20 thoughts on “The Present is a Gift”

1. LOVE this, Debbie! Such an important thing to be reminded of…..”enjoy (and live) in the present.” It took me a while to learn (and live) that.

   The past already was.
   The future is unknown.

   The present is NOW. And it’s where I get my inspiration.

   Thanks for the reminder, my friend! Have a super Sunday! X

   P.S. Beautiful photograph!

   • Thank you, Ron. I’m glad it resonated with you. It’s funny that when summer arrives, I don’t typically look back with longing on the winter that preceded it — I guess I’m just a lover of warmer weather.

     Isn’t that butterfly amazing? I had some trouble snapping him because the Monk wanted to explore him, too. Silly pup.

     Hope your Sunday is going well. We’re warmer today but expecting a definite drop-off mid week. xx

2. Yes, indeed! 💕

   • Thanks for dropping by, Eliza — glad you enjoyed it!

3. What a lovely poem that you wrote for this cold dreary winter morning! At this present moment, I’m watching a female ruby-throated hummingbird visiting for sugar water for energy. Supposedly, most hummingbirds will make their November migration to Mexico returning in May. But some are not strong enough to make the journey. I learned last week this fact: On nights when energy stores aren’t enough to help them stay warm all night long, they are able to save energy by entering a low-metabolism state called torpor until they can search for food again at first light. The fall asleep. Hanging upside down looking like a vampire. I have never seen a hummingbird in torpor. I will help her survive by keeping one fresh sugar water feeder out for her as long as she keeps visiting. From my sitting window using my binoculars, it appears from her particular feather marks and behavior to be the same female. I wonder if her nest is close by. Yesterday I noticed her at my feeder at least fives times off and on throughout my day. So far she has visited twice this early morning within an hour. 2024 was my first year to do a hummingbird bird feeder on my front porch. She brings me joy every time I notice her!

   I think you might have captured a yellow sulfur butterfly on a red summer geranium! Sweet!!

   • TD, I love your story about the hummingbird! You’re so thoughtful to make sure she has food for her long journey. They’re such tiny, fragile-looking creatures, and I can’t imagine having to undertake such a long trip without sufficient nutrients.

     I’m glad you liked my poem and photo. It’s easy looking back on summer with longing, now that colder weather is on our doorstep. However, we really should try to enjoy ALL our seasons, shouldn’t we (and perhaps be grateful that we at least do have four distinct seasons!)

4. What a lovely etheree: filled with beauty and nostalgia. There is something about the change in seasons — especially autumn to winter — that seems just a little sad. Still we have our memories of all that beauty to help us deal with the winter wearies until spring comes again.

   I love the color combination of the cloudless sulphur and the geranium. Yellow and red certainly do provide smiles, especially at this time of year when they’re not so common.

   • How happy I am that you approve of my Etheree, Linda! You’re my mentor, you know — I’d never heard of an Etheree before you introduced me to that form. And now I find I love writing them!

     “The winter wearies.” YES, indeed, that’s it exactly! When I was a child, we spent winters doing something different inside. One winter, we put together puzzles; one, we learned to play chess or a new card game. I credit my parents for instilling in me a love for learning — and the ability to entertain myself, whatever the weather!

5. Lovely poem to bring a little warmth to this cold day!

   • I’m happy you enjoyed it, FF. Are you in the winter cold season, too? We have two days of relative warmth (for Illinois, that is), but the bottom is supposed to drop out mid-week. Brrr, but a great time to catch up on my reading!

     • It’s been going from freezing to mild and back again for the last few weeks – currently freezing! Definitely weather for reading under a blanket!

6. This is lovely. I’m making a real effort to live in (and enjoy!) the present (and not worry about the future)!

   • I, too, am trying not to fret over the future. Since we really can’t control everything, I suppose that makes sense for our health!

7. And even the cold, snow, and grey skies beg to be enjoyed.

   • They do, John — only perhaps from the warmth and comfort of our reading chairs!

     • That’s the spirit.

8. Love your poetic reminder to enjoy the present moment, even when those cold winds are blowing! ❄️

   • Thanks, Barbara. Ideally, winter for me would last no more than six weeks (sort of shows I’m not living in my ideal climate, doesn’t it?!?)

     • You’d probably like the winter down here. The daffodils come out in February!

       • Oh, yes, that sounds perfect!

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