A beautiful day in the country...

A dear old friend, gone these last 10 years would always greet his neighbors with: " It's a beautiful day in the country>" No matter what the weather or the season, to the "Judge" , a day in our valley was always worth commenting upon. I think it was his was of gently reminding us to slow down enough to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us here in Walker Valley.
This morning, as usual, I had a list of things that needed to be accomplished before today was yesterday. My intentions were good, I felt motivated and goal oriented. I was looking forward to completing each task and the satisfaction that goes with checking it off the list. And then I went outside.
In early spring, when the weather is fine, I start each day wandering my gardens: coffee cup in hand, to check on the progress of all growing things. I wander the gardens in my nightgown, listening to the birds greet the rising sun, with no one to see me but the animals. It's a peaceful way to start my day& something I dream about during the long frozen winter mornings.
Today was not the day for my to do list. I wandered , puttered, planted, potted & pruned.
I sat on a bench and planned the bentwood arbor I would build to shade it. I pictured it covered with vibrant orange trumpet vine & humming birds keeping me company while I rested in it's shade.
I repotted a water lily with root ball so huge it's pot was bursting. I looked at the tiny gold fish in my little water garden and thought of them so large I would have to find homes for many.
I rearranged the decorative trash & treasures that make up my garden accents & create whimsy when you least expect it. Moving things about, elevating statuary, moving chimes where they catch the breeze in a different way, changing the waterfall in my little pond so that the sound will carry to bedroom window as I lay in bed. It dawned on me that I wasnt wasting time. I decorated my outside world in a way that soothes my spirit & took a day to just "be".