Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 61
August 17, 2013
ocean
Wasn't sure how long it would take to get there. Sometimes there's traffic.
I woke early, with the sun. Should I go to the balloon festival? Watch them rise? Or to the beach
I went to the beach. Got there 45 minutes before the gate opened. Relaxed.
Arrived. Walked for an hour: north, then south. Saw 3 thin long silvery pink fish leap from the water. Saw a glistening black fin bob above the water. It swam along the beach for nearly I mile. I watched and walked along. I asked the lifeguards, "What's that?"
Two young guys, chilling. OH! They stopped chatting, feet down, and looked. "Probably a seal."
"Yeah."
"Or a porpoise."
"Yeah. Did you bring your binocs?"
"No."
"Yeah. Probably a porpoise."
Ok. But I see a black fin. Do porpoises have black fins? I came home and looked online. Yes, they do.
So I waded in as far as I could. I waded with a porpoise! Or a shark.
The water was numbingly cold. That's good. Not just cold, but numbingly. So once I went in, I couldn't feel my body, so was able to keep going.
The waves slapped. Sprung up in surprise. Smacked and shocked. Felt arctic. I gasped and sucked in air when the water touched a new place on my body.
I could see the churned up sand at the base of the wave. The water was so clear.
If you just stand, then your feet get sucked down and buried in the waves.
I woke early, with the sun. Should I go to the balloon festival? Watch them rise? Or to the beach
I went to the beach. Got there 45 minutes before the gate opened. Relaxed.
Arrived. Walked for an hour: north, then south. Saw 3 thin long silvery pink fish leap from the water. Saw a glistening black fin bob above the water. It swam along the beach for nearly I mile. I watched and walked along. I asked the lifeguards, "What's that?"
Two young guys, chilling. OH! They stopped chatting, feet down, and looked. "Probably a seal."
"Yeah."
"Or a porpoise."
"Yeah. Did you bring your binocs?"
"No."
"Yeah. Probably a porpoise."
Ok. But I see a black fin. Do porpoises have black fins? I came home and looked online. Yes, they do.
So I waded in as far as I could. I waded with a porpoise! Or a shark.
The water was numbingly cold. That's good. Not just cold, but numbingly. So once I went in, I couldn't feel my body, so was able to keep going.
The waves slapped. Sprung up in surprise. Smacked and shocked. Felt arctic. I gasped and sucked in air when the water touched a new place on my body.
I could see the churned up sand at the base of the wave. The water was so clear.
If you just stand, then your feet get sucked down and buried in the waves.
back to school
Summer vacation is ending soon. Trying to enjoy every moment, even though I'm still working. I worked all summer. OK, vacation is in moments and hours: not weeks or months.
So enjoy the moment. Tune in to your senses. Today I sat in my backyard and looked at the flowers: yellow, orange, red, and white. I smelled their sweetness. I listened to the wind. I felt the grass beneath my feet and the tingle of the sun on my skin.
So enjoy the moment. Tune in to your senses. Today I sat in my backyard and looked at the flowers: yellow, orange, red, and white. I smelled their sweetness. I listened to the wind. I felt the grass beneath my feet and the tingle of the sun on my skin.
August 15, 2013
2013 Summer
I stained the deck, bought a car, and sealed the driveway.
Went to a nursing conference in Virginia where I presented my research, visited my sister and niece in Minnesota, and stayed at the beach with my cousin and her daughter from NYC. Hugged my sons and gave them rides to where they wanted to be.
The garden grew. Sunflowers are at least 12 feet tall and loaded with bumblebees. Lush and fragrant flowers. Abundance of beets, carrots, green beans, potatoes, cilantro, and kale. Spread 10 bales of hay between the garden rows. Mowed the lawn weekly. Weeded, watered, and wandered. Welcomed bumblebees, hummingbirds, cardinals, and sparrows. Discouraged copper beetles, slugs, cucumber beetles, and blight.
Taught 3 courses. Shared Reiki. All CNA students passed state exam.
Went to the Atlantic Ocean and Range Pond. Trying to get to the Sandy River.
Played with seven Bernese Mountain puppies and children. Saw friends. Hosted visitor from China.
Ate lobster and ice cream. Went to Farmer's Markets. Climbed hills, hiked along rivers, walked on the beach.
Summer in Maine is great. Summer 2013 is almost over, but summers go on and on. So long, 2013, see you soon, Summer 2014.
Went to a nursing conference in Virginia where I presented my research, visited my sister and niece in Minnesota, and stayed at the beach with my cousin and her daughter from NYC. Hugged my sons and gave them rides to where they wanted to be.
The garden grew. Sunflowers are at least 12 feet tall and loaded with bumblebees. Lush and fragrant flowers. Abundance of beets, carrots, green beans, potatoes, cilantro, and kale. Spread 10 bales of hay between the garden rows. Mowed the lawn weekly. Weeded, watered, and wandered. Welcomed bumblebees, hummingbirds, cardinals, and sparrows. Discouraged copper beetles, slugs, cucumber beetles, and blight.
Taught 3 courses. Shared Reiki. All CNA students passed state exam.
Went to the Atlantic Ocean and Range Pond. Trying to get to the Sandy River.
Played with seven Bernese Mountain puppies and children. Saw friends. Hosted visitor from China.
Ate lobster and ice cream. Went to Farmer's Markets. Climbed hills, hiked along rivers, walked on the beach.
Summer in Maine is great. Summer 2013 is almost over, but summers go on and on. So long, 2013, see you soon, Summer 2014.
