View Full Forums : Rediscovering a wonderful thing


Jinjre
08-16-2004, 12:02 AM
Tonight Iagoe and I had a picnic in our front yard. We live on a flag (aka pipestem) lot which means our front yard is more like a backyard in that it's fenced in by 3 other houses and doesn't face a street.

After we had dinner, we laid on our backs on the blanket and just watched the sky. We watched sparrows chasing bugs. We watched the sky darken and the clouds turn pink. Then the bats came out and we watched them fly all around chasing insects while we cheered them on.

At one point, Iagoe said "I want to change the channel" so he flipped around to face the opposite direction.

And we just chatted about nothing in particular. We talked about things we did as kids, stuff that we've done together, a little about politics (very little politics tho). We talked about what we thought the different clouds looked like. We watched the dragon flies. I never even knew we had such HUGE dragon flies because I never looked up. We have some that are probably 4 inches in length.

We made bad jokes, we laid next to each other and said nothing, just watching the sky and looking at how the sun gleams off the tree tops as it sets.

It was absolutely wonderful.

Then I got to thinking that we used to do that years ago. When I was a kid. Before cable tv and computers. We'd just sit outside in the evenings and watch it get dark. I hadn't realized how much I missed that 'quiet time' with nature until tonight.

Our culture seems to get us all in such a hurry. I forgot the sky existed. Tonight I rediscovered the sky and the birds and the bats and the dragonflies and the clouds. And it was glorious.

Next time you're feeling overwhelmed, you should give it a try. Have dinner around 6ish and then just lie back and watch the sky until it's dark.

Wow.

Rahjeir
08-16-2004, 12:16 AM
Aye, I agree.

Since getting a dog, I've spent more time enjoying nice days. The dog was one of the best choices I ever made.

Drake09
08-16-2004, 12:32 AM
:) Thats sweet:-p

I'd add more to the thread, but no need to ruin a good'un!

LauranCoromell
08-16-2004, 01:02 AM
That's great Jingre :). We really should slow down more and just enjoy life and each other, thanks for sharing.

Cantatus
08-16-2004, 02:20 AM
You must live up North. I couldn't lay on my lawn without getting eaten alive by fireants. :(

B_Delacroix
08-16-2004, 08:13 AM
Well, if we had a lawn you wouldn't want to lay on it for more than a few minutes or you'd be a crispy red shriveled raisin of a human being. The forensic team would have to use dental records to identify what they found.

Seriena
08-16-2004, 08:25 AM
haha B_Delacroix

I hear ya Jinjre. I've spent some time outside hiking, kayaking or just hanging out with the dog every day this summer and it's been great. Now the fall/winter is coming though, which is such a bummer! I envy people who live in the south.

Panamah
08-16-2004, 10:41 AM
Sounds like a really nice evening. :)

Cloudien
08-16-2004, 03:13 PM
Cool story :) I think we all sometimes forget that there's a real world out there better than any video game or TV series could ever immitate :)

Chenier
08-16-2004, 03:57 PM
That's awesome. =)

We had fun yesterday - took bf's new truck out to Joshua Tree and drove around. Had a tailgate picnic and was visited by 2 coyote's (sooo neat to see some up close but sad too that they are obviously being fed by humans and have lost their fear of people). Also saw a rabbit with the biggest ears I've ever seen (accidentally woke him up from his nap under a bush when we pulled over to take pictures).

It - was - so - quiet out there....no white noise of computers buzzing. Pretty neat. I think we're gonna go out there again this next weekend. =) Cheap, fun entertainment.

B_Delacroix
08-17-2004, 08:09 AM
That's awesome. =)

We had fun yesterday - took bf's new truck out to Joshua Tree and drove around. Had a tailgate picnic and was visited by 2 coyote's (sooo neat to see some up close but sad too that they are obviously being fed by humans and have lost their fear of people). Also saw a rabbit with the biggest ears I've ever seen (accidentally woke him up from his nap under a bush when we pulled over to take pictures).

What kind of environment is this Joshua Tree in? The coyotes used to run through the arroyo behind my place every night, yipping and hollering. It was funny because the apartment manager was obviously from the east and blamed all the "evidence" on people's pets. Las Cruces has built up some now and the coyotes don't come down out of the mountains anymore.

Rabbits, those giant eared suicidal jack rabbits. They actually jump in front of your car...

Now, all you California people, stay there, don't get any funny ideas about moving here. :)