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(One side)
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If you need to get lost for some time, try this...
My Garden of a Thousand Bees
Such a fascinating look at bees, with truly wild photography!
AND/OR
Try out one, or both, of the links below to check out the story of Helen Jean Taylor, an amazing potter and person of community.
(Other side)
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If you need to get lost, finding beauty, inspiration, and community...
Check out my page (also above) for other's blog/web homes.
It is a work in progress, but I did make some big changes today.
Looking for The Same Old Place
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I've completed two more CMB using the green warp yarn.
That brings the count up to: 18, I think...I may have to do some re-counting to check on that!
2 are set aside for Mo & Rod, when mail is more easily delivered
2 are set aside for others, but may go out as CMB instead (we'll see)
When I started making these 'green warp' bags, we made guesses as to how many it would make...
"I said 30 and he said 20...we both revised and I said 42 and he said 30"
Those estimates from the first 'green' post may need to be revised again!
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Upon heading out today, the first thing that got my attention was the Very Loud Song of tiny birds.
There were SO MANY! And their songs, joined at one time was SO LOUD! I thought J. would be able to hear it due to the volume, but the pitch was just too high for his hearing range. Moments like this have me longing for a way to record and play back for him in a way he could hear. Their songs were marvelous!
Can you see them better now? All of those tiny dark dots are birds! Amazing!
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Today ended up being a new version of our outing last time. Stopped over to pick up something, using the afore mentioned gift card...then before coming home, we headed up that canyon to see if the bags were gone. The one on the gate was and I sure hope it was the little girl who found it! We then got carried away taking a drive in that general area (and forgot to look for the two at the park, which I'm sure are gone as well). One thing I discovered today was that I had absolutely no idea how many houses were back there! Seeing all of the houses, which were built in an area that was raw land when I moved here 30+ years ago or when he lived here as a teen, is not something we are fond of. It's so crowded with over-sized tract houses and large SUV's (even though many of the houses have 3-car garages!). For me, us, it just symbolizes so much of what is wrong with our country's attitudes and values these days.

However, we were curious about the possibilities of other hiking places, it was a beautiful day and I was in no hurry to go back into "The Box" (our apartment), so we went on a drive-about and then I came home for further learning.
Stevenson Ranch
You can see what it looked like before in this Bare Land photo. I lived here then and remember the building of the Marketplace and new houses, I just didn't realize the size of the destruction project. I also remember how those of us not thrilled with this building used to joke about all of the "stepford wives" coming down to shop at the new Walmart. Obviously extravagant sameness is not my thing.
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I became curious about why one of the roadways was completely closed off and learned about it:
Document
This led me to a map or two. Yay! I love seeing the whole, all of the pieces put together and so many of the places we've been or drive on a regular basis. When I looked at the wider view, I thought I could practically put a dot for all of my old "drive" or "hike" posts in every area shown! wouldn't that be fun, to have the skills to make your own interactive pop-up maps?!
~BREAK~
Okay, so you CAN do this!!! Just a quick Google Search Away
Of course, many of them have a cost involved and are quite complicated in the amount of choices, but it still looks so fun in a creative thinking way.
I may get seriously lost in this!
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MAP
Wider Area Map
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As it turns out, Mentryville, from my last post is a MRCA park, which I then read all about. I discovered they kinda mean business about those parking fees - haha. Also learned that the road J. took a short walk up is probably old Oil Company land (and yes, there are "no trespassing" signs now!) But, more importantly, I learned that many of the places we go are a part of this system. Interesting. The learning really never stops.
MRCA Park
For whatever reason, my love of maps?...my interest in going into nature?....my fire-tracking?...at any rate, I really have enjoyed looking at these different maps and seeing all of the Open Space, all of the shapes of green to show these parks or other open land.
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These old, long memories of Judy Stevens (written in 1997) were interesting as they contain so many locations I have traveled to, explored as day trips, have personal memories of or visit on a regular basis. I even learned a word, which I somehow had never seen/heard before (wonder why that is?). Yes, I still listen to the recorded pronunciation every time!
nΓ©e
Judy Stevens's last paragraph states...and I agree~ "No one wishes to live in the past, but I do believe that in today's ultra-technical society, it would be advantageous for our youth to comprehend and pursue some of those uncomplicated activities which so often afforded us some peace of mind while they live their lives in the fast lane."
Yes, both, right? Getting out there and fussing with a computer to read & learn or make your own map! Balance, right?
~~NOTE~
I have overloaded this post with content and links. It helps me to put it all down in one place...these posts sometimes have a mind of their own...I am fully aware that you, as a reader, may not read the whole post or follow all of the links and that is okay by me! Maybe you'll even be inspired to learn more of your own area! Enjoy however you do π
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May you never stop learning and sharing (I think I always say this!)May you never be embarrassed to say what you don't know or to ask for help
May you hear the songs of birds and get lost now and again
xo
Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2021