Thursday, March 5, 2009

Little Things!

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
~ Robert Brault

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." ~ Buddha

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." ~ Kahlil Gibran

"The greatest wealth is to live content with little. " ~ Plato

Some days everything annoys me. Someone here left a sock on the floor. Not a pair of socks.. ONE SOCK.... DON"T THEY KNOW That this is how socks get lost!!! A little thing. But Lord knows I hate it. I pick up the sock that Most likely belongs to a male person who lives here because Me and everyone else knows I WOULD NOT drop my sock on the floor! Are any of you laughing? Do any of you see yourself in this? Yes the little things can annoy me. But on the other hand......

The strong smell of Coffee. Not the very expensive, so called, best brand but not the cheap chicory beverage stuff either. It's early. Frost still covers the ground. I have ignored them long enough. They will crow and cackle till I come out and break the ice. As I open the door and step out into the cold morning air I breath deeply. I thank God for a new day! I sip the hot black coffee and walk slowly out to the pens. The three Roosters all crow good morning then they try to see who can crow the loudest or maybe they are trying for the longest. I enjoy the show either way. I stop at the first pen and reach into the nest feeling around for a still warm egg. Peg rarely fails to lay first thing in the morning. As my hand closes on the warm brown egg I remember Daddy with his chickens and I also think of his fried eggs. He fried the very best eggs!

After checking the nests on all three pens I put the eggs I have gathered into an old Kitchen pot that I have left atop the first pen just for that purpose... ....Being a very organized person I do things like that.... Besides that pot didn't mean to loose it's handle. I found it a new use and saved it from the land fill.... Also on top of that pen is a big jug for filling the chickens water containers. They love water. They have to have lots and lots of water. I fill the jug and bring each pen fresh water. I love to throw the thick square of ice into their pens and watch them peck it. They will peck at it after it's on the ground and yet they squawk and fuss every morning until it is out of their water. Little things must annoy them too.

After I tend to the needs of my chickens I always sit on the upside down milk crate that awaits me and drink my cup of now half cooled coffee and watch the hens scratch in the dirt and leaves searching in their mindless way for a tasty bug or a fat worm. Sometimes one will unearth a tasty morsel only to have a sister hen snatch it up and run away. Some mornings I sit there and laugh at them. I can only hope that none of the neighbors are watching and wonder what on earth I am laughing at. Or better yet wonder who I am talking to out there by the pens where only chickens live. I do talk to them I thank the hens By saying good job as I gather the eggs. I do fuss at one rooster who's hens seem to be a bit lazy. He cocks his head and listens as if he understands. He usually then runs and jumps on a hen penning her down and pulling on her comb. So maybe he is trying to get them to lay more....

I pull grass for them from between the buckets in my bucket garden. They love the grass and I am getting two jobs done at once. Garden work by cleaning between the buckets and treating my hens with fresh green grass. They love it. I love to watch them with it and I have a clean garden.
Wow I'm about to be impressed with my own self.

I live a very simple life. I rarely leave my house or I guess I should say My Land. I grow a lot of my own food. I love flowers. I grow those too. For many many years my children and yes even my Husband have given me my own flowers for every occasion. When my children were small they would find blooming weeds in the ditch and pick some for me.. I put them in a vase and we sneezed but still enjoyed the blooms. Finally they graduated to picking what ever was blooming in my yard and I loved them. Last week Mason picked me two mayonnaise jars full of daffodils. I smiled as I thought about how many times his Daddy and I picked Daffodils along the cemetery road as we cut through Fuller Park on our tromps around Barnwell. I was pleased to see that he grows some flowers at his home in New Mexico. I offered to help them build their own Bucket garden but they said no.

I love to live a simple life. If I could I would grow all my own food. Dave says I can't have pigs so I guess I won't be growing any bacon or ham. I haven't asked about a cow yet but I thinking maybe if I promise steaks........ He loves watching the chickens as much as I do. Many mornings we drink a whole pot of coffee sitting on milk crates watching them scratch tossing them bits of bread or maybe a raisin. Laughing at their antics. Getting geared up for the day.

We all live in a time now that doesn't fit well with living the simple life. High costs of everything and the rush; rush; rush of the world running by keeps us all so busy and keeps our minds and bodies occupied 26 hours out of every 24 hour day. I hear my children talk about how every second of their day is already planned out for something. For two of them it's drive, school, drive, work, sleep, drive, work, drive.. a never ending cycle. The ones who aren't in school still have the cycle. They just go one less place. They still don't have any time to relax. I worry about our young people. They never have time or never take time to just sit down and drink a cup of coffee and watch the chickens scratch. They are missing so much in their busy lives.

They are missing the songs of the earliest morning birds. The tiny finches that bathe in the chilly saucer of water, splashing his face and then his body as he sings a sweet song. Shaking his feathers dry before flying away only to come back as a quick flash of bright color as he swoops down and snatches a bite of dog food to carry away with him.

