Clouds and Dirty Feet

For Hannah's Challenge (link at the end).

Watching wildlife and birds is relaxing for me. I like to sit and watch birds and butterflies when it isn't overly hot or windy outside. I examine the blooms of flowers and see how the leaves on bushes and trees float and bend in the breeze, sometimes showing their underside of a different color.

If there are clouds in the sky, I watch them and name the types as I look for faces, shapes, or creatures that the clouds resemble. Sirrus, Cumulous, Stratus; the dark, ominous thunderhead clouds fascinate me. I no longer live in Tornado Alley, so I can safely observe the cloud-o-sphere.

I am thrilled when, on a walk, I find huge rocks or streams that flow freely. A caterpillar may be inching its way on the rock, moss growing on it, tiny tadpoles swimming in a stream, or frogs hiding just below the surface, thinking I don't notice their eyes watching me.

When I was young, I just wanted to be outside playing or lying in the grass and looking at the sky. I felt constricted inside and immediately left the house after breakfast for my summer day of play and exploring. We lay in the grass watching the clouds or rolling down small hills. Frequently those explorations ended in itchy sores from chigger bites. My feet were always bare, and I remember my mother yelling at me, “Andi, don’t you dare get into bed with those filthy feet.” I would look at my soles and be astonished at how dark and dirty they were from my barefoot romps. How did she know the bottom of my feet were black with dirt? I never noticed until she said I had to wash them before climbing under the sheets.

It is always a challenge for me to take the time to enjoy nature when there are stories or poems I can write, and stories of Vocal Creators I can read and support. My priority is quiet time; I get lots of that and am grateful. Yet, my bad, I find myself reading on Vocal instead of diving into a book. I sit for hours on the computer; when I get up, my body is stiff! I need to watch shows I enjoy (maybe with hubby, maybe not), read, and not be on the computer for so long. My fingertips feel worn off many days from "mousing." (If I were fingerprinted, I'm sure the prints would not appear; they are worn off.) I MUST stop in the evening, or I won't sleep. It is understandable how other Creators are taking a break; they need a break. Some days, there is chaos, with writers publishing something every minute. Now, AI enters the equation. Overwhelming to sort through.

So, Hannah, this story includes some of my nature poems for you.

***

Copyright © 6/30/2024 by Andrea O. Corwin

Thanks for reading!! If you liked it, please give it a like ♡ and drop a comment in the conversation.

Hannah's Challenge: