Fire on the Mountain

The 2nd wildfire up on the ridge in the past 2 years...this one is just as bad as last year's Spring wildfire at over 2000 acres burned.  And while it has gotten very close to some homes, so far all have been spared...including the one on our side of the ridge, not far from our own.  Too close for comfort, I can tell you that. 

There were high winds on Saturday when it started,  making things much worse, as we all were doing rain dances.  The smoke was unbearable, on such a fine Spring day, when we would normally have all the windows open. 

As a new day dawns, it continues to spread, burning on both sides of the ridge.

The fire has made it's way down this side of the ridge, and the smoke is ever closer.  

Oh, those are not low clouds.  The little bit of rain did not completely extinguish, and the smoke lingers throughout the woods.   At this point, the fire has been contained...we need a good soaking rain.  So, if you feel inclined to get out there and do a silly rain dance, GO FOR IT!  And thank you!

Radiant

The other day I had the privilege of performing with my ukulele friends for a Senior Citizens Luncheon.  A lovely event, with the best food.  Don't know that I have ever had Filet Mignon for lunch before, but hey, that with Roast Turkey, Baked Ham and all the perfect side dishes, was an incredible way to spend a few hours away from work.  Yes, I blew off a few hours of work to entertain this group at their ceremonial luncheon to swear in the new officers.  And I certainly wasn't leaving without dessert, even though I did have to take it on the run to get back to work before my coverage expired.

Anyway, on my way out the door carrying my Martin C1K Ukulele on my back, a lady sitting all alone by the door motioned for me to come to her.  I always love to engage the elderly, for they are full of wisdom and some wonderful stories of days long ago.

As I approached this woman, she reached out her hand to say, "You are beautiful.  And not only on the outside.  There is a special beauty that comes from within you that radiates and shines.  It makes me smile!"

Well, I asked her name, told her mine, as we shook hands.  But I could not leave there without giving her a hug and telling her how much that meant to me.  Her words to me made my whole day!

Now here I am always happy to be giving of myself to bring joy to others.  It's who I am, it's what I do.  We go out regularly and strum the ukulele at the hospital, and we do the nursing home circuit, as well as other venues, and I absolutely love it.  And I love it because what I witness first hand by doing something so simple as strumming and singing for these folks, makes this little light of mine shine even brighter.  Some of these residents just come to life and sing their hearts out at the first strum of Five Foot Two, or Bill Bailey.  Those who can get up and boogie, do so, and I for one, am not one to just stand still as I strum Let's Twist Again.  I am still trying to figure out how to strum and do the twist at the same time!

Anyway, I will continue to spread joy, to bring smiles, to radiate my true light from the depths of my soul, because that is its true purpose. It was given to me so that I can share it, in hopes that someone out there in darkness will see the light, and know they are not alone.   I am blessed!

I will conclude with a little strum of...

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!!!

Vision

There is a little stone church up on the mountain that has an incredible view.

I do not belong to this church, but it is a popular place, and many come to visit just for the view.   It is a popular place for weddings.  Recently at a memorial service for a friend, I captured the stained glass window as it told a story of its own.  

  From their website:

The Stone Church welcomes all seekers. Our motto is, “Open to people, open to God.” As you walk through the beautiful mahogany front door, you will face a stained-glass window based on the words of the prophet Isaiah: “For my house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7). On the window are symbols from eight of the world’s major religions, from Christianity and Islam to Buddhism and Native American faiths.  Our community comes from many different traditions – including Catholic, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist and Jewish. We are gay and straight, married and single, young and old, and we find common ground in the affirming spirit of this remarkable place.

The simple message here and the spirit that envelops you as you enter this church, is one of unity.  Whatever your belief system is, we are one.   As a seeker, you must have the vision of a seeker, and that vision does not come from your eyesight, but from your soul, where the true spirit lies within all of us!

