5 Feel Good Songs ~ A. Sing-a-Long!

 

Happy Friday y'all!

xo

Traveling Seed Fluff

 

A lovely email tonight prompted me to post this.

Left the house at 7:30 AM, a full day...walking out of work tonight at 6:25 PM,

I see this 'seed fluff' blowing through the parking lot.

I had to stop.

May you travel well through this life

May you plant seeds as you go

May you gather as you go

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022

Yesterday

 Yesterday was a day for open space and two chairs.

We went over to the Mother's Day spot, bringing books to read and a need for nature.

The drive on the canyon was beautiful as usual. I captured it through the front windshield.

Doesn't that just fill you with the "get away from it all" feeling?!

As soon as we arrived, I noticed a pop-up in the adjacent parking area with the name of our library on it.

I went over to check it out.

It turns out that it was a registered volunteer day to clean up the trails! They had a stack of copies of 

THE NATURE FIX, which I assume were for said volunteers. I thanked them for doing this work for the many that enjoy these trails. 

Today was a "chairs day" for us.

🪑 🪑

Right off, the clouds were one of the stars of the day!

The first photo below is altered quite a bit, my new creative fun. 

I'm enjoying turning my photos into paintings!

Anyway, the clouds were rolling in over the mountains, rain was predicted for later in the day.

We got some, briefly, this morning.

The two photos below that are clouds that looked like ocean waves to me! Amazing!

We noticed the greening of the hills and wondered how long it would last this year, 

before everything looked brown again.

There was a sprinkling of wild flowers, plenty of birdsong (that will surely lift your spirits!), fox tails shining in the sun and clumps of branches, trimmed, cleared, cleaned-up. I guess this is in preparation for 'fire season'. I brought home a Beautiful Straight stick to switch out for the driftwood, which has held DEE'S QUILT all of this time, as that one would never stay straight on the wall. You can see her quilt in the link. It's the one by the keyboard. Anyway, this one is longer than needed and looks grand. J. suggested hanging feathers from the ends 🙂

We sat down to read and I chuckled at our reading choices, us in a nutshell. Him a scholar of history, me a sentimental fool! lol

I've shared my pick in past posts and I still highly recommend it to all of you. I keep this one in my work bag and often read a poem or two on my lunch break. There are so many that spark some sort of thought or connection to those I love. I often think that I want to send this off to many of you. I often think Michelle in NYC would have enjoyed this book.

I was amused by the way the wind blew my hair, casting shadows on each page!

After reading a bit, I got up to stretch, to go walk about. The first thing I noticed was this old rusty washer. I picked it up and looked through, changing my perspective instantly. I thought a lot about that, especially in relation to Jude's teachings and explorations. I remembered how I used to dye cloth at the old place. How many of you still do. Instead of leaving it where I'd found it, I carried it about with me...looking through and framing photos. What fun! I decided to bring it home, figuring that the trail cleaners would just toss it in a trash bag, not seeing the rust beauty or the potential. One the way home I recited a monolog about how much I like to take photos, purely for the play factor. I'm not trying to enhance skills, create a sellable end product, gather acclaim from others...it is just process, getting lost in the moment, exploring and playing. And it carries me away from daily life and makes me happy.

I like how the background blurs, keeping the rust in focus.

My old neighbor used to call this super soft top dirt "old dirt"...so I do too now.

Of course, J. who knows more geology than I gave me a lesson on how, where, why earth erodes. 

I embraced the old dirt, the sky & clouds and once home, I 'painted' the sun!

The sun photo reminded me of a Glennis moon!

As I walked toward this end of the open space, two birds suddenly flew up from the green ground and landed in this tree. They were loud and active. I got the sense that I had interrupted something. Perhaps they were mating? There were lots of unfamiliar bird sounds as they jumped from branch to branch. I got one tiny glimpse, leading me to think they were possibly scrub jays. But, the cries and squawks I heard sound different than the calls I am used to. At any rate, I tip-toed away, giving them their space and thinking how odd that I should feel as if I stepped into the birds bedroom.

On our way home, while stopped at this intersection, I saw a hawk far off, over the green hills.

