Mindful Writing Challenge 2013~Week 4

January 22nd, 2013

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King Tut, once a roly-poly pup

now an elderly statesman

But wait!!

The Mambo King returns

gyrating madly with joy,

channeling his inner pup

January 23^rd, 2013

String of Karma Flags

 dancing in the breeze

prayers lifting from their colored flanks

carrying peace and blessings on the wind.

~
Thursday, January 24^th, 2013

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Fat cat on tabletop, staring defiantly.

I ask “Why are you there,

you know it's forbidden, right?”

Henry

~

No matter that I've told him thrice “Don't do that!”

There he is again, the fat cat on the mat.

Staring ,slightly irritated, deep into my mug

I address him rather sharply and he barely looks up.

Then to really let me know he doesn't care a bit,

he lifts his paw up languidly and gives a casual lick.

~

He arrived here many years ago, a slim and rangy stray

But now he rules our house with ease, growing larger each day.

He's taken over everything, our table and our bed,

we're lucky if he leaves a space for us to lay our head.

He sleeps all day and stomps all night, throughout the quiet house

The other cats are then asleep and he's Lord of the House.

That said, we do love him, that damned, rebellious cat. 

~
3^rd stone of the day

Angry words created churning waves and dark currents,

May kindness and patience smooth all.

Allowing clearing waters to once again reflect goodness,

taking us back to our path of being mindful and true

January 25th, 2013

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The delicate taste and fragrant wisps, which arise from my cup,

bring back memories of a day spend at the foot of Mt. Shasta

Majestic, magic mountain, towering over the small town which lies just below it's snowy flanks.

New Age shops, Crystal Emporiums & Bookstores crowd the small Main Street.

There, the tea shop at last, a treasure drove of fragrant brews.

Each time we discover anew the joys of real tea.

Not from a cardboard box filled with dangly bags, but row upon row of large tins

full of mysterious leaved treasures, which brew to rich perfection in our pot.

This time Citrus Sunrise, with a fragrance so rich, a taste so bright

it nudges aside the gloomy, cold day which blankets the valley.

A sip and serenity settles on my shoulders like a comforting shawl. 
~

January 26^th, 2013

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Foggy, damp morning birds are waiting

~

Gilded ruffles kissed by setting sun

Shrill bird chatter... sparrows roost

January 27^th, 2013

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Moonlight Walk

~

Walking the property

Magic, dark velvet night

Full moon hangs in the sky

rainbow aura around it

first suspended in a bare oak

then in the arms of a pine,

suddenly swallowed whole by clouds

then appearing once again~ serene and mesmerizing.

Just before the land falls gently, I can hear the creek tumbling over the rocks

and there, can you hear them?

First peepers of the year, singing along the banks,

echoing throughout the canyon.

Is this magic? Am I this blessed to be inhabiting a bit of heaven?

January 28th, 2013
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Winter bare branches, bird nests revealed

Vacant homes, occupants gone south

Waiting for seasons to turn

January 29^th, 2013

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Einstein...............what genius, yet so human

His warm soul right there in his eyes,

Like a wistful dandelion.

January 30th, 2013

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There you were,

no longer wanted or attractive,

laying in the bargain basket of spent plants.

Now perched on my windowsill,

quietly announcing your pleasure

at having been saved from certain death

by putting forth, dainty, delicate new life.

Sweet tendrils, tiny new leaves, reaching,

savoring the morning sun and this

new chance to thrive.

If only everything in life were that simple.

January 31^st. 2013

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Winter sun

Rosemary is blooming

Pale, blue blossoms buzzing with delighted bees

Mindful Writing Challenge 2013~ Week 3

January 15th, 2013

As the sky slowly darkens, the first stars appear.

Little did we know those many years ago, upon our move to the deepest country, that the Milky Way would be our constant, celestial lightsource on clear nights.

~

January 16th, 2013

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Crescent Moon,

afloat in a milky puddle of light.

Against the deep night sky,

I can see your dark side.

 January 17th, 2013

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Nights, some spend curled neatly beneath warm covers, blissfully resting, at peace.

All worries and cares seem buried beneath a deep layer of comforting sleep.

Yet others, constant tossing and turning, wild dreams and thoughts churning,

Unable to find respite, unable to find that place of peace. Waking spend ,as if having fought a night long battle.

