All the photos from this series have been taken from a second story balcony.
Compare these photos with those in the last post to see the progress.
There will be more to come.
Stay tuned…
Still Growing Strong…
Tag Archives: appreciation
Stay Tuned…
Change is coming. Last week I thought this plant looked different. Then decided, maybe not. By Saturday, I knew a bloom was coming. The gardener remembers planting this agave 30 years ago.
I’ve heard the bloom growth is phenomenally fast. The following displays what can happen in only two days.
Besides growing fast, the blooms are supposed to be spectacular. Expect periodic photo updates.
It will be fun to watch, and a wee bit bittersweet. With the bloom, comes death. It will be sad to loose this plant as it is a showcase specimen on the pathway to a patio area. Perhaps it’ll spawn another.
I Love Living Here…
Frequently, I’m asked how I’m enjoying my new home.
My response flows.
“I’m loving it more every day.”
Perhaps I’m under the influence of the intoxicating fragrances that waft through the air. Depending upon where I stand on the property today, I might smell orange blossoms, or alyssum, or eucalyptus, or other yet to be identified scents. Each offers aromas I enjoy, and I savor those moments of fragrance.
Regularly, I’m learning something new about the plantings on the property. The former owners enjoyed the diversity found in this locale, so there’s a variety of mature plantings to enjoy. Our styles may be different, but our love of plants and being outdoors to enjoy them is something we share with those owners. We’re grateful they invested in the property. We’ve relocated and moved some things to create different spaces or zones; this visually opened the approach to the house; yet maintained almost all the species we worked with. It’s a process and we’re comfortable knowing that it will all take time. I wake up, look outdoors and say,
“I love living here.”
Spring is in the air…
It’s February
Yet spring abounds
The birds are busy
Calling from one to another
We watch them building nests
Or scavenging in the garden
Buried plants have broken the earth’s crust
Then released their blooms
With these blooms, comes color
Fragrances fill the air
Sweet alyssum flows down the hillside
While the aroma wafts back to the patio
Citrus trees share their harvest
While setting blossoms for next year’s crop
It’s all part of the cycle
The invigorating cycle of life
It feels so good to be in the middle of this
Goodbye / Hello…
2020 – I join with friends around the globe to say “Adieu”
Your stories will be told for years to come
No need for more
…and now I direct my gaze forward
2021 – enter
Open our eyes to see fresh things
Teach us to see beauty in the little as well as the grand
Remind us there is nothing new under the sun
And that peace comes through faith
Let that faith grow in our lives
As we recognize all of mankind is suffering
We make a difference one step at a time
Give us courage to take those individual steps
Welcome 2021
The world is ready for a change
How about you?
Best wishes to all in this new year!
Creativity…
…what sparks yours?
I’ve written earlier how Covid-19 has helped me establish some better writing habits, and it has. Yet the last two weeks provided some interesting self-learning opportunities for me. We traveled to California (via car), to spend time with family. This hasn’t been a trip for sight-seeing, but has allowed us to connect with some family members while staying in one location. A location different from our house. Everyone here has their normal activities, as do we.
Yet the environment differs vastly from home. The sights, the temperatures, the plants—I’ve found all these differences sparked additional creativity for me.
In the past, I’ve found traveling ignites creativity, or time appreciating natural beauty, or enjoying another’s art creations. Just spending quiet, uninterrupted time in a different environment from home provided an unexpected burst.
This gift of creative energy was a surprise, a very pleasant surprise.
A daughter commented that she’s heard other writers say that’s the reason they enjoy going to a retreat. I’d always thought one went on a writing retreat to remove one’s self from their routine and have more time. So like me to consider “time” as the limiting commodity. …and so, incorrect! I’ve enjoyed this “writing retreat” to work on multiple projects.
What fuels your creativity?
Pandemic Outing…
Yesterday was a beautiful morning, so we drove to town, stopped at our favorite coffee shop for take-n-go drinks and took off.
Took off for a drive up a nearby mountain pass. The spring melt has the rivers flowing at near peak capacity.
The morning air, fresh and cool, offers the fragrance of spring. One could smell the earth, the heat generating from the rocks and the moisture in the shade under the trees. The sound of the water racing downhill, roaring over rock walls, splash landing at the base before flowing into the river filled the air. In one location, the cool spray carried gently by the breeze, brushed against my face.
In another location, we sat nearby and absorbed the sensations of being by water, out in nature.
Honestly, at one site, I got dizzy sitting there. We were in the truck, parked close to the river’s edge. The sights and sounds were relaxing, refreshing yet simultaneously invigorating. As I sat and watched the water, I got the sense the vehicle was moving. It wasn’t. Yet the water was so intense, so fast and so mesmerizing, I lost track of everything else.
Perhaps these photos will take you to these places also…
Time
The sun comes up; the sun goes down.
Another day, another night.
So we count time.
Covid-19 hit.
Time has stopped, or so it seems to me.
I cook, I read, I write.
I do creative things.
I connect with others.
The calendar says it is April.
Really?
Did the sun rise and set so many times?
There is no rush. No rush to fix or finish dinner.
No rush to get somewhere on time.
No rush to finish projects, just gradually work on them.
The sun comes up
Prepare morning drinks and luxuriate as my husband and I sit and chat.
Enjoy the morning sky with clouds drifting by.
Notice the few neighbors out walking their dogs.
Listen to the ever growing population of birds arriving for the season.
Open patio doors to breathe in the cool, fresh morning mountain air.
Another cup of tea. Snuggle into a chair by the window, and allow the sun to warm the body.
Get lost in the day with either a book, writing, or communicating with a friend who is also sheltered in her house. Or spend some time on one of those creative endeavors.
Fix dinner and enjoy the quiet of the night.
The sun goes down.
Followed by peaceful sleep.
During this time of “Sheltering In-Place,” I’m part of a writing group. The group is writing about this time, fears, feelings, concerns. Different prompts and readings are used to generate inspiration. Sometimes I’m surprised at what surfaces. None of us in the group have experienced a time such as this. I’ll be sharing some of my writings generated from the group. You'll find them under the menu option, Writing Categories and then Pandemic. Feel free to leave your comments or write you own thoughts.
Summer Jewels
This is a special summer. The apricot trees are heavy laden with their golden orange fruit. Because this fruit tree is one the first to bloom, at our elevation if there’s a late spring freeze, the trees lose their blossoms and develop no fruit. I was down to only one jar of jam. We have a bumper crop in the valley this year. Thanks to the generosity of a nearby friend, I’ve been making apricot jam and syrup. Yum!
Update…
We returned home to Colorado in early June. Since that time, we’ve been connecting with old friends and family. Anyone who has spent a large chunk of time out of the country may relate to the re-adjustment time when returning to your homeland. We’ve been living through this change process. Many of our discussions have centered about “when we will return to Ireland.”
As part of connecting with family and friends, we made a trip back to the mid-west and attended the church Tom was part of for many years. It was our first opportunity of speaking to a group about Ireland, our time there and the vision for the future. It was an excellent experience for both of us. Besides being energizing, this time identified areas where we need to clarify our vision.
We send a hearty “thanks” to the folks of New Hope for allowing us to share our experience and vision; for your interest in this work; and for reminding us that when with Christians, one is never far from family.
For more information about this mission, check out CelticMissions.org
Journey to the Heights 