Thursday, July 25, 2013

I didn't even know I was looking


I think it might have been just about forever since I’ve taken a minute to write, well here anyway.  I’ve spent the last two years writing the newsletter for the Aggie mom’s club in San Antonio. This year I passed the torch and will enjoy being a mom of a beautiful Aggie senior.  So back to writing about things not just maroon…..lol.



My daughter is interning at the zoo this summer (and working full time and taking online classes....whew) so I bought a zoo pass, which gets you in at 7:30 am.  Now that involves having to get up before the sun, but it has been well worth it.  She is working in the Hixon Bird Center, of course all the way in the very back corner of the zoo, so it’s a nice walk, in the heat, with the five pound camera, bag, flash….no – it’s still worth it!! The Hixon center’s rounded walls and air condition make it the perfect stop to cool off and get some great pictures.  The first time this summer that I went there, I sat on the bench for about an hour watching the birds live in their indoor oasis.  The middle of the center has all kinds of birds living in the tree under the massive skylight.  The perimeter of the building has glass enclosures for other, larger birds.  Being so early in the morning, no other patrons were around. I was able to sit and watch the birds as they went about their business in this little bird city.  


The tiny tiny little red bird kept posing for me and the brand new baby didn’t even stand as high as the lowest part of the “Do not feed the birds” sign.  I found such joy in photographing the birds. I didn’t even know I was looking for joy.



I did this for a couple of weekends, yes, sleepy eyed and all….but leaving the zoo at nine when the long line is forming outside to come in, paid for itself.  This last weekend, we went to the Japanese Tea Gardens, just outside the zoo.  I was amazed at how green the place breathed.  I anticipated more flowers, but we are in the 100’s here, much to hot for anything to grow but cactus.  While walking the gardens for the first time since, well, maybe, yes, since the sky rides used to land in there, perhaps even in black and white…..lol….the most beautiful orange flower popped out at me.  I had never seen anything so beautiful, so dainty, with green shoots draping from its delicate vine. 

I figured this plant was imported perhaps to give the gardens some accuracy. By nine in the morning it was breeching 100 degrees of hot, or so it felt, so we left.  I still am having great difficulty regulating heat. 

So the weekend flies by like it always promises to do, while the work week drags on just because it can, and I drive in to work the same roads I have traveled for the last eleven years. I come to a stop light in the Monte Vista area, the very same light that has stopped me when I am running just on time every morning, and I glance to the left and this beautiful orange color catches my eye. With eyebrows raised (I can do that again without painting them in!) I am stunned to see the very flower, green shoot draping plant as in the garden.  Wow, I think to myself, they imported the flower too. I continue the five more blocks to work and see the plant over and over and over and begin to giggle thinking the only imported thing must be my brain!  These wondrous plants have been in my very path all these years.  I only had to look for them.




On the way home that day, as I catch sight of the same plant over and over, I smile and think to myself we only need to look for things.  

Seek and you shall find. 
Make sure you never stop looking as the rewards are glorious. 

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