Hey, hey my Sunday Letter friends,
I’ve been absent the last few Sundays, but I’m back with more random Sunday Letter ramblings. After a week at the lake, I returned home to a butterfly nursery. Our milkweed and spicebush plants are CRAWLING with monarch and spicebush caterpillars. A variety of full-grown butterflies dance around every afternoon (hopefully laying more eggs).
It truly is amazing what a difference a week can make, not only in the physical space we return to, but also in the mental space we occupy.
Oh, the Pain!
So I broke my rib while trying to paddle board the last day of our lake trip. No, I didn’t really break anything, but the agony I feel nine days later is what I imagine a fractured rib to feel like.
Yes, I’m being a little dramatic. Really, I think I tore some rib cartilage. I felt it when it happened, and it was like grinding a rib into the board. My sister did the same thing last year at the lake (different circumstance), so evidently we are prone to this ridiculousness. And it took her injury six weeks to heal.
Ugh.
It hurts to bend, twist, cough, breathe, sleep. Other than that, I’m fine.
About the Lake
We’ve been returning to Lake Norfork year after year our whole lives. My sister and I were practically baptized in her clear waters. And our kids, the same. As infants, we strapped them into life jackets and taught them to nap to the creak of the dock. Momma began going there when she was a teenager.
Although the lake always holds surprises and looks different based on weather and water levels, it’s so familiar to me, the trees, the coves, the shoreline, the way the birds circle overhead.
This year, in particular, the lake felt like salvation, to be able to escape the news and social media, to swim and laugh and ride the waves by day, to gather with family underneath the stars each night.
I think it’s good for us to return there each year. It isn’t a fancy place, and we certainly aren’t spending a week in luxury while there. Rather, it’s a spot in this world that never really changes; a tiny sliver of heaven that provides a sense of permanence, allows clearing of the mind. Plenty of nature and quiet slip back in, and that, for me, is luxury.
We Have a House Guest
House guests have been few and far between during this pandemic, but we have a guest this weekend. He’s kind and entertaining and never complains.
His name is Alvin.
Alvin has visited us before, but it has been a while. Even so, he remembered where we keep the dog toys. His favorite thing to do is to scatter them in the yard, carrying the toys one at a time from the house to the grass. Then later, he collects them like Easter eggs, carrying them back inside the house.
A busy boy.
Annabelle isn’t sure what to think, but I believe she’s enamored.
She also ate some of Alvin’s wet dog food—her first taste of a wet variety—and she went a little crazy, likely wondering where such a yummy thing has been hiding her whole life.
Alvin’s human came to visit too. It has been pretty fun to see him as well.
Peace Lily
If you’ve read my newest book, Gene, Everywhere, you know Gene was my father-in-law. After Gene’s funeral, John and I ended up with this peace lily from all the potted plants that were given in his memory.
Over the past few years, it has grown and grown! We have repotted it a couple of times.
And now it is blooming.
Isn’t it amazing?
It truly does provide peace. It reminds me of Gene and how he helped set my life on a different path.
John moves it inside each winter, but if it gets much larger, we’ll have to rearrange furniture to accommodate it.
And we are okay with that.
I’m almost 5’8″. It’s catching me!
Things Momma Says:
I’m too good for my own good.
***
See you next time Sunday Letter friends.
Play nice and be safe. Remember, everyone has a different story.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
“tiny sliver of heaven that provides a sense of permanence, allows clearing of the mind. Plenty of nature and quiet slip back in, and that, for me, is luxury.”
This is such a good description of luxury!
In this crazy year, our luxuries have changed.
Yes they have! Thanks, Cathy.
Girl, I know the feeling of your ribs, my body says about the same thing after moving 9 million boxes yesterday. We are officially at the Berry Happy Cottage at the Berry Happy Farm…which is joyful, but not so happy this morning as I forgot the coffee pot as we packed, it was put in the boxes, and I have no idea which of the zillion of it is in. We’ll have the studio up by Sept 15th and I am so excited to finally be able to film at home, to edit at home, and to have enough space to do my workshops and classes here and the classes of others! You’ll have to follow along at the very new, and oh so very work-in-progress https://everythingeasierathome.com
Can’t wait to get on the calendar and do a Eureka few days or week together! Let’s do it!
I’m amazing at all you accomplish! Yes, I can’t wait to spend time at the writer’s colony again. #muchneeded
I saw my first monarch yesterday in central Oklahoma. I’ve been waiting! I watched her go in and out among the leaves of the swamp milkweed and tap and deposit…I hardly got anything done…
It’s the simple things! ❤️
Yes! I can watch them all day!
You give so much to this world with your amazing garden and beautiful words. ❤ Take care of that rib. I’ve been there and know the misery.
It is much better today. Maybe I just needed to get it off my chest – LOL.
So glad you had a great week back at the lake you’re s familiar with 😊 Bless you..yes ..I did the same ..please take it easy …it was hard to do so but …helped in recovery of my rib(s) more time for your reading and writing 😊 Oh what a gift from ..Gene and mercy ..I love your Mama’s sayings ❣️😊🌸☕️☕️
Thanks, Lisa! I’m feeling much better today! Momma is a hoot.
For the life of me, I don’t see the enjoyment of paddle boarding. I don’t get it. I’ve heard of more people getting hurt than actually having fun on them! On another note, Courtney went floating on Spring River once and it truly was a near death experience. She and her friend capsized and she literally saw her life disappearing before her eyes. At the last moment, she prayed hard and then touched bottom and somehow was able to reach the bank. Somehow in all the commotion she cracked a few ribs and ended up getting pneumonia. As she was retelling the story, she suddenly burst out in tears and it was only then I knew how really scared she was! I had to cry too! I know it’s painful for You so be easy with yourself and be careful out there! I am scared to death now that they take the babies to the lake.
Glad you got home to some garden excitement! The Lily is quite beautiful and makes you smile, I know.
Have a great week!
PS…Have you thought about a book: Things momma says…? I’d sure buy it! 😁
I prefer kayaking and will stick to that! I remember Courtney’s horrible ordeal. Scary! Yes, I’ve thought about that book and even started it at one time. Need to get back to it. Thanks for the reminder.
Hee,hee, I Love my paddle board but live on a lake much smaller than Norfolk so I don’t have the larger boat and surface waves. I say give it another try! My goal is to be able to paddle board into my seventies. Glad you enjoyed your lake getaway and had the caterpillars there to welcome you home. I saw that the Master Gardener program is being offered online this year. Hmmmm….
Thanks! Yes, there’s a master gardener class every year online and in person. I’m sure this year’s in only online.
Ps…I don’t know how you find all the great music videos butI love them! This one matched your final photo so well.
Thank you so much! Sometimes I wonder if anyone listen to them.
Your pictures and reflections about your lake haven delivered a bit of the serenity it brings you. I’m glad you could get away but so sorry about those ribs. (I can’t believe I fractured a kneecap while at the beach and have a six week recovery, too.) Wish I could see your butterfly garden and that furry in person!
What!? You fractured your kneecap? I guess I missed that bad news. I hope you recover quickly. My injury (which wasn’t much really) is nearly 100% healed.
Oh, must add, that peace lily is magnificent!
Thanks!!