Returning Home

I feel kind of lost this morning. I want to go sit at my picnic table, open my journal and start writing. This has been my ritual for the past week at Johnson Lake Resort, where we went for our annual reunion with Andree’s family, all 16 of us. We were fortunate in that we had our own cabin to retire to at night. It was almost a necessity for us (older ladies) after the excitement and commotion of the day.

Every morning, before anyone else got up, I sat outside and wrote. Here are some passages from my journal from my morning writings.

Sunday July 13th
I’m sitting in the sun at a picnic table outside our rather primitive cabin. It’s beautiful out. Not a breeze blowing, birds are singing their morning chants. There’s no one else up. I’m out here all alone in the peace and quiet of nature. It is beautiful. I hear water somewhere as if there is a stream or creek or something coming down through the bush somewhere across the lake. I can feel my sense of adventure mounting as I think of how I’ll be off to explore the source of this real soon.

Monday July 14th
So I’m camping and I’m supposed to-or at least I have a chance to sleep in but how can one resist the morning sun? How can I resist sitting out here by myself while everyone else in camp is still sleeping and writing in my journal as I listen to the sounds of the day come to life. It’s a tad bit chilly out here this morning but even that doesn’t matter. I’ve slipped my jacket over my PJ’s and a blanket to cover my lower backside and I’m fine-awesome in fact.

Tuesday July 15th
I don’t know how long I can last out here without any food. (The food was kept in the larger cabin where we gathered for meals.) The people who have moved in next door are cooking up some bacon and eggs and the smell is drifting in my direction. The only food in our cabin is a bag of pretzels and right now that isn’t going to cut it to make my stomach settle down after smelling that bacon. I started a fire in our old wood stove to take the chill out of the cabin this morning. It’s rather cool this morning up here on the mountain where we are at a 4000 feet elevation. It rained last night and the sun hasn’t come out yet to warm the place up. It will though. It’s just waiting to peep out from beneath the clouds.

Wednesday July 16th
Thank you for this. Thank you for the mornings and all their beauty. This is the best part of the day always. It doesn’t matter what time I go to bed, I must get up in the morning and come out here. It’s just too good to pass up. I love the peacefulness of the hour or so before the others begin their day. Most people do not begin their day in solitude which is I unfortunate for people like me but even more unfortunate for them. I can get up earlier and still get what I need. This morning there is an old man (hmm, yes, he is older than me) sitting at a table behind me and he too is sitting in silence, breathing in and enjoying the morning gifts that are there for the taking to be treasured for what they are-gifts from the universe.

Thursday July 17th
I just realized that if I lived out in nature like this my journals sure wouldn’t last me very long. I can’t stop writing once I get going. Thank you Spirit for this, for yet another beautiful gorgeous day, for the morning beauty, for the silence, the quiet I get to absorb and enjoy before the rest of the two-legged creatures get up and penetrate the silence with their immediate busyness and noise. I so enjoy this special part of the day.

Friday July 18th
It is another very cold morning. It doesn’t stay that way for long. The days always warm up but right now there is no sun and the wind is blowing. Still here I am again, outside writing. Unless my fingers can’t hold the pen or the ink refuses to flow I would still come out here. There is ample proof that I have been writing outside this morning if I ever go back and read through my journal. Twice now I have had to wipe some droppings from my pages. They are reminders from the little birds who have come to join me and who sit in the tree up above.

Saturday July 19th
And so here it is, my last morning to sit out here and to listen to the morning melodies of nature as I step out of my front door with my journal in hand. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the time with everyone here and I’ve enjoyed my quiet time. I also took this opportunity to get a lot of work done on my course. I worked hard but I also enjoyed myself. It was a nice balance-one I hope to pay more attention to as I reluctantly return to my life in the city.

Our modest little cabin

Meal time outside - 1st crew

Studying

Hiding from the sun

I found our water source across the lake

Fun in the water

The gang all's here