~

January 18^th, 2013

Mid-morning already! Seems like only moments since I rose,

reluctantly sliding out from under warm, cozy covers.

Frosty grass and frozen birdbaths greeted me.

But now, the winter sun is gently melting all, tiny wisps of steam rising.

Old cats savoring the warming rays, melting in pools of sunshine.

~

January 19th, 2013

Early morning, darkness still cloaks the garden.
Sitting here, hands wrapped around a mug of hot morning tea.
Savoring small stones, placed while I slept, on the other side of the world.
Our night being someone elses creative, bright day. 
But here we meet, in the middle, sharing small stones.

~

January 20^th, 2013

Stray thoughts and words, flitting through my mind,

will they ever settle long enough
 to capture?

January 21^st, 2013

Zen Room, oasis of tranquility

Wooden owl, crystal eyed, gently swinging in sunlit window

Searching the sage-green walls with rainbow eyes

Mindful Writing Challenge 2013~Week 2

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

Tule Fog~hiding the familiar landscape with drifting shrouds,

Now and then cattle are revealed, some calmy grazing, 

some gazing into the fog, as if searching the milky depths.

Trees appear, like ghosts,

Sun hanging in the fog like a full moon, eerily captivating.

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

Delectable, moist, fruitfilled Christmas Stollen,

unearthed from Mom's Treasure Chest, newly arrived from Germany.

Washed down with hot Assam brought back by a friend from Britain. 

Is this International Heaven?

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

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Yoga, how I love the slow stretching of tight muscles,

balancing both body and mind. How did I do so long without it?

I never thought that at my time in life I would regain a flexibility that was barely mine as a young woman.

Though build like an athelete, sports was never my thing.

Then chronic illness brought me to Tai Chi and from there to yoga.

How I love the slow waking of the tight, cold muscles.

The moves to stretch and balance.

Then Savasana, the slow settling back in and turning inward.

Sometimes the mind keeps dancing, others I slip into a quiet place.

The final bells bring me back from the edge, back to reality.

I feel taller, stronger, ready to take on the world. 

~

Friday, January 11th, 2013

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Birdfeeder~alive with fluttering and twittering hordes,

like JFK during commuter rush hour, Departures and Arrivals coming and going in a steady stream.

Filling the “terminal”, circling above, sitting patiently...or not

Awaiting their call to board?

~

Saturday, January 12th, 2013

Cold California day, enduring an Alaskan coldfront.

Early morning ice coats the birdbath. 

Bare trees are heavy with feathered fruit, impatiently waiting for their morning feed. 

We sit inside, huddled by the heater after going out briefly braving the cold , in answer to their plea.

~

January 13^th, 2013

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Turkey vultures, drawing last lazy spirals in the sky,

their backdrop gilded clouds .

Finally heading for their roosting trees to brave the coming cold night.

Such homely souls, but how they soar. Awkward bodies on ground, transformed in flight.

~

Monday, January 14^th, 2013

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Morning woodland walk, young dogs strain at leashes,

old boy ambles off leash, sniffing, stopping, finding wild pig rootings.

Eagerly he explores his morning delight.

Mindful Writing Challenge January 2013~Small Stones

Yesterday I bravely posted my first small stone on the FB page "Mindful Writing Challenge 2013."  I shall copy my posts here as well, in order to be able to go back through this blog to reread my daily thoughts.


January 1st, 2013

This morning the canyon behind our house was alive with Robins. Singing joyfully while harvesting the Toyon berries. Each winter they come through in large flocks. An auspicious start to the New Year?!


January 2nd, 2013

Outside, early morning sunrays falling on diamonds of frost everywhere. Inside small whisps of steam rise from our cups of Chai. Hot Scottish oats, topped with homemade Quince-Orange Compote and a drizzle of amber Maple syrup warm our stomachs and hearts as the sun warms the earth outside. Blessed!!

January 3rd, 2013

Country Roads......how lucky we are to travel them on our trips to town. Just two lanes weaving up and down, turning just enough to change our view. On both sides amazing views of the mountain ranges, covered in snow nearly down to the valley floor. Newly greening pastures, dotted with cattle. Perfect lead up to yoga!!

