Agendas Don't Read Comments, People Do.

 

According to my faith practice, a desire to be called one of God’s people is a willingness to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light,” and a commitment to “comfort those who stand in need of comfort.”   (Mosiah 18:8-10) It’s no small commitment. 

When I see rainbows (especially in June) that’s what I think about.  I know too many dear, beautiful people to reduce Pride month to an “agenda”.  Besides, agendas don’t read and hear comments, people do. If I am to love my neighbor as myself, then I’m going to seek to understand, because I really don’t like being misunderstood or dismissed. At least, that is the goal- I fall short of it all the time.  Anyway, I think this sunset tonight is a spectacular end to the month, and it got me thinking.  

New Poem, New Heroine.

I recently came across the first two stanzas of this poem in an old anthology book we use at our school.  I loved it and had my students memorize it last week.  Upon further research, I discovered the rest of the poem (so good).  I also learned this kindred nature lover was a fierce advocate who spoke out (and wrote) on behalf of the mistreatment of the indigenous peoples of this country. (Basically, she rocks.)  Her friendship of E. Dickinson and praise from R.W. Emerson leads me to believe I've been living in a hole, but I'll share just in case you are like me and love to discover new poetry. 

November woods...and the ever-giving Mother who provides life and a place to rest.  Thanksgiving and abundance peacefully elucidated.  Lovely.  Below, I've linked her other writings and information in case you are also interested. 

(Also, Happy birthday to my sister Mary.  Another fierce force for good!)

Down to Sleep 

by Helen Hunt Jackson

November woods are bare and still;

November days are clear and bright;

Each noon burns up the morning's chill;
The morning's snow is gone by night.
Each day my steps grow slow, grow light,
As through the woods I reverent creep,
Watching all things lie “down to sleep.”

I never knew before what beds,
Fragrant to smell, and soft to touch,
The forest sifts and shapes and spreads;
I never knew before how much
Of human sound there is in such
Low tones as through the forest sweep,
When all wild things lie “down to sleep.”

Each day I find new coverlids
Tucked in, and more sweet eyes shut tight;
Sometimes the viewless mother bids
Her ferns kneel down full in my sight;
I hear their chorus of “good-night”;
And half I smile, and half I weep,
Listening while they lie “down to sleep.”

November woods are bare and still;
November days are bright and good;
Life's noon burns up life's morning chill;
Life's night rests feet which long have stood;
Some warm soft bed, in field or wood,
The mother will not fail to keep,
Where we can “lay us down to sleep.”

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Internet Archive of A Century of Dishonor 

A century of dishonor : a sketch of the United States government's dealings with some of the Indian tribes : Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson - Free Ebook (gutenberg.org)

Ode to the Wind

 when you whip my hair

and take my breath

you ignite the embers in my chest

stirring to rolling flames

the desire to live

and grow

and sweep the earth

burn-tasting everything I come to

*Image: The West Wind by Winslow Homer

Cousins Breeze In From the Windy City, Adventure Ensues...

In the beginning, it was the perfect weather for a hike

The foliage was uncommonly green and full (lots of precipitation in our lovely Deseret this year)

Uncle Ed felt particularly daring, or just really wanted a short cut.  It looked simple enough, the log "path"

 

But then the log began to bow and shake, like it might buckle.  And the ground underneath was further down than it had appeared from the trail...

He was in a pickle - what could we do, but take some video?  the background conversation is Grandpa offering some serious money to the little kids, if they would dare cross this log.

 

We settled on doing some dares on safer logs.  (The kids are trying to cross without falling into the "lava")

We finally reached the lookout point and the view was gorgeous as we watched the rain come down in the valley

We spent some leisurely moments up there

  

And just when we began to head back down, it began to rain.  And get dark.  It was quite the trek back but the kids were troopers!  I have almost no pictures of my niece Claire (the smallest and youngest in the group, 6 years) - but that's because she was at the head of the trail most of the time!  5.5 miles was no big deal for these little ones.

It already is a great memory.

