As we head into Cancer season of the zodiac, I prepare to celebrate another year older and maybe a little bit wiser, but maybe not.
My birthday is next month, and I don’t expect any presents, but today I received one of the best gifts I’ve ever received in my life.
Our own Siri wrote a magical tale just for me. Read Love Rollercoaster here. It’s a fabulous journey, full of gorgeous art, and an engaging spinning tale. As with every story, she weaves a song into the mix. (Take a look at the title of her story and you might guess the song.)
Read her story and get lost in the beautiful images and wonderful storytelling, as I did. Read another, you won’t be disappointed. Subscribe to never miss out on the next sweeping, galactic journey and to catch up on what you’ve missed.
My heart is full and so very happy. Thank you, thank you, my friend! ♥️
His name isn’t really Basil, but I’ve decided to call him Basil because I am not growing basil this year, and I don’t want to put the stone in front of the lavender plant because that’s not accurate.
This is my mom’s pig. He’s rather old and he’s spent all of his life outside through all of the seasons, so he’s a bit weathered. I’ve recently started bringing him into the shed for the winter, so he doesn’t completely fall apart. (Relatable, am I right?)
Last week during a nice spell of weather, I sat on the front porch step and studied Basil. He almost has a human-like expression, and if a garden ornament has kind eyes, he does.
So what do I do when I see something that interests me? That’s right, I grab my phone and capture a photo or two. If it’s butterflies, maybe ten.
Without further ado, say hello to Basil. He is friendly and a great listener.
Gentle piggyHis smile shows here Look at the eyes on this pig – so well done!
It’s a top five moment. I’ve had a lot of favorite moments, but this one is top five, for sure. It was the first time in my life that I had a vision and a hope to accomplish something, and from start to finish, I did. The interview was my idea, and I brought it to the website team. Surprisingly, the stars lined up and everything from there went in my favor. I can’t adequately describe the feeling, other than to say that when whatever hopes and dreams you have/had for yourself seem insurmountable and then they happen, it’s euphoric. It’s the stunned disbelief, it’s the sitting back in your chair and laughing at what just happened. It’s the feeling that you get when you write a great poem – you’re in the zone. It’s an astonishment: did that just happen? It’s a gratefulness to the universe that is verbalized repeatedly. It’s a moment you don’t know if you can ever top, and you question why you would even try. It’s the culmination of hard work and determination and a heavy dose of stubbornness. It’s a thankfulness for loving words so much that you can use them to put together something other people will enjoy. It‘s Girl Power in practice.
I shared this on Instagram today, and I’ve talked about Katherine a few times to fellow bloggers. I’m sharing the reel I made because maybe a few of you will be interested in seeing Katherine, an Orb Weaver that took up residence on my front porch a few years ago. She was majestic and fascinating. She laid two egg sacks in the clematis, which I promised her I would move to a safer spot once she was gone. She lived until mid December, which was quite a long time for a spider. I hope you enjoy the video. 🕸️🤍
The flowers are blossoming, and the critters are crittering.
First coreopsis bloomClematis in full bloomTiger Lillies are in bloomThe hydrangea are in bloom Pretty colorsHundreds of baby lightning bugs/fireflies live in my grass – I’m avoiding stepping in the grass so I don’t squash them! Bunny doing bunny things
I live in the Northern Hemisphere, so summer will be starting in June. I live on the East Coast of the US where it gets very hot and very humid in the summer. Not so long ago, the heat and the humidity didn’t bother me. Since I’ve had this migraine diagnosis, I’ve learned migraine brain does not like heat nor humidity.
But Amy‘s brain can do whatever it likes.
The rest of Amy likes walking in the cool, soft grass with bare feet, wearing sundresses, feeling the warmth of the air and the sun on her skin, seeing the trees, lush in all their summertime greenness, smelling the warm air and hints of a storm brewing. (Her birthday is also in the summer, so maybe she is biased towards the season.) Sitting under a canopy of leaves looking for four leaf clover while sipping an iced tea or eating an ice cream bar is considered the finer things in life. Peeking out the window as it gets closer to lightning bug season, waiting for the first bioluminescent buggy butt still brings her great joy after many years. She still squeals when she sees it. Watching the bunny rabbits play late into the night when it is still light out is one of her other favorite sights. Spotting hummingbirds is at the top of the list of Exciting Events. Chasing butterflies with a phone camera is a close second, although the butterflies do not feel the same, and she thinks they even give her the side eye as they fly away. No matter. She will chase rainbows after a heavy storm and wait for the butterflies to return.
Summer Bunny just outside my front door A Monarch who felt sorry for me and let me take a photo Black Tiger Swallowtail A bumblebee butt in the peony, with a large amount of pollen stuck to its leg. The wings are pixelated because they are moving too fast to be captured.
Yes, I took all of these photos. And yes, none of these creatures were happy about it. My neighbors likely believe me to be just a touch off…but it’s not my fault. They won’t stop for the camera and I have to chase them down, yelling for them to please stop and just let me take the photo.
When I am creating another world through writing, showing a glimpse of a world through photography, sometimes combining the two. Making basil pesto pasta sauce from scratch. Baking brownies. Spending time with animals. Wrapping Christmas presents.
Creating something or some things that will be perceived by or given to others for their hopeful enjoyment is usually when I am most happy.
Watching tennis makes me happy. I’m not creating anything but noise for anyone else, but I enjoy watching tennis, especially from the stands.
I am also most happy in the summer. When I can walk through the soft, cool grass, with bare feet and feel like the warm air is an enveloping calming blanket, I am content – the combination of happiness and stillness.
“It's Amy,” I said. 