The strangest thing was this bird was soaring, in place! It did not move from where it was for several seconds. Once it flapped really hard, but then remained right where it was. J. couldn't look/see it as I exclaimed over and over that it was NOT MOVING!!! I also couldn't really capture the moment on a memory card...but you can imagine.

May you live in the moment

May you celebrate the moment

May you remember or capture the moment (or not!)

xo

AFTER NOTE: J. found a MAYA ANGELO QUARTER while doing laundry today. Isn't it grand?!

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022

More Than a Scarf

I got an email Saturday

photos of her daughter, playing with a scarf I'd given her.

Such a small thing, such a huge thing really. 

The intentional gesture of taking the photos and sending them on to me,

thus filling my heart and making another connection in in this web we call life.

She'd tied this silk scarf to a wooden teething toy, giving this baby a layered experience with these materials. How does the scarf move differently when knotted on this wooden ring? What does it feel like to hold the two items together? Does the scarf feel different when she bites down on it over a wooden bead? Do you think she tried to untangle the scarf from the ring of beads? What could she learn from those attempts? What about the scarf...how does she see the white lines on the dark blue?

Only Isla knows through her experimentation, as she learns about the properties of these two materials and her impact upon them.

Isn't this a lovely way to learn?!

This scarf belonged to my mother. I have no known history of it other than that. However, for me that is enough. I've had it as long as I can remember. If I am remembering correctly, it was tucked into the small Humpty Dumpty canvas doll carrier from my childhood. I suppose my mama figured I wouldn't read the words! It is titled "The Masculine Approach" By James Thurber 

and has his cartoons sprinkled around the title. As she told me, it is wrinkled after being tied onto a teething toy, but no matter...we get the idea.

I tried to find information and images online to learn more...to try and imagine my mom, younger and coming to own this piece, with its women vs men humor. Maybe I did read those comics after all! Ha

At any rate, I'm thrilled to pieces that it is now being used by this sweet girl. My mama would love this!

May you share history with loved ones

May you let go, so you may embrace deeper

May you keep a sense of humor 

xo

Photos by CAD@pomegranatetrail ©2022

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday! 

So, 5 Things Friday!

Below is a happy #1

🌝

A little kindness goes a long way! #2

#3

An amazing QUILT

🌝

#4

Corn on the cob seed pod fluff!

🌝

#5

YUM! Get your Brownie on!

It looks crazy quilt like to me

May you find five fabulous wonders each week!

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022

 

3-17-2022

 I think this date... 3-17 will always hold a unique meaning to me.

It was the day we left work due this new disease called the Corona virus, COVID-19.

We thought we were going home for two weeks (work from home), maybe a bit longer...

but we really didn't know, as it was all so Brand New. We really knew Nothing. We were scared, uneasy, unsure. We were nervous. I remember us talking with one another...questioning, expressing our concerns, trying to figure things out. I remember one of my biggest concerns was bringing this horrible new thing into my Senior Building, where many compromised elders live. I really didn't want to be the one who did that! I didn't want to get sick myself, due to asthma and really didn't want to get any of the children or families sick. I didn't want J. to catch Covid. 

Then we got into the thick of it. The shopping with empty shelves, things we could not find to buy...what we did find was wiped down the moment it entered the house. Our safe zone. Shoes left by the door, doorknobs wiped down each time...hands washed ~ over and over and over again. The masks came...cloth, bandanas, homemade and shared by friends (thanks Dee!)...surgical blues a new fashion. K-95's came later.

Two years of fears, of our world seemingly crashing down around us in every way.

💚      💙     💚

Now, here we are TWO YEARS LATER...

I never did go back to that classroom, with those co-workers, children & families, to that building, parking lot, life.

Strange.

No sense of closure what-so-ever.

You can re-visit last year's 3-17 post HERE

And the early days of Covid HERE

and HERE

I wonder what I'll be thinking 3-17-2023?

Go here for green, for earth, for thoughts in poetry:

"Meditation In Green" By Dale Biron

And go HERE for more podcasts by Dale Biron.

