The weather has been beautiful here in Austin. Over the weekend we decided to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It was wonderful to see. The spring flowers are blooming and we took a long walk around the field with many different flowers blooming.
The flowers were so beautiful and the landscaping so pretty. We also saw a mother owl with her little ones but couldn’t get a photo. It was a really nice day out. Nothing like fresh air, sunshine, great scenery and good company.
My daughter decided that after all that we have been through recently it was time for a break. She rented a few days in a wonderful VBRO (Vacation Rental By Owner) very near to us. She felt, rightly, that just changing the scenery for a few day would make a big difference. It has. Here are a few photos from where we are staying.
The Way of the Three Steps:
A Native American Way to Begin the Day
Stand on Mother Earth. Face any direction you choose.
(Take one step forward, as you look about, up and down:)
O Great, Holy Spirit, I take this step into the day you have given.
I embrace all I see----the season, the wind, the fragrances, the weather.
Let me always accept the day given with a grateful heart.
(Take another step forward.)
O Spirit of Life, I put my arms around myself, all that I am, all that I can be.
I stand here in my own history, with all my mistakes and victories.
I hold all those I will meet today, in my journeying and in my work.
I try to walk gently on this earth.
Let me walk gently through the lives of my work companions and friends.
Though they make way for my passing, may they spring back, neither broken
nor bruised.
(Take another step forward.)
O glorious Spirit of Mystery, I put my arms around you.
I do not know what will happen to me today, but I accept it.
Give me a heart of courage and believing, so I may put my trust in you,
and fear nothing.
From the Plains tribes; Native American Recorded by Jose Hobday. Found in the Book "Woman Prayers" by Mary Ford-Grabowsky
I found this beautiful and compelling. I plan to use it. Hope you enjoyed!
After spending the day yesterday going to the doctor today was a rest day. Excerpt for making lunch/supper I have done very little. I din’t even do the things that really need doing like vacuuming. It can wait. My mother used to say no gremlins will come and do it while you are not looking and it will still be there for you to do later.
Today I have taken that to heart. Next week should be a busy one and so today is to chill.
The last of my orchids to bloom is now open and beautiful. I had forgotten just how gorgeous it is. Orchids don’t bloom all the time but in intervals. When they do the blooms stay fro quite a long time. All of my are the grocery store variety…nothing special…but I do enjoy them.
Today was “a beautiful day in the neighborhood”. Not too hot with a wonderful breeze. I started working on cleaning the porch. While there I took this photo.
This quote sums up my mother and the other mothers in my life.
Today the smell of the Jasmine is glorious. It is so beautiful. Early for it to bloom. Maybe it knows we need its scent to lift our spirits. I do love flowers with scent. When I was a child my grandmother had a amazing garden with hundreds of roses and other blooming things. We always had flowers in the house. The roses had such a wonderful smell. Today, if you buy roses, there is really little smell. It has been bred out to make the blooms bigger. Such a loss. I never want roses of the kind available today but prefer something with scent.
It’s funny how when you choose to change nature’s plants what comes out always sacrifices something. Nature does it best.
In spite of the horror of this pandemic it is wonderful to see what happens when we stop polluting everything. There are now fish in the canals of Venice and the air is clear over Los Angeles. Think how it would be if we could keep this going.
I can only suppose that it won’t but I hope that something will have been learned from this.
It seems that this pandemic has brought out the best and the worst in people. I have heard stories and seen people hoarding things with not thought for others. I have also seen neighbors getting food for people at risk and offering whatever support is needed.
This quote from Charles Dickens seems to sum it all up:
This says it all and fits as well today as when it was written. It sums up succinctly everything that is going on. All the foolishness, all the wisdom, all the greedy people, all the giving people.
Nothing seems to have changed since the time of Dickens.
Focused on process, our creative life rains a sense of adventure. Focused on product, the same creative life can feel foolish or barren. We inherit the obsession with product ….from our consumer-oriented society. Julia Cameron in The Artists Way
I have always wanted to paint or draw and create something. Anything I did looked terrible and so I didn’t keep on trying. I never realized that art is also a skill to be learned
and though I will not be Picasso I can make some things I enjoy. Others may not find them good but they please me.
Don’t let our culture stop you from something you enjoy.
Nobody sees a flower—really—it is so small it takes time–we haven’t time—and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time. Georgia O’Keeffe
We often hear the phrase “take time to smell the roses.” The truth is we seldom do take the time. There are some people who do but most of us don’t. Georgia O’Keeffe painted the flowers and she took the time to really see them….on a level most of us never will. Do I ever see the beauty? Do I ever experience the smell or the shape of the petals? Not often.
O’Keeffe compared this to the time it takes to have a real friend. Seeing all the things about a person and understanding them takes time. Accepting who they really are takes more time and the ability to see beyond the surface. We don’t often take that time but that is how we find friends who understand and accept us as we are.
Stop and really look at that flower. Absorb everything about it. Take the time to do the same things with those who could be real friends.
worry-less-journey 