Focusing

Sometimes His tool is a restless spirit, which might appear as some vague dissatisfaction with our life. He promises to make good things come from them when we put our trust in Him. And the transitions that most frighten or frustrate us—or change our plans —often are the impetus for a new focus in life.  It's a fork in the road with a big question mark over it. Where to go, what to do next . Perplexity, Pain, Patience.  Internal signals.I hate that I am still tooth and nail instead of a trust and see.  Patience is an exacting pedagogue.  Formidable. Hard-won.  Dreams are insistent.  Impatient.  Trusting that He works all together for good when all seems like flesh rotting off the bones?  Help Thou my unbelief.
I've decided to focus on the small and rejoice in the simple ~

simple things I’d like to do:

1. make a new dress
2. wear my hair in some fabulous braided / updo (c'mon 'n grow oh locks o' mine!)
3. catalog my urtexts & quotes & J's songs
4. read more books
5. get away / get out of the house more
6. have a picnic at the hollows
7. make shapes from clouds
8. go to margaritas / wine with friends
9. watch the sunrise over the ocean
10. catch a firefly
11. visit a lighthouse
12. write more letters
13. print, frame, & hang photos
14. have dinner together more
15. gather bits and baubles that make me smile
16. cook with C 
17. yoga my way to firm
18. write J little encouragements
19. be rowed in a boat on a quiet lake or a pond
20. star gaze
21. ride horses
22. make gifts for my niece & nephews
23. laugh deeply
24. say "I love you" more, to those I do
25. have a French Tip done to my nails
26. continue to write
27. speak positive
28. be kind 
29. begin saving for a new camera
30. grow more herbs
31. take pottery lessons
32. sip tea outside with my girls
33. update some key pieces in my wardrobe
34. be an explorer of the world
35. be aware, absorbed & happy within my moments 

Pig of a Different Snout

With my DSLR out of commission, it's iPone to the rescue for the remaining August Break.  

 I love my iPhone.  But, it is no Nikon. 

 Still, a pig of a different snout ...

is still a pig.  Right? Even if the snout does feel more like a beak.

I spent the morning on the road coming home from an epic fail.  

The mountains are still shrouded in smoke.  My being feels much the same

with this new state of being Nikon-less.

Pouting

 My camera is on the fritz.  Can't believe how violated I feel ("How dare something of such technological ingenuity not function properly!!")  Don't know when I'll be able to get it functioning again. Don't know what has caused the malfunction. Don't know why this feels so defeating.
My world will be a blur (literally - through the lens) for a bit.

Emphasis

  J's #45 bday was 4 days ago but last night we finally came together for a little celebrating.  Lobster, grilled corn, pina coladas, farkle, 3 of the 5 of us, & a whole-lotta silliness (at which times we were laughing too hard to get clear shots - so it is not documented).

  What a life we live.  From one grace to the next & then another.  Unending. Sweetness, sorrow, joy, pain, forgiveness, acceptance...   So blessed.

Your living is determined

 not so much 

by what life brings 

to you 

as by the attitude you bring to life;

 not so much 

by what happens

 to you 

as by the way your heart looks 

upon it's circumstance.

~ Gibran

Wonder-full

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
Keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work, which is mostly 

standing still and learning to be astonished."

    from the poem "Messenger" by Mary Oliver

 Green goodness - essence of summer.  Fresh mown grass, chilled smoothies, ripe avocados ...

 Letters from far away.  Letter from a heart-friend.  Just - because.

 Shorts.  Exercise. Sweat.  Hearing a guy say "love" when he means "zero".  Against the backdrop of smokey mountains.

Waning light casting shadow and pattern - weeds now noteworthy with it's definition

 Gathering flavors and familiar faces to sample and celebrate.

 Ending in sweetness...

 Simplicity...

 and Sentient.

Fully ready to close my eyes to a day lived well in wonder.

Last Days

I'll be joining Susannah and some other photogs around this wide world as we narrow the focus of our lenses to the pleasures only summer can give.  The 2nd (or is it 3rd?) annual starting line of August Break has more of us than ever on our marks and ready to celebrate this month of sunshine!
Feel free to join in the celebration!

Yesterday J (aka 'The Delicious') turned 45.  How quickly time has gone from when we were 16 & 18 and forming a new friendship over jitterbug steps and handwritten letters across oceans and summer days.  He's still just amazing.  We both worked all day yesterday so there wasn't much in the way of celebrating.  Hoping to do some of that this weekend when we have the luxury of time.  I did whip up some Philly Cheesesteak Sammies for his gastronomic delight - that was the extent of gifts and birthday hoo-hahing.
This morning I woke to smoke surrounding the valley and an erie (skin-tingling-delish sort of) calm.  No birds singing, no dogs barking, no snoring on the pillow next to me...   So surreal.  Like a waking dream.  I went out and snipped statice and brought it in to fill the vases on the counters and table and snapped photos as dawn came peeping through the windows.