New post in my new space. We had a great weekend with an unexpected Bird Day! Follow the link to read about it and see my photos. Hope everyone had a terrific weekend. 🤗💕
Tag: free48
A Little Help #Nature
As usual, I spent time outdoors over the #Free48 and being in the garden means seeing some of my favorite tiny friends. I was preparing to fertilize my blooming plants and went for my hose when I noticed this lady in a bit of a treacherous situation. Within a couple of hours the sun would be scorching…
I tried getting her rolled over with a stick but she just didn’t grasp it. I tried to pick her up but she got frightened and her wings went berserk. Eventually she clung to the stick and we got her relocated to a nearby potted plant. She quickly snuggled in among the leaves.
I checked in on her throughout the day but she remined hidden in the plant. I hope it wasn’t near the end of her life; but if so, at least she was able to slip away in the cool of the shadows rather than blister in the 90 degree torture.
They are so other worldly looking..
This has been a record Summer of the Cicada around here and I consider it a good omen. Here is a bit about the nature and life of the Cicada as a spirit totem:
The cicada is an ancient symbol with themes of resurrection, imortality, spiritual realization and spiritual ecstasy.
For many, the Cicada represent personal change, renewal, rebirth and transformation. Unlike the butterfly or moth, the Cicada does not go through a complete metamorphosis and has no pupal state. They represent what they were as a nymph and all the glory of what they become in their adult form.
The presence of Cicada teaches us about qualities such as restoration and tolerance as well as a strong connection with Mother Earth.
It represents a time to be honest with oneself. When we fall into the comfort of pleasing others we tend to live make-believe lives.
Through the connection of the soul to Cicada, one is able to remember all the truths that have been long buried. Forgotten thoughts and ideas rise to the surface once more, allowing us to tap into them easily.
Its voice assures us that we are of utmost importance and we can use our own voices to effectively communicate our true selves and there is no need to live under anyone’s shadow.
Plus, they sing so beautifully!
But only the males…big showoffs!
Devotion #Photography #Poetry
Is there any virtue sweeter than devotion,
can one bear the crushing joy of such emotion?
To share the least of what is rare and purely treasured-
in such simple holy gifts is true love measured.
What passes in the mundane way of living
is the grandest form of unabashed giving,
like shiny pearls are strung and flung
as music lilting from the tongue
of Mother Nature-love is sung,
the Symphony of Life!
That, my friends, is a Bubba bird. He brings only the choicest berries to his mate and not just one but a mouthful! How do I know? I happen to be lucky enough to be cared for by the original Bubba Bird.
The truest love is not defined by the grand gestures of poets and kings, but rather rises in the heart and soul of selfless giving.
Happy #Free48!
What a Ride! Endgame Experience!
I must state simply that The Avengers series has gotten exponentially more exciting with every piece of the puzzle over the years, causing expectation levels to rise with each new installment. I was a bit nervous when the advertisements for #Endgame started to show up.
I have been exposed to this genre of film since my four sons were youngsters and none of us has stopped loving the various superheroes that really do exist in the imagiverse of sci-fi comic existence.
I have my favorites, of coures, being a closet Thor groupie. He is not dissimilar to HeMan, a favorite of my oldest. That child used to watch his Saturday lineup of cartoons, having to don full attire for each one, complete with his version of Bruce Banner clothes and Hulk’s torn transformation outfit. Of course, back in those days we were watching reruns of Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby’s Hulk, my personal favorite. 😉 Love you too, #Mark Ruffalo and Ed Norton, Jr.
So, if you have time, you must catch up on Spiderman-all of them-, The Incredible Hulk, Ironman, Antman-1&2-, Thor, Black Panther, all of The Avengers, Captain America, Captain Marvel….oh, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Got it? 🙈
I regularly tug out my copy of Guardians of the Galaxy when I want to feel hope for this troubled world. A good soundtrack while saving humanity is definitely a must for me.
ummmm….there is no secret about what a #Chris Pratt fan I am. Love the Pratt man. This might be my favorite role of his though.
So, unless you know the basic storylines for the main characters in Endgame, you might be lost and not enjoy the film as much as you could. However, if you like humor, action, great special effects, excitement and heartwarming moments, your expectations will surely be met in this movie. It was a thrill ride for me! Big thanks to all the cast, creators-R.I.P Stan Lee-and supporting crew that brought this Disney production to life for us- the rabid fans of #The Avengers.
Experience the wonder, the thrill, the pure genius that is Marvel’s Avengers Endgame. Even just so you can say you did.
This post is brought to you courtesy of Linda Hill’s #SoCS prompt. Visit her blog for more great posts. Today’s prompt was to use xp in the post, either alone or in words.
Happy #Free48 folks. That expression has a whole new meaning for me this weekend! Yay! Beer and movies, walks and sunshine, oh yeaaahhh….
