pets

Bruised Bananas and Sweet Memories

As you probably know, I recently lost my beloved pet, Gypsy. And I am starting to move from the every time I think about her I tear up stage to the what a joy she was to have stage. Today I had a good laugh, and handful of yuck, when I absentmindedly gave Petey, our youngest “fur child”, a piece of bruised banana. 

Gypsy always loved fresh (or dried) fruit and vegetables; we had a hard time keeping tomatoes on the vine as she loved those the best. But she also liked many other fruits and vegetables, including the dark, bruised spots on my bananas; for some reason I can’t bring myself to eat that part. These spots never went to waste though as she would always be patiently awaiting her portion daily. 

Out of habit, I gave my bruised spot to Petey, forgetting that he doesn’t like bananas, bruised or not! It was an icky mess, of my own making in a way, I was treated to a few minutes later. But a good out-loud chuckle, too, remembering how much she enjoyed those bananas. 

I do not like bruised 
blackened spots on bananas
Gypsy loved them though 

Family collage

What is Bliss?

Bliss, not a word that I use particularly often. What is bliss? Well, I reckon it depends on who’s answering the question. According to the dictionary bliss is:

noun
1.
supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment:
wedded bliss.
2.
Theology. the joy of heaven.
3.
heaven; paradise:
the road to eternal bliss.
4.
Archaic. a cause of great joy or happiness.

A cursory search for #bliss on Twitter turned up many different ideas by many different folks, such as these:

And that is only a few examples.

Christmas Day 2014

Family photo from Christmas Day 2014

Family collage

A collage of the family.

To be honest, I don’t think I have really ever thought about it before now. There are several things that come to mind and almost all of them involve my family. There’s no doubt that some of my happiest memories/occasions occur with/around them.

Then there are our “fur kids”, whose company brings me a lot of joy and company. And also a good number of laughs – and sloppy dog-kisses!

Our fur kids

Clockwise from top left- Gypsy, Jack, Petey, and Morkie, who’s crossed the Rainbow Bridge now.

But let me be honest, no matter how much I love and enjoy my family, furry and non-furry alike, there are times when they cause angst, interruption, and general chaos. And if you don’t ever feel similarly some times you’re either a much better person than I am – or a fibber! LOL

After considering the given definition and the varied posts and tweets I saw I am all the more affirmed in my theory that the answer is very relative. However it doesn’t answer the question “What is bliss to me?”  I think my answer would have to be the me time I get.

Haiku photo collage

A few of the haiga you’ll find on the blog.

Several mornings a week a wake to an (almost) empty house; the dogs and I don’t work or go to school. 🙂  It’s on these mornings I have my time, time of reflection, time of meditation, time of, well, bliss I reckon. Weather permitting, I’ll load up a pipe, brew a fresh cup of coffee, and head outside to our covered deck. Here I enjoy my pipe, my coffee, and the sights and sounds of Creation. This is the time I connect with God, in prayer and meditation and through the study of His Word. It is also the time when I write, edit, or come up with ideas for writing, be it poems, haiku, lessons. etcetera, this is when most of it happens.These precious hours, filled with quiet contemplation, just me and the Lord, this is my bliss.

My pipe, coffee, and writing; a blissfill morning

My idea of bliss: quiet time with my pipe, coffee, and God.