Molten Delta Sunset
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: #Stillness of Summer

If you reside in the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice arrived on Friday, marking the longest day of the year. I acknowledge my friends in the southern hemisphere as midwinter has arrived!

Is the notion of stillness even possible during the summer? For most of my adult life, summer was constantly go-go-go, with work demands in aquatics and public recreation and leisure, family vacation time and just being outdoors enjoying the sun and long days.

Stillness, our Sunday Stills theme this week, seemed appropriate during this month of June.

These days, I’ve had more opportunities to enjoy stillness as I work from home all summer preparing for Fall classes and writing my next e-book. I have found myself rather isolated, which is OK after all those years of frenetic work schedules and overtime. But in that isolation can I find true stillness?

I’ve never been one to meditate, and I do try to pray and give thanks to God daily, if briefly. But to truly commune in stillness seems so difficult as we are surrounded by constant distractions, noise, media, the urge to “do,” … and the list can be endless.

Next to our campsite at the delta, my husband’s friend longs for peace and stillness. So much so that he built a temporary cabana tent next to his trailer, which closes him off from the very reason to be there, to enjoy the social aspects of camping and windsurfing with friends. I suppose people will go to great lengths to create a sense of stillness.

For some folks, stillness may equal boredom, but it takes a little effort to appreciate the early morning quiet once in a while. If you are a multi-tasker like me, you know what I mean!

“When everything is moving and shifting, the only way to counteract chaos is stillness. When things feel extraordinary, strive for ordinary. When the surface is wavy, dive deeper for quieter waters.”

Kristin Armstrong
Ghostly Cruise Ship
The stillness of a ghostly cruise ship in Hilo Bay, Hawaii

Many of us find stillness in a magnificent sunrise or sunset that marks the beginning or end of our day, a common time to reflect or to meditate and appreciate the beauty of those moments.

Molten Delta Sunset

Lately, I’ve been spending more time in my back yard (thanks to recent foot surgery, which keeps me closer to home). In addition to my little sunflower patch, I’ve created a small garden at the corner of my deck.

From my bedroom office window, I can see the flowers and greenery along with the hummingbird feeder that attracts our resident Allens and Annas. Ironically, as they busily flit around, their very presence a bundle of energy, I find their actions soothing amidst the overall stillness of the setting.

Hummingbird and feeder

Surgery Update

I got my cast this week, which I will have to wear until the end of July. Five more weeks! Because of the pins inserted into the metatarsal to keep the bone from its inevitable subluxation to form another bunion, I cannot bear any weight on the left foot. And here I naively thought I would get a walking cast, but I am getting more adept at using the knee scooter.

Guess what? This gives me more opportunities to search for stillness and continue to stay close to home. What was it that Dorothy said to the Wizard of Oz, “there is no place like home?” I will take this advice to heart and spend the rest of June and July keeping weight off the foot, following the surgeon’s advice and continuing to seek stillness!

“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance.”

Morgan Freeman

Sunday Stills Reminders

  • Please create a new post for the theme.
  • Title your post a little differently than mine.
  • Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post. I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
  • Entries for this theme can be shared all week. Use hashtag #SundayStills for sharing on social media.

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70 comments

  11. Lovely photos. Started my vacation on Thursday this week and still has not been able to sleep past 5.30. 🙂 I need to work on allowing my self to slow down during the vacation and I find that a visit to the Botanical Garden allong with my camera is a good way to relax for a while.

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  14. Love the photo of the golden orange molten bronze water!
    Glad the leg’s getting better and I am sending a package of patience … 😉

    Here’s my contribution. It is not particularly cinematic but I love the atmosphere it encapsulates. A true afternoon in the park.

    Summer Stillness


    Na’ama

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  19. I do hope you will spend this forced down time relaxing and catching up on quieter pursuits such as reading and writing. I am sure it is difficult for you to not be active and that those windsurfers are calling your name. The upside is that you will have time for writing your book and have all of your curriculum ready for fall! I love the hummingbird photo. Notice how he/she looks happy!

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  21. Beautiful photos! I must say, if I were to have surgery and needed a place to recover, the view at your place would definitely be top on my list! Hope your healing is going well!

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    • Thanks, Shelley! I really have zero pain in the foot, which is a relief, since I’ve heard some folks say bunion surgery was a doozey. I do tire easily which is annoying. I’ve learned how to manage holding a cell phone simultaneously using crutches in my yard. 😁

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      • You’re welcome! Glad to hear you’re not in pain. I’ve heard that as well about bunion surgery. LOL – way to pick up a new skill while you’re at it!

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  28. I suppose you need a plaster cast, Terri, as you must wear it all the time. I think the boot one might be more for fractures. Your pictures are beautiful as always and enjoying the stillness is okay for a few weeks during the summer.

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  31. Beautiful photos, Terri! I’m glad you got the cast and are adept at using the knee scooter. You are right, this is the perfect time to appreciate your home and its close surroundings, like your wonderful garden and the hummingbirds. I think stillness and peace have a lot to do with your mental state. Being at peace is fantastic, but hard to do in this busy and hectic world. That’s why I prefer to be out in nature and taking a moment to enjoy this.

    These days, all we’ve been doing is drive, visit friends, and pass through cities. Not much stillness going on, unfortunately! But, we are almost back in New England!

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