Bach's Cello Suites and a Lipstick Sunset

Yesterday morning, I found myself sitting on a lounge chair at a cottage not too far from my home. The sun was brilliantly shining, a nice breeze kept the temperature just perfect. In front of me was a fallow field with wisps of tall grass shooting out of the brush weeds.........little purple flowers spreading through it. Behind me, others talking quietly over coffee, and deep resonating cello music playing in the background.

I sipped my tea, enjoyed the soughing sound of the wind rustling the leaves, felt the warm rays.

I watched a Monarch touch down on the bushy part of a hay stem that seemed to be dancing in the wind. The butterfly balanced itself by knowing when to flap it's wings. It remained perched on the same stem, flapping occasionally, allowing the breeze to be a part of the balance, until it was time to move onto another stem a couple of minutes later. All done to the soundtrack of Bach.

Later that morning, we portaged the canoe down to the shore of the lake. My son and I went out for a paddle, talking and sharing alone time while I gave him a lesson on how to paddle, while he asked me questions that ranged from the depth of the lake to the type of fish in the water to who I thought was my favourite Toronto Blue Jay player and did I think they would make it into the Hall of Fame. Typical kind of conversation I have with my always curious son. His lessons to me are always more interesting than mine.

Then, it was my turn to paddle solo. Knealing on the bow seat facing the stern, I paddled the canoe close to the shore away from the gusts of wind experimenting with various strokes, as I balanced the gunnel along the surface of the water..........perching myself in a position that allowed me to move the canoe along effectively. Balancing..............knowing when to flap my own wings.............and how to lean into the wind, with the canoe. As soon as I got far enough out, away from the beach I floated randomly listening to the sounds of nature around me and the faint voices from the beach. Nirvana.

Late afternoon, a dip in the water where I stood for a long time.............water to my waist, eyes closed, feeling content to soak up the rays of a summer day..................


Dinner with family and friends, rapturing about the day of sun, water, fresh breezes........acknowledged gratitude of how lucky we are to be living in such a beautiful part of the world............acknowledge gratitude of how blessed we are to be able to appreciate it together. As the sun began to set, tiny bats began to appear in the sky, crossing in front of the sillouetted trees. My son and I decided to check out the pathway to the lake to see if there were more bats flitting along the way. As we approached an opening of the trees that seemed to frame the lipstick sunset across the lake, several little bats swooped in front of the vista. Catching the winds,.................quickly fluttering by, balanced by their own flap of their wings.

Darkness brought a moon that was almost full, glowing so brightly in the sky that one didn't need a flashlight, and millions of stars that were so abundant they seemed to touch each other. John Hiatt was playing on the stereo in the background, kids were settling in the for the night, adults venturing off to play cards. Me? I decided to remain outside facing the fallow field where the monarch had entertained me with it's balancing act, feeling grateful for such a bountiful day while balancing a glass of wine. Yes, it was a day that one only dreams of during the deep freeze of February. It lived up to my expectations and beyond.............

"There's a lipstick sunset
Smeared across the August sky
There's a bitter sweet perfume
Hanging in the fields
The creek is running high

And I left my lover waiting
In the dawn somewhere to wonder why
By the end of the day
All her sweet dreams would fade
To a lipstick sunset

Well, a radio was playing
And that ol' summer heat was on the rise
I just had to get away
Before some sad old song
Brought tears to my eyes

And Lord I couldn't tell her
That her love was only killing me
By the end of the day
All her sweet dreams would fade
To a lipstick sunset

Well it's pretty as a picture baby
Red and blushing just before the night
Maybe love's like that for me
Maybe I can only see
As you take away the light

So hold me in the darkness
We can dream about the cool twilight
'Til the dawning of the day
When I make my getaway
To a lipstick sunset

There will come another day
When I make my getaway
To a lipstick sunset

There will come another day
Then I'll make my getaway
To a lipstick sunset"

John Hiatt