In the Garden #SoCS
When the noise of existing
becomes so loud that the
cry of my soul is muted
and the tears I shed
wash over my heart
as the anchor of despair
pulls me beneath
a sea of dark sorrow,
I remember why I came
to this spinning orb,
Wonderland of diversity-
the challenge of survival
a prime directive.
When all that remains is
living, my need slips into
perspective once more
as Illusion slinks into
the shadows of desire.
Sunlight tingles my skin,
a cool breeze kisses my face
as all of Existence whispers
to my weary being,
”Breathe, rest your mind
and join us in celebration
of this brilliant moment.
Time vanishes when
life is measured in
glorious being.
Can you see it?
Can you hear it?
Can you feel the
drumming of
Nature’s heartbeat?”
I can. I do. And all pain
melts into a river of
the Forgotten once more.
Go outside today. Open your eyes. Your ears.
be silent and wait.
Allow yourself to be healed.
Don’t just pay lip service to relaxation and rejuvenation.
Have a truly #Free48!
Thanks to Linda Hill’s #SoCS prompt ‘lip’. Visit her place for other great posts and read about this and other fun blog prompts on her site.
And if you had bad service as a consumer this week, check out Dan’s bar post for this week. Customer Service is alive and well in Hartford!
Today
is Friday.
Glorious, coveted, revered, taunting, waiting and flaunting all its promises of release, relief, reprieve, retreat, reverence and rejuvenation.
But more than this, Today is unique, not yesterday or tomorrow, but 24 hours of now with all its possibilities. Try to look around and find the very moments that make up this day and savor them.
Magic and wonder are found in the most unexpected places.
Happy #Free48!
It is starting out very happy for me, or at least not as distressing as my week began. And I believe I have my media space problem in a manageable place. Yay!!
Testing…
I have been working on freeing up some space. Just a test to see how I made out. If you see an image here, we may have a bit of hope. SO glad tomorrow is Friday. What about all of you? Think I will try to find a door…..
I still have some kinks to work out but I may be on to something. Oh yeah this was a favorite doorway from one of the plantation ruins in Florida. I miss our little adventures there. Oh, yeah, and all the sunshine. 🌞
The featured image is of the doorway to Ponce de Leon Lighthouse in Ponce Inlet, Florida, one of my favorite weekly destinations while living there.
Peace, love and #Free48 everybody!
Burnin’ For Me #SoCS
Okay, I have to admit I was going to skate on this week’s #SoCS event, hosted by our wonderful writing friend Linda Hill. But I usually don’t get to the prompt page as soon as I get my load of weekly blog notifications, especially after this full moon crazy week. That is no exageration either. But, that is for another post. Since I do read Dan’s posts as soon as they hit the page, I am always able to know what the prompt is anyway. Check out his post today at the bar.
Now…about my last piece of mail, because that is what the prompt for today is. Talk about the last piece of mail you received. I’m just so excited (for once) about the mail. I guess I have crossed over into the ‘old habits are hard to break’ and ‘old people can’t move on’ zone. There are many indicators to confirm this notion for me and, once again, this post is not about those things today.
What it is about is my health-my physical well being-which, for me, is so closely related to my mental state. I have always been smallish but aging affects this so much, even in a work environment where I move around constantly. A body eventually becomes accustomed to its daily pace, and in order to increase its cardio workout, so must I. I prefer being outdoors and hiking, but it isn’t always possible, so I am revisiting an old and dear friend. I used to work out to Jane’s VHS tapes religiously, and to this day I prefer her methods over any other workout I have tried. There are varying levels and styles within her series that work for all ages and skill levels.
For a long time these videos were not available on DVD. Now they are and I am determined to be in the best shape I can be for my age and ability. Yeah…I bought it and it arrived yesterday! Woohoo! Imagine my excitement to get up this morning and get on that mat. 😳😁
I really was excited to workout with Jane again, those nostalgic memories of the 80’s filling my head. The sounds of Lionel Ritchie, Blondie, Survivor, Michael Jackson and so many others ringing in the jukebox of my mind while my heart wished I still had my mauve colored leggings-you know, to complete the outfit. 🙈
Ok, let’s go. I know, feel the burn…
Oh I burned..and burned…and burned..hell my body was on fire! I was amazed at how much more difficult much of the Beginner’s Workout was, although I was able to do about 90%of the workout without faltering. My stretch ability couldn’t match Jane or her cohorts but I did every section. Tomorrow I will add the Intermediate workout, maybe. If I can convince my body I’m really not trying to kill us.
The best thing about having kept in shape most of these years is that muscles do have memory. Every time I work at getting toned, they seem excited to remember their true purpose, even if I forgot for a time. Right now they are a bit wobbly though.
All hail the magnificent Jane! She still looks fabulous.
