Weekend

We weren't going to go for walks over the weekend because of the heavy smoke in our air from the California wildfires.  I'm just so sad at all the calamities that have descended on the earth.  It's hard to avoid discouragement.

But Saturday afternoon, we just needed to get out of the house.  We drove up to a trail I'd heard about from a friend and decided to walk along it for a bit.  We ended up not walking on the right one (I so dislike having to dodge the bicyclists) at after 4 in the afternoon when it was 97 degrees out.  Yes, we were hot.  And it was not great air to breathe.  Felt good to get back inside where our air is filtered and cooled.  What a luxury

Yesterday morning we decided to do a longer walk, it felt like the air was marginally improved.  Still pretty ugly out, though.  Almost home and I had a sudden itch on my leg.  Yup, I got bit.  Ended up with a huge red circle on my leg.  It looks more like a spider bite than a mosquito, but who knows what it is!!  Anyway, the itching was more than troublesome.  The application of ice packs throughout the day helped.  It looks better this morning.  But I'm always wondering: why I'm so attractive to bugs, spiders and mosquitoes?  This morning's walk had me wearing long pants instead of capris.  I was hot, but being covered is more important at this point.

The smell fabulous!

And I've just been so surprised to see some fresh blooms on the lilac bushes!!  They bloom in late April / early May around here. I've never in my life seen lilac blooms in August.  And I'm watching the trees around.  They are looking so dry and even lifeless.  Can't decide if it's the unrelenting heat, the drought or what.  But it's bothersome to me.  Isn't enough already going wrong with the world?

And I came across this statement.  Too true.  And especially for us already worry-prone females.

"Motherhood is really about accepting the fact that you will be permanently worried for the rest of your life."

I'm digging deep, trying to access my brave, trying to be grateful.  And really, I am.  I'm grateful for air conditioning, for plenty from the garden to share. (The Husband brought in probably 25 (forgot to count them) cucumbers this morning, we've given nearly all of them away, it's just too many for us to eat.  Too bad I can't figure out how to preserve them other than pickling.)