Part and Parcel

It's been a quiet, magical day of rest. Truly. I need days like this to regenerate, relax, and release all the busyness and noise of the previous week.

We own a TV for the sole purpose of watching DVDs and videos; normally I listen to the radio over the weekend, especially when I cook or wash dishes. Today, though, even radio news and information seemed too much. I'm not much of a conversationalist when I'm in this mood; Frances spends time gardening, raking, and working in the yard as I read, nap, and do my TCC practice.

When I stand out on the deck to ready myself for practice, I notice that purple finches, goldfinches, and juncos have reclaimed the bird feeders. Although they live in the region year round, it's only recently that they've returned to our neighborhood. Their bright, highly visible coloration is a welcome addition to the regular population of black and white chickadees and nuthatches that are our unfailing friends and sunflower seed eaters.

Today's early sunshine and 70+ temperatures cooled and collapsed beneath a ceiling of clouds. My t'ai chi chih practice flowed softly and slowly beneath this greyed out scene with bud-tipped branches spanning the skies. Occasionally I felt as if I were being watched and, when I raised my eyes, I noticed several dark bird silhouettes sharing a branch above me. Then I, too, became part and parcel of the sounds of silence.