Sunday bonus: glimmer walk
This week I wrote about glimmers—those small things seen or experienced that bring delight, humor, wonder, or joy. So I thought I’d share some of my actual, real-life glimmers with you. The research shows that, when glimmers are shared with others, this secondary experience brings an additional boost of well being.
This makes sense to me. For most of us, as soon as we see something extraordinary, we want to point it out to someone else. We’re hardwired to share goodness.
So, here’s a little photo essay of one of my walks this week. Come along with me (and the dog).
A neighbor planted these flowers where last year it was just bare wood chips. There are nine different types of bulbs to enjoy as they open and bloom. It’s a spring flower parade.
I don’t know what sort of pest is eating this camellia plant, but it looks like a toddler has gone mad with the hole punch and left a trail of open dots behind.
The blossom petals look like tiny, damp sand dollars piled up in the gutter.
I cut through a back alley I’ve never been down and caught sight of this delightful outdoor fireplace. Can’t you just imagine a group of friends gathered around, their laughter floating out over the grass? Thinking about it makes me happy.
It’s magnolia season and the whole town is busting out in bloom. Such a great time of year.
And the very best thing I saw happened too fast to take a photo, but I’ll tell you about it.
As I got to the top of our hill, a motorcycle came around the corner—a big one with wide handlebars and the rider leaning back. I couldn’t see his full face under the helmet, but he looked young.
I did a double take—because there was a splash of color at his chest. What was it?
There, tucked into the battered grey leather jacket of this macho man, was a bouquet of the sweetest pink rosebuds peeking out. The juxtaposition was so unexpected it made me laugh out loud.
I don’t know who the flowers were for, or if they were purchased to brighten up his own home, but the whole thing was just delightful.
Feel free to share any of your glimmers with me in the comments. (Sharing lets you enjoy them twice). I’d love to hear what you’re getting up to.
Happy Sunday,
—Tara ✨✨
Something else to enjoy: my books
On Saturday evening I was walking with my husband and son to get ice cream scoops at our local place (*glimmer*) and along the way, a woman emerged through her garden fence carrying a very young but very large (18-20 lb?) pit bull puppy. She looked embarrassed and explained that she was fostering the puppy and so she wouldn’t be able to carry him around much longer. She further explained, as she set him on the ground, that the puppy was blind and deaf. He was sweet, and goofy, curious, clumsy and floppy in all the best puppy ways, and we marveled at how quickly he’d learned to navigate by smell plus learn the sign language which his foster family used to communicate (they would tap on various parts of his body). Big *glimmer.*
I went to the Texas Quilt Museum last week to see an exhibit of quilts by Libby Lehman. Ms. Lehman was an unbelievably talented machine quilter whose career was cut short by an aneurysm and subsequent stroke. Miraculously she survived, but is no longer able to quilt. While viewing these stunning quilts, I met her sister, also visiting the exhibit. I so thoroughly enjoyed hearing anecdotes about Libby and her process from someone who knows her!