A Wonder Filled Weekend!

So this weekend was a busy one, where I felt like I had no creative time at all, which would normally leave me feeling a little grumpy. But it was filled with wonderful moments- the kind that make life worth living!

On Saturday I went out to work in the garden and there were Monarch butterflies everywhere!  Turns out they were stopping by to feed on the goldenrod- a weed I have in abundance out in parts of the field. 
I took a video, which I hope you can see here.  It's not great quality, but you can tell how many of them were fluttering around. 




Then yesterday morning, this sight greeted me when I went out on the screen porch to open the windows.  I have waited for years to see this cactus blossom.  It has gotten dozens of buds, but they have always dried up and dropped off before blooming. 

I suspect it is a close cousin to my other night blooming cactus, which is white.  But as the bud grew, I could tell it would be more pink.

The best part is this one lasts more than one night!  It was still there this morning!

I'm working so hard to get the gardens cleaned up before the gardening season ends, hoping to avoid the mess I found last spring.  I know there will be weeds in the spring, since they don't die, and some grow under the snow!  But by cleaning up as much as possible, I can hope the first garden bloom won't be a dandelion!

The flowers are getting leggy and tired, but there is still beauty to be found!


















To cap off the weekend, I saw a bald eagle near the swampy area a few miles from my house yesterday.  It is still such a thrill to see one in real life!

I am grateful for all of the moments that make me stop and realize what a gift it is to be getting older, even with all the aches and uncertainty!