There are five windows in my writing studio: three of them face east (for the most part), and two of them face north.
The east-facing windows used to let in heat—a lot of it! That is, until Len installed a translucent film designed to let in light, but not heat. We left the north-facing windows alone as lush trees shade them, and they provide an inspirational view.
There are many things we want/need, but not too much of. The first thing that comes to mind is food. We need it to stay alive and most of us enjoy it. I, for one, consider myself a “foodie.” But too much of it—without exercise—and we gain weight.
What is it that you want/need, but Goldilocks style—in just the right amount?
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. At least that’s what I was taught in school. I didn’t know about the exception:
“A straight line isn’t always the shortest distance between two points. The shortest distance between two points depends on the geometry of the object/surface in question. For flat surfaces, a line is indeed the shortest distance, but for spherical surfaces, like Earth, great-circle distances actually represent the true shortest distance.”
Perhaps it’s not about the two points, but HOW we move between them.
Depending on the distance, walking is my favorite mode of transportation, (no less than six miles per day).
If we take the truck, it means we’re on a road trip, and you have to love that!
In the Fiat? I’m running errands in town.
On our bikes, or in the plane? We’re enjoying a goof-off day.
What about you? What’s your favorite way to get between Point A and Point B?
My friend, Shirley Showalter, has a blog whose posts I never miss. Recently she asked, “What do you do when the world seems wrong, and you are sad, lonely, confused, or anxious?”
I responded, “When I’m in a place of discouragement and overwhelm, I submerge myself in nature. In my experience, the two things that people yearn for the most are: (1) to love, (2) to be loved. It’s in nature that I find reassurance for both of these needs.”
Shirley replied, “I would love to read about how love reaches you in nature. It’s easier to feel one’s own love going out, I think, than universal love flowing in. Do you agree? Maybe you will answer this question in a future post!”
Hence, this post was born.
I realize that everyone’s experience is different, and people embrace many different beliefs. This post just happens to be about how nature informs me of love.
Nature has taught me a lot about faith, it helps me to draw near to what many people refer to as God, and others call Goddess, Yahweh, Jehovah, Jesus, Moses, Allah, Krishna, Light, Mohammed, Supreme Being, Buddha, All That Is, Source Energy, Shiva, Universe, Higher Self, Creator, Brahman, Spirit, Mother Earth, Father Sky, the list goes on.
It’s my experience that the name we use isn’t as important as our relationship and interaction.
How does love reach me in nature? When I contemplate earth’s beauty—especially the cycles, the repeated refrains—it touches me deeply, and I feel loved. And in this love, I am recharged. In this love, I find reserves of strength I didn’t know I had. In turn, I’m able to love more deeply.
TODAY ONLY — Sat, June 13, 2020 — Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth is the featured eBook deal on BookBub. Grab it on Amazon, Nook, Google Play, or Kobo for 99𝇍.
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Depending on the route, I pass this beautiful weathervane a few times a week on my daily walks. Without fail, it brings to mind the saying: “Any way the wind blows.”
To my way of thinking, that means to be easily persuaded, not to stand firm.
Similar, many people “go with the flow.” In my first book, Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth, I wrote: “Don’t go with the flow or against it. Create your own.”
A friend of mine took a stand to not go with the flow, not go with the wind. She opted not to gather with a group of friends (many of them at risk) because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Will there be friendship fallout from this stand? That’s yet to be seen. I respect that she stood firm in her convictions.
Do you go with the flow, any way the wind blows—or do you stand firm?
Gazing balls originated in Venice, Italy, in the 13th century, where the famous Italian glass blowers would blow glass of all sizes and colors. Most of these gazing balls were created for the affluent homes of kings and queens.
Because gazing balls were thought to attract fairies and magical beings, King Ludwig II of Bavaria insisted that gazing balls be hung from trees, floated on the surrounding ponds, and placed on stands in the garden. Considered wildly eccentric, he longed to rule over a fairytale kingdom and built fairytale castles that today rate among Germany’s leading tourist attractions..
Gazing balls were also used to spy on couples as they walked around the garden (you could watch them unseen). They were also used in dining rooms of wealthy homes, so the maids and butlers could watch unobserved to see who needed their tea refilled.
Do you have a gazing ball in your home, yard, or garden?
Earlier this year, I received a beautiful glass vase as a thank you gift. It’s perfectly sized for a nosegay, posy, or tussie-mussie — a small flower bouquet.
Since receiving the vase, I’ve made a point of enjoying a weekly bouquet in my writing studio. I’ve found it to be a boon for self-care, inspiration, and creativity.
My sister reinforced my habit by gifting me with a multi-month gift certificate from Blooms Flower Studio in Boise. Oh, the joy!
What’s your strategy for boosting self-care, inspiration, and creativity?
On one of our many hikes along the Boise River, Len and I came across this rock. What caught our attention is the perfectly round hole in it:
After continuing on our merry way, we tried to one-up each other on the different types of holes there are. Our list includes:
Loophole, donut hole, drainage hole, keyhole, watering hole, black hole, gopher hole, post hole, sinkhole, pothole, a hidey-hole, bullet hole, and then, of course, there’s the a$$hole—which made us both laugh like dorky junior high kids.
Today is the 5th of May—Cinco de Mayo. It brings to mind our favorite Mexican restaurant—Old Town Mexican Cafe and Cantina—in the Old Town section of San Diego. It’s the “Home of the original Handmade Tortilla Makers.” Authentic and delicious!
While waiting for your meal you can watch tortillas being made—by hand. You can also admire the festive, colorful bar stools.
“Belly up to the bar” means to move near something. However, when looking up the etymology, I found all sorts of interesting information. I especially enjoyed this improbable meaning that was said to be given by a tour guide at an old Lexington tavern:
“The origin of ‘belly up to the bar’ goes back to Colonial times. If your belly could reach the bar, you were old enough to drink.”