They are missing the warm sunshine that shines on the dogs back as he lays upon the soft green grass at midday. Resting for a while. Stretching his muscles before jumping up to chase the rabbit who streaks through the dog yard, Hopping sideways before finally escaping with his cotton tail still with him. They are missing the squirrels who jump from tree to tree and leap across to the roof to fill his jaws with corn from Dave's feeder and then make the dangerous trip back to his home somewhere back there in the top of a pine tree. They are missing the lazy fish that swim in the shallow ponds and streams just hoping for a fat worm or a juicy cricket to fall into their trap. Little do they know when they bite that the trap was set for them and they will be a feast for someone tonight. In short I fear that The younger people are missing the simple things in life. Things that bring great beauty and pleasure to all of our lives if we only take the time to notice them. Our adult children don't have the time.. Life keeps them running in the rat race. Who will show their children?

Today my poem is an older one. It is called Little Things. I am a simple woman. I love the simple life. Today please take the time to enjoy one quiet simple thing. Maybe watch a bird or even stop just long enough to watch the sun set or enjoy a few minutes under a starlit sky. Be thankful for the simplest of things. Enjoy the Little Things in life! Have a great day!
Patsy






Little Things

It's the little things
that bug you
said a wise old man.
like shoes on the floor
and trash in the can.
I love the little things
for them I'd walk a mile
Keep your fancy words
and just give me a smile.
take my hand as
we walk along.
My knees go weak
but my heart beats strong.
Keep your money
and the fancy diamond rings
for all I need are the little things.
I want the sunrises, sunsets
the rainbows too
Midnight, starlight,
I'll gladly share with you.
Hugs, gentle Kisses,
a walk along the sand.
Fire flies Flickering
in a riverbank sky
it's the little things
that get me high
It's the little things that bug me?
No way my friend
I love the little things
I hope they never end
For it's the smiling,
the sharing,
the little things!
They make us friends!

By: Patricia B. Sawyer
2-27-1999










9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can I just tell you that when I stopped to drop a card I saw your smiling, beautiful face and it filled me with joy? Then I read this post and smiled and smiled, then laughed a bit, smiled some more and felt so content. I was never surprised for a second to discover such a heartfelt and beautiful post attached to such a glowing happy face.
I too love the little things, the simple things here on 40 acres of desert scrub. I garden and keep pets and rescue animals, and I would love someday to have chickens and raise a cow and a pig for food. What is a bucket garden? Do you have a post about it?

Sunshine said...

You have out done yourself! This is the best one yet! I will cherish this poem forever and ever! I enjoyed the simple life growing up and you are right...we don't show our kids these things now because we are too busy. Thank you for your post today. I always love to read what you write!

Big Time said...

Okay, it's settled! I'm going to take about a week of vacation time and come sit with you, drink coffee, and watch the chickens. I think that would be a good time. We could sit and talk and just do nothing. Now that is living! I love you Patsy. ;-)

Reuben

Anonymous said...

hi! your blog is very interesting :)
moreover, i am new to this blogging. i like to you to visits my site in your free time ..and give suggestion to improve
if possible add me in your blog roll. i will return my favour!!

Pblacksaw said...

Thornesworld~ I think I did a post on my garden I guess it isn't clear in the pictures that evrerything grows in Containers. Buckets, baskets, Barrels, a tire here and there.. Lol.. My family and friends call it the bucket Jungle.

Sunshine~ thanks, I showed it to my kids too much maybe... they all seem to love the fast life. When I was i New Mexico last I was thrilled that Not only Mason but Maya also were early risers like myself and we shared some great mornings watching the birds in their back yard as the sun rose over the mountains.

BigTime~ come on I have an empty room. Me and you use to spend nights sitting on the bank of Barnwell Lake fishing. I recall one night we never checked the bait. We were too busy talking and laughing. No wonder we didn't catch any catfish huh?

Myjoyz~ I am glad you stopped by here today.You will catch on to the new blogging quickly. I will be aure to check you out.

Have a wonderful day!
Patsy

Pblacksaw said...

Also to those who would like to see pictures of my Bucket Jungle..I did a post on Sunday June 1,2008 called A lazy but peaceful Sunday. The pictures there are of my Gardens and were made on that day.Everyone laughed when I planted string beans in buckets and old coolers.. I laughed myself when I canned 49 quarts of beans to eat this winter! please visit that page as well if you would like to see my gardens.
Patsy

Anonymous said...

Patsy, thank you for visiting Thorne's World, and especially for sharing the post about your bucket garden! It is so lovely! I do a lot of yard art with old "junk", too. I have cactus in an old ringer washer, and am working on planting old coolers and buckets and bbq's. I lost a lot of my container plants due to the hard freezes we have here, but am working at getting them all planted with things that will winter over.I would welcome your visit at myDesert Gardening post! I'm blogrolling you! Feel free to return the link or no as is your Will.
Peace!

Paul Eilers said...

Right now, I'm on the back patio typing this. It's 78 degrees and out little man is running around playing in the backyard.

It is the little things in life, indeed.

Paul

Eat Well. Live Well.
PurpleGreenPops.com

Anonymous said...

Great things emanate from little ones. I live by this mantra. We have a similar disposition in life.