Corn On The Cob

Posted on by Harlon

corn

The sun is shining on Lake Huron and it looks like a sheet of scattered diamonds. I had my first swim of the year in a Great Lake. I swim, I do somersaults in the water, I leap up from the bottom and surface and do a full rotation before re-entering the water. The degree of difficulty on that is high. My starting point, my potential score for the day is set to be a personal best.

And it feels good.

The pain has gone away, I just noticed.

I packed a picnic and found myself a nice little spot, dapples of sun and shade and the sound of aspens trembling.

I read a book. I haven’t read a book in years and I love to read. I am reading a book and then I will read another one. It makes me happy so, well, isn’t it kind of a no-brainer that I will read more often?

I can’t remember who said it to me, but I was young, and I remember someone saying if I had another brain it would be lonely.

Brain, meet Brain (not to be confused with Brian).

Who is lonely now?

It’s quite a steep hike to get up and down to the beach and I push myself. I can feel my heart pounding and I am sweating like a pig. I am not too sure if pigs actually sweat, but I do know that sometimes they are served in little blankets and you can’t make a silk purse out of their ears.

It’s funny the things we humans do and eat and stick in places.  I guess the question is do you want to be the first to try? And I guess the answer is do you want to be the first to succeed or the first to fail. Either way, it makes you a winner.

I pushed myself today.

I wanted to and I needed to.

And I didn’t push back, I swung my arms exuberantly as I scaled the cliff and like a sideways helicopter I reached my elevation.

For dinner I had fresh corn that I stopped to buy at a farm on the way here.  A few slices of fresh tomatoes and some new potatoes. And some ham. That’s another thing you can do with pigs is turn them into ham but I’d rather not think about that.

My father used to say “as happy as a pig in shit” so I will think of happy pigs taking mud baths at the spa. I’ve got my own shit too, and I can be happy.

Seedless watermelons are the best invention of all time, so I cut into that and think maybe I should buy another one and, what’s the fancy expression for it? Yes, infuse it with vodka.

The sun set like a big shiny two dollar coin that was painted red and was slowly being inserted into a slot in the lake. It disappeared and there were birds and animals and trees everywhere as if all that was around me was a vending machine and I had hit the motherload.

Tonight, it will be Scrabble or cribbage and walking after midnight just like the song by Patsy Cline.

The moon is just as amazing as the sun and man can it shine bright. Tonight it has carved out a thick band of white, like a trail from me at the shore off into the horizon. I think the expression Treasure Trail might be some kind of innuendo, but tonight it is the path that I am taking.

From here, to there and back again.

The wind picks up and the water and the trees and me, yes me, all become a bit more alive than we appeared to be a few moments ago, a few weeks ago.

What’s that I hear?

I see it now.

An owl in the tree.

21 thoughts on “Corn On The Cob”

  2. This is the magic of life, Harlon! A frontal assault of exuberant graces interspersed with moments of wondering.. what if I…? Should I…? Yes! Beautiful picture, too…

    Michael

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  4. Lake Huron! Scattered diamonds! Moonlight! You live in such a beautiful place. I’m so happy you are immersing yourself in the healing power of nature. And reading a book, something I want to get back into. I feel like a chipmunk who hiked along side you, watched you enjoy the water, and picked up a corn kernel you dropped on your way home. It was so much fun to experience this with you!

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  5. Oh how I love when you write like this, Harlon 😉 This post made me happy and your words painted the scene for me. I feel like a voyeur peeking into your perfect little snap shot of peace!!

    Keep communing in nature, my friend. And I think perhaps my favorite line was, “the pain has gone away!” Yes that’s a good thing. ..a very good thing ♡♡

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    • Thanks Lorrie, and oh how I love when I feel like writing like this. Funny, I did think of you during the day as we have shared our connection to nature and it’s healing power (yes, the pain has gone away!) so you were a part of this wonderful day and the things and people that I am grateful for. Much love, Harlon

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      • You just made my heart sing and tears flow gently from my eyes 🙂 It is these moments, dear Harlon, and the knowledge that we CAN have them, that allow us to weather the storms knowing that the air is always clearest after one!! Thank you my friend, I cherish you!! 💞

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  6. I love this post. You seem so relaxed and happy inside yourself. It’s funny you said, “not to be confused with Brian,” because the first time through, I read Brain meet Brian. My brain reads weird things sometimes.

    I’ve been away for a while. Just getting back to my mail. Nice to see you, Harlon.
    Peace and corn,
    Mary

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    • Nice to see you again – and thanks for the chuckles, the peace, the corn and your weird brain 🙂
      You are right on with this,- and relaxed is the perfect word for what I was feeling when I wrote this. Nature trumps anxiety every time.

      xo Harlon

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    • Thanks Val, and you and Derrick can sign me up for the keep noticing and being surprised club. I’m glad you referenced that line, as I reflect, that was the best part of the day; noticing and being surprised.
      Hope life is swell in your part of the galaxy.
      Much love, Harlon

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    • Thank you, that’s very nice praise to receive. Funny, I thought you were there…must have been the sun playing tricks on me 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful day yourself with plenty of “moments”. Harlon

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  11. Hoot, hoot… yes, I can hear it too!
    Loved this. I felt as though I was a fly upon the wall of a secret, somehow not meant to hear or read or see this reverie… but, I did, and now I feel comforted… 😉

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