If nothing else today,  I was kind to the birds. I refilled their feeders and the bird bath.  I watered the front and back flower beds and even remembered to turn the water off afterward, so as to avoid what happened last week when I left the hose on the artichoke plant so long that it filled up the pot and overflowed through the deck to the ground below.  It’s a tricky spigot and I thought it was turned off. Nope. It just dripped for a day or so before I looked outside and noticed a lovely reflection in the artichoke’s pot, which had been transformed into a mini-pond.  Surprisingly, the artichoke plant seems no worse for its soaking. It actually looks healthier than ever. I think there must be a lesson there,  some kind of unexpected grace.

If nothing else today, I went outside. I went for a run before it got hot.  I made sure that happened before I got tangled up in the chores of the day. I then did a load of laundry and took my son to his friend’s house for a swim party, his last hurrah before school starts tomorrow. I checked the oil in my daughter’s car and added a quart and filled up her gas tank. I mailed the check for the dog’s license renewal. I recycled a load of cardboard at the recycling place. Before I left there, I grabbed a stack of newspapers and clean boxes and then headed to my Mom’s where I wrapped up the last of her glassware.  I am numb now to this wrapping. So many of her treasures, so much left unsold after the estate and garage sale. The kind organizers of our annual community yard sale have agreed to come with trucks to my Mom’s this Sunday to load up some of what remains for their big Labor Day weekend sales event. All proceeds benefit our little town’s historic school house. I think my Mom would approve. I hope so, anyway.

If nothing else today, I showed up here. I wrote some words and shared them, all on the same day. I almost never do that.

It is the last night of summer. It was a beautiful day.