Walking

Henry David Thoreau wrote about walking as if it were a gift. He traces it back to the time of the Sainte-Terrer, or Saunterer,or one who walks to the Holy Land...
He also concedes that humans are part of nature's make up, not merely citizens...saunterers, with or without a home, can feel at home anywhere that nature can provide a "home". We are at home everywhere, or so we should be.
No, I am not suggesting we all become vagrants or saunterers...I am suggesting the art of walking.

My fiance' and I took our first walk of the season the other night. The weather was still cool, and the night wind was here and there, and the sun was lowering itself into the earth's horizon. I couldn't help but murmer how much I had missed the outdoors throughout our entire 3 mile walk. I felt like I was in awe of the trip, I had truly missed the feeling that walking gives me.

Walking makes me feel relieved of (some) stress, hopeful when I see new things nature has to offer the island, excited to view deer running across the grassy yards near the river while the sun is still in view through the branches of the spring trees. The ice floats making there way southward toward the lake is a sight to behold. A secret it keeps that spring is soon to appear, but not as fast as we want it. Water foul gaining in numbers at the river's edge, enough to hear their call at dusk and dawn.

I heard a ferry's horn blowing this morning- what a great noise. It immediately made me yearn for lake time with the one's I love to be with. Water is a cure for what ailes me at times...it also replenishes senses that need to be awakened once again, absent from the long indoors of winter.

Thoreau's words complete my own thoughts as I walk like the saunterer he describes in his works entitled, "Walking".

"So we saunter toward the Holy Land, till one day the sun shall shine more brightly than ever he has done, shall perchance shine into our minds and hearts, and light up our whole lives with a great awakening light, as warm and golden as on a bankside in autumn."

Time for Tea-
E-

Twenty Wishes?

I just read a Debbie Macomber book called "Twenty Wishes". It is an offshoot of a trilogy called the "Blossom Street" series. I loved the books because they were set in Seattle, Washington which is one of my favorite places to visit, plus, the characters are warm and wonderful. In the series, there are many women from the neighborhood of Blossom Street who come together for various reasons and learn to knit at "A Good Yarn" on Blossom Street. They meet and freindships bloom and stories move on...

In the "Twenty Wishes" book, the main character, Anne Marie meets with other widows (young and old) on Valentines Day, who happen to all be friends through the knitting classes, and they decide to make a list of twenty wishes that they want to achieve in their life. They all have many wishes, some are to fall in love again, some are to do odd things that no one ever expected, and some are dreams of travel or buying something.

I think about what they have on their wish list, and I think of the wishes I have had, or have now...
I fell in love again, and am still in love with the most wonderful man I have ever met, I still have my wonderful teaching job of 22 years, my own kids are growing and one is off to college next fall, the other to his first year in high school.
I get to garden every spring and summer. I am learning all the crochet stitches, and am on my 3rd and 4th project!
I get to walk in beautiful surroundings every morning or evening when the weather is nice. I have great books to read, and am working on writing my own book-
And...I am also getting a business plan together for a Tea Catering company. I am very excited about the prospect of one day making a go at this. I have a great passion for tea, as you well know if you have followed my blog at all or hit it now and then.
Tonight I plan on working on the menus I will offer. I have already made lists of baking supplies I may need, and will make another list or 5 for other needed items for table and serving.
I think this last item it the wish I am most afraid of-but it is a wish all the same.

Like the women in the novel, I plan to make a go of a wish, and see where it takes me. I feel very blessed to have the person I love backing up my ideas, and giving support and suggestions that can only help me in whatever I do.
Thank you hon- you are my T (in Tea)...

With tea on the brain-
Time for tea!
E-