In this lifetime, I hope and pray to witness the true communion of all the peoples of this great land, where the exchange of thoughts and emotions can be realized on a spiritual level so that peace can truly prevail...for one and for all!

Peace be with you on this fine day!

With much Aloha to one and all!

So This is Spring???

 

Glad to back with Nancy for Random 5 Friday.  

 

1.  This week started out like this.  Yes, snow in April!  The birds and animals are very confused.  The daffodils had a short stay.

2.  We enjoyed a wonderful outing for a concert with the New York Wind Symphony featuring local cellist Eileen Moon of the NY Philharmonic under the direction of Johan de Meij. And the icing on that cake was that our daughter performed with them on clarinet, just as she did at their debut performance at Carnegie Hall.   BRAVO!

3.  I am vowing to tackle at least one pile of "stuff" left behind from each of the 3 littles who made us "empty nesters".  Empty?  Ha! So, I guess that is 3 piles of "stuff".  I am prepared with large boxes for donation, and an extra large trash bin.  I warned them that anything left behind is fair game.  

4.  Hubby has date night planned for tomorrow, though truth be told, I would much rather stay home by the fire with a glass of wine and a good movie.  Yes, more snow is on the way.  

5.  A wonderful friend just gifted me these lovely eggs from her free range chickens.  What wonderful timing, because this morning before work, I had 1 egg left!  I just love how the Universe speaks to me!  

This morning the snow is gone...temporarily...April Fools continues!

Linking up for Random 5 Friday at A Rural Journal 

   and with TexWisGirl for Good Fences.  Stop by for a visit!

Aloha!

 

Onward

PEACEFUL, EASY FEELING by LR

Linking up with friends for Wordless Wednesday because sometimes silence is best!

Is it really all good?

       

I am a bookworm.  And a music lover.  Not a musician, but a lover of music.  (I leave the musicianship to our 3 very talented littles.)  As a youngster, I would race to the public library and spend my time lost in adventures.   I have my own library full of books in my home now.  OK, maybe more than I should have all over the house, but the very old vintage ones with those wonderful spines are very decorative, and they are my absolute faves.  I haven't read all of them, either.  Most of them I have acquired at used book sales, and I have posted before about the ones with that lovely script handwriting of old, claiming ownership or gifting a book to a new owner.  Yes, Old Friends for sure.  

Now as I curl up with a book, currently A Force for Good by Daniel Goleman, to try and distract me from tragic news that arrived earlier in the day, I peer at my piano and notice the old barnwood sign made by a friend that reads, "It's all good".  Yet, it really isn't.  For my heart pains for a tragic loss of a young extended family member who died much too young.  We didn't know him well, but it hurts just to know that his immediate family unit is totally numb.  

And we go on. 

Not being able to focus on any reading, I turn on the tube which doesn't get much use because there really isn't anything good on anymore, except for the cool stuff on National Geographic or the History channel.  And I click through channels only to hear more bad news.  Tragedy all over the place.  There has to be something good going on somewhere in the world in which we live.  But why don't we hear or see any of it on TV?  Has society gone so far off the rails that it must tune into such dark and negative and painful sufferings of humanity for entertainment?  How sad!

So, I call it a day, cuddle up to my wonderful husband of 29 years, close my eyes and go inward to tap into the glory of my awakened soul which keeps me in tune.

I realize that I am only one.  And I wonder sometimes if it is possible for just one person to make a difference in this life where there is so much chaos and strife among our fellow man.  I am strong. I am hopeful.  And I am determined.  So yes, I will go forward with my radiant light, in hopes that someone who is in the dark will see it, and understand that they are not alone.  Most of all, that there IS light, even in darkness.  

 

I am grateful for all that I  have.  And I urge all of you to practice compassion wherever you may go.  One simple act can make all the difference in the world to another human being.  Help me to keep humanity from destroying itself.  For then, yes, it will be ALL GOOD!

GK...REST IN PEACE!

More Snow...really???

