Day 7

Another porch sit after the kids went to bed.  Looking forward to having some free time during the day tomorrow to go to my sit spot.  It's too far from the house (five minute walk) to go while the kids are sleeping.

Crickets, cars, airplane, my phone buzzing with occasional messages.  Very few mosquitoes thanks to the delicious cool air.

Good dark sky, dusting of clouds with clear stars showing through.  Lyra still very bright.  Two more nights before the Perseid (not Geminid - whoops) meteor showers!  Planning to wake the kids up once it's dark enough to see them, so they can take in the thrilling sight of shooting stars!

After this past we ek of sitting daily and struggling to slow my mind down, tonight I fell almost instantly into quietness and deep relaxation as soon as I sat down on the deck.  I think my mind and body have been waiting to see if this quiet time was going to stick around, and are finally seeing that it will, that they can trust in it.

No photos from my sit tonight, but here are some gratuitous ones of my son's latest pet: a Mourning Cloak Butterfly caterpillar.  We found it two days ago when it was "going walkies," as the linked article so comically puts it.  My boy has been dedicated to his various caterpillar visitors this summer, feeding them regularly and giving them lots of "play time" on his hands.

This is a current photo of the same caterpillar, preparing to pupate in a large terrarium on our porch.  Mourning Cloaks go into the same "J" position as monarchs do before shedding their skin and emerging in their funky, spiky chrysalis.  I'll keep you posted!