Odd, the things that one does, and doesn’t, expect in the course of daily life. So seldom do the actual happenings of that life match up exactly with the expectations. I find that, quite often, the mismatches work in my favor; life is almost always so much better and more colorful than I expect it to be.

Earlier this week, I was admiring the red yucca out in front of our house that had its first blooming season this year, and it presented me with a couple of pods simply crammed with ripe seeds. I’d no idea that those plants could be grown from seed, but apparently—albeit very, very slowly—it’s true. Maybe I’ll just have to give it a try, to reward the plant for being so effusive in its performance at such a tender age. If plants have feelings, the yucca deserves a cheery surprise, too.

Yesterday at supper, my husband looked out the window and saw a tiny bit of movement at the far end of the backyard.

It was a different garden worker than the man who usually comes by with his crew to care for our lawn. A sweet, long-eared wild grass trimmer happily snipping away at the greenery without a seeming care in the world other than to pop up from time to time to listen more closely to the birds whistling overhead. So I did that, too, all the while checking to see if that little creature was still doing such dedicated gardening. Too charming to let the time pass without giving him full respect.

Today was no different in being, well, different.

After dropping off my spouse at work for a longish day of auditions, I headed out to do some much-needed shopping to replenish the larder. As I got into my car between stops, I looked across a vast suburban parking lot to see this uniquely Texan vision: an equine parade streaming down the road between lot sections to the main street, one mounted cowboy in the lead pausing to signal the automotive traffic out there to slow down so the stagecoach could pass through. All very matter-of-fact and unhurried, yet not quite what I would have assumed was about to happen as I went about my grocery rounds for the day.

Nor was the sequel anything I would have imagined until it happened. I finished the last grocery stop at a store across town from home and was loading the car when a lady asked me for directions. I believe it’s as obvious to all of you as to everyone who has ever spent time in my real-world company that I am possibly the worst person to be giving any other person directions from anywhere to anywhere else. But the place she wanted to go turned out to be pretty much around the corner from my neighborhood, and during our short conversation, I found her engaging and interesting.

Life is always bringing me surprise bouquets…

Rather than try to tell her how to get there, I just told her I was heading her way and she should follow me. She got that. I liked her right away. So I said, Come on by my place for a glass of iced tea or sparkling water, and then I’ll explain the short remaining route to your destination. And so she did, and we did, and I did. I had no inkling, when I got up this morning, that I’d watch a stagecoach pass by in the middle of my shopping, let alone that I’d meet an interesting person who, as it transpired, has all sorts of intriguing life history and shared interests, along with a whole lot of new stories and ideas to interest and inspire me. It was certainly an amazing day.

I wonder what’ll happen tomorrow!

If nothing else interesting arises, maybe I’ll have to go over and see if I can catch the stagecoach somewhere…