We love when family comes to town.

day twenty-four: Shoes (or not. In my case)

I really wanted to finish the 30 days in 30 days, but...it's not going to happen.  I will be occupied this coming week and unable to finish it.  This last week was kind of a bear, no time for blogging.

I will finish it up over July. 

I will probably end up taking a picture of some of my shoes, but really, this is exactly how I like my feet to be:

I mean, what better way to dress up a foot than sun-warmed sand?  Am I right?

day twenty-one: Something Pink

You may have noticed that I'm going out of order and a little behind.
 Prudence requires it.

I will be camping all week next week.  I will try to set things up so that the photos post on time, but I can't make any promises.

There won't be many more photos from my iphone during this challenge.  It was stolen. (waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!)

ahem.

[One of the last photos taken with my iphone:  Concert at Red Butte Gardens, June 2011]

[pink sky and rainbow at Bear Lake, Garden City Utah, September 2010  - It doesn't look so pink next to the other sky picture, though...]

[Rose from my garden, á la Gorgia O'Keeffe]

day twenty: Sunflare

So...some of these are an accident.  I think the point of this challenge is to do the daily requirement on purpose - not just dig up some old photos that sort of have what is being asked.  But in most of the photos, I was aware of the light and trying new things with my camera.

Almost all  photos were taken at Arch Canyon in November 2010 unless noted otherwise:

Heber Valley campground at sunset after rainstorm -August 2010.  Not sure if this counts as sunflare...the camera didn't change much (I didn't want it too) - the sunset really glowed like this!  I just wish I could have gotten more color.    

Honestly, this "sun flare" was not entirely deliberate.  But I was experimenting with settings on my camera to allow in more light and was aware that the sun would partially be in the shot.

Also, not a deliberate sun flare shot.  But I love it because Ada is pointing to it.

By now, I noticed the sun flare and  I wanted to see if I could get those streams of light in my photo, but was afraid of having too much sun...  [Arch Canyon, November 2010]

I used the night time setting here and purposefully kept the sun in the shot.  The whites of those plants were really lighting up like that in the natural light but other exposures just wouldn't show it off like this one (and only just barely). 

I know nothing about good composition, but I do like this photo of Jack.

day twelve: sunset

[view from the grocery store, taken with my iphone]

day three:

[Rendezvous Beach, Bear Lake Utah.  Sept. 2010]

I didn't realize, until this challenge just how many pictures I take of the sky, and of the clouds, specifically.  It's true. I am a fan of clouds. 

[Hatch, Utah.  At dusk, March 2010] 

When I was a teenager, there was a little park just a few doors down from my house. I used to go there at sunset and lay upside down on the hill and just look and look at the clouds and the sky as they changed colors and shapes.

[Salt Lake Valley (looking from Ensign Peak) at sunset, April/May 2010]

Almost all photos (except the last one) were taken with a Canon Powershot 12.1 megapixel camera.  I wish I could say more about settings and such...maybe as I go along I'll learn a bit more and be able to be more purposeful about what I'm doing.

[Bear Lake.  Post sailing misadventure.  September 2010]

[Rendezvous Beach, Bear Lake.  September 2010]

[Sunrise in Garden City, Bear Lake Utah.]

[Great Salt Lake Marina.  Afternoon, June 2011. Photo taken with my iphone]

Looking back, #2

Also Spring 2010:

Temple trip with the Young Women.  There were only four Young Women that night, but the small group made for a lovely, quiet outing.  They were happy to explore and think and quietly focus on their surroundings. 

Scotti, Shrijana and Laxmi:  Pretty.  Nice.  Funny.  Smart.  So Good.

We took a tour of the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City.  It is filled with amazing artwork and the roof top is landscaped so beautifully - using mostly (if not all) plants native to the state of Utah.   

Laxmi fell in love with the flowers, especially the Columbine (below).  They're one of my favorites, too. 

They were delightful company.  It was a gorgeous evening.

Sonia (one of the other leaders), McKenzee (first trip inside the temple) and Myself.

Why I Need to Keep My Camera in My Purse...

