Re-turning

 This afternoon I lay in a hammock under tall trees, and watched the wind change the view of the sky through swaying branches and swishing leaves, like a kaleidoscope. It was a splendid thing: the sight, the sound, the feeling it gave me deep inside. A single yellow leaf drifted down, turning, turning, and reminded me that this season won't last; it never does. But, I will remember it, oh, yes, I will! When the snow comes, and I am looking out my window with wool in my hands and a smile on my face, I will remember this and all of the other things that have turned in my life in the past three seasons of the year:

• My daughter Amy seriously injured her knee in January, then had a bout of pneumonia for three weeks, and surgery in May. Healing can take a very, very long time.
• Good friends are hard to lose. Our black Labrador retriever died of cancer this year. He was only eight. It felt way too soon.
• A cool spring meant a good season of broccoli, carrots, peas, lettuce and radishes in the garden. A hot summer has meant lots of tomatoes,cucumbers, peppers, and green beans, too :- )  My four hens turned a year old this spring and are all good layers.
• My oldest son Seth earned a 4.0 in both the fall and spring semesters of his freshman year at college.
• I have never seen so many--and so many different kinds-- of butterflies and dragonflies as I have this year. 
•  I had a wonderful time bird watching with my brother Bob when he came to visit in the spring. We were lucky to see a male scarlet tanager again this year.
• My son Zach was accepted into the New England Aquarium's Sea TURTLE program. He became a certified SCUBA diver and went on a week-long field expedition with the team.
•  I've added black hollyhocks, purple balloon flowers, Veronica, red and yellow blanket flowers, a new yellow rosebush (a floribunda called Sunsprite), and a pale yellow cone flower to my perennial garden this year.
•  We spent some fun summer afternoons hunting for old LP's in thrift shops when my brother Steve came to visit.
• I've been working on a big writing project since March--a story of mystery and romance with a supernatural twist :- )
•  An 8 week old pug puppy came to live with us on June 24th. I didn't think that I was ready for another dog so soon after losing Buddy, but this little guy has lifted everyone's spirits, especially mine. We named him Elvis and he is the sweetest, cutest, funniest, easiest puppy I've ever had (Buddy was a terror at this age). From now on, it's pugs for me--I am in love with this breed. (Elvis's breeder says that I've been "pugged"  ;- )
• Afternoon swims, evening walks, and summer nights spent watching the moon and stargazing have been my constant routine.
• Last Monday I celebrated my twenty-fourth wedding anniversary! 

Elvis 4 months old