Shark infested waters at Sea Life Park. I love the colors that water takes on. Photos never seem to be able to do them justice.
A Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) at the nursery. These lizards change colors from green to brown like chameleons. The purple thing is called a dewlap. These lizards use them to impress mates and to challenge others when fighting over territory.
A Seven Spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) on a Metal Leaf plant (Hemigraphis alternata).
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) leaves, the green ones are new while the pink one is older. They always start out bright green and yellow but as they age they gain reds, oranges and pinks.
The nursery where I work is full of these colorful Day Geckos. They are curious and love sweet fruit.
-One day Elena asked me what she was supposed to say, so that she
doesn't sound cocky when someone pays her a compliment. I told her to
believe them, and just say, "Thank you."
-One day, I said to Mary, "Do you know you're cute?" She said, "How can I not, when you tell me everyday?"
-One day, when I was sick, I came from my bed straight to the living room couch. I was just sitting there staring off into space, and Mary said to me, "Mommy you're pretty, even when you're sick." I smiled at her and said, "Thank you baby, I don't think so, but thank you." And she said, "Well I do, but it only matters what you think."
-One day I found Mary at the computer drawing. I was really impressed with what she had done. I told her how good her drawing was, and how smart I thought she was. She had that shy dimpled grin on her face that says she's pleased, and that she believed me. She stood up and said, "Thank you Mommy. I love to draw. . ." Then she wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my stomach.
-One day Siwa took Mary to the ceramic studio. This time Siwa helped
her make a little bowl for me. You can't see it in the picture, but it
says Mary heart Mom. They fired it and glazed it in blue, and this last
week Mary gave it to me.
For as long as I can remember, from the time she was first able to draw, speak or write, Mary has been telling me, over and over, in countless ways, that she loves and adores me. My sister Angela sent this music video to me, on a hard day, and it was so uplifting I watched it three times. On the third viewing, paper airplanes started flying around the room. They had Mary's loving words written all over them . . .
I like the final scene, where the paper airplane is thrown out there, just hovering,
like an open invitation to all of us, to "say love."
Twice now, in the last few weeks, I’ve been working in the
yard, focused on pruning and weeding, and have stopped suddenly, looking up and
around me.The first time I looked up,
it was nearing evening, but still broad daylight.There was a single pink cloud in the center of
a sky of white ones.It looked like cotton
candy floating peacefully, far above me.I stared up at it for a moment, wondering at its pink uniqueness.Then I turned back to my work with a smile on
my face.
On another day, I looked around me and a soft smooth breeze
was coming around the corner of the house.I was standing under the guava tree.I noticed how the branches swayed, like an instrument being played upon by
the wind, making a rustling and a rushing sound.Playful patches of sunlight dappled the
ground.The wind washed over me, died
down, and was gone.It left me feeling
grateful . . . peaceful.
There are so many messages in nature.I sometimes think of it as God’s vast message
board.I check it on a regular basis,
and find messages posted there in clear, bold letters- like “I’m here,”
“You are loved,” “I know you and all that you are going through,” and “You are
not alone.”Even in times of storm, the
messages are “You are stronger than you know,” “You will heal and rise
above all this,” “Trust Me,” and “Patience . . . growth
and beauty will come again.”Nature has
been a renewing, wondrous place for me; and through it, God has lifted, moved, healed,
taught and soothed.I know it’s one of
His great gifts to us, and I thank Him for it, everyday, with all my heart.
It's been a busy, good month. Here are some moments:
-We have a haku lei making marathon. We make them for Jesse's seminary graduation, and then some more for the high school graduation. We pick flowers from the yard and from a friend's. Siwa forms the little bouquets and I wrap them onto the lei. They turn out really beautiful, and a lot of love goes into them.
-At the high school graduation, the graduates put on a show and rock the house. There's singing and dancing and backflips, and one senior crouches on the podium clapping and gets the audience going. Afterwards, outside, we can barely maneuver through the crowd. It's a throng of people, jumbled with signs, leis, balloons and blaring music. It's a fun night, but I'm glad to get out of the noise when it's over.
-A friend of mine is visiting from the mainland. She and one other friend come over for lunch. Our trio is reunited. We have sandwiches with homemade bread, a green salad, and lilikoi (passion fruit) juice with chunks of oranges and pineapple, basil and ice floating in it. The lilikoi and basil are from the garden. It feels like old times. Some people are like that, you pick up with them where you left off, as if you never parted.
-We have family coming. We work really hard to get things ready. We deep clean and move furniture and make space for eight people. We wash curtains, clean screens, windows and sills, sweep, mop, dust, wash bedding and towels, make beds, and more. It is so worth the effort. Can't wait to see them!
-Saturday morning. The weather turns warm and still these days.
Scott
and I are up before the kids. We open all the windows to let the
fresh air in.
There is hardly a leaf quivering. It's going to be a hot
one.
