Bryce Canyon National Park
After our nice long visit in Zion we drove to Bryce Canyon.
On our way we stopped at the visitors center for Red Canyon.
It would have probably been a nice place to explore more, but after visiting
with the Rangers working there, and getting answers to some questions we had,
we continued onto Bryce.
We stopped in at the visitor center and got a feel for what the Park had to offer.
We decided to camp overnight in the “backcountry”.
So we did our paperwork for our overnighter, and then drove to do some of the
viewpoints before we started our hike.
The views are just amazing at Bryce.
One truly feels as if they are sitting on the edge of the world.
The vastness that stretches out in front of you is filled with so many colours and textures!
The stretch of Red Rock here is not as extensive as some other areas,
but the formations that have emerged from within it are so stunning!
It truly shows the temporary nature of rock and soil.
You can see the rawness of nature slowly wearing away at a material
that we think of as so hard and permanent.
After enjoying our views we started our 3 mile hike down into the canyon.
We took the Under the Rim Trail from Bryce Point down to the first campsite.
The trail took us past some amazing formations and scenery.
We were able to look back at the red wall that the tourists stand upon to look out
at the formations. What beauty!
These balancing rocks were amazing!
What a spectacular illustration of erosion.
I was endlessly amazed that they could stay balanced upon their little dirt columns.
A beautiful lesson in balance.
When we start to question what we believe to be concrete,
we will find that we will start to gently erode away those things that no longer serve us,
and we will find that we do not topple to the ground,
but float free, like a feather!
Our campsite was a lovely quaint little spot on a creek.
We enjoyed the evening listening to the water trickle near us.
We set up our tarp just as the darkness of evening crept into the little valley we were in.
Fixed a quick meal of veggie sandwiches, and then slipped into our sleeping bags.
It proved to be a bit of a chilly night,
but it was amazing to absorb the crispness of the cool air.
These cold nights are wonderful for dreams,
I often wake and turn to stay warm.
With this constant coming to consciousness in the night it is easier for me to remember my dreams.
These were the nights that I best remembered dreams, and the messages
they had for me.
The next morning we climbed back up to where the car was and dropped off most
of our belongings in the car. We loaded up a “day” pack and headed down
a trail that left from the same parking lot.
We snaked down through the formations taking a handful of different trails leading
us to Sunrise Point.
The coolness from the night before still hung in the air a little.
When you were standing in the sunshine, the energy of it chased away the chill.
But as soon as you stepped into the shade of the massive rocks,
the cooled air started needling its way through the layers of clothing.
The expansive views were amazing.
There was simply too much to absorb in the short amount of time we were going to have.
We knew a storm was rolling in, so I wanted to see as much of it as we could while we still
had sunshine. And I wanted to get as many pictures as possible to remember our time here!
We were not let down, while the light lasted it was amazing on the red rock.
You would often get a glimpse of the trail snaking around a hoodoo,
or a corner. In the picture above you can see one of the arches that we got to walk through.
Many of them were man made, blasted through the stone.
They were sure fun to walk through!
Stepping through them you were transported to another world.
A moment of darkness and then there you are,
enveloped in a warm glowing scene.
What planet have I been transported to?
The clouds announced their presence.
For a while it looked as if they might just decide to stay on the horizon,
to not intrude on our lovely sunshine.
And they did wait very patiently while I snapped photos of the ever changing scene.
I think the above photo is my favorite from our time in Bryce.
There is just something about it that truly captures the whole essence of what I felt
while we were there.
The colours, the textures, the energy!
The terrain that we covered along these trails was so varied,
it is amazing how completely different the erosion is from one area to the next,
and within such a close area.
On past trips to this area we had both wanted to get off the rim and explore the trails that
were visible below the view points.
It was wonderful to finally have the chance to do it!
And then as we started our climb back toward the rim,
the clouds started to rise into the sky.
Faster, and faster.
Here they come!
