The Reason

 Things are going well.  Three rooms and closets emptied.  The floors are tiled in both bathrooms.

The plumber is coming to install the fixtures.  Penny helped, and is surprisingly good with a crowbar and hammer.

 The milkweed is attracting Monarchs, though I haven't photographed a one. One comes right up to the patio window, inviting me to come out and play.  There is little time for chasing butterflies right now...

 The babies are coming!  I have been alone for months, and though you can get used to being alone, for me it never felt right.  We are combining households while DIL Charlotte goes to Law School.  We lived together for about six weeks when Tyke was ill.  We helped each other.  Tyke rocked babies

and watched movies with Jon.  Under extreme duress, we were there for each other. We comforted each other.  I have no reservations about this big change.  I am so looking forward to happy morning smiles, Daniel Tiger and breakfast.  Songs and games, snuggles and naps all come with the territory.  Long walks, books and music.  DANCING! Oh how I love my granddaughters.  

They are bringing me back to life.

There is a Mother who is not happy with me.  This Mother Cardinal was chastising me. (On the upper right hand corner of this pic)  I knew a nest must be near with so many visits to the deck.

 Watering plants and deadheading flowers, she would not stop.  TWEET TWEET!

I had no idea they are brown at first.

Oblivious to the fact that the fledgling was right next to me. There he is, baby cardinal.

A refuge in the garden.  When I am tired or worried, and who isn't these days?

Even an angry Cardinal is a pleasant distraction.

  Summer is half over, and all the hallmarks of summer have been postponed or cancelled.

Still, memories of summer's past is a comfort. 

 Celebrating every day seems appropriate with the pandemic taking so many lives.

 This girl loves the ceremony of fire. She gets very calm, as we all seem to do, watching a fire burn.

I miss Tyke so much especially in times like this ..

Dan Rather posted this on his facebook page and it spoke to me...I share it here with love.

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”

~Louise Erdrich  

Take care my friends.

Enjoy this beautiful day.

Love, Penny