I was having a cup of tea, late afternoon in that in between time after lunch and before starting our supper. With a few grapes to tide me over, I settled on the front porch, a worksheet and my journal in hand with the best of intentions to to wisely use my time.
The air was still. The chirping of birds and the sawing sound of cicadas were background noise as I worked my way through some readings for a woman’s study I was participating in via Zoom. Zoom and Skype and other online tools are being employed by many of us, perhaps you, during these times of social distancing in 2020.
As I attempted to stay on task, I felt a presence. It was in that instant when all alone you suddenly sense you are being watched. I slowly turned my head and there, about 12 feet from my perch on the front porch, a doe and her twin fawns were staring at me. I nodded and she dipped her head as if to acknowledge my existence, then, with the grace of her heritage, she strode down the driveway as if she had better places to be, making sure her children were following her.
I took a few sips from my teacup, then heard a humming sound. I looked up and there, just past the tip of my nose, was a hummingbird, hovering quite close, trying, I suppose, to see what was in my cup. As quickly as she appeared, she zoomed over to sip from the fuschia hanging nearby and, I kid you not, just then a chipmunk ran over my foot!
These sweet, small, seemingly insignificant moments are treasures to me. They soothe my soul and are a like a handrail to grasp when it feels like I’m falling. They center me, especially in this pandemic.
We are well and keep busy, the Antler man and me. We miss our Up North family, but are thankful for texting and Skyping and staying in touch. We are thankful as well for summer which affords us the ability to be able to have our Jennifer and Jason here for occasional “socially distanced” meals and chats. While we miss Sunday services and activities at our church, we can and do live-stream and keep connected, and there are so many other ways and the means to carry on through these days.
So it was this afternoon, once again on the aging front porch, that I watched a pair of Monarchs waltzing around the milkweed to music only they could hear and I made myself a promise that I would try my hardest to return to blogging – and to ask how you all have been.
Lifeonthecutoff's Blog 
Glad to see you’re blogging again! It was also good to see you and Tom at the cutoff. 🙂
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Thank you, Mike. It was a welcome and pleasant surprise to see you and to chat a bit. Stop by again. 🙂
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I am glad to see you blogging again and I am glad that you and your husband are well. Stay safe!
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Thank you, Gerlinde. It feels good to put words down on pages. I’m hoping to get back into it and to read a post or two of yours I think I’ve missed. Take care.
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Thank you for this excellent reminder to stop and smell the roses, or appreciate the blessings of wildlife.
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You are very welcome, Susan. I have needed the reminder myself lately. Thank you for reading this.
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It sounds like you had an enchanted afternoon! I think I would have screamed over the chipmunk though!
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I didn’t scream, but an “eek” escaped my lips. 🙂 as I shooed him away. It was otherwise enchanting. 🙂
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Penny, I can’t tell you how much your post cheered me up. I love how you treated yourself to that nice china cup, cute spoon, and lace doily. That elevated an afternoon snack to a soul-nourishing treat. I almost laughed out loud when I read about the chipmunk running over your foot. What a lot of encounters with animals and insects within a short time. And I’m also happy that you and the Antler Man are doing well, as I was a bit worried. My family and I have been well. I worked in our church library today, for only the second time during this pandemic. It also was one of those soul-soothing times, an opportunity to do the ministry work that nourishes me as well. (The library is closed for now, so I don’t have to worry about contamination.) Best wishes to you, Penny, and welcome back.
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Oh, Sue, what a sweet thing to say. Thank you. It helps to center me when I take time to make tea and to treat myself with a cup and saucer. It is, as you say, a “soul-nourishing treat”. 🙂 Can you believe the nerve of that chipmunk? No regard whatsoever for my foot and quiet time. haha Sorry for worrying you. I just couldn’t seem to write and was having trouble concentrating when I tried to read books; reactions I’m sure to these challenging times. It took a chipmunk to shake me out of my malaise! It is so good to hear you and your family have been well and that you were able to work in your church library. I love and admire your calling to this ministry and hope that you will be able to do more. Thank you, Sue. Onward . . .
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You have become Snow White. The woodland creatures see you as a familiar friend. If you can get them to help with the house work, let me know. My house could use a good dusting.
Its always good to know that you are both well. It is difficult to be away from family and friends. I have had a few socially distanced visits and enjoy them. But, it’s not quite the same. I’m glad we have our peaceful places to get back to nature a bit. I enjoy your photos and writing.
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Housework. I forgot what that was and had to look in up on Google. 🙂 Today I had a brief encounter with Jenny Wren.
Thank you, Mouse. So many are dealing with missing loved ones, hugs and being close and loss, You are right – socially distanced isn’t quite the same. As I type this, I’m thinking of you listening to the tree frogs and owls and I shall go out and see if the lightening bugs are still shining.
