Squirrels, Coffee & Thistle
A few mornings ago I was applying my make-up when I heard a scritchy-scratchy sound. In the skylight window above me, I spied a small pink nose and then a tiny pink tongue deftly began to lick the morning dew off the window. It was a squirrel helping itself to a drink. There has been little rain of late in Atlanta and natural water sources in the fall are sometimes scarce here. Touched by the squirrel’s resourcefulness, I went and filled the birdbath.
I climbed into our van, a faithful friend that has helped me haul four kids around. The coffee aroma was intoxicating. I forgot I put a Campsite Coffee car fragrance found at Bath & Body Works in there. I was hoping to make my drives more enjoyable. The next best thing to drinking a warm cup of coffee is the smell of it wafting through the air. I love to enter a coffee shop for this reason and have often wondered if baristas become so accustomed they stop noticing the scent. I hope not.
A gardener, I grow herbs and native plants. These plants are happy and thrive so much more in their native climate. I don’t try to fight this in gardening. I learned to leave purple coneflower standing after it has bloomed because the flower heads become natural thistle feeders for finches. Last weekend I was once again tempted to behead all the coneflowers’ browning, dead-looking stalks. I’ve resisted several times when out trimming, and did once more. The next day I was rewarded with a view of a sweet goldfinch bowing a coneflower with its weight as it plucked the center seeds for breakfast.
Little things.
I know exercising mindfulness is popular, and I think it is powerful for many reasons. I guess appreciating these little things is my mindful way of moving through life. There are always daily stresses and problems that come our way, but there are also tiny gifts all around us. Some we make, and some we find. I hope you come across one today.
(I’m not affiliated with Bath & Body, but I don’t mind passing along the coffee-scented freshener idea to any of you coffee lovers. Just know you might crave an actual cup until you get some!)
