Summer is ending and fall is beginning. With the changing of seasons come other changes as well.
Most notably, my father-in-law passed away last week. Fortunately, he lived a long and full life, and he didn't suffer long before his passing. But he was a good man, much loved by his family and friends. We all miss him and will hold his memory dear in our hearts for a long time to come.
In quiet moments I find myself pondering mortality, my own and others'. Makes me think about who I am, how I interact with others, how I conduct my life, how to stay healthy and happy. Makes me ponder my priorities. Hopefully this is for the good.
On a happier note, we toured the Southwest in June seeking out birds and butterflies. We were successful on both counts, although the Mexican Chickadee managed to elude us. We were scouting out New Mexico with an eye towards retirement, but what we saw didn't inspire us. A nice place to visit, but we don't see ourselves living there. The trip was sandwiched between visits to parents and my nephew's wedding.
We also took a trip to Peru with a birding tour. We skipped the usual tourist spots and went to the Amazonian lowlands instead. For most of two weeks we were beyond the reach of electricity, phones, roads, and most other trappings of modern life. We had a wonderful time and saw over 200 species of birds we hadn't seen before. I'm not sure I'm a real bird lister, though...
The garden turned out very well, thanks to friends who tended it during our absences. We're now in harvest mode and are eating our produce daily.
Peace,
Terry
8/31/04