So August is coming to an end and I sit and wonder where the hell summer went. Golden as it has been summers go so fast here in the Pacific Northwest. So short they are, hell they are shorter then me. So whats a girl to do with the approaching fall. I love the fall in reality. Pumpkin patches, brilliant color shows with the leaves changing, there is a smell that gets in the air. I have been on the lookout for changing colors on the trees but yet to notice. I love this picture- foxglove in the field of gold. It was a beautiful afternoon when I took this picture-just out walking. I sat down watching the wheat move gently in the afternoon breeze. It is where I have learn to cultivate patience- behind the lense of my camera. It is my get away time-away from the rest of the world, where I can hide and no one see or hears the endless banter going on in my head. I heard someone say a couple of weeks ago there is not much space between our minds and our mouths and so many times during the day it is so apperant how true that is. Much less room then between these two foxgloves-but on that day there was no one to share that beauty with. I wonder how many people walked past those two same flowers and saw what I did.
Live daringly today I will and look to see the beauty that surrounds me in words unspoken.

Day at the Lake

It was suppose to be 90 degrees today.Hot for Seattle. What's a girl and her dog to do-gather up the lounge chair,the beach sheet bottle of water and a book to not read and make my way to Lake Washington. It's been a tough week I must tell you. I haven't been working for the last couple of weeks and I have been going crazy. I don't understand how people can sit in their apathetic states and consciously not work. It is making me crazy. Anyway I don't want to make this about the lazy state of our nation- but I decided to if I were going to be depressed I would not do it in the sauna of my little house. So off we went. It was nice down at the lake and no I will not disclose where it is because it is still relatively unknown. But I got down there and there was no one there...an auspicious start to my stress free day. So Rebos of course went right for the water which I was right behind her. Immediately she spotted the log buried in the water with it's stick fetching branches sticking out. Now I know my dog child after nine years and the part I admire about her is her tenacity- when this dog sets her mind to something and in this case it was wanting that stick fetching branch she was not going to let it go. So I watched her time and time again go after this branch, sometimes biting small parts of it but not getting the whole thing, yet she didn't give up. Eventually I had to pull her off and leash her up but she would keep watching it, I know waiting until she could get back in the water to give it another try.
One of the things in my sober life today is that I get to observe these character traits whether in people or in this case my dog and think "self-you to can do that". I left thinking yesterday that if my dog can go after what she wants time and time again until she succeeds then why can't I? And here is the cosmic ha-ha she never got the stick out of the water, but I haven't seen her so happy, nor sleep any better and if I know my dog should I go back to the lake today, tomorrow or somewhere down the road- if that branch is still sticking out of the water she will try again.

Just a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Just a beautiful day in the neighborhood...won't you be my neighbor. I love my neighborhood, especially this time of the year. Once again I am acutely aware of summer's slow exit fading into what will soon be autumn. But I am getting ahead of myself. Stay in the moment, be the moment, enjoy the moment. I love walking my neighborhood in all its beautiful diversity. I live out by the airport so as I walk it is not uncommon for large planes to make their way over me as they prepare to land. Close enough are they that I can almost see the people staring down, wondering what that tiny speck on the ground is doing. If they were to ask I would tell them "I am taking a picture of these beautiful lilies". The fragrance of these beautiful flowers greet me as I approach them with the wonder of a 5 year old. Searching the water drops as they rivet down slowly on their deep green leaves and deep purple and luscious pink petals. The fragrance only serves to remind me how beautiful life is even on a busy street. That one only has to open their eyes to appreciate that which we pass by- day after day without ever noticing in this blur called life. And for how long will I retain this lily's beautiful smell as a car blasts by me, spewing exhaust into my inner circle reminding me that I to sometimes choose to drive, therefore missing the small water drops that fell with the early mornings rain.
Alright enough with the flower dribble...by the way this photo of the lily although taken with the cellphone was taken into photoshop and given some depth. I may walk back up later and ask the owner of this beautiful garden if I may take pictures of their beautiful flowers.
So onto the Olympics...did anybody else catch the opening ceremony last night. Spectacular! Go China go...I just finish watching or rather listened to the fencing bout...I never realized that someone could be so excited by winning their fencing match. I mean how does happen? One day many years ago a little girl sitting there,whomping on her baby brother with a willow switch when it occurs to her that some day when she grows up she too could be a famous fencer. I don't know-I guess some things still baffle my very small brain.
One other thing I am going to be a happy granma... my Blue Hondurans laid eggs...more to follow

Sunset in West Seattle

So here I sit around a fire built,but not yet lit, except for the fiery glow cast from the setting sun off in the distance. Alone in my thoughts while being present in the moment-conscious of others sitting around me and people passing by alone in their thoughts. Except for the young couple behind me making out passionately lost in their own sunset.
It is beautiful tonight, the kind of summer night one experiences living in Seattle. As the sun goes down for the night and a refreshing chill settles in, one is reminded that these summer meetings are coming to a close soon and the fellowship I seek in these meetings will soon have to be found elsewhere- other rooms, other cities and suburbs. What an amazing gift this life provides today to sit and be one with the artist who created this beautiful sunset. To see the colors, the light and shadows that fall on the Olympic Range, to watch the passing ships between the islands and the city ferrying people back and forth between their destinations. I wonder if they see the same thing I do?Does it matter what they see? I suppose not- perhaps the fact for a brief moment we all see what we want to see. As I sit and talk to my companion I wonder what he sees, but I don't bother to ask. He is seemingly lost in his own thoughts. And I return to my own thoughts...