Beauty's burden;
or is it,
Burden's beauty?
The weight of white snow
on the boughs of the pine.
Ever green,
ever standing.
In spite of the icy winter, she blazes chlorophylloid contrast
Her cold  arms outstretched, and fingers too,
draped with fiery diamonds.

I'm glad I took a detour this morning.
It reminds me, beauty is as beauty does.


On the way to school this morning, Jack must have read a billboard advertising the fountain of youth in some form or other because he suddenly blurted out, "Get rid of wrinkles!  Who would want to get rid of wrinkles?  Would you, Mom?"

[I paused--I had to ask myself the question first and I was determined to be honest about my answer.]

With a conviction that surprised me, I said, "Nope.  I've worked too hard for the ones I've got." 

And then I blew kisses and waved them off to school.   From there, I purposely missed my exit and instead drove up and through the canyons.  Three canyons, this morning.  I was drawn in and over narrow roads with aged boughs and broken branches that arched over me like an endless threshold, welcoming me to some magical place.  It's funny how you're there, but never reaching a destination.  Everyday life tricks me into thinking that there is a beginning and end to things.  A start and end to a day, a week, a project.  Looking at the sun shine down on a smooth, untouched ravine of snow,  I remember we are at this moment moving closer to spring.  It is all one eternal round.

I thought I was sick and tired of winter and officially declared it just a few days before.   But this morning's drive helped to change my mind about that.  And helped me cement the answer I gave Jack this morning about my wrinkles.  Beauty is, as beauty does.  So if I'm bound (and lucky enough) to live in a season where I droop and stiffen, my head covered in white, I hope I will bear it well -like those trees.  Owning the season completely, not shirking from what is. And I hope to reflect the sun in my own way.  

Heck, why wait 'til then?  Today is a good day for sunshine.  And it is the only day I know I have.

So Said Van the Man...

It makes me righteous

Yes it makes me whole.

It makes me mellow

Down to my soul.

Mercy Me, Spring Rain.  

I don't think I've ever been so pleased to see you again.

What a lovely day.

*Image courtesy of photobucket,  by teegiebabe

50 Words or Less (Desert Initiation)

Junipers underscore morning twilight.  Alone I watch the changing sky (layers of black clay, sandstone, slate).  I begin to stretch, but stop - startled by the absence of sound.  I almost feel it is too much to bear when the owl speaks - reassuring my displaced eardrums. 

I have friends here.

Flickr Photo source can be found here

So I Don't Forget...Ever.

I REFUSE to make a resolution that has anything to do with my weight. (Not that it's a bad resolution to make). It's just that this year

I REFUSE TO MAKE ANY RESOLUTION THAT I HAVE EVER MADE BEFORE.

I resolve this year, to see as much beauty in life as I possibly can. And not only see it, but mark it somehow, in my own feeble and limited way. January's gift creates the feeling that time is on my side, that a clean slate has been laid before me. A freeing feeling, sure, but I know it is fleeting (time itself, and my own perceptions of a fresh start).

Every once in a while, I just wish I could freeze time long enough to capture and replicate the picture that is being placed before me.

(For example, I remember nursing one of my twin babies. It was dark and I was tired. Having passed before through the ephemeral of holding a newborn, I tried as hard as I could to freeze in my mind's eye the detail of that infant nestled into me. I didn't want to forget that moment ever. And I do remember it. It's a funny thing though, that what I remember most about that quiet dark night is how hard I tried to freeze that moment.)

But that's not what I wanted to write about. And so to mark the beauty:

The other day I saw such a beautiful scene and I wished I could stop right then and paint it or draw it or take a picture. But I needed to be somewhere (I was driving) and besides, the scene took place in the early evening kind of light- the kind that transforms a simple park into Winter's Elysium. That kind of light is gone as quickly as it arrives. I had no choice but to try to enjoy it where I was, with what I had.

In an attempt to burn the image in my brain, I described it aloud to myself. I dictated how I would paint it, which became very frustrating because I have no idea how to turn paint into light.