It was almost like an ancient army, waiting patiently at a border.
Their opponent, the sun was strong, they knew this, and so they waited.
Patiently they waited. It had to be just the right moment.
Go! They make their move.
They swarm across the sky!
They come with their full force!
Wind and hail a blazing, Lightening blasting through the sky.
It was an intense feeling being on the rim of the canyon as it rolled through.
The storm people moved fast!
All life on the rim,
People and animals,
seemed to retreat to the safety of their various shelters.
We were in it, experiencing it.
For a moment I ran in fear, not liking being one of the tallest beings,
Then I ran with it, celebrating it, embracing it.
And then I stood with it.
I watched as the storm rolled across the landscape.
Thunder and Lightening celebrating its advance as it moved over and around the landscape.
Zion National Park ~ Front Country
So after our 4 night cross park hike, we drove to St. George Utah,
and bought me new shoes, and loaded up on groceries.
After spending the night next to the river in a free “campground” we made
our way to the main entrance of Zion.
I wanted to do the “tourist” version of Zion also.
So we parked at the visitors center and jumped on their free shuttle.
We stopped first at the Zion Human History Museum.
It talked of the Native Americans, and then the White settlers that came through.
(What an AMAZING place to have a homestead!)
I can’t help but dream about what an area used to look like 100, 200 or 300 years ago.
What did it look like before White man got here?
My heart and soul wants to see it as it was when the Native Americans lived here.
I want to be immersed in it before there were roads, buildings, signs and cars.
We have become so separated from nature that now even when we take our
vacations in “nature” we have to be able to drive right into the middle of it.
We often have paved paths, and signs warning us what a treacherous place this nature is!
(signs warning of this, and stay off of that, and of course don’t do that!)
My mind, body and soul get wrapped up in being bombarded by the current
human impact, but I try to often transport myself to a place where
all I absorb is the nature that is left in between the deep grooves of society’s fingerprint.
The Virgin River is the shaping force of the Valley.
And what an amazing scene it has sculpted.
The Valley walls are amazing, the red rock hovers above you at every turn!
Next stop was Emerald Pools.
We hiked up to the Lower and Middle Pools.
This is the waterfall that falls from the middle to lower pools.
It makes a lovely spattering sound.
Even with the developed trails to these sites, and the immense amount of traffic they
get each year, you can still feel natures raw beauty.
We had no plan of what we wanted to do when we arrived in the Valley,
so we were simply moving toward what ever drew our attention.
What better place to go for inspiration than Angels Landing?
This was the beginning of my new path.
To let my mind, body and soul fly free!
So we started our climb.
The beginning of the trail is cut into the side of the steep red rock.
Beautiful craftsmanship went into cutting red rock into perfect squares and stacking
them as walls to keep the trail on the side of the hill.
Even some blasting so that the trail could snake even deeper into the side of the hill.
We got to the top of the first climb.
Several people were sitting at this point, some simply resting before moving on,
others with a weary look on their face as they looked up the trail,
resignation tattooed upon their features.
Without a pause we moved up the next part of the trail.
As you can see from the above picture it snaked along a knifes edge.
I loved to watch each person walking this part of it.
Some moved along with no effort, truely enjoying the journey along this unique trail.
Others inched and crawled along, but they were doing it!
I celebrated each step for them, because they were pushing through that fear to make it to where
the Angels dwell!
I felt good along my journey, fear that would have been there in the past,
perhaps even a week before were melting away.
Once in a while I would look down to see the ground next to me plummeting to the valley
floor, and a wave of fear would pass through me.
But I embraced it and would take a moment to stop and study the sheer drop next to me.
I marveled at the immense beauty of the place I was,
the unique formation that was this fin we were climbing out, and wondering
how the river shaped it.
All along the journey I was truely humbled.
How is it, for how small we are, how miniscule of a being,
we have managed to take over the earth?
We have explored almost every corner of this earth, and managed to manipulate most of it into
a “Resource” to be used.