January 4th, 2013

One by one they leave us, endearing kittenhood long past. Tottering along on at times unsteady legs. Remembering days of speed and prowess in their elderly cat dreams, paws and tails twitching. Yet still savoring sunny days and gentle strokes, rewarded with rumbling purrs. For seventeen years they've graced our lives. But now quietly they slip away, one by one. Gone, but never forgotten.

January 5th, 2013

Interstate 5, heading for home. We slow for our exit and my eyes skim lazily down the bank of Coyote Creek, just before our turn. Winterbare trees reach toward the gray sky with long, thin fingers. And then, as my eyes turn upward, two large silhouettes in a tree. Suddenly the heads turn, revealing in the diffused afternoon light, white majesty. A pair of Bald Eagles. Our day felt blessed in that short moment and my small stone was born.

January 6th, 2013

Vees of Canadian Geese, flying North? South?
No, just rising briefly from a pond, circling and then landing once again
on the glistening surface below.
Before re-entry, the mirror-like eye reflected their reaching feet and the sky above.
Now ripples cross the pond, curling up gently on the shoreline.

January 7th, 2013

Early morning, the house yet dark and cold.
I light a candle to bring instant warmth to the table,
while sipping my morning tea, looking inward.

Siegfried

This is our lovely boy Siegfried, the Silver Tabby. He'll be 17 this coming year. When I took the picture he had just "helped" me make the bed. He's the last in his litter. Along with his siblings, he was born on our property the year after we bought it to a small, gray feral cat. We lost Green Eyes, his mother this year. Not sure how old she was, adult when we moved here. He had a black brother, named Mikesh, I've shared his image here on the blog before. And one other sibling, a sister named Woody. She had the biggest, golden owl eyes. We've managed this group of semi-ferals for 16 going on 17 years now. 6 left out of the original 18. Sigh.........it's been a long haul. We got everyone spayed and neutered of course, but still the care of that many has been tough at times. Siegfried still seems in robust health, but 2 more of his siblings are struggling with illness. They have added much to our lives and each and everyone will be missed when they're gone. But for now, we'll enjoy the time we have left with the remaining gang.

Fiery August Skies

I know I am way behind in posting more of my May trip to Europe. Lately we've had some really bad fires all around us. So I've been taking quite a few pictures of  the fiery skies . I wanted to post a few of the images I've taken lately that captures the beauty of something so devastating.


This first image was taken on the back of our propery. Elder Creek has nearly dried for the first time in the nearly 20 years we've lived here. The sun was just rising through the heavy smoke to the East from the Ponderosa fire in the Manton Area.

 This is the smoky sunset sky toward the West of us, caused by the Pass Fires near Covelo.

 Just before the sun set completely the colors got so intense and amazing.

 This was taken the following night with just a light haze of gray smoke in the air toward the West.

And last but not least, after the sunset I was able to get a shot of the crescent moon as it was setting, making it's way through the heavy smoke. It was totally dark out, but the crescent just hung in the sky, glowing an eerie reddish orange.

Frederick the Great

Here are two portraits of "Old Fritz".  One done many years ago of course, when he was still alive. And then just before we exited the castle, there it was, on the wall a portrait of him done by Andy Warhol. Talk about culture shock.

My pictures aren't the best of course, but I wanted to capture them regardless. Behind me a relentless group of other viewers of the palace were pushing me along as I tried to madly click away. And remember when you view these pics, if you click on the picture itself, you will get a larger version of the image. 

I loved this room!!

These images were taken in one of my favorite rooms. It was lavishly decorated with natural art work. The scenes were two-dimensional. Wonderful stuff. The creatures and plants looked as if they could jump right off the wall.

It was like nature was captured right there, on the wall and ceilings all around us. It was enchanting!!

Some interior shots of Sans Souci

Obviously life has been getting in the way of my spending time and posting the promised follow-up on Sans Souci. Where does the time go?
Alright, let's go inside.

The details were amazing. These are just a few of the images I took while touring the interior. Too many to share in one post. These are just some of the wonderful, gilded pieces. The chandeliers were wonderful as was all the intricate artwork. As Sans Souci is fairly small when it comes to palaces, the 10 rooms we were able to view more then made up for it.

