In the moment...

I much admire people who can and do, "live in the moment."  It is something I strive to do myself, but often struggle with.  The nagging little voices in my head tell me things like, "Oh sure, you may be very happy here enjoying a sunny afternoon and watching your chickens scratch, but you really should be scrubbing the kitchen floor on your hands and knees." The little voice in my head belongs to a cranky bitch.

The last few days I have taken extra care to live in the moment. And I've  liked it.  With the upcoming wedding mere weeks away, my "to do" list is chokingly long, but I put it aside and went to the incomparable Common Ground Fair.  Have you ever seen such stunning carrots? I have not.  I allowed myself time to just stand in admiration of them. They fairly glowed in the morning light.  I also marveled at all the lovely things sold at booths, from sweetly scented soaps to stunning jewelry. I took pleasure in seeing the pretty chickens, turkeys and geese.  I appreciated horses and oxen, sheep and goats and toddlers clinging stickily to their mothers.  We tasted a "pie cone," (pie crust shaped a bit like an ice cream cone, stuffed with rhubarb and strawberry, some cream cheese filling and a blob of whipped cream.)  The sun was unseasonably hot, and we savored it.  After exploring the fair we headed for Belfast and a nice lunch on the water at Nautilus.  My to do list languished. A stiff luncheon cocktail insured I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day, too.

Today Rachel and I had a different list to tackle.  A visit to the florist early this morning to see her dried flower bouquet and head wreath, and give an "ok" to boutonnieres and corsages.

 Then, even though it was our day off, we had a couple of small dogs to groom, and did.

Next, a trip to the chiropractor, then to her hair stylist to get her pre-wedding trim.  Our last stop of the day was to be the jeweler where her wedding ring was to be polished before the vows were shared.  But first, on a whim, Rachel pulled into one of our favorite antique stores.  And there... I found the mother lode!

I have been wanting some storage space for quilts, blankets and such. They had a lovely, old, pine blanket chest which had been altered by adding a new trim board along the bottom and some very interesting legs.  Cheap!  I snapped it up.

 Then there was a wonderful enameled milk jug, with a top that locked with a twist, perfect for a counter top compost holder.  $18.  Next we found a lovely cheese dome, in clear, cobalt blue glass, for $11.  SOLD!  This will be great for the wedding and many party's in the future. I knew it was right when Rachel said, "When you die, I can inherit it."

And then... when I thought we were done, I found this.

A sweet little dining set, painted in butter yellow and pale blue. I have long wanted a snug little table with high backed benches. It would be so COZY.  And here it was.  Just waiting for me.

I walked away. Then I walked back. Then away. Then I measured all its dimensions.

Drove home and measured the spot I wanted it to go.  I decided it would fit and raced back to buy it, arriving moments before the store closed.

Turns out it didn't look right where I thought it might, (in the kitchen,) but it looks pretty darn good in my front room, cozied up by the wood stove.  Chris came home and joined me sitting there, and he thought it was great, too. Which was frosting on the cake of my find.

I lived  in a whole lot of moments today. I enjoyed them all.