out and about

we went down the greenway the other morning, in search of flowers and the creek on a day that was just too pretty to spend inside.  on the walk down she was unsure of the creek at first, mentioning the snakes we saw there recently.  I'm quite sure they were harmless water snakes, and I was surprised by her hesitation and concern, but I get it.  walking back past the creek a little while later, after eating crackers on a small bridge and pretending that the trees along the creek's edge were a restaurant, she warmed up to it (the snakey creek) and we stood ankle deep and threw rocks for a while and then leaves and then sticks.  she sat with her little feet splish-splashing in the water and then we ate a(nother) snack while sitting at the base of a grand old two-trunked sycamore that sits right on the creek.  as sycamores tend to do.

the bees on the joe-pye weed made me smile.  joe-pye weed, generally, makes me smile.  what with it's big droopy stalks that end in an explosion of pinkish purple miniature fireworks.  our walk made me realize that many of my favorite wildflowers are happiest creekside.  joe-pye weed, cardinal flower, boneset, swamp milkweed......  a couple of these I've planted on the side of our house.  there is no creek there.  we will see.

some goldenrod and boneset and swamp milkweed made their way home with us and now dust our countertops (and butter dish) with yellow and white......

I also could not resist this grassy, sedge-y little cluster of green.

the next morning we had smoothies and toast for breakfast and then, after a few errands, headed over to explore the rec park a bit.  we walked under the highway overpass that links the rec park to the community garden.  it was a tunnel, if you ask Claire.  and I guess it kind of is.  once on the other side she said to me "that was fun, mama", and I asked her what was fun, since she had refused to walk most of the way and instead insisted on pouting and being carried, something she is way more into these days than I am prepared for.  which by the way I hear is normal and I know I'll miss carrying her around, but geez.  so anyway she replied "walking under the highway with you, mama.... (big smile) that was fun!"

and those are the moments that I thank her most for being a constant reminder for me to enjoy what is right in front of me and take it for what it is- usually quite a gift, really.  such relief and liberation from a frustrating moment awaits us when we opt to shift our perception just a tad this way or that when needed.

we explored the lovely community garden for a bit, ran back under/through the overpass/tunnel and then watched (um, chased) some butterflies by the creek before returning to the car to head for home and ready ourselves for our afternoon work.