Waking up to more snow on April 4th is not what I had in mind as little # 3 has to trek through the mountains to go back to school.  Of course, if she hadn't been playing around all weekend, she would've listened to the 'rents and gone back before the snow started!  But heck, what do we know?  We are just the PARENTS, who know nothing!!! 

Poor geese are soooo confused!

Of course, after her white-knuckle driving experience that took her much, much longer than normal, she has arrived safely back on campus...just in time to go to work!  Don't ya just love it???

 

So, take a stroll around the pond with me...but bundle up, cause Baby it's cold outside!

THINKING SPRING....REAL HARD!!!    ALOHA!  

April Foolishness

Well, if the snow had come on April 1st, we would have laughed a little more.  But here on April 3rd, it is soooo not funny!  The poor daffodils were caught off guard and the temperature plunge back into the 20's and then into the teens is not what we had in mind after the 60 - 70 degree days of last week.

The high winds are bringing down alot of dead branches that we are using in the woodstove, keeping us nice and warm through this early spring freeze.  The birds are confused, and I did not hear a peep out of the spring peepers last night. I hope they burrowed down deep into the leaves in the woods to survive, for their sounds were the true welcoming of Spring.

Whether the weather be fine,
Or whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold,
Or whether the weather be hot,
We'll weather the weather
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!

 Author: unknown Linking up with LauraI HEART MACRO

JUST BE!

“As you breathe in, cherish yourself. 

As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.”

- Dalai Lama XIV

There is a great convo that started over at Kat Eye Studio about living your life with creativity and doing fun things, while juggling the daily routine of seemingly endless obligations.  And if there were more hours in the day, we would just pack that much more in, to try and compensate for the "lost time" of not really getting anything accomplished at all.

And to that I say, "To each his own".  We all live different lives, but not really.  We must recognize that in spite of our differences in cultures, belief systems, geographic locations and more, we are still ONE as humans BE-ing.  It is the be-ing part that seems to get tangled up along the way by our own inner turmoils and demands, or by the external forces that are thrust upon us as individuals.

We put more pressure on our own selves, by way of the EGO, as much as others do upon us for their own expectations of us.  They have no rights over us as individuals to do that.  So, just BE who you are!  Go inward, find your true authentic self.  Not what you "think" you should be.  Nor what others think you should be.  And I say this all the time, "If we could just get out of our own way!"  Well you can!  With the practice of mindfulness!

We are each created in the perfect image of our CREATOR.  So put your uniqueness and creativity out there, at your own pace, in your own space with your own spin and JUST BE!

IT'S ALL GOOD!

Lost and Found

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.

                                                                                                   ~ Harriet Ann Jacobs

It is the springtime of our awakening.  You are no longer lost...you have been found! We must go inward, get out of our own way, and pull out all that is lovely within our souls.  Nurture this, feed this, for this is the essence of our true being, of all connectedness in this life.  It is our duty to share this inner beauty and bring it about in others.  

We are one.  Born of the same life force.  No matter where you live, no matter what your beliefs are...

WE ARE ONE...THIS I SAY WITH CERTITUDE!

And ALWAYS, ALWAYS GIVE THANKS!

"As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you, than there is wrong with you"

~  Jon Kabat-Zinn

Linking up to Our World Tuesday

Darkness to Light

"God wears himself out through the infinite thickness of time and space in order to reach the soul and to captivate it.  If it allows a pure and utter consent (though brief as a lightning flash) to be torn from it, then God conquers that soul.  And when it has become entirely his he abandons it.  He leaves it completely alone and it has in its turn, but gropingly, to cross the infinite thickness of time and space in search of him whom it loves.  It is thus that the soul, starting from the opposite end, makes the same journey that God made towards it.  And that is the cross."

                                 ~ Simone Weil, "Gravity and Grace"

Breathe

In times of worry, we must stay focused on all that we have, and express gratitude for it, because worrying really has no useful foundation for creating a positive outcome. So why bother?

