2014 - Ready or Not Here I Come

For the first time in as long as I can remember I think I am ready for the new year.  No new year resolutions for me, or at least, not in the usual sense.  The whole year of 2013 was a constant challenge.  One thing after another - close friends dying unexpectedly, other friends moving, me having to move three times, and my much loved dog dying - and yet somehow I managed not to fall into the doldrums too much.  It seems as though the more that hit me the more vulnerable and yet more trusting I became - trusting that I would be ok no matter what.  Events were happening so fast there for a while I just didn't have time to dwell on anything too much.

Looking back over this last year I know I'm a very different person to who I was twelve months ago.  I have slowed down a lot.  No more hectic chasing after things that just don't matter.  No more giving energy to people or projects that are dead ends.  I don't mean that unkindly.  I just don't have the energy to pour into those who don't want to help themselves.  Most importantly I've given up trying to make things happen.  Now that was a major energy waster!  Things worked out just fine in ways I never thought possible when I finally was too exhausted to plan anything.

This year I have a few intentions - a few ideas of what I would like to have happen - but I am not making any plans as to how to make them happen.  I am going to keep things as simple as possible.  I will as best I can stay focused on one thing at a time, not get into a flap over what I think I should be doing, and allow life to unfold as it will.

These horses are enjoying sharing - competing for the goodies isn't necessary.

This old windmill reminds me of simpler times.

This year I will take time to enjoy nature.

I shall use these two beauties to inspire me to just take it easy.

Linking to Friday My Town Shoot Out!  Please hop on over and see how others around the world are going to approach the new year.

Neighborhood Watch

When I first moved to this mostly rural neighborhood nearly two years ago I was impressed with the local dogs.  I called them the Neighborhood Watch as I couldn't walk around the block without my presence being noted and barked on every step of the way.  Some of those dogs, in fact most of them, looked like they meant business, too.

As I got to know my neighbors I learned the history of these watchful canines.  It turns out that nearly every dog arrived on their respective properties as a stray, refugee or, in one case, from death row at the local animal shelter. The property owners just accommodated them.  One neighbor told me they put up a boundary fence to stop more strays arriving as they'd reached capacity!

In so many ways, without any fanfare, people of this world are following their hearts to do the right thing and in return these dogs are determined to keep their new families safe.


I'm linking this to Friday My Town Shoot Out!!  This week's topic is 'Through the Fence'.

Balance aka The Yin and the Yang

Three or four times a week I meet with a group of women and we power walk - although sometimes its a  dawdle and chat - over, above and through the exquisite Big Morongo Canyon Preserve near my home.  For about an hour and a half we climb up steep hills, scale rocky ridges, jog down the hills and finish off with a lovely half mile or so of flat through the lush shady canopy finishing back where we started.

We have great camaraderie.  We laugh, we tease, we tell off-colour jokes, we support and encourage each other, and we even have prayer circles occasionally when someone needs an extra boost, and all the while we are getting fitter and stronger.

Occasionally I'm especially lucky:  I get to go home, grab breakfast, then load up my camera and come back to the same park.  This time I am alone and can tune in to the beauty around me and here the whisperings of the trees and flowers.  I can get down on my belly and really visit with the tiny but beautiful little flowers that line the trail.

I am so fortunate to have the balance to the vibrant energy of my hiking girls and the introspective energy of  my camera, myself and nature.

Stream Orchid (Epipactus Gigantea)

Stream Orchid

Mallow

Yerba Mansa

Yerba Mansa

lichen on quartz rock

Hedgehog Cactus

Today my message from the World, through my lens, to me was all about balance.  The Yin and the Yang.  I also got to appreciate once again just how fortunate I am.

Linking to Nature Notes at Rambling Woods

Handling the No

I think we've all had times when it seems every door I see cracked open gets firmly closed in my face as I approach it.  Very frustrating.  Some of us hardier souls just seem to thrive on a challenge and are determined to either go around that closed door or crash right on through it, but I find it off putting.

Lately I seem to be coming up against those closed doors too often and am finding it depressing, however yesterday the Universe offered me another way of looking at it.  I was walking in my favorite park appreciating a rare cool overcast day when the sun broke through the cloud and flooded the park with golden light.  I quickly returned to my car for my camera then made myself comfortable at a picnic table to enjoy this spectacular lighting.