I’ll be turning 60 this year. Now, all you advertisement- for-seniors hounds, don’t waste your mail on me. Many people my age would ask why I bother, it’s not worth the time or trouble. To me, my health and fitness are the only things I have absolute control over, and I don’t plan on giving that up!
Happy #Free48 everyone. Take care of you!
Me, in my most Happy Place…outdoors.
Look Closely/#photography
As we hustle through life, often barely acknowledging the things that come and go in our daily vistas, it would bode well for us to make an effort to stop and peer into the face of the familiar often ordinary seeming wonders of this world. The things that are constnt and yet so often overlooked could disappear tomorrow, never to be seen again. What grandeur would we miss then!
See Me
Hello there.
Perhaps you think me plain
and every Spring I seem the same,
a lowly blossom in the grasses
not as grand as other lasses-
Rose, Camelia, Gardenia, Rhodedendron, Lily!
How I pale before their light.
But if you come a little nearer
and peer into my face…
In a moment I can erase
all sorrow,
you can borrow
my peace
and in its place
leave your burdens here.
Just a closer look, you see,
and everything-not only me,
will reveal the magic that abounds
in each miracle that surrounds
you.
Take the time to see
the beauty that is me,
Each shadowed line
and crease defines
the one
I have become.
No more,
no less-
Heaven bless
our hearts
that beat with hope
as our minds grope
for lucid thought
in a world so fraught
with desintegration.
I see you,
beautiful and perfect.
Cheryl KP copyright words and images 2019
With Spring finally rousing herself from deep slumber, I am inspired to use my macro lens, even if it is just the one for my phone. Someday, perhaps, I can afford the luxury of a macro lens for my camera. Every time I try to buy one, the techs at the camera shop talk me out of it. 🤔
Happy #Free48 everyone!
Art Matters/#SoCS
When I saw the SoCS JusJoJan prompt for today I was nearly giddy with excitement. Finally something easy. But, wait, what kind of art to post about.
You see, I am kind of an art ADHD, in that I am not committed to one thing. I am sort of an artsy Jane-of-All-Trades and perhaps Master-of-None. I love creating but am constantly moving from project to project. It isn’t that I get bored. I just feel maybe I should move on or that time is wasting. I haven’t figured out yet what this semi-neurosis stems from but will keep you posted should I work it out. Maybe it will come to me in a dream. Many of my dilemmas are worked out during dreams.
Meanwhile, what to choose…so difficult! Since I am currently working as feverishly as I can on my Dawn of the Dream novel I think I’ll post a snippet. And maybe a photo or two of projects. I hope you enjoy them.
No matter what, I hope you find your own artistic outlet. Don’t even try to say it to me. Everyone has an artistic vein. It just takes something special to pull it out of us sometimes. Just ask anyone who has done a Cork and Canvas class. 😉
Okay, from the journals of my mind wanderings which will hopefully cohese into a novel. Someday….
from Dawn of the Dream…
Inside the Sorceress’s hut, the Hunter and Ella were not thinking of sleep. It was awkward, so long since either had known passion; and Ella tentatively worked at conversation. “Eolas, do you think Saol is comfortable in the cave, without..” Eolas put his finger to her lips and pulled her close to him.
“There is no need to worry about Saol. She is well cared for. Now, there is only us and we have so little time.” The Hunter took a deep breath, as though inflating his courage. The smell of lavender wafted across the room like a breeze. In times past this would have given him pause for sorrow; but in that moment, he felt comforted. It was as though Eagna was reassuring him.
‘Live, my love. Show our daughter what love can be.’
Eolas wasn’t sure exactly what the journey would bring; but he knew in that moment, for the first time since his world crumbled, he felt an almost overwhelming desire to love again. Ella pulled his hand from her mouth and slid it down to her breast. “I know we have both been here before, but I feel so…” Eolas silenced her again, but this time with his lips. There were no more words as they recalled the fire and desire of physical union, making the most of the moments they had to share. Neither worried for the lost sleep or when the sun would rise-only that it rose on them lying together…..
To be continued..
A bit of sizzle for your Saturday. And hop over to the bar. Our buddy Dan is back on his feet and having a beer!
Here are a few more of my happy distractions…
Capturing Nature’s emotions
My latest watercolor adventure!
Music and movie watching
Cake making used to be a favorite
In the most amazing places!
The sky is Mother Nature’s canvas
Tree of Life jewelry piece. One of many I have done
Caprturing Earth’s handiwork
Making food is a favorite art form
I love making jewelry
Seeing living art and saving it for posteruty
Finding art
Tap lightly on an image to see the caption. Happy #Free48 everyone! Be your creative, artistic self. Oh, and if you haven’t already, try to catch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Netflix. It’s fantastic!
Dreaming Reality 
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