Ruminations from the Temple

As I sat on the deck of our new-to-us home on the Grand Canal in the quaint and a bit touristy town of Ocean Shores, a kingfisher decided to join in my morning reverie. In the distance we could hear the crashing of the waves and the accompaniment of of avian voices chittering, bickering, and announcing the day. The kingfisher and I watched as the swallows swooped and skimmed the surface of the mirror-like water that was broken occasionally by a small fish surfacing to create the most wonderful circular ripples. My companion eyed me warily as I continued to sit quietly enjoying her company and my tea. The smell of my childhood embraced us both - fresh, ocean air filled with salt from the churning water joined with the smell of the lush, green vegetation. It filled my lungs and forced me to remember a simpler, long-ago time. Suddenly, my companion left her comfortable and familiar perch atop the naked flagpole and dove beak-first into the still water creating the most pleasant splas