"There isn't enough room in your mind for both worry and faith.  You must decide which one will live there."  - Unknown
 

Strength comes to us when we need it most through those we love, and those who love us back.  And this includes Divine Love, which has been bestowed upon me, and for which I express my deepest gratitude!  I am blessed!

Spirituality and the Desert Experience

When recently asked by a dear friend to participate in a book discussion, I was hesitant, because the book topic was spiritual in nature, and this is a topic that can be very personal.  Especially in regards to the practice of any type of organized religion.  And this particular community of "worshipers" I discovered, are mostly strangers to me. 

But not wanting to let my friend down, I agreed, knowing full well that with this book, Spirituality and the Desert Experience, by Charles Cummings, I would not be able to just sit idly by on the sidelines while others preached to me about what they believe it all means.  Especially from a religious standpoint.  The topic of spirituality is very near and very dear to my heart, as I have lived through a desert experience, or what I refer to as the "dark night of the soul" and have come out on the other side full of light, and much more wisdom about my own spirituality.  More importantly I realized that I had been fooling myself for a very, very long time. 

Deepak Chopra quotes,

"To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul.  To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions."
 

And this is so true.  For when getting in touch with your soul, you are connected to the true life source that is within all of us.  Yes, we were all born with it as humans.  It is the BE-ing part of humans.  From the moment we take that first breath.  It is the part of each of us that is directly connected to God, Spirit, or whatever you choose to call your ONENESS with the almighty Creator of all things.

It is when we let the external forces of humanity define us, which society demonstrates in many ways as essential to our happiness, that darkness creeps in. We are somehow deemed unworthy, or not as good as others if we don't have this, or don't do that.  And this is exactly how we lose our way, because this plays to the ego, and the ego kicks in to demonstrate its ability to fight the true essence of our very be-ing, which is being overshadowed or buried by this negative force of energy being thrust upon us by those external forces.

We must go inward and tune into that life source that connects all things throughout the Universe. The mind babble that is incessant will dissipate if you realize that you are not what you do, or what you have.  If we can only get out of our way, inner peace will come to the surface, and you will be free.

For I am not to be defined as a wife and mother...that's just what I do along with the job that I absolutely love.  And I always express my gratitude for all of which, I, my ego self, must participate in with my human-ness in the material world on a daily basis.  No, as I go about my busy-ness of the daily routine, I have at my disposal,  my true essence, which shines bright and keeps me in tune with God.  And it is up to me to radiate this light, so that others who may not even realize that they are even in the desert, or darkness, can see my spark and tap into the same life force through me.

Seek and ye shall find, for the truth will truly set you free! 

You Can Do It

Yes, we can all create BIG MAGIC!  There are so many obstacles that present themselves to us on a daily basis, and we seem to get so caught up in the day to day grind that we forget we have the power within us to skirt those obstacles and bring forth amazing creativity.

With so much turmoil making its way through our society, it is up to us to maintain an order of peace that can only come from within.  We must each do our part to communicate throughout humanity the many positive aspects that are at the ready in order to make positive changes within our own communities through our very own creativity.

As Elizabeth Gilbert says in her book, BIG MAGIC:

 

If we can just get the hell out of our own way, the sky is the limit!  GO FOR IT!  

You just may surprise yourself!

Winter's Art

As I complained about not getting any snow in the last few storms, people said to me, "Be careful what you wish for!"  And so it is...while we did not get nearly as much as neighboring towns or even states, we did finally get to see the beauty of a winter snow fall.  

Winter's Art

Winter is a poet who,

    in quiet meditation, 

                       writes of mountains blanketed

             by white precipitation.

   Winter is an artist, too, 

            and softly draws the scene

                of stillness in a frozen pond

           against a silent screen.

Winter's a musician,

       and if we're listening,

                                     the grace-note of God's love is played

                           which no one's voice can sing. 

                                                                                                ~ Frankie Davis Oviatt   

Thanks for stopping by!