Sans Souci Palace in Potsdam, Germany

I wanted to start by sharing a few pictures of Frederick the Great's Summer Palace of Sans Souci. The grounds are very extensive, with this palace only being one on the grounds. It isn't a big palace, but it's one he loved. He entertained there extensively, welcoming such greats as Voltaire and others to his table.
These images are of the palace looking up to it. The front of the gardens is in terraces. Each terrace has grapevines growing on the walls, with fig trees in the little cubby holes in between. They have windows in front that can be closed in cold Berlin winters to keep them from freezing to death.

Sans Souci only has 10 rooms in it. But even though it's smallish, the details and different themes in the rooms
were amazing.
Had there been more rooms, it would've been overwhelming.

At each end of the terrace in front of the palace is one of these wonderful gazebos. The Sun Burst is a detail on each side of the gazebos.

Dragonfly visiting

It's been quite a while since I posted something new. Still have lots of pictures of my recent trip to Europe I want to share. 
But now, as a follow up for the previous Waterlily post, here's a picture of a handsome Dragonfly visiting the pond. He sat still for the longest time, allowing me to "capture" him while resting. 

Lily Pond

Years ago my husband created a fish pond out of a bath tub which was damaged on a job he was on. This year the waterlily it houses has gone wild. More blossoms then ever. Along with amazing lily blossoms the pond has visitors, such as the little tree frog.  To keep mosquitoes from breeding, it's also home to Mosquito Fish. We keep them only in this and one other pond, as sadly they are also voracious gobblers of tadpoles. Thankfully we have other water features that our little frogs frequent, most of them full of tadpoles at the moment. So life goes on. The warm nights are filled with the croaking and singing of  tree frogs, looking for potential mates. Life is good!!

Amazing clouds

I was just looking through some old pics and came across these photos I took nearly 10 years ago. We were having some really weird weather coming through and these huge clouds would build like mad. Boiling, alive. It was amazing.

Thought I would share them.

In one image the moon can still be seen. This was taken sometime midday.

My Chauffeur

Though he can't be seen all that well, had to include my" chauffeur" as well. This is my cheerful husband Richard who's patiently waiting while I am snapping some pics.

While we don't get a chance to go on road trips very often, always so much fun when we get out there. I know I can count on him to come to a screeching halt (if traffic allows) or even turn back if it wasn't safe to pull over at the "right" spot. Thank you, my dear!!!

Couldn't do it without you. We make a great team and have for nearly 30 years. Time flies when you're having fun. :)

Road Trip

Yesterday we took a road trip. Dual purpose. One to return our granddaughter Ashlee to her Mom, the other to look in on our old neighbors, Jack and Dorothy.

We were sad to see our girl head home, but happy that she still loves coming up, year after year. Our old neighbors are getting on in years, so had to make a side trip to see how they're faring.

It was a long day. But we were happy we made it. On our home back home I managed to take a couple of pics. They came out fairly nice, so decided to share them.

My "chauffeur" Richard, who cheerfully does most of the driving was happy to stop now and then to allow me to take some shots to finish out our day.

Most of the pics were taking in the foothills around Double Springs, along Hwy 12. Some wonderful scenery out there and the weather was perfect. Along one area the hills and oak groves are full of amazing rock formations.

Spring Tulip

This tulip amazes us every year. And this year it's bigger then ever. We forget about it, and then all of the sudden I spy a glimmer of yellow. So this morning I pruned back all of the dead flowerstems around it and captured it as it is slowly unfurling its pedals.

A Bumble Bee came along to complete the scene, evidently happy to find that early splendor of a freshly opened tulip to wiggle around in.

Spring Skies

The other day as we headed to town, caught a few nice pics of some of the interesting skies we've head before the latest storm blew in.

The picture of Mt. Shasta looked so amazing with that heavy dark blanket of sky appearing like a curtain, ready to fall on a scene.

By the time we headed back home, the skies were mostly a wonderful blue, with huge cumulus clouds sailing along.

I love this time of year. Rather then endless blue, sunny skies, as is the norm all summer long, now it's always

great to take that trip to town where the horizons seem endless and we never know what we'll find when we get out of our foothills into the open valley.

I took the picture with the wonderful oaks and the huge clouds just before we headed into the ranch itself.

Richard pulled over and I got out for a better chance at capturing the slight greening of the pastures and the oak against that great sky.

When I turned around to get back into the truck, I found some spectators wondering what I was up to.

So had to include them as well. :)