Staying Present

In days past I've often been quite reactive.  Not necessarily in hurtful ways, at least not to others, but my tendency when things don't go my way is to get anxious and start projecting where this current irritation will lead.  My projections never lead to a good outcome.  Fortunately I am not a worrier by nature and I usually put a stop to this negative projecting fairly quickly before any harm is done.

I was driving down my little country road the other day, running barely on time for an appointment when my wheel began knocking ominously.  I got out and walked around the car and couldn't find a problem.   Perhaps it was because the world didn't end on 12-21-12, or maybe it was simply because the stresses of the Christmas and New Year were over, I was able to stay calm, hoping for the best.  It was when I was at the gas station filling up that I noticed one tire was indeed three quarters flat.  Once again I put my flappable self on the back burner and dealt only with the facts presented:  i) the tire wasn't completely flat and therefore could be driven (carefully!) a short distance, ii) there is a tire shop within 50yards of the gas station.  So far so good.

My next moment to get myself in a flap immediately presented itself - the tire was punctured through the sidewall and not repairable.  I needed a new tire!  The tire was only a few months old and I wasn't in the mood to buy yet another tire!  Breathe...  I took a moment to regroup then asked the mechanic to put on my spare.  I loaded up the ruined tire, took it to the shop where I purchased it, where I was informed they have a road hazard warranty and my tire would be replaced with new one for the price of another road hazard warranty - $16 only!!

Here I will make a shameless plug for America's Tire.  You guys rock.

At the end of the day I realized that even in the middle of the storm you never know just when, against all odds, a ray of sun is going to break through.  For me it isn't easy to always be positive but neutral works very well, too, I just need to stay in the moment and keep my eyes open.

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I'm linking this to http://sundaystills.wordpress.com at the challenge this week is one tree and this just seems to fit.  Click on the link to see more interpretations of one tree.

Home

I've been thinking a lot lately on what home actually means to me.  My town?  My country of birth?  My family?  Nostalgic memories of the past?  My current address?  Where my heart is (and just where might that be?)  Yes, all of that, but more than that.

I remember studying a poem in school years go, maybe when I was 11 or 12 years old, or perhaps just 10.  More accurately I remember just two lines of it:
    "home is the sailor home from the sea
      and the hunter home from the hill"
Those lines struck a cord with me years ago, and still do.  I googled them this morning and came up with two poets who included these lines in their poems.  A.E Housman, an English Classical scholar born is 1859, wrote 'Home is the Sailor', and Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish poet, wrote 'Requiem'.  I think it was the Stevenson version we studied, but its not really relevant.

I have traveled quite extensively and I'm not currently living in the country of my birth.  Each time I step on 'foreign' land I quickly begin noticing plants, rocks, trees etc which I believed indigenous to my birth country existing comfortably thousands of ocean miles away.  It was then I started realising that people are more similar than I'd imagined them to be also, and I could comfortably live is any one of these countries.  The boundaries in my mind began breaking down.

Now I feel 'home' is more of a concept than a place.  Home is where I find my nourishment, its more of a feeling than a place. 

I am very happy to call this Earth my home.

 

I'm linking this to Friday My Town Shoot Out!

It's Lavender Festival Time Again!

How can one charming little festival bring me so much joy?

Simple pleasures are not so easily appreciated these days, I find.  We have become way to complicated in our daily lives, and far too sophisticated in our needs, wants and desires.  The 8th Annual Lavender Festival, Highland Springs, California, addresses this phenomena in an amazingly satisfying way for me. There is nothing like wandering through rows of lavender shrubs, listening to classical music while sipping on an icy lavender lemonade to sooth my soul and ground my spirit.

This snapshot speaks to me of what the Lavender Festival is about

Lavender is such an interesting herb.  The very fragrance is soothing calming and relaxing, and supposedly able to relieve exhaustion, irritability and tension headaches.  With that in mind it really isn't surprising that the crowds flock to the two weekends a year of total lavender immersion. The body knows what it needs to heal even when the intellect is beyond distracted.

Deliciously creative meals are available for purchase from various vendors, and then I get to sit at a picnic table in front of a stage where performers offer classical music, country songs or Irish Dancing depending on the day, to be entertained while I eat this organically produced lunch.