12 windows
12. In my open space: kitchen, office, living/dining room. Six of those windows are obscured by a giant hyacinth. Or hydrangea. I get them confused. It's a big bush with glossy dark green leaves and lush gobs of white flowers. Blue, sometimes, depending on soil conditions. Mine are white.
August 14, 2013
vacation
I can't remember when I last... ok, I've never done this.
Taking a vacation. Later this year. Just me. On vacation.
No family obligations, not a conference, no work.
Sun, sand, ocean.
All I do is work. I work 60+ hours a week and have for years (decades). I work full time and extra jobs too. I send money to my sons and I save. I travel for work and for family events like weddings, funerals, and major birthdays. But I never take time off. Even when I travel, I bring my laptop to check work emails and teach online courses. My best friends keep telling me to take a vacation. They say I could get burnt out on work. How can I? I love my jobs! But they are compelling, and I sometimes feel irritable, so.... here goes. I'll give it a try. Vacation: I'm smiling.
Taking a vacation. Later this year. Just me. On vacation.
No family obligations, not a conference, no work.
Sun, sand, ocean.
All I do is work. I work 60+ hours a week and have for years (decades). I work full time and extra jobs too. I send money to my sons and I save. I travel for work and for family events like weddings, funerals, and major birthdays. But I never take time off. Even when I travel, I bring my laptop to check work emails and teach online courses. My best friends keep telling me to take a vacation. They say I could get burnt out on work. How can I? I love my jobs! But they are compelling, and I sometimes feel irritable, so.... here goes. I'll give it a try. Vacation: I'm smiling.
August 12, 2013
Perseid meteors
Those meteors. I diligently hauled myself out to the deck and spread out. A pillow would have been good. Kind of cloudy up there. Stretched out my back, shoulders, and arms. Felt good. Puffy clouds. Thick, but chunky, like dried mud, like old skin. Cool night, slight breeze.
So brave. Probably rabid skunks are sensing me right now. Coming closer, drooling, insensate.
I could see 2 stars. Watching for meteors.... waiting. Could see 2 stars, no 3, no none. No stars. Cloudy. Hmmm, thinking it's not the best time for seeing meteors. Still, the stretching was good. Are rabid skunks approaching, preparing to lunge at my toes? A good nibble for a rabid skunk, toes and fingertips.
Ok, no stars, no meteors, potentially rabid skunks: time to go in. Maybe next year.
So brave. Probably rabid skunks are sensing me right now. Coming closer, drooling, insensate.
I could see 2 stars. Watching for meteors.... waiting. Could see 2 stars, no 3, no none. No stars. Cloudy. Hmmm, thinking it's not the best time for seeing meteors. Still, the stretching was good. Are rabid skunks approaching, preparing to lunge at my toes? A good nibble for a rabid skunk, toes and fingertips.
Ok, no stars, no meteors, potentially rabid skunks: time to go in. Maybe next year.
sunset cruise
Pink and gold is cruising into gray and muted blues.
Sunset in Maine in August. Quite pleasant on the deck with temp of 73F. Humid, but tolerable. Slight breeze. Clouds slide by imperceptibly. Garden colors dull in the twilight.
Gak! I said twilight. And gray (shades of)! gag.
So what am I reading? Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. Shambhala Sun. Sedona Journal of Emergence.
Dark is deepening, but I'm still sitting in the light.
Sunset in Maine in August. Quite pleasant on the deck with temp of 73F. Humid, but tolerable. Slight breeze. Clouds slide by imperceptibly. Garden colors dull in the twilight.
Gak! I said twilight. And gray (shades of)! gag.
So what am I reading? Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. Shambhala Sun. Sedona Journal of Emergence.
Dark is deepening, but I'm still sitting in the light.
August 11, 2013
Perseids
Stay up late. It's chilly, put on a wool sweater. Check.
Check the deck for rabid skunks. None. Check.
Lie (lay?) on the deck and do asanas. Release muscles and intestinal vapors. Check.
Watch for meteors. I saw one! A white streak across the eastern apex. Saw an airplane too, 3 yellow and 1 blinking red light. That was an airplane, right?
More asanas. Then fear of rabid skunks drove me back inside. Also the scrim of clouds which obscured the night sky.
I saw one. A Perseid meteor.
Check the deck for rabid skunks. None. Check.
Lie (lay?) on the deck and do asanas. Release muscles and intestinal vapors. Check.
Watch for meteors. I saw one! A white streak across the eastern apex. Saw an airplane too, 3 yellow and 1 blinking red light. That was an airplane, right?
More asanas. Then fear of rabid skunks drove me back inside. Also the scrim of clouds which obscured the night sky.
I saw one. A Perseid meteor.
cold
It was almost too cold to swim. But it wasn't.
Once I got in it was refreshing. Had to wait for a hot flash. You know, hot all over and craving a glass of ice water. Perfect for wading into a cold Maine pond.
Waded through the golden water out into the dark deep. Breaststroke, sidestroke, dove under and chilled my scalp. Cut off sound. Totally immersed in the heavy cold. Dive to the bottom and surge back up. Just enough breath to surface into the light.
Once I got in it was refreshing. Had to wait for a hot flash. You know, hot all over and craving a glass of ice water. Perfect for wading into a cold Maine pond.
Waded through the golden water out into the dark deep. Breaststroke, sidestroke, dove under and chilled my scalp. Cut off sound. Totally immersed in the heavy cold. Dive to the bottom and surge back up. Just enough breath to surface into the light.
