Sunday morning after getting my newspapers and breakfast I was heading to a pet sitting job to care for some cats. I take some back roads as they are quiet and I enjoy the farms I pass along the way. As I pulled onto the back road which has three farms on it and connects to the main road I eventually had to get back onto I saw in my rearview mirror the flashing lights of fire trucks. I pulled over in a farm lane and let the fire engine and pump truck pass. I took the time then to look around to see if I could see smoke. Unfortunately I could but I could not really tell where it was coming from as the road twists and turns so much. I crossed a small bridge and climbed the hill to find the road clogged with cars and trucks watching the fire in progress. One of my favorite farmer’s hay and barn was on fire. There were so many people, dare I say idiots, watching the fire from their cars that the fire engines could barely get through to get down the drive to fight the fire. People were driving from surrounding areas to watch, people were outside there cars smoking cigarettes watching the fire. The only thing missing was picnic baskets. I could barely get my little car through the traffic to get to the pets i was caring for, let alone the firefighters and their huge trucks. I felt my anger rising quickly and hotly. My apartment building burnt down four years ago and people came and watched. For days afterwards they made pilgrimages to the building to look at the burnt out hull, they brought their small children and even rode by on the river in boats to look. It infuriated me as my life and three other families were in pieces and people were just looking and gawking. Not one offered to help or even came close enough to talk,they just stood back and pointed like it was a side show instead of it being someone’s home gone. I was so mad at all the people just pulled over watching the farmers building burn, getting in the way of the fire trucks that I had to pull over about two miles up the road and call to talk to a friend. She calmed me down and I set about trying to get my balance back as I had really been looking forward to this Sunday. The firefighters were able to put out the fire and rescue a kitten. The building was mostly lost but all the cows were in the pasture today. I think it may have been a hay barn that caught fire. We have all volunteer fire departments where I live and I am grateful to all the firefighters.

I finally calmed down and got back to driving. I turned on some of my favorite music to drive with and went to care for the cats. We had fun playing and the one cat finally decided I was ok. The other cat loved me from day one. After the cats I went home for half an hour and watched an episode of my favorite comedy. Then I headed back to where I am staying with the dogs. We played fetch. We walked the property. I was able to bird watch-saw great blue herons, cormorants, hummingbirds and mockingbirds. Then we came inside and sat on the screened porch. I love a screened porch. I read the papers, the dogs lay at my feet and we watched the river flow by and listen to the quiet. It was very peaceful. I knew enough not to talk to anyone yet as I was still upset over the fire but I was getting better. Funny after four years seeing the fire and all the people brought back such strong emotions. Later on in the afternoon I headed back home for about two hours. I was treated to some of the planes leaving the Andrews Air Force Base Air Show. A B-17 flew over the house, along with a platoon of helicopters-Blackhawks I think, and some fighter jets. I also watched the solar eclipse on the computer since it was a west coast event. It took me almost all day to feel balanced and alright again.

Today I was treated to lots of baby birds taking some of the first test flights. The dog I was walking was very delicate walking around them as one crash landed at our feet. We saw baby cardinals, baby sparrows and a baby finch.

I hope your Tuesday is wonderful and you are feeling centered and balanced. If not what do you do to bring yourself back to peace?