This is what I remember:

A park with gently rolling hills-- no (smaller than that)-- mounds. Mounds, which alternated green and white. Green bulge, then white bulge, then green, and so on, all the way back to the horizon. Winter had timidly come and the green-as-June-grass held it's place where it could. Like waves of green and then the break-sprays of glistening snow. The sweeping slant of the sun emboldened the colors and they glistened, like gold does, in the light.

Interspersed in that wide alternating space were many bare trees. Stark-black silhouettes of life and spring. The crooked elbows and bulging knuckles, now naked and looking cold, revealed every attempt it had ever made to reach out and bend up toward the sunlight.

It was lovely, and I wish I could describe it better. I wanted to write something down before I forget. I love when I am in the midst of the mundane and I catch a glimpse of grandeur. I'm sure I would see more if only I would pay attention.

WWW...the extra 'w' is because this entry is wordy (once again)

===-===-===-===-===
Last Week's Challenge Update:

Well, it went pretty well. No, very well. I'm cured!!! (just kidding). But I think I'm finally figuring this whole "body image" thing out... Some thoughts that occurred to me during the week.

1. The first day. I was walking barefoot along the beach, listening to the water, being re-introduced to the salty, heavy sea breeze - I felt a strong sense of nostalgia and gratitude. I've walked those beaches as a young newlywed, as a pregnant mom, a new mom, a swollen, rash-covered narcissist...I realized that place has history for me. I was reminded of the beautiful life that I've had. And in all those memories, even the one where I broke out into hives because of my anxietous vanity, or the one year when I was big and pregnant trying to body surf, only to come out of the water unknowingly bearing my maternal breast for all the beach to see-- what I cherish is those beautiful memories, even when I didn't feel so cute at the time. They are a part of me.

2. Another day: I was picking up rocks and shells. I picked them because of how they looked, but once I got them into my hands, they all looked like regular rocks. They looked more plain because now they were out of context. They looked exceptional, beautiful, colorful, shiny, and bold when laying in the sand, being washed and polished by the waves. If that's not a metaphor for ya? I, too, feel more beautiful when I'm in beautiful places, with people I love. To surround yourself with beauty, is to bring out your brightest, boldest most beautiful features.

3. Losing my shorts: I had shorts to swim in and I wore these granny underpants underneath. Which worked fine until I started body surfing. I was having so much fun! I was finally starting to get the timing down, but the waves would pull my shorts off. I would grab for my shorts, and then get all scraped up on the rocks at the end of the ride. So, I took my shorts off, shoved them into my top and waited for the next wave. It was a great ride, except this time I started losing my underpants...I managed to snag them just below the knee (before it was everlastingly too late), but once I pulled them up into place I realized my shorts were gone!

You may not think this is a big deal (that's because it isn't), but honestly, I have not shown my fanny, or upper thigh portion to the sunshine in almost 20 years. I was wearing the Umbro's/swimsuit combo WAY before board shorts became mainstream. Not to mention the fact that I was wearing old underwear (granny style with panels and everything) that may or may not have holes in them.

Oh, and I didn't have a towel on the beach I could quickly run to and hide in. So I was stuck. My niece and sisinlaw did a once over for me in the water to make sure I didn't have any revealing holes, and I worked up the guts to walk out of the water and all the way to my camp site. My goal was to not act stupid about it. (But I did kind of did act stupid about it). Still, it was a good experience for me. The truth is, not ONE person gave more than a second's thought (if that) about my white fanny. Nobody cares. Seriously. A big ToDo about nothing. That's what I've been doing all these years. What precious time has been wasted in such self-absorbed thinking.


4. Before I left: I read this article about our body image and our genes. I have features I have thoroughly berated in the past, that are direct features from even my most immediate ancestors. This article pointed out that perhaps we should be more appreciative of those very traits. After all, if they've stood the test of generations, it's because they are dominant genes, and/or they work, right?

As many times as I've complained about my nose, I wouldn't change it. It's my grandpa's nose. And his dad's too. And my grandfather is not only handsome, he is one amazing, AMAZING man. I don't mind having a daily reminder of where I come from, and the examples that have been laid before me. I have short legs like both my grandmothers. They were/are attractive, have/had hustle and are a couple of the hardest working ladies I've ever known. so when I attempt (and fail) the look of the skinny jean, at least I know these limbs have proven to be able to do great things --minus the knees: thanks dad ;)-- And by golly, I'll wear my skinny jeans anyway, thankyouverymuch.

