's, I guess!

Smart dogs!

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And now for some other sweet!s of the week…

 

Saturday: college graduation celebrations; playing ping-pong with your baby girl; wedding dresses; spending time with all three of your kids at once

Sunday: Mother's Day breakfast cooked by your son; spending the rest of Mother's Day with your mom; neighbors from a lifetime ago walking into the restaurant where you're eating (and recognizing them!); huge green parakeets and a white dove posing for pics in your parents' backyard

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Monday: breakfast by Daddy; a walk around your old neighborhood; old barns and houses lining Highway 71; a red-tailed hawk swooping by to tell you 'welcome home' just as you step out of your car

Tuesday: watching second graders practice songs for an upcoming school performance; helping your husband celebrate his 55th birthday; dinner with 2/3 of your kids; walks at dusk; night birds flying over your head, croaking like frogs

Wednesday: moving your baby girl home from college, even if it's just temporary; quick service in an Emergency Room; morphine (when necessary); friendly hospital staff; the absence of pain; not facing gall bladder, or any other kind of surgery; friends who will drive you and your car home from the hospital at 10:30 at night

Thursday: the snake you find taking a morning stroll at the same time as you is NOT poisonous; not spending the afternoon/evening in the hospital; glancing out the window just in time to see the Great Blue Heron return to your hollow; seeing a green heron fly over and passing a tarantula on your way home from the grocery store; a long awaited package from a blogger friend in Greece, waiting for you in the mailbox

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Friday: Bill Nye the Science Guy videos; listening to high school kids discuss their theories of dark matter; meeting an impassioned teenager, full of dreams and determination to help rid his country of corruption; 2/3 of your kids home; making a dent in an overflowing email inbox

Saturday: zoom lenses, for seeing weird bugs at a distance; cheesecake; a couple of hours in the car with your baby girl, even if it turned out to be a wasted trip because the bookstores closed early for commencement so you couldn't sell back her textbooks, but you had plenty of time to talk and laugh; an awesome photography workshop in a library in the old part of Round Rock (photography, books, and old towns – heaven!)

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Any bits of heaven in your past week? Share them! And I hope the coming week has a generous portion of for you!

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16 responses to “Wildflowers, Swimming Dogs, and other Sweet!s of the Week”

  1. lisleman Avatar

    Teenagers talking about theories of dark matter? Wow that’s a good sign. It fits in well with the Indian proverb. I think that proverb would be a good to post in a classroom.
    Oh – did you get a snake bite? Ouch. I thought your dogs were going to protect you.

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  2. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Oh, these were some smart kids! I learned a lot! I guess the dogs knew the snake wasn't poisonous – they just passed it by!

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  3. Gail Avatar

    Your dogs look so happy in that water! Yay for all your sweets! Glad you’ve recovered from whatever ailed you the other day. Must’ve been scary. Thank God for friends to help out. Enjoy your week!

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  4. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Belle is so proud of herself for being a water dog now!! She still goes and rolls in the dirt afterward, of course. πŸ™‚ I hope you have a sweet week, Gail!

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  5. Jennifer Richardson Avatar

    swimming dogs….I love their water antics!
    makes me happy just to imagine:)
    so SO glad you’re mended quickly
    and no surgery needed!
    your sweets were all the sweeter
    because of the bellypain scare
    ….I so love your heart to take it all in
    grateful
    and celebrate all the little joys
    that together make for such a beautiful life.
    -Jennifer

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  6. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    You do the same thing, Jennifer. I guess that's why I love reading your blog!
     

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  7. Hilary Avatar

    That field is lovely and I’m sure Benny would jump right in there with your two sweeties. In fact, he’d probably beat them to the splash. πŸ˜‰

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  8. Rae Sinor Avatar
    Rae Sinor

    AHHH! Trying to catch up and reconnect to the world around me POST CAMPAIGN!!! Love the flowers! Just beautiful! And anything with your puppies in it makes me smile! Glad you’re ok sweetie! HHHMMM?! Another mysterious pain! Weird…added to your mysterious hearbeat! OK! Enough mystery! LOV
    E YOU! Hope to see you soon! We need to look at calendars!
    Rae

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  9. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I'm so glad we can call you Ms. Councilperson! lol I think your calendar will be the one to work around, so you just say when! Love you, too!
     

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  10. Suldog Avatar

    Blessings counted are blessings twice enjoyed.
    (I’m sure somebody said that before me, but if not? Please alert Bartlett’s. Thank you.)
    Coincidentally, I just planted a whole bunch of wildflower seeds in our front garden on Saturday. I realize the irony of having to plant WILDflowers, but I did it anyway πŸ™‚

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  11. Pauline Avatar

    so much to be happy about – thanks for the walk amid the sun and wind-kissed flowers πŸ™‚

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  12. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Well, I'll let you in on a little secret… most of the bluebonnets and other wildflowers blooming along the Texas highways were planted thanks to an initiative by Lady Bird Johnson years ago to beautify the highways. And we've done the same thing right here at our house, although wildflowers can be kind of of tricky to grow, believe it or not! Good luck with yours! 

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  13. dianne Avatar

    I want to go wading with the pups and then stand there as they shake off the water
    they’re magnificent πŸ™‚

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  14. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    They would graciously shake all the water off on you! They're generous that way!!
     

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  15. Shrinky Avatar

    I simply love, love, love that gorgeous photograph of those sweet scamps in the water, their joy there almost compensates for the reek of wet dog on that drive home, doesn’t it? (Grin)

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  16. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    There was no drive home, just a few minutes walk through the woods, hallelujah! I didn't even have to get close to them!

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