My reverie was abruptly interrupted by a Red-tailed Hawk making a dive for a bird in the grass right in front of me!!  I was shocked and thrilled!  The bird made its escape leaving only a few feathers behind and the hawk retreated to a low branch of a nearby tree.  I was able to study this hawk for a minute or two and it clearly wasn't showing frustration or depression at its recent disappointment.  It simply regrouped and carried on with the task at hand - finding dinner for the family.

Here was my message of the day:  don't dwell in the past, all my energy must be directed towards moving forward in a calm and detached manner.   Thank you Hawk, the Messenger.

I'm linking this to Nature Notes and Wild Bird Wednesday.   Please follow the links to more nature activities from around the world.

A Clean Slate

"You have to begin to tell the story of your life

 as you now want it to be 

and discontinue the tales of how it been

or how it is now"

                                                                      - Abraham Hicks

Someone posted this quote on Face Book the other day.  Of all the many little quotes that scroll endlessly past each day, this one stood out.  Isn't it funny how you can hear the same message in dozens of different forms but somehow it doesn't 'fizz' until the mind is open to receive it?  At least, this is the way it is with me.

This morning I woke up to an exquisitely beautiful feather down blanket of snow all around.  Even before the sun came up my dog and I were out frolicking like a pair of kids in fairy dust.  I'm sure it's now apparent that I don't get much snow where I live.

With the Abraham Hicks quote still simmering in the back of my mind  I gradually came to the realisation that this snow was a perfect metaphor for a clean slate.  Yesterday is buried and I can begin to tell my story as I now want it to be.  Everyday I have this choice, but so often I get entwined in yesterday's dramas that story of my 'life as I now want it to be' is left to default.  I can clearly see this is not how I want to continue operating my life.

But I have a choice.

Linking to:   Walk and Click Wednesdays.
                     Cool Clicks Thursday
                     

Click for yourself and follow the link on over to see more creative entries.

Being Open to Opportunity Is One Thing

Being ready to act on it is quite another.

That is the message I received today as I strolled through my much loved local park.  As is usual for me I had my camera and my dog, and, as is also usual for me, I get my best insights when I have the camera to my eye.  This park I frequent, Covington Park, is adjoining the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, a world renown birding site, so there's always a great chance rare birds can be seen in this dog friendly park next door.  I was inviting whoever wanted to show up to pose for me as I walked along.  I saw a Red Tail Hawk in the distance, too far away to photograph, but so thrilling to watch as it soared, dived and circled.

My dog and I slowly wended our way back to the parking lot enjoying the shade of the bare cottonwoods when I was urged to glance up.  A beautiful Red Tail Hawk was gliding in to land right above me!  It's glorious red tail was glowing like embers in the setting sun as it braced itself for landing.  I had inadvertently wandered under the very tree in which it was building its nest. By the time I saw the hawk and snapped a couple of pictures it was too close to me for the lens I was using.

Red Tail Hawk bringing in nesting material.

Mmmm...there's one stick poking me in the you-know-what....

There was my message: when I send an invitation to the Universe stay awake for the the answer!
Getting the camera up and getting the picture would help, too.  Of course, it wasn't lost on me that this is a good philosophy for most aspects of my life, too.

I'm linking this to Nature Notes at Michelle's Rambling Woods Blog.

The Circle of Life

"Bringing to light what is right in the world" has been my motto for a while now, however, more and more often lately I've been allowing myself to get sucked into the turmoil that is going on in the world around us.  Every day it seems there is more to be concerned about, and it has begun to take a toll on my sense of well being.

I choose not to allow that to continue.

Once again I turned to my camera.  When I am open the Universe really can offer messages of well being through my lens.  If I can pull my focus in to just what is in front of me, which is all anyone can deal with at one time, then I do get to see the beauty and the balance.  Just like the four seasons except on a much larger scale, there is a period of new growth, maturity, gradual decline, then decay.  Some might say our society is in decay, but that isn't necessarily good or bad, it is just balance.  The decay then nourishes the new growth; that is the circle of life.

I choose to look for the signs of spring.

Spring bulbs.  So welcome!

The full flush of summer.  Butterflies and bees on wildflowers.

The glorious saturated colours of the late fall.

A dusting of snow heralds a winter's morning.

I'm  linking this to ABC Wednesday.  Please follow the link to more fun explorations of the letter 'C'.