Back to our regular programming...

Here at small ponderings world headquarters the rule of writing for public consumption tends to be "write what you know, know what you write". Of course, like most rules, I like to push, pull, bend, break and completely ignore it when the mood suits me. Clearly, we've recently encountered such a mood. And the result can be quite a cacophony of words, ideas and principles, stirred together in a bubbly stew that I suppose raises eyebrows or elicits shakes of the readers head. As well it should; I'm not so certain I'm very proficient at communicating Big Ideas. If I was, the title of my spot in the Blog-o-sphere would probably be something like "Lengthy Ruminations on Very Large and Important Topics". But so many people do that so much better, and with actual basis in experience and knowledge; when it comes down to it, I'm just a guy thinking about a wide range of stuff, and knowing very little. I know the limits of my abilities and talents, but I still like to wander past the "do not enter" sign occasionally and take a peek behind the curtain. Who knows, maybe some crazy idea I might toss out in ignorance might actually spark a productive result some day.

Anyways, this afternoon we return to things I do know about...for instance:

-The way the fog in the holler looks when I stand up on the knoll in the brilliant early morning sun, the light scent of woodsmoke in the air and trees glittering golden down below
-my most excellent recently purchased at an extremely reasonable (read cheap) priced waterproof shoes, perfect for walking in the morning frost and dew, and which will come in handy when the fall rains start
-the third in a recent series of wonderful books I'm reading in the mornings, some of which I must review here when I can focus
-eagerly anticipating my annual fall and winter reading binge of old asian nature based poets
-downloaded radio pieces I listen to on my trusty iPod while driving to work
-the way my favorite knitted scarf (baby blanket soft, made by my sweetie) feels when I wrap it on in the morning
- the outrageously good butternut squash chipolte soup that Chad made at lunch today
- the slant of the late fall sun that has just a little warmth left in it as it creeps towards the west ridge
- freshly dug new sweet potatoes baking in the oven for supper tonight
- a quick nap which restores my stuffy headache-y self because I'm going back up to work tonight
- wireless high speed internet, even here in the high hills, and my trusty old laptop I use for blogging
- walking the 1/2 mile down the mountain to the mailbox and finding not one, not two, but 3 netflix movies which means entertainment for the weekend
- reading favorite blogs at the end of the day, and seeing what is going on with my ether-friends from far away
- ending the day by collapsing into bed buried beneath our old yard sale down comforter and heavy quilt, and falling asleep until the early morning, surrounded by snuggly canines and and felines

These are all little things and maybe not very important in the grand scheme, but they are what makes my life worth living. It is the good stuff that brings balance to all the not so great things happening in the world. And buoyed by these things, maybe occasionally I can think about Very Important Issues and lend a comment or two and maybe by some miracle contribute to making the world a better place.

And now the sun has just dropped below the ridge, and Lucy is patiently waiting beside me for a walk in the twilight. So it's off I go but not before I leave you with this wish:

I hope you find a bunch of small little things of your own every day that make you smile and gives you hope and softens the sharp edges of life.

Off to walk and ponder...have a great evening!