How have we become so separated from our dear mother?
Even many of those that took this beautiful pilgrimage to the aptly named Angels Landing
took only a moment or two to look around, and then turned right back around.
I do understand that sometimes it is the journey that is the greatest undertaking for a person.
But how could one not spend hours, days, weeks on top just admiring the wonder of each nuance
in front of you?
I felt that our mere 2 hours on top was no where enough time to actually absorb what
was surrounding me.
I could have spent months up there and still not have seen, heard, smell or feel everything.
Here is one without me blocking the beautiful view. We were out on a fin that had this kind of view
almost all the way around us. It is just spectacular!
Almost everywhere you went on Angels Landing you were standing at the edge
of a cliff face. I really do not know how this fin was shaped the way it was.
I am endlessly fascinated by how nature shapes her landscape.
A true Artist!
While we were sitting on top of Angels Landing we saw many different people come up.
Some would stop for a little bit,
others would snap a couple pictures, catch their breath, and head back.
A lady and man sat near us for a little bit, and at one point she said
“Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a zipline from up here?”
Wow, what a way down that would be!
After an amazing sitting with the Angels
(and a few begging chipmunks)
We started our journey back to the bottom.
We did a couple more stops along the shuttle route, enjoying the rest of the Tourist
experience. And then made our way back to the car.
The evening light is truely magical on that red rock!
Zion entertained us for about a week.
The next day we explored around Springdale (I looked around the shops like a good tourist)
And then drove through the park one last time on our route toward Bryce Canyon National Park.
Zion National Park ~ Backcountry
Hi Everyone! We are back and settled into home.
Bernie sorted through our pictures and selected 250 of our favorites.
This is far too many to share in one post, so I will split it into the different areas we got to visit.
Technically our first stop of the trip was Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
I did not include any photos from this stop because it was cloudy the whole time we
were there, and none of them are overly stunning.
After two nights in Great Basin we drove to the northern entrance to Zion NP,
Kolob Canyon.
After talking to the rangers for a few minutes we decided to do a 4 night backcountry
hike across the park and back. This was not a trip we were planning on but Zion has been
an area I have always loved, and this would give us a chance to explore it in a whole
new way.
Our first two days of the trip across the park were cloudy, as can be seen in the above photo.
Our journey would take us down La Verkin Creek Trail, Hop Valley Trail, Wildcat Canyon Trail
the West Rim Trail, and then back along the same route.
As we moved into the early morning hours of our second night camping out the clouds
opened up and dumped rain on us. Now one of the greatest disadvantages of camping in a NP
is having to use established campsites. The thousands of people that pitch their tent on that
small patch of dirt over the years pack it into a substance almost as impervious as cement.
Not to slowly the water built up into a small stream as it moved down the small
hill that led straight to our camping spot.
I flipped on my headlamp and found an adequately pointed stone to start my miniature ditch
system. Water started to stream under our groundcloths (which is but a thin layer between the
ground and our sleeping bags). My little ditches gradually grew into a system that drew
the water down and around our tarp.
Finally satisfied with the path of the water I looked down hill from our tarp at the other
“camp spot” and said a little prayer of thanks as I witnessed all the water from the surrounding area
creating a small lake where we had first pondered setting up camp.
Once my feat of engineering removed the risk of flooding I enjoyed listening to the waves
of rain beating against our little green tarp.
Right after dawn the clouds released one last deluge of rain and hail, as if it were
throwing a hissy fit knowing that clear skies were moving in.
And then there they were! Clear blue skies!
The temperatures were lower than I had expected for our journey through the southwest,
but the beauty was amazing!
I am endlessly fascinated by all the different layers of rocks. The textures, colours, and
shapes are amazing. The beauty of nature is so often missed in our society.
If I could share one thing with everyone in the US, it would be to stop and truely see the amazing
beauty, energy, peace, and wonder that nature holds.
I never fail to be amