As September ends, we are enjoying overdue beach time, soaking up the sun, swimming in the 67° water, and the lovely, cool but not cold, sleeping weather.
A few days ago deer sharply pruned the hydrangeas, lilacs, azaleas, and a beloved potted gardenia. We’ve decided to bring in for the night the hibiscus, petunia, and gardenia. I’m thinking about potting up two of the pepper plants.
Hunting season starts with archery on Monday, Oct. 6. Hunting hours begin half an hour before sunrise, and end half an hour after sunset. Communication is crucial. We wear orange, and appreciate taking long hikes on Sundays, when there is no hunting.
Over a lovely game of Wingspan, we learned the Island’s black-capped chickadees have an Island accent, and sing a different tune. Perhaps because it is a two-note song, it is easy to adequately mimic.
Happy birthday-week wishes to Jim Feiner and Dana Nunes. Happy belated birthday wishes to Thomas Bena.
Stillpoint was packed.Thank you, Matt Larsen, for instigating a Friday Night Forum conversation at Stillpoint on “How the Media Divides Us.” New perspectives always get my brain thinking, and this time I am pondering why media that editorialize and sneer are addictive and those that present without outraged inflection are considered boring.
This Saturday, Jonathan Herrick brings us a workshop combining “The Ancient Art of Zen Meditation and the 21st Century Work of Bryon Katie.” Register online at bit.ly/StillpointEvents.
While sorting letters from the 1920s, I came across a lovely and wise piece,
“A Mothers’ and Fathers’ Litany,” by Grace Huntington Bevans.
To respect my children and in return
To be worthy of their respect
May love and understanding help me.
To praise much and to blame little
To emphasize their successes
And minimize their failures …
To allow them the dignity of their own personalities
Not trying to make them over to my own desire …
To be cheerful and ready to laugh
Because children love laughter as much as they love sunshine …
To protect my children from my own nerves,
Ill temper, personal prejudice, pessimism, and fears …
To help them choose
The life work they are best fitted for,
Instead of gratifying through them my personal ambition,
May love and understanding help me …
To fit my children to meet life and people
Bravely, honestly, and independently …
To give my children freedom
But to teach them how best to use that freedom
So they will not confuse liberty with license …
To manage them with intelligence and affection,
And not by punishment, condemnation,
Fear, fault-finding, and nagging …
To guide my children instead of driving them
To direct their energy instead of repressing it
To try to understand my children
Instead of sitting in judgment on them
And through all misdemeanors both trivial and serious
To love them steadfastly
May love and understanding help me.
Wishing you all a good week.
