Sunday, July 21, 2024

Pause, Take a Deep Breath...

The common saying that you are busier in retirement than when working is true. I figured out why. When working, you have scheduled downtime. When retired, it is all downtime and you fill it with projects, hobbies, social calendar stuff, volunteer things, and family meet-ups until you crash into bed at the early end of a long day.  

This morning the temperature was 69 F which is the coolest early morning we have had in some time!  I was smart enough to pause in my coffee-making and avoid the news to go outside and breathe!  We have had so much hot and humid weather that I have spent just small spurts of time outside.

I stood on the deck and looked out across "our" river and up through the tall tulip and oak trees.  The air was not cool or warm but like a friendly room.  The doves across the river were cooing peacefully; the sound of the crows was distant enough that they provided a tiny bit of percussion that aided the cicadas in keeping up their sizzle; the trees sighed softly.  The photo below shows how green we are staying despite the drier-than-usual weather.  As a balance,  it is supposed to rain all this coming week!




We are fortunate to have a cuckoo somewhere in the woods that makes a hollow call that carries from the front of the house to where I stand as quiet as a small deer.

On this Sunday morning, neighbors were still asleep or doing crossword puzzles with their coffee because no machines were cutting into the quiet.

This is the time for pollinators who help keep the world in balance.  They are everywhere showing off.




They must know how short their lives are and that there is no retirement in the future for them!  Their rhythmic history helps mankind accept moving forward and making our history.  I am hoping your summer is not hot and steamy but quiet and lovely.  (If you are in winter, I somewhat envy you.)









8 comments:

  1. You're very thoughtful and lovely post. Thank you aloha!

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  2. Your photographs are always amazing!

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  3. lovely photos. nothing so lovely as a river to gaze out on here. but in the evenings at dusk when I go out to close up the garage I pause to gaze at the darkening sky and listen to the cicadas buzz and feel at peace for a moment.

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  4. Retirement is a busy and enjoyable time for most. we have choices and we can say no.

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  5. It's hot here, and has been wet the past week or so. The trick with retirement, I think you may be hinting, is to schedule your downtime instead of your work.

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  6. How nice to catch up with you and your fine photos. Regarding retirement, I think we also take our time doing things, so that it may sometimes appear as though we have less spare time. It's a theory anyway. 😁

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  7. The setting is beautiful. Hot and steamy describes it here too. I wish you cooler weather!

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  8. You have a lovely view from your deck. It's very hot and steamy in Florida, but it won't last forever.

    Love,
    Janie

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.