Blessed Silence

The cooler weather is finally here. While most of the rest of the country is gearing up for a winter of more inside activity, we are breaking out of hibernation and into the sun. Today, I turned the air-conditioner off and heard the birds chirping and chirping. Have they been chorusing so loud everyday but we never heard them over the air conditioning fan? Well, I didn't listen to music even though I started a cleaning frenzy in the kitchen I wanted to hear the birds.

Maybe it's something to do with throwing open the doors to the fresh air after months of having them closed that's doing it. I think I'm definitely spring cleaning. It was hot last week. Over 100 every day, I think, and now blessed coolness and freedom from the sound of the air conditioning.

Yesterday was the first fabulous day. We spent it outside enjoying the sun (instead of hiding from it). I wanted to celebrate the weather; get out and do something special, but I wasn't inspired. This is not my ecosystem; I'm homesick for water and trees. Jazz suggested the packing a picnic and a blanket and heading to the plaza. It was perfect!

We spent most of the day there. I laid in the sun. I read Hazrat Inyat Khan's Music. Jasmine climbed her favorite tree. We ate lunch. We went to the library and somehow the book Stargirl fell off the shelf and into my waiting arms. Jasmine played. I sat in the shade and read Music. The Universe is so good to me. I always read the right thing at the right time.

Then we found a shady bench and watched a minor accident through it's whole incarnation (trading insurance, police showing up etc.) and started Stargirl. Jasmine went and got an ice cream cone and ate it and then made mudcakes. It was perfectly perfect. When our water was gone and my throat was dry, we trekked home to eat mango passionfruit coconut Popsicles. Decadent and perfectly perfect. Amen.

Admiring flowers in the Plaza

Jazz watched Romeo and Juliet all day the day before and begged me to watch it with her last night. My passionate actress has been speaking in something like Shakespearean English and acting extra dramatic. Is this why Ashland Oregon is calling so loudly to us? The Shakespeare Festival?

But back to today and spring cleaning, the bees started invading the house, so doors got closed and I turned on a great album we've been listening to a lot lately, Miles From India. It's a collaboration between members of the Miles Davis Band and some great musicians from India. Jazz and I both love it.

Later, we listened to the whole book of CD, C.S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew while Jazz began tackling the back bedroom and I finished up in the kitchen and...

....and prepared for a day with the girls. I'm going to Phoenix tomorrow with three wonderful women to shop the farmer's market and whatever else hits our fancies. When have I done this last? Spent a day with friends without Jasmine. I think it was the orientation for Prescott College over 4 years ago. I'm excited. And Jazz gets to spend the whole day with grandma.

Tonight I finished reading Star Girl to Jazz......Wow! That's all I can say for now but I'm guessing I'll write about it in a post soon. I've been thinking about her--Stargirl---all day.

....and in between it all, ART happens.