Take some time to appreciate Nature

If you have been following my blog for any length of time you will know that I tend to deal with life in an organized fashion - or at least as much as is possible.  I just find it easier that way.

But once in a while I like to forget about all of that and just appreciate the moment, and I think it's because I am organized that I can do that.

Just as Mark Sisson talks about the 80/20 rule for eating, I think there's an 80/20 rule for living as well.  If you keep your life running as efficiently as possible most of the time, you can afford to ignore everything once in a while.  And the better you get at managing your life, the more time you can take off.

Today, after an unusually cold spring that saw lots of late frosts, we now - suddenly - have instant summer.  It tends to happen that way where I live.  I'm lucky enough to own a home in the country and this is the time of the year when it comes into it's own.

There are beautiful purple blue irises in bloom just under my office window.  Right beside my office door the honeysuckle is in full bloom as well,and full of bees buzzing amongst the flowers.

The temperature has reached 80 today which for us is wonderfully warm.  One can even finally consider opening the pool. I filled the bird bath this morning and it's been visited by Red Cardinals, Bluejays, and a variety of other birds I don't know.


The robins, as usual, are busy bathing.  They must be the cleanest birds around because they always seem to be at it.

I also filled the feeders since this is the time of year the birds are all laying eggs and bringing up their young, and the birds aren't the only ones that are enjoying them.

Along with the inevitable squirrels there are a few tiny chipmunks, and a couple of rabbits from the bottom of the garden.

Last year I even saw a couple of deer that had wandered up from the creek at the bottom of the hill.

 And just a minute ago I looked up to see a couple of the cutest chubbiest ground hogs busy eating the sunflower seeds and peanuts.

I've been sitting here in my deckchair, being very still, breathing the warm clean air, and thinking about nothing at all. Just taking it all in.  It's very quiet, and other than the occasional Blue Jay call or the bark of a dog in the distance, there is nothing but warm breezes and sunshine.

Does it get much better than this?  I don't think so.

Sometimes it's nice to forget about writing, Paleo living, housework, cooking, gardening, appointments ..... and everything else.  Sometimes it's nice to just empty one's mind and live in the moment.  For me, this is better than meditating.  This is just simply .... being.

Check out other Simple Pleasures here .

“Life isn't about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself.”   - George Bernard Shaw