I bought and built a swing set for our girls. It has two traditional swings, with rectangular seats, a disc swing, and a slide. I saw it in the store for a better than reasonable price. Next, I figured out how to get a 90 lb. swing set onto my cart and into the trunk of my car, by myself. If I’m being honest, that part was more satisfying than actually putting it together.
When I built our swing set, I thought it would bring happiness to my girls and perhaps entice them to spend more time enjoying the fresh air. It did both of those things. It has also engendered physical confidence and fun for my girls – with the added benefit that they chased each other around at top volume OUTSIDE. I discovered another benefit, which is that I fit comfortably in the disc swing and I can lay down in it. I sat in it yesterday and my toddler pushed me, pretending I was her napping baby. She wanted to push me high and fast, presumably because that is how she prefers to swing. I would have preferred stillness, but heartily compromised with gentle rocking.
I put my feet up and watched the pine tree, that grows over the backside of our fence, sway ever-so-slightly in the breeze. It was warm and comfortable, even in the shade. I saw a small flock of white egrets fly overhead, followed shortly after by a modestly larger flock of terns. A crow flew across their path a while later. I could hear birds twittering in the trees, contentedly assembling their nests.
I relaxed a little more and lowered my foot. It grazed the thriving weeds; that I embolden because I love their yellow and purple flowers. Over in my garden, my sprouting Cala Lily, just a few weeks post-emergence, progressed confidently from her sybaritic green stem, washed in burgundy, up to the saturated green leaves, with edges that undulate like rippled water. I am excited to see how they will bloom and I am relieved that they have made a healthy showing thus far.
Suddenly, I noticed my cat’s ears and whiskers. He was listening to the birds and the squirrels, hoping one of them might come close enough for him to hug them…with his teeth.