On a hay ride with a history lesson is where I'll be while the lunch is digesting.  Can't wait for tomorrow - heck, I'm already feeling like a little kid again!

 I'm linking this to Friday My Town Shoot Out!!  The theme this week is a picture that tells a story.  Please follow the link to see more great pictures.

Rare Experiences and Rapid Repairs

"Bringing to light what's right in the world" is the feeling that has inspired the creation of this blog.

Today those rays of light shone brightly in an unexpected area: Ultimate Motors in Yucca Valley! 

I am new here, and my older car, while usually very reliable, began reminding me it needed some attention to the radiator.  Knowing word of mouth is the best advertisement I canvased anyone I came across who's car, er, appeared to have long out lived it's manufacturer's warranty, and asked where they had it serviced.  The same name kept coming up so when my Camry started running a little too hot I gave Ultimate Motors a call.

I now have a new radiator and I'm radiantly happy and, no, it's not because I have money to throw away.  Nope, something a whole lot better. I had the rare luxury of a pleasant experience at an auto repair shop.  Those boys diagnosed the problem, gave me a reasonable estimate, and then....drum roll, please ... fixed another problem I'd not noticed, completed the work more rapidly than they'd anticipated and came in under the estimate!!

Yes, there is always some good to be found in this world and if I can spread it I will. 

Roxy is relieved to have her ride back.

I'm linking this to ABC Wednesday.
Follow the link to more R's.

The Desert: An Experience in Polarities

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Isaac Newton figured this out years ago, but I seem to need regular reminders.  It is too easy for me to get bogged down by over thinking the details in life and forget that there's also the opposite - allow it to be easy.

While walking this morning I stood on quite an impressive cactus.  Impressive in that it had the ability to go right through the sole of my shoe, bringing me down to earth abruptly.

I took this picture while precariously balanced on one foot.

 I could have used this less than pleasant experience to be hyper vigilant and keep my eyes down for the rest of my walk.  It probably would have been quite a sensible thing to do, really, at least until I was through the worst of the cactus area. 

However, had I been more than moderately cautious I would have missed this beauty about eight feet above my head.

A species of Columnar cactus.

My question to myself this morning is whether I want play it safe or aim for the stars, or perhaps, find some safe middle ground?  No, I'm not liking any of those options.  Too limiting.

How about aiming for the stars and knowing every so often I may be brought to earth, but knowing I don't have to stay there?  That feels better.

What would you do?  How do you feel about these options?

Think is my first link to  Favourite Photo Monday.
Of course, my favourite photo of the week in the flower not the prickly footwear :)

Moving at the Speed of Spring

Spring in the desert.

Amazing. Beautiful. Surprising. Rapid.

The cactus is the most surprising.  For 364 days of the year it looks like this:

Hedgehog Cactus

A lovely species, but not particularly colorful or welcoming.  It seems quite self contained, requiring very little from its environment, however, it is carefully awaiting the opportunity to spring to life for just one day......well, more accurately, each flower lasts for the duration of the day.  Within in a day or two the cactus shuts down this beautiful, delicate magenta display for the year.  Often longer than a year if the climactic conditions haven't proved to be ideal.

It really didn't take much for me to figure out what the World wanted me to notice this time: when the conditions are right move fast.  Take advantage of the moment, don't hesitate and give it everything I've got.  Life never seems to offer us just one opportunity, but it may be a while before the next one rolls around.

Linking to:
Rambling Wood's weekly Nature Notes

Spring Quickening

It's been a long and varied year for me and my inner fire had become more of an inner smolder, my vision clouded.  I've been finding it hard to get back on my path again.  Have you ever had a big ball of twine in your hands and not been able to find the end?  That's what it has felt like.

Lots and lots of unexpected good things have come my way during this time, and I have so much gratitude, so I'm thinking I just needed some down time to refocus.

Marsh Trail, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

I can now see, in the distance perhaps but definitely there, light at the end of the tunnel. I've found an end to my ever revolving ball of twine.  Perhaps its the quickening that comes with the onset of spring, but  I know, as always, when I have my camera in my hand I'm more plugged into nuances of the Universe.  And now it's time for me to step out once again and see what messages the World has for me.  I'm ready.

I'm linking this to Straight out of the Camera Sunday