It was a good week. And a giant gold star for you if you actually read this whole thing.

:-===-:

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

I don't know, maybe it was because C referred to me as a poet... but I feel inspired to work on my creative writing. Actually I don't feel inspired right this second, which is part of the reason for this challenge, WHICH IS;

Each day I will submit a poem/song that I have written... for all the world (okay, all 10 of you) to see.

This is kind of scary for me, because:
1. I'm not actually a poet... I lack the knack for rhyming, and I tend to make up words (note the word 'anxietous' above).
2. I have written less poems than there are days in the week, and I've already posted most of them...
3. I'm risking looking really dumb, or unintentionally revealing more of myself than I would like.

K- here I go!

#1

SLIP

Explanations,
Poses,
Constructed Themes,
The direction you are now facing.
Meaningless.

You've already given it away.

Without even a word.

One look
And it's gone from you.

It only feels taken because you
Weren't paying attention when

You revealed yourself
To me.

===-===-===-===-===

WV...The Mon River Trail...

ENJOY THE MON RIVER / CAPERTON / DECKERS CREEK TRAILS

Currently, 48 miles of the Mon River / Caperton / Deckers Creek Rail-Trails are open for non-motorized use, primarily walking, cycling, jogging, and cross-country skiing with a smooth, durable surface for wheel-chair use and all types of bicycles. In Morgantown and Star City, eight miles of trail are paved, allowing for in-line skating. The rail-trail connects three counties, Marion, Monongalia, and Preston Counties in North Central West Virginia...

This trail is just a couple of miles from my sister's apartment. She let me borrow her bike and go for a ride one morning.

It was great, such a beautiful morning! There are lots of little trails verging off the path and into the hills that I noticed some runners chose to follow. How cool that this is so close to her place!

Smooth and flat. Made for a fast ride.

...See how fast I was going? Thanks to the humidity I was also completely drenched in sweat.

Don't know what this is, but I thought I'd take a picture
I've seen them in Utah, but it just seemed pretty at the time.

Another attempt at biking-photography. I "ran into" about 6 deer, just hanging out. This one I actually got a shot of because he stayed on the path for a minute while I tried to chase him down. He was faster.

And there's so much more...

WV continued...

COOPER'S ROCK

Coopers Rock State Forest gets its name from a legend about a fugitive who hid from the law near what is now the overlook. A cooper by trade, he resumed making barrels at his new mountain hideout, selling them to people in nearby communities. He lived and worked in the forest for many years.

... (to read more click here).

The View from Cooper's Rock was amazing. We got there at dusk, my favorite time of the day.
I believe this is the Cheat River?

Not a great shot, but all the paths were so beautifully tucked in by lots of green. So lovely.

A Goofy self portrait. To the left is Phillip and Elijah. To the right is some random guy (no doubt contemplating his place in this beautiful, vast world).

And Old School. This is nestled in a beautiful camping area. I decided then that I would figure out the origin of the name "Cheat Mountain" - and who on earth this Cooper guy is.
What I've learned so far:

* Cooper, like 'Smith' or 'Carter' is an occupational name.

* Sometimes crime DOES pay (I'm joking children. It does NOT pay, no sir!)

It's funny that it says 'Nature Center'. Inside is a little climbing wall and a map on the wall of Cooper's Rock State Forest and a fact sheet.

Nephew on the move! Get him outside and he turns into wild, nature kid. What can I say? He takes after his Auntie "M". ;)

This, I believe, is the rock that somehow belongs to Cooper... Lucky Thug.



On the way home, I made them pull over. We were driving along this long field. The sun was nearly gone and you could see fireflies lighting up everywhere. I was unable to get any decent shots. But I thoroughly enjoyed watching the show. For a Utah girl, it was pure night time magic.

It was a beautiful, beautiful evening.

Much more to come.