beautiful contradictions

Rain falling steadily out of low, thick clouds.  Leaves, edges curling, droop from trees before they fall in colorful confetti swirls.  Tea steams in a colorful mug, it's warm fragrance wafting through chilly air.  This is late October.

The past week has been full
and wonderful
and all the things.

Just some highlights:

*working at the restaurant over the weekend, I was witness to a large family paying tribute to their patriarch with a final meal at his favorite restaurant.  They shared laughter and tears and a meal.  They thanked the staff profusely for the evening and how we had treated their father and even hugged one of the cooks.  Life and loss are such beautiful contradictions.  It was a really heavy shift for my sensitive soul.

*celebrating my husband's birthday, it was one of those new decade kind of birthdays.  Our boys helped make the day extra special.  We went bowling together which we haven't done in too long and all came to conclusion that each one of us is very competitive.  Then we had a nice, big, splurging sort of dinner at Olive Garden.

 

 

 

*spending an entire day with my 18 year old son and my puppy dog.  We drove toward the mountains and took in the most unbelievable oranges and reds on the hillsides.  We both took our cameras and stopped here and there to take pictures.  He shared his music with me, we stopped for snacks, we conversed, we saw a bear (!!).  You know those kind of days? 

 

 

That's him ahead on the path. Charlie was in the grass to the left, nose buried in smells.

 

The Gorge powerhouse in Newhalem.

 

 





*remembering my dad on what would have been his 90th birthday.  I carry so much of him with me, recognize parts of him in my behavior, or just things he used to say that pop into my head at random times.

*a dream day doing the things I love:

• photo session at a real estate listing
• yoga class at The Lotus
• editing photos
• photo session with a beautiful person at a beautiful setting on a beautiful day
• baking an apple pie for my family (thank you Sara Lee!)
• cooking a delicious meal (pan fried steak and onions, roasted fingerling potatoes and Brussels sprouts)

*a rainy day spent at home in sweats catching up on all the things (business taxes, church secretarial business, more photo editing, laundry, and online shopping)


Just these everyday things, the things that make up a life, the beautiful contradictions that collide in great splashes of color.  Autumn is example of that as we see the trees let go of their leaves in glorious colorful displays.  The letting go, the surrender as winter bears down on us from ahead.  Always shifting, always changing, but always beautiful to the heart that is willing to look.