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Just beautiful, Penny! Your words paint a picture that feels just like sharing a cup of tea with a dear friend. 💕Such a happy place to sit and relax… almost like being in a Disney film! I have thought of you so often lately, Penny. It’s so hard to be away from family for such an extended time. Thank goodness for Skype visits! Cooler days are coming this week. Stay safe and healthy! 💗
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How nice to see your name show up, Dawn. Thank you. I imagine you are spending some time on your porch or in your paper garden and hope that your family and friends – and you – are well. It will nice when the humidity lessens. Phew! I’m looking forward to reading blog posts I have missed and catching up. Take care, Dawn.
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Hi Penny…I so enjoyed reading this recent blog post of yours… so descriptive I felt like I was right there with you..thanks!
Sent from my iPad
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You are very welcome, Patty. It warms my heart to think of you being here with me – in only through words. Thank you.
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Glad to see your post. I was wondering if you were okay. We’re doing okay here in Kansas. We have only seen our sons and families once since all this started. They live in the county that has the distinction of having the most virus cases in the state so not somewhere we go to visit and they are being careful and pretty much staying at home themselves.
Loved your description of your afternoon on the porch!
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Thank you for commenting, Joyce, and for your concern. I appreciate it and am glad that you are also doing okay while recognizing how hard it is to not be able to see your sons and their families.
I’m happy you read it, Joyce. I hope to get back in the habit of writing again, and reading. My mind wanders and my concentration has been “off” during this time.
Stay safe and be well.
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How lovely to see a blog from you Penny, filled with beautiful observations as usual, and a delightful photo. I guess you are so at home in the natural world that the creatures just think you are another plant, or maybe a tree.
I can just see that doe striding down your driveway ‘with the grace of her heritage.’ It’s good to hear that you have a safe and lovely place to be, away from the madding crowd. Here in NZ we have been safely out of Lockdown for some time now. The world is noisy again. It was very peaceful when everything stopped and sometimes I miss those weeks when the earth was able to breathe once more.
Do keep posting. I’ve missed you!
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Oh, Juliet, thank you so much for stopping by, reading and commenting. You might be right about the creatures and me. 🙂
I am glad to hear that you are safely out of lockdown. While we are not on lockdown, there is concern with rising numbers. There is something to be said for the peacefulness when all we can hear is nature. Take care, Juliet.
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I too have been a distant blogger but have promised myself to attend again.
This is the kind of afternoon I love, living in the moment, letting nature take over, being part of it, accepting and being accepted.
This is a difficult time and the best we can do is, while being aware of it, not letting it take over every aspect of our lives.
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I am happy to hear that, Friko. My intentions are good, but here it is, another week gone by and no posts from me in between. I need to be more accepting of myself.
Your words are wisdom to me. We must not let this difficult take over every aspect. Yes. Thank you.
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Penny, I’m so happy to see you again. I’ve thought about you so often… of all the people I know IRL or through blogging, I think of you as one most able to find joy in the everyday ordinary moments … which is where we all must find our happiness these days. And so I worried when you didn’t appear for so long. I am so glad to know you and the Antler Man are doing OK. But I know how you miss your “littles” (and their parents). I miss family and friends (some we aren’t comfortable with seeing because they aren’t as careful as we are) …. and I miss talking to strangers … I always liked to read about your encounters . … but we too are doing well and finding joy in spite of everything. … you brought me some of that joy with your post! Thank you …
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Oh, dear Sallie, what a sweet thing to say. You have brightened my day and compel me to keep blogging. Thank you so very much. Since I wrote this post and far too many days since you commented and in which I didn’t respond, I have started to notice that strangers are now making eye contact. While that seems like such a small thing, eye-to-eye contact has been a trivial but significant thing I’ve been missing in this masked environment we find ourselves in. Here’s hoping we can both continue to find some joy in these times and that you stay well and joy finds you.
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Dear Penny, thank you. You have the uncanny ability–you and DJan, another blogger I follow–to articulate what so many of us are feeling. You have such a light touch with your words and yet they always convey the deepest gratitude and compassion and understanding. Thank you for doe and fawns, hummingbird and chipmunk, monarchs, and tea. Thank you, too, for you deep and wide embrace of life. Peace.
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You are so kind, Dee. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We all need some encouragement these days – and your is that and more. Peace to you, my friend. I did read you most recent post but am having trouble getting comments to post. Fear not. I will work on that, but, in the meantime, want you to know I am still around and still grateful that you made it through this time.
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So glad I checked to see if you posted! Glad you’re back, Penny!
I also livestream my church’s services. I miss being in a crowd though
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I am glad you did, L. Marie. My head is swimming with posts, but I seem to take forever to get them written. I feel fortunate that we can attend services online, though there is nothing to compare with in person. All in good time. Stay well.
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