Second Day of Sunshine!

I love Spring.  This morning, looking out the living room window, I noticed a black heart out in the vineyard.  Buzzard Love.

The Quince burst into bloom.  They smell spicy.  This may be my favorite pink in the whole wide world.

One time I knew this one's name.  I seem to remember that it is California's only native sunflower.

Another no-name.  Who cares?  Aren't you just impressed with how the sky blue rims the petals?  I am.

Oh yes.  Shooting Stars.

Love love love.

xoxoLC

A Sunny Day, Finally! and a little Hafiz.

Regardless of untold days of rain rain rain, and hungry slugs, the urge behind blooming persists.  It just cannot help itself.  Spring is in the air, in the pulse, in the stars.

While I have been slightly gloomy, matched only by gray skies and daily downpours, the blossoms have gathered.  POV today: greatly improved.

It's a blue day, missing the blue.

Sends me rummaging for Hafiz!  

If It Is Not Too Dark

Go for a walk, it it is not too dark.

Get some fresh air, try to smile.

Say something kind

To a safe-looking stranger, if one happens by.

Always exercise your heart's knowing.

You might as well attempt something real

Along this path:

Take your spouse or lover into your arms

The way you did when you first met.

Let tenderness pour from your eyes

The way the Sun gazes warmly on the earth.

Play a game with some children.

Extend yourself to a friend.

Sing a few ribald songs to your pets and plants---

Why not let them get drunk and wild!

Let's toast

Every rung we've climbed on Evolution's ladder.

Whisper, "I love you!  I love you!"

To the whole mad world.

Let's stop reading about God---

We will never understand Him.

Jump to your feet, wave your fists,

Threaten and warn the whole Universe

That your heart can no longer live

Without real love!

***

Hafiz

***

Yeah.  I love you.

xoxoLC

Epilepsy Awareness Day

Our Elisabeth has worked hard to bring a larger awareness of epilepsy to our county.  She has stepped way beyond the parameters of daily life to shine the light of awareness and love to the condition of epilepsy.  The County Board of Supervisors has declared today, March 25, 2011, Epilepsy Awareness Day.  In solidarity  we are all wearing purple today, because purple is Kaitlyn's favorite color.

Thank you all for your love and support.  I will post some photos of Kaitlyn later today!
Love and hugs,
LPC

Sodden

Is sodden a word?  Ha ha.  Let us say, WET.  Saturated.  Really really wet.  Our Rushing River is roaring along a quite a clip, spreading out over its whole bed.  The fuzzy thing through the middle of the photo is part of the bridge.  I am not getting out, you know I melt, to get a photo, so my driver stopped mid-span so I could get a shot.  Yes, he is a nice guy.  I am pretty done with winter, am looking forward to some nice, sunny days, so that I can fill my blog with California Poppies and Lupine and the like.  This storm after storm after storm is starting to get me down.

Up note: the studio is clean, there is a painting-in-progress on the easel, and a quilt in the sewing machine for finishing touches.  Coffee is delicious.  Catching up on reading & writing.  Prayers & Meditation.  Candles lit.  Prayers for Japan and people world-wide.  Prayers for peaceful.

Prayers.  Lots of Prayers.

 

As I mention nearly every Blogging, I take my dogs to Lake Sonoma weekly, sometimes 3 X week.  Seriously, I look at my gas gage and think, we can go today!  I think and do this, periodically before I check my calender, which gives me a problem or two, now and then.  Those who know me, I guess, have resigned to this "disappearing" and wait it out.  For this I am grateful.

Out there, the water speaks with calm, with liquid, with bouncing light.  Often it is mirror-slick.  Sometimes choppy with mini-breakers.  Always deep and dark under the surface, because, of course, it is a man-made lake, and waters of the Dry Creek watershed have filled valleys, canyons and all the creek beds.

I go there for fun with my dogs, to exercise for us all three.  Yet, I always find solace.  Water is a healing element.  An element necessary for Life, right up there with air.   At this juncture of my life, I am finding that I need the healing, the solace, and the solitude, whether I find these elements at the Lake, or in my meditation spot.  The world has gotten out of hand for my abilities to sort & file.  

Yes, it is time for Mary Alice's Flower to bloom!  I found a few, hiding low in the grass on the way home from the Lake.  Mary's birthday is coming up (March 31!).  Oh ouch.  She is double-digits, pre-teen, she says, oh no, Nonnie says!  She's going to be 10!  We are all scratching our proverbial heads, how did this happen?  Because of course, we clearly remember that day, when all 9 pounds 19 inches of her arrived, the cutest butterball of a baby!  She is still cute as can be, and yes, confident, determined, smart, gorgeous kid.  Named after her Gramma Mary Carmelita Paine, the famous MCP.

So that's that.  It is a wet and windy day.  I am grateful for Life.  Blessings.

xoxoLC

Filled Up

River Road is exquisite.   Early spring is somewhat ahead of the onslaught of chemicals that signal full-blown springtime, this is where we are right now, before the "Time Change."  I'm not talking "The Change," or even any old Change.  I am talking the ritual of messing with my days, the dog days, the scheduled everythings.  "Spring Ahead," says some demented genius.  We're Saving Time.

I'm on limited time here.  Pray to Goddess the computer doesn't "time out" (what-ever.) and refuse to post my blog, or email.  Ha!  We are all on limited time, aren't we?  No one gets out of this one.  Set your clocks ahead of time.  Plan on some discombobulation.

So, tonight, after a beautiful day spent writing with writers, listening to writers read, share, and generally fan the flames of passionate writing, I drove home along River Road, my usual route.  Seriously, it's the only route to my drive way.  The forecast is for rain later this evening, and the clouds moved into position, great piles of them.  As I turned on to River Road, the sun burst under the clouds, alighting  every blade of grass, every wire strung across acres of bottom land, every blue wing of jay, white and red of woodpecker, every bud of new Oak leaf.  With this kiss of light before the storm, Each illuminated.  

By the time I turned off the engine, the pale rays were coming across the valley on a horizontal plane.  Even low grass caught shadows and light and extra doses of green.

My camera was under groceries, sweater, raincoat, under papers, under the looped story I wrote today.  Dogs sat still, wondering what now do they have to do before their dinner bowls are filled?  Maybe they are getting used to the fact of life, when she's rummaging around for the camera, it's gonna take a little more time before their door is opened and they are invited out of the car.  They watch.  It would've been a good photo, had there been more light in the cab.

This was a full day.  Full of beauty.  Full of words and wordplay.  Of humor and tears, of inspiration and encouragement.  A beautiful day of full.  I am grateful for a day like this.

Blessings, Dear Ones.
xoxoLC

Random

My new computer has all my photos from the last computer on board.  I am so impressed, and I found them tonight, so I am posting a few that impress my own self.

My work has kept me away from my "play time" on the computer.  Goodness, I've gotten so disciplined!  All this thinking, writing, organizing, revision, etc etc etc., it's enough to wear a woman out.  Ha.  I have been thinking of re-vamping the Blog, but have no clear vision of where I want to go with this.  So, not going anywhere with that in the near future.

This little guy is now 79 pounds of rambunctious.  Still cute.  No.  Handsome?

I have no idea where I took this one.  Impressive, no?  Maybe I was on the pole?  Definitely looks like a mountain adventure.

The rain is coming down.  It's cozy here, stove full of wood, and I am turning in early, just for the luxury of it.  Have a good Sunday.

xoxoLC