Sensuous Monday

Monday is my "day off". When I think of a free Monday, I think of all the business-type stuff that needs to be done. But lately I have become a bit blech about all the things I should be doing so instead, I am doing as little as possible. The backyard beckons. I put on a bikini (no pictures of that, ok? eck), and head downstairs.
Then I realize that I could enjoy taking care of some chores in the yard along with the enjoyment of the water. I grab some clippers and dead-head a bunch of flowers.

I water all the plants that are just suffering in this heat (!) and then the veggie garden. I grab the one tomato that made it so far (and it does not look so good; will probably use it in a sauce) and head back to the pool.

Even though the water is at the just-right temperature, I still inch my body into it as my skin gets accustomed to the chilliness of it. Hehe, my foot hits the slope and there was no more inching..a sudden slip right into the water and all is well. I dive under, swim to the other end and grab the float. Time to grab some sun. I float for a while and I can see all around the pool that there are things that really need to be done. I cannot just keep putting things off. I got the loppers, the big clippers and clean out one whole side of the pool which had been cut off from the overgrowth. Now we can walk along that side without being attacked by the branches, which may have teased us enough to lose out balance and end up in the water! What was nice about doing it then was that although it was 100 degrees, my body was cool from having been in the water. Made it totally bearable.

Well, that made me warm enough to dive back into the water! While in the water, I can see dozens of dragonflies buzzing around, some look like they're fighting or possibly trying to court each other; there were 2 who were flying while hooked up. Pretty cool little trick!
Then one of them lands on my toe and hangs there for a while. Since I was going into and out of the water, this time I decided to play with the dragonfly and stuck my finger straight up and the same dragonfly would come to it. I would float up and down the length of the pool while it stayed on my finger. It would take off when another would come too close and chase it off and then come back to my finger. I think I made a friend! While I sat by the side of the pool, it stayed on my toe the whole time. I think I need to name him. Drake....the dragonfly!

All this time, Pandora is playing on one of my favorite stations....totally sensuous music which, as it plays and I am in the pool, makes me move slowly, sensuously as well, enjoying the feel of the water, diving in and out and moving my legs like a mermaid would, coming up for air and going back down. I did this for a long time. I am a mermaid!! I LOVE looking up as I float without assistance, my ears under the water but still hearing the beat of the music. Is this like a sensory tank? I wonder how they feel. But as I am there I look straight up at the sky, with its intense blueness and puffed with clouds and just think that if only life could be forever!!

I go upstairs and make my most favorite sandwich in the whole wide world...a very simple one: French bread drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, avocado slices, thin salted tomato slices (must have salt) and feta cheese. The juiciest strawberries I have had in years adorned the plate and ended my meal with chocolate covered cherries. Totally sensuous lunch!

I sat next to this little birdbath while I removed the weeds that popped through, put water in it for the birds. As I pulled on those weeds I felt like I was in a state of meditation which put me so at peace. Despite all the things I have to do, all the feelings that have come up lately with my work, my kids, my home, my personal life.... I was very at peace.

Maybe it's the way he sits there, holding that little bird that added to the moment.

I looked at one of the millions of pine needles around me and saw its beauty as it laid there ready to return to the earth.

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Once again I dipped into the pool, the day was ending, and realized today was the last day of spring. The sun has come and tomorrow it leaves me once again, to head back south. When I looked up at that moment the sun was behind a cloud....it was a perfectly circular cloud with the sun smack in the middle of it. The edges of the cloud were sooo white against the blue sky and the middle so dark...reminding me of its act... heading us back to the dark of winter. I flew out of the pool to get my camera but missed that perfect ball of a cloud.

I knew then it was time to go inside.