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Today's Document
One Nice Bug Per Day
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@daylerogers
We Don't Belong Here
Some dear friends from Colorado recently visited, and to help them experience the uniqueness of Florida, we took them to the Wetlands to see a little bit of the prehistoric. Penny wasn’t delighted; the alligators made her uncomfortable. Their reputation isn’t one of cuddly warmth and closeness. We were in their territory, after all. Walking around this flash from the very far past, it was easy…
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Unexpected Treasures
We’ve discovered a phenomenon in central Florida that I’m sure is a reality in many other areas of the country. Maybe the world. It’s called dumpster diving. People throw away valuable items that could be reused or repurposed for greater enjoyment. Many may ask, “Why not sell things at a garage sale?” To which I would reply, “That’s too much work for just these few things.” So people place…
Don't Mess With Logic
He’d been told they were going out to eat. So he changed into his pajamas. Beck, at seven, has a logic all his own, which often makes more sense than that of many adults. It was getting later in the day, a day filled with all types of activities and fun, and he thoughtfully considered that, as late as it was, they wouldn’t get back from dinner until past his bedtime. He was already tired, so…
A New Soccer Mom?
They wouldn’t be effective goalkeepers, but they knew to stay in their place and not wander outside the box. The goal box. We have soccer goals set up in our backyard, and much to my surprise, two young fauns wandered into our yard, standing in the goal, and eating whatever the kids had left behind when they played. I looked around for their mom, and I didn’t see her right away. She was…
Down In The Muck
Spring. With all its accompanying philosophies. “April showers bring May flowers.” Or E.E. Cummings, in his 1923 poem, “In Just”: “In Just–spring, when the world is mud luscious and puddle wonderful.” It all reflects a passion for the growth of new life in spring, and the joy of jumping in puddles as we all did as kids. As someone who still feels young at heart, the occasional stomping in…
Why Bother?
photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash In honor of those who never came home, we set aside Memorial Day as a time of national mourning for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Men and women who gave up their lives in support of our country are respected for the choices they made selflessly. In our current world culture, a valid question to be considered is “Why bother?” Divisiveness is…
Bucket List Bonanza
When we were in college, John and I would attend concerts fairly frequently. Some are really great in person; others sound better on an album. But one of the items on my bucket list was to see the band Chicago in concert. It helps that these are hometown boys who worked hard at making a go of their sound. Back in the day of guitars and drums only, they added brass to their music, which took it…
Hyperbolically Speaking
Ryken randomly found a bunny costume in his pile of clothes. I wish I could say that was unexpected, but with our family, the unexpected is more our norm. It wasn’t the costume that was the surprise; it was what he chose to do with it. Because there was space in the bunny suit for creative additions, Ryken chose to add two soccer balls to his bottom to give the impression of a substantial…
Two Sides Of Unexpected
While we were sweltering in 90-degree weather here in Florida, with rising humidity and folks with the early summer grumpies, our Colorado family had a late-season snow. It had been 70 degrees the day before, and then, lo and behold, temperatures dropped, and it snowed–eight inches. Part of me was a little jealous. Walking out my front door, I’m challenged to not want to run back inside and…
We've All Had One
photo courtesy of Liana Mikah on Unsplash Yesterday was Mother’s Day, a holiday set aside to honor and celebrate mothers. I’m not down on this holiday; I’ve been a mom for quite some time. It is, however, one of those awkward yet deeply appreciated holidays. We’ve all gotten here the same way. We’ve all been birthed; we’re all a result of pregnancy. As great as modern technology is, we’ve not…
Who Do You See?
It was supposed to be a surprise. My husband reached a milestone birthday, and he despises celebrations where he’s the center of attention. His favorite birthday as an adult was during COVID, when nobody could be together. I was told to have him outside at a certain time, and a lineup of cars, like a convoy, came down our road, with people hanging out the windows of their cars, yelling “Happy…
Bubble Magic
We needed a gift. Fast. We’ve worked ourselves into a routine of bringing a “congratulatory” gift when one of the grands has a performance. Something appropriate to their age and particular likes. They’ve come to expect it. Finding out about a spring production for Kolly’s pre-school class came later than we would have liked. Neither John nor I had the chance to find something fun for her. On…
Avoid Hilly Terrain
photo courtesy of Claudio Testa on Unsplash One of my Dad’s favorite encouragements for us growing up was “Not every hill is worth dying on.” His focus on picking our battles was practical–not everything is significant enough to be bothered about. Stress is part of life; on any given day, some things potentially could annoy me, or worse. Dad was an easy-going fellow who loved people and enjoyed…
The Meaning Of Discovery
It was “Bring Your Loved Ones To Work Day” at my daughter’s non-profit in Colorado, not just children, but parents, grandkids, or whoever, if someone didn’t have a child to bring. A wonderful opportunity to see behind the scenes of this remarkable group of people who seek to provide for underprivileged kids. Beck, who is a people-lover at heart, was looking forward to going to his mom’s place of…
The Collaboration Club
They’re called black-bellied whistling ducks, and they’re known for their bright red bills, pink feet, and white wing patches. They swarm around our pond in the backyard fairly frequently, and I’ve always loved their high-pitched whistling calls, which they always seem to do in unison. They mate for life, which might account for the fact that they’re always seen in groups. You know, couples…
Knock On Wood
I have many friends who are true birders. Not something I’ve ever considered as a hobby, though I will admit to being fascinated by the many species of birds we have here in Florida, all very different from where I grew up in the Midwest. When my friend shared her photo of a pileated woodpecker, I was impressed. Not just because it reminded me of the Woody Woodpecker cartoons of long ago, but…
Climb Any Mountain
Children reach a certain age and have a strong desire to climb whatever is in front of them, whether a chair, stairs, a toy box, or a bench. Thea has reached this mountain-goat phase, and she’s crawling on anything that poses a challenge. We’ve got these large beanbag chairs in our family room, and she wasn’t deterred by the fact that they’re so much taller than she is. Thea was creative in…