West Virginia August 19,2010

In 24 hours I feel so at peace. The constant sound of the cicadas like a mantra repeating over and over in my ear soothing me.
My favourite spot, at the end of the porch watching the light come up over the ridge. Today is overcast and especially gentle. The birds are calling, whipporwills, cardinals, woodpeckers, crows, I don't recognize all of them yet.
A few days ago I was in Kansas City and I took a walk through the woods at Unity Village. I kept bringing my mind back to the sound of the cicadas and the sound of my feet on the ground, letting my thoughts come in and out and always back to that sound. I hadn't thought that sound would be my gateway into meditation, but it seems so obvious now. Even though I play music for meditation, I am distracted by the story of the song and feel of the keys. This constant hum of the summer forest is so amazingly soothing.
My dog Suki is sitting at my feet watching the view from the porch. She's just finished her perimeter check and is watching for critters, just sitting with me.
Yesterday I drove up to Davison Ridge where I can get cell phone reception to make some calls, after 2 weeks we still do not have our land line repaired. ( I did call again and made a note in the files that our dirt road now has 2 balloons tied to the pole on the road to make it easier to find us. ) I was camped out in the front seat of my car checking on my sister's health, checking in with my mom's nurse , trying to get our telephone line up and running when suddenly 2 turkeys wandered out in front of me. At that moment, I received a call that an offer had been made on my mother's house, the first in 2 years and this at the exact hour I chose to make my calls! I was counter offering, going back and forth with the realtor as a family of deer came out and starting grazing. My mom's nurse called back and asked how are ya? And I said well, I sitting here barefoot in the front of my car watching a flock of turkeys and a family of deer having a late afternoon snack, pretty darn good I'd say.
I count my blessings. I have a wonderful life in Key West and now this bit of peace in West Virginia. I have my health, which seems the more extraordinary as I am surrounded by family dealing with cancer and the trials of aging. And a man who has decided after 24 years that we really need to bring intimacy back into our relationship, something I have been praying about lately.
Today is a good day.