THOUGHT: After rereading my old posts and seeing comments from Our Michelle in NYC, I think of her as I compose this post. I think of her when it comes to poetry and flowers blooming. I think of her when I think of her city, NYC. I think of her when small critters are involved or when I review the ups and downs of the past two years. I think of her now, when this newest crisis in Ukraine wears me down and when too much loss weighs me down. I am selfish in my thoughts that ones I love, who are no longer here (including my parents), do not have to worry through yet another crisis. I'm grateful for that, for them.

Not as much GREEN (or quotes) as in last year's 3-17 post, perhaps partly because the novelty has worn off? We just continue going, trying our best....like this teeny bloom above, poking its little face out of the dense shrub. That brown leaf looks huge, but it was merely quite big.

🍀

Some #GOODMAIL went out today.

The poem, an old favorite, that I may have posted here before.

I used it once in a preschool class where my co-teacher and I had been talking about what things could 'hold a story'. Bags, buckets, boxes...all typical props in a preschool circle time. At one point I exclaimed that there could be a "Story Boot"...and so there was. I bought miniature props for each line of this poem and made some too. Yarn for worms, tracks made in clay and a laminated picture of ten trees. I carefully placed the many items (in poem order) into my pair of hiking boots, pulling them out as I recited each line. It was a blast! What do you think could hold a story? Yeah, yeah, I know...anything!

The March Scene was done with oil pastels and an 18 month old. He used the Golden Yellow. 🙂

I threw in a little good luck card from a very dear woman.

...A very Grand tree by the Tax Man (glad that's done!) ...

🌳

Also this year a video re-visited, because I was seeking the calm.

My Friend Maia

I then went on to do some reading on this very special Maia. You can follow the links. An amazing woman. Let's celebrate her during this time of Women in History, shall we?

THIS LINK

a great back

Above: Look closely at the way this squirrel holds on...and then is able to let go! I watched it for a long time while eating lunch. We could learn something from this little one, yes?

A March Birthday gift went out too. 😍

Below: I was surprised to notice joggers on the ridge for the first time last week. Even after making this commute for 9 years, I'm not sure I'd ever seen them up there! Leaves one to wonder: what else am I missing? The photo below that was the same scene, turned into a painting of sorts. I like how it turned out.

In addition to all of this green, if you love BLUE, like I do...go HERE

Pretty cool 💙

A gal can dream!

This lot for sale is located 'up the canyon' as I say and seen on this WALK

UPDATED: These just in. They're from 2020 and I think of Marti as I add them here.

Blessings to all, everywhere

May you find green that soothes you

May you find green that lifts you up

May you find green that gives you hope

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022

Something is Wrong

 

Something is wrong now

I can't comment on my blog

Things flicker and flash

Maybe I can figure out this weekend, maybe not?

I stink at this stuff, even more than I used to.

sigh

Passing Time

Passing time...how we do this with pastimes, work-eat-sleep, actively, observantly.

Do we close our eyes tight when it feels like too much or do we march in 'eyes wide open'?

Is time seen as an enemy, a friend or neutral?

Does it whiz by, or why does it drag?

Beware the Ides of March they say.

 March with the Grandsons, neither of whom look like this any longer!

❤️

Another bag completed, and waiting for the Winter Holiday season, which feels so far away right now.

Yet, I know time will zip by.

🕰

In the meantime, I'll continue, just keep going...passing time...making, watching, taking photographs, learning, grieving, celebrating...living this life and all the while I'll think of those who do not consider this particular time their friend.

I watch the skies open up, fill up, change colors...inspire.

At the hillside home, the orange flowers really popped out recently. 

I have so many thoughts on this...the planting of flowers here.

I remain fascinated with this tree and the strange seed pods.

You have to look closely at the photo above, but I've recently noticed how the pods turn brown before falling. I've noticed how they all open in the same sized wedges, the area littered with them. And how the seed fluffs float all around, also gather up against the walkway or in other plants. I marvel at how the seed fluffs mimic the cloudy sky. Isn't that magic?! I think how the seed pod wedges look like little boats...little boats to take you where?

I stand in awe of the beauty that is this earth, even in times like these.

Time marches on...Indeed.

May you allow nature to hold you

May you find things that sustain you

May you keep the world in your heart

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022