Monday Musings

Just a few things I've noticed lately:

We were in the grocery store, purchases made, and ready to leave. Coming in the door was a woman with a toddler, maybe two years old or so. They walked in the automatic door, and he just stopped, with a look of pure awe on his face at the door that opened all by itself. He just stood there, staring at it, eyes wide and mouth open in an O of wonder. It made me smile. Just a reminder that we, as busy adults, take so many things for granted, and perhaps we need to just stop and enjoy the wonder of little things more often.

I find great comfort in baking bread. I baked two days in a row last week, and it was so calming. I do use a stand mixer to do all the tough work- mixing and kneading- since my tendinitis makes it hard to knead by hand. But just watching the dough come together, and change from a ragged lump to a smooth dough is amazing. And it requires patience. The dough is going to rise and proof in its own time, and it won't be rushed. I don't know why, but I always feel better when there is bread baking going on.

The White Mountains here in NH are very pretty, even now when they are dark and wintery. The highest peaks are covered in snow, white and frosty looking. On the lower mountains, the ski trails are white streaks among the surrounding trees. It looks like a postcard picture as you drive up the highways.

I was outside at night a while back. I don't even remember why I was out there in the dark, but I looked up and thought to myself that I should just go out and look at the stars more often.

We had our usual St. Patrick's day dinner on Sunday. Both grandsons came. The house had laughing, shrieking kids and an extra dog in it again. It freaks out the cats, but they get over it. And we enjoy it, of course. Family dinner- nothing like it.

I kind of enjoy the slower walks I have to take with Murphy now. Since his legs are giving him trouble, we don't walk as far or nearly as fast as we used to. I miss the extra exercise, but the slower pace means I see and hear more now. More and more birds are singing, there are buds on some trees and bushes, and it gives me time to think. It's good to slow down sometimes.

There is your week's dose of trivial minutia from me. What have you been noticing lately?