A Plain Day with Extravagant Expectations

Most of my day today will be spent toward tomorrow’s expectations.  I have family arriving tomorrow.  I don’t get to say that nearly enough.  It seems two generations of time has transformed a large family into a small family.  But small, like large, isn’t good or bad.  It just is.  I’m especially fond of my family--except for the fact that most of their lives are spent a distance away.  Any day I get to spend with family is an extravagant day.

Today will mostly be a plain day.  Today is about preparations.  A vegetable stew is in the crock pot.  Laundry is in the wash.  And a bit of cleaning will come about later today.  But I’ll still spend part of this afternoon in the field.  Mother Nature deserves daily attention. And She is never plain.

But a plain day, like an extravagant one, can be good or bad. It’s what I do with each day, and how I feel about my life on that particular day, that seems to make it a good one or a bad one.  My parents instilled in me the belief that any day spent with family is a good one.  That belief seems so very obvious after a half century of living.  And so when I do good things, in the presence of family, I’ve leap frogged from good to wonderfully extravagant. 

But I find complement in plainness.  And I probably need more plain days than most.  They fit my personality, not to mention my looks.  Perhaps that is why the Orange-crowned Warbler is one of my favorite feathered friends.  Field guides distinguish it from other warblers by its plainness.  I distinguish it by its cheerful and fluid movement as it gleans its day’s daily bread. 

Both the plainly and the extravagantly-costumed species of Aves can cause me to catch my breath—simply by watching as they go about their daily lives.  When left to themselves, they seem to spend their days with somewhat healthy habits.  Watching them reminds me…

Morning stretches and yoga positions add balance to life:

Daily intake of fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals:

Good hygiene and grooming are more important than fine clothes, jewelry and face paint:

When feeling stagnated by routine, taking the plunge and trying something new can be refreshing:

And when our lives include extravagant expectations, most especially with family and friends that give us community and love, there is no such thing as a plain looking warbler: