I hit the ground running today to make a quick grocery shopping trip to Meijer. It was a combo car ride and walk event, guaranteed to give the buggy a spin and glean a few walking miles for me as well, before I headed back home to work. The store was abuzz with activity as many of the clerks were putting together Christmas displays. In the holiday décor section, the dregs of Halloween gear had been hastily pushed aside to a corner to make ample room for the Christmas trees and large lawn ornaments. The individual holiday cards were lined up, ready to peruse and it’s not too early to buy a Sponge Bob Square Pants Chia Pet or a beautiful Amaryllis Bulb Starter Kit for the plant lover on your holiday list. As I entered the produce area, which had been laden down with chocolate goodies galore just a handful of days ago, it was as if a witch had taken her mighty broom and swept away all the remnants of Halloween candy – even the bags of Brach’s candy corn (which often linger long after Halloween) had already been snapped up, having been swapped with “reindeer corn”. I saw cartons of candy canes stacked up, holiday M&M Mickeys and Minnies and Santa boots brimming with cashews. I wondered anew where Thanksgiving configures into this bustle to bring forth the holiday season? Maybe it’s too early yet to dwell on the Thanksgiving bird and green bean casserole? The Christmas tree was put up at the Capitol Building in Lansing on Saturday, but the 24/7 holiday music hasn’t begun yet on WNIC. Whew! I thought maybe we flipped that calendar over to December for a minute. While I was musing how the stores usher in the holiday season earlier and earlier every year, my friend and neighbor Marge e-mailed me this picture taken earlier today during a photo expedition to the water’s edge in Wyandotte. “Simply beautiful” I wrote back, then upon closer inspection I couldn’t help but notice “seven swans a swimming”.

Tomorrow I think I’ll trek down to Council Point Park where the pace is slower. I’ll leave you with these words of wisdom:

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.“ – Ralph Waldo Emerson