A Walk in the Garden.

My training tells me to be aware of my surroundings, and that everything changes. Hours of meditation have shown me that feelings pass and that nothing, not even me, stays the same. My years of study have convinced me that it is my expectations of how things should be, and my attachment to those expectations, that cause me suffering. Yet, I still find it hard not to get upset, voice my opinion, and judge when my expectations are not realized. 

I have found the AQ boards quite distressing - don't get me wrong, not all posts are argumentative and pushy. Most are wonderfully sweet, friendly, and creative - these posts highlight the part of the letterboxing community I love. But some posts reveal our opinionated, judgmental, divisive side (some just this side of 'rude') and it really drains my enthusiasm and sense of connection to the community. It shows me just how fragile that connection truly is. And that is the distressing part. But, I have my practice. Thankfully.

It is my choice to ignore some social media. I suspect we all have used this method to retain our sanity once or twice during the last five years or so. I had hoped it wouldn't be so on AQ, but *shrug* - it seems the way of things at this point in history. I love AQ, and always have, but I am grateful that I can ignore some aspects, including certain persistently argumentative boards. As the memes say, "I don't need that kind of negativity in my life." I choose to step away, go out to my garden, and take a breath. A well needed, mindful break. And so it is.

Care to take a walk in the garden with me? It is lovely and peaceful in the early summer. It is not letterboxing or carving, but it is green and beautiful. And, if you really wanted to letterbox, there is one very close by ... 

Welcome to our Garden

This is the best swing ever.
And that bird feeder contraption
is our squirrel and rodent fix :)
Eventually, that paper-bark maple will
be lovely for the birds.

The newest addition - the side garden;
there's a story there, but for another time.
Pinky keeps watch.

outside my office window
that looks out towards the water

Some bonsai and maples -
so much love for my other hobby

More bonsai - well, not the maple, it's just a baby.
The one closest was a rescue ... hopefully it will make it.

We eat many summer dinners here and watch the sunset.

I bought these sweet statues of the seasons decades ago
to share with my Mother. She had two and I had two.
Now, in a way, we are together here.

The firepit, "where friends and marshmallows enjoy
getting toasted" ... or something like that :)

The rock garden. When we bought the house,
it was billed as a 'water feature', and maybe it was once, 
but it was defunct, a derelict pile of rocks.
So I designed a rock garden
with a 'fern grotto' off to the left.

As in any garden, there are special places.
This is Solly's corner with a couple of cat friends and
a nearby tree-frog to keep him company in his eternal rest.

R2 keeps an eye on things -
the lavender is just about to bloom

Throughout the garden there are the most lovely
painted mandala rocks, some big, some small -  
it's Samsonite's other hobby and we all benefit. 

Don't mind the muddy footprints ...
just sit with me and watch the carp surface in the canal
while we listen to the birds

From many perspectives, our lives, like the garden, are a continual work-in-progress. 

This is important to remember when I get upset at social media, 

even my beloved AQ.