A new normal

I went into my underwear drawer this morning and pulled out Felicity's monkey shirt. The peek-a-boo face was smiling up at me! Happily there is no erasing the traces of a summer's visit. The claw machine teddy bear has landed on my bed looking like a placeholder.

It has been a beautiful Sunday and I started as I have so many Sundays before, seeking peace and meditation in gardening. I am realizing that I have been holding out for a feeling of normalcy; searching even while knowing that what I want normal to be is not hidden somewhere to be found.

I headed out to the garden to weed and tidy and clip away overgrown plants freeing up the paths we created so long ago for children to run through. The lavender is full still with some flowers. The grasses I brought back from the country after a visit with Martha and Harvey, a plant I almost pulled out thinking it would never come back, has rejuvenated and is sprouting slim green blades of tall grass. The marigolds have multiplied and ensure that we will have oranges and yellows into fall. The fig trees are very full with leaves, but sadly no figs. They are quite bushy so perhaps I haven't nurtured them to trees after all these years. They seem quite hardy as they have returned each year with beautiful greenery.

Denise and I went up to the farmer's market and I loved the chance to pick out just enough tasties to last until I leave for Rochester on Wed. We stopped for coffee at Buunni and discovered that the balcony was filled with blue grass musicians jamming on a Sunday morning. I was reminded that I need to get back to my violin if I am ever going to learn to fiddle. So, I returned home to practice violin with Violinlab and then headed out once more to buy the Sunday Times. It took me right near the Moss Cafe so I sat inside in the air conditioning with a flat white and read the paper. Came home to clean out another room; this time the library. I am sad that I didn't do it before Emma and Henry used it this summer, but it is now airy and much tidier. I am lightening the load of the house one step at a time in preparation for my salon.

It's just about 6:30pm and I am going to find the evening news hoping that something miraculous and hopeful will be reported. It would be so nice.