Dear Reader:

Over the years I have taken you many places, along with me on the blog journey, and announced to you that “This was my happy place.” It might have been the refurbished den, my new deck, the finished garden or the lovely fountain…even Ireland or lately Maine…but it always dealt with a geographical “place.”

Now I know that this wasn’t and isn’t completely true. My “happy place” is where “I am” in a precise moment… filled with happiness and gratitude. Happiness is me…not a location.

This epiphany evolved yesterday by a combination of two things…a quote I ‘randomly ‘ came across and Mother Nature entertaining me with seconds of pure delight from her plants and insects. (***And for once in my life I caught it all on my little iPhone camera. Amazing morning! )

Grandmother Wilson was the first person to allude to the fact that external factors- other people, objects…even gifts…can’t make one happy. Only we, ourselves can do that ….we must be happy inside before we can accept happiness from the world.

So I have always been conscious of the fact that happiness comes from within…but for whatever reason…it finally solidified when I came across this quote.

“You were born with  seeds of success and happiness, however nobody else, but you, can plant them in your life.” ― Edmond Mbiaka

Mother Nature planted these seeds of happiness for me yesterday to witness and laugh out loud.

It started out another hot, sticky day with humidity so thick it was laborious to even breathe outside. Rain showers have been playing ‘peek or boo‘ most of the week (missing our neighborhood for a couple of days)… so I dragged the hose out into the bright sunshine to water the plants along the driveway and fence.

I got to the”Guara lindheimeri” or “Whirling Butterflies” plant and was hosing it down when something caught my lateral vision. I thought it was a pesky mosquito (they have been terrible lately) but to my amazement it was a bee… looking like a drunk driver…circling around and around…I finally caught it in my lens.

It was headed “zig-zaggidy” right towards a beautiful little pink “butterfly” bloom. Little did it know that the stems on this particular plant are as delicately light as the bloom itself….not up to holding a plump bumblebee’s weight. Especially one who looked like he had ingested too much ‘nectar of the bee gods.‘ 🙂

For a split second or less (when miraculously I got this “shot”) he landed on the bloom solidly. It was then, however, that the fun began…the stem started whirling around and around (like a Tilt-a Whirl) carnival ride. The poor bee was so dazed it just hung on for dear life…until (I guess) it remembered it could just fly off …which it did. ***Leaving me laughing hysterically behind.

It was while all this was going on that I spotted Sammy the Cardinal pecking food off the ground in the empty lot on the other side of the fence…I took the photo shot right through the “Whirling Butterfly” plant…I couldn’t believe my luck. Only later did he fly and perch on the opposite side fence towards the street.

I had the two hibiscus bushes left to water and the rose bush…As I watered one hibiscus bush I noticed something red caught up under it…I thought it was a piece of trash…some red advertisement or something that blew against the fence… but look what was hiding under the thick stems of foliage. Surprise! First bloom of the season and what a way to start!!!

I then went in the back yard and started cleaning up the fence area and staking trellises for the emerging morning glories to climb and get off the ground. I added a new hanging basket and nailed the art fixtures tighter to the fence.

I had just finished watering when…(Murphy’s Law) the sun disappeared…one maverick dark cloud drifted over my head and the bottom fell out of the skies. I was taking my last photo when it happened and I took off running.

The Oak leaf Hydrangea bush’s blooms have turned from a creamy white to a perfectly pastel pink color….just gorgeous…worth the change from wet clothes.

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Encouraging news…Pip is gaining more votes and close to being recognized as a high-level contender…but he still needs more numbers to make the cut-off…so once again…if anyone out there can vote that hasn’t yet or “time-share” the information with others…you would be making our family much indebted to your efforts with loving gratitude.

Procedure: Click on the website below:

Hit Submit to enter magazine...find Pip’s photo as seen above and click on the heart next to him. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We so love this rescue dog … with no teeth (due to malnutrition in the puppy mill) but lots of tongue and heart !

https://1.shortstack.com/MnpPN0

Fun in the Sun:

Don’t you remember trying to dig a hole to China as a child?

Hummm…maybe not such a great idea any more? 🙂

Looks like everyone is having fun at Duck, NC!