Outdoors Revisited

Yesterday, writing about the sun and breeze and sky, I didn’t exactly lie.

I forgot a few things.

No, I didn’t forget them; I omitted them.

Here’s the rest of the story.

Today as I keystroke, the mosquito bites on my thigh and shoulder still burn and tingle.

I remember of burns of the ant bites when they swarmed from the hill I had unknowingly invaded. Flies and gnats joined in.

Under the July sun, I oozed sweat from my feet to my face—and my eyes burned when it streamed into them.

When Nancy Van Roekel arrived to buy an Amsonia Blue Star, I welcomed the indoor break as I put her payment with my other plant funds. Then I went back outside.

An hour later I wheeled the tools and garden waste away and headed for the shower.

But the irritations of bugs and sweat faded in the light of the peace and goodwill that flooded me..

The rest of the story—the bugs and heat and sweat—is not the end of the story.

Thanks be to God.