March 9, 2017 – A view from the kitchen window

          I made certain that I have a nice view from the kitchen window when I planned my gardens here at this house.  I knew I would be standing there washing pots and pans and dishes for many years to come.  Near the window is a bird feeder that gives us great delight and has an array of birds due to my husband spending the little extra on premium bird seed.

          And the driveway garden right now has King Alfred daffodils in bloom on the slight bank which it the garden view which is directly in front of the kitchen sink in this house.   Those yellow faced daffodils are dancing in the sun.  They miraculously bounced back after the hard freezes this last weekend.  What a delight to see for two reasons: Alfred is my dad’s given name and secondly, my longtime, childhood friend sent the bulbs to me as a house warming gift when I moved to this house. Through valiant care over the years, they have survived and still bloom.

          I noticed this morning the sun glinting in on the cobalt blue cereal bowl as I hand washed it.  I smiled to myself remembering something I said to a friend at church maybe 20 years ago.  She has since moved away, but was a lovely woman.  She was a psychologist who didn’t seem to act like a psychologist when she interacted with you in public.   I remember telling her I got a surprise gift from my Mom of cobalt blue plates that are so pretty to wash because the sun glints into the kitchen sink window and I sort of get lost in thought just washing them with the suds and witnessing the clarity of the blue glass and the way the sun casts a blue shadow.

          She said, “You’ll never need psychotherapy" in a jesting sort of way. Then touching my arm she leaned in and whispered advice, "Never throw those dishes out.”

          And, it happens that in today’s Daily Courier there was an article by Dr. Terry Ledford entitled “Making everyday tasks pleasurable”.  What a coincidence.    He mentions, “ . . . you might enjoy the view from your kitchen window, while washing dishes.”

It is a good read for anyone who seems to be smothered in the everyday tasks that can get you down.   You know, those things on your “to-do” list that you have to do every day.

          I’ll repeat here what Dr. Ledford suggested:

If you have to do them every day, you might as well enjoy them.

Ledford’s website is www.TerryLedford.com