What a beautiful day!

In addition to expiating my guilt for not having bicycled for the past two days (it was rainy - honestly), we further lathered the mid-morning ingenuity by afterwards completing a small-scale but requisite grocery shopping. By one o'clock the interfering dictates of existence had been fully exhausted. I took a cooling shower, put on some fresh clothes then directed myself to the garage where my car was parked. I was set to indulge myself in what is undeniably one of my favourite pastimes; viz., an ambling tour to the car wash in Stittsville and afterwards a 4-shot espresso on ice at Neat Café in Burnstown.

Though the day was recognizably brilliant, I had no idea when I began that my unremarkable venture would involve dozens of phenomenal scenes.  I was captivated by stunning views of water lilies on the river, sheep in the dell, cattle under a shady tree, large rolling corn fields and people barbecuing on the shore and swimming in the lake.  Like bicycling, driving affords the luxury of distance and variety - but it comes with the limitation of detail.  Many times I was tempted to stop alongside the road to capture the unsurpassed beauty of the scenes.  But the motion continued; each new advance brought yet another delight.  I flew through the narrow cavern of large leafy trees on the back road from White Lake to Cambell Side Road (which to its credit was newly paved). The only sound apart from the wind which penetrated my open windows and landau roof was the interminable hum of the cicadas. To me that hypnotic sound is nature's signal of August and the looming end of summer.  It is a reminder too to savour the day.  The temperature rose to 26℃; the sky was a dome of blue with fluffy white clouds near the horizon; the air was warm but exceptionally dry. It was Friday on a summer weekend! The verdant fields of produce were at their seasonal best!

Our indulgence of summer's bounty was not limited to looking at the views. Earlier in the day (after leaving the grocery store) we had stopped at a local wayside produce stand where we purchased fresh yellow beans and baby potatoes.  These we enjoyed with dinner this evening.  It is impossible to describe the perfection of the meal! The food was reminiscent of what is commonly called "comfort food"; it met every standard of popular appeal!

Though I forgot to mention my visit to Neat Café it was nonetheless thoroughly pleasant.  The strong espresso had the desired effect - not the least of which was its ice-cold texture.  I sat on the patio at a 2-chaired round metal table. There was a crowd of four or more young people at a nearby table; and while I could hear what they were saying, my absorption in the buzzing atmosphere of the garden effectively eclipsed all else. The drive home through the Village of Pakenham was a charm.  Waba Road is a winding ribbon of smooth surface through sprawling farm properties.

Images such as these promote the utter acceptability of life on any terms. There is no one who - and there is no thing which - can begin to compete with the gratuitous advantage of a beautiful summer day! The peril of mortality is assuaged by the belief that Nature will teach us how to die. Though "man goeth to his long home" I shall not in the meantime allow myself to be less than impressed by the fortuity of Life. To my thinking - as smug as it may be - I want for nothing. Idle thoughts of others momentarily blanket my perception as I drift into sometimes preposterous renditions. But soon I am lured back to the mystery that is my reality, wishing the day would never end!