45. I Love ... the back porch steps

I expect that of all the places

that I have spent time -
whiled away the hours
or 'produced';
the place that has seen the
most activity
or
inactivity,
is our back porch steps.

Sometimes I just sit here
and look -
survey -
the donkeys,
the brook,
the shop,
the barn,
the birds.

It's where I watch the day slip away.

I have used it more than I have used my studio.
Stuff spread out all around me
in the busiest, highest traffic area.

Bizarre.

People having to step gingerally over and through and around
my mess.
Carving, painting, sculpting.

It works for me.
I can watch the sun.
And my donkeys.

It's kinda strange
that I sit there
when I have so many
chairs.

44. I Love ...red geraniums

They spell

COUNTRY

to me.

They spell

the best days of summer

before August

starts to brown the edges.

Geraniums belong in a pot;

perferrably a clay one;

or in a 

window box

or a 

wagon ...

something with wheels.

They do not belong

in a flowerbed.

They cry

for a little nest
to make them
look pretty.

43. I Love .... listening to anything my grandbabes have to say.

I hate to admit it

but

I listen differently to my

grandchildren than I did my own children.

Even though,

I knew full well 

that their childhood would be

fleeting,

that they would change 

in a blink of an eye

and

I hung on as tightly

as I could;

I know that I did not

listen

closely enough
to my children.

There seemed to be

so little time

in the chaos

of getting through the day.

My grandbabes now,

one on one,

when we walk

or just sit and talk -

I listen

so closely

with all of my attention,

with all of my heart.

I listen to their sweet little voices,

their big thoughts

and I marvel

at how 

complex,

how deep,

how interesting,

how miraculous

it all is.

And how fast
their childhoods will
slip
through my fingers too.

42. I Love ... lamplight in a window.

I am drawn to it

like a moth to a candle.

It makes me slow down

and want to peer in.

It makes me want to

go in

and sit down

and ask them what

quiet task they are about.

It is a gentle soul

that abides by the

soft, golden glow of lamplight.

A soul that would not mind

if I came in and sat quietly

with them for a bit.

I am drawn to them,

to what is in that lamplit room.

Surely

it is 

peaceful and quiet,

gentle and deep.

Surely

it is welcoming.

41. I Love ... having energy

Something that I totally

took for granted

in my younger years.

I don't recall

ever feeling like I was

too tired

to do anything.

I think now,

perhaps,

there are times

when I'd just as soon

sit.

I much prefer

the feeling of

wanting

to move;

to feel like

jumping up

and accomplishing something.

I like feeling

light and agile

not 

cumbersome and old.

I love

feeling

vibrant,

motivated,

alive.

40. I Love ... people with 'squints' in their eyes

My Dad's were the first

squints

that I noticed.

I was probably about five years old

when I asked him

"What are those?"

"What" he said.

"Those SQUINTS - those lines that are going into your eyes."

He laughed.

And the squints got deeper.

And he told the story over and over

and laughed every time.

I started to notice

that happy people

had the most squints.

That people who

smiled

with their eyes

were fun

and kind.

I sometimes

still see my Dad

in the squints

 of other people's eyes.

Laughing eyes.

Kind eyes.

39. I Love ... familiar voice

can you imagine

not hearing the voice of someone you

love

for the longest time;

and then

you do.

Can you imagine the 

flip

your heart does?

I sometimes don't 

listen

to the words

of people I love.

I listen to the 

voice;

the sound.

It is 

THEM;

uniquely them.

A voice

 silenced

leaves a void

never to be filled.

The echo of it

stays with us

for a time;

growing fainter and fainter;

but still there

ever

so 

quiet.