More “Little Things”

Melissa Sandfort

20150712_063500Today Aunt Jeanette writes:

The older I get, the more I appreciate the little things in life…the first tomatoes on my tomato plants, a plant I have been babying all summer finally flowering, someone saying a simple “thanks for doing that”, a rainbow after an unexpected shower, a cloud covering the sun when I am mowing in 95 degree temperatures, an employee (knowing I am extremely busy) taking the initiative to mow for me several times, butterflies sipping nectar from my flowers, finding the road construction has been completed on my trip to visit Mom & Dad, beautiful wildflowers along the roadside, a doe and her spotted fawn standing in belly-deep grass…you get the picture. It doesn’t take much to make me happy!

However, there are some little things I just can’t bring myself to appreciate. Those would be the insects and creepy crawlies of summer. Flies are annoying, mosquitoes drive me crazy, snakes scare the living daylights out of me, and the only good place for a spider is either on its web or on the underside of my shoe.

My Gerbera Daisies were holding a little surprise for me as I was watering early one morning. I thought I saw something move on one of the leaves. I took a closer look and saw a tiny praying mantis. I probably should have shooed it off, but I just couldn’t. Instead I called for Dan to come and look, and we, acting like proud grandparents, both took a picture of it.

A few weeks have passed and I have looked for the praying mantis (now fondly known as “Manny”) every morning when I water. It finally made another appearance this morning. Dan had already left to irrigate so I took a picture and sent it to him.

As I finished watering, I told Manny not to wait so long to make another appearance as he seems to be growing quite rapidly. Yes, the “little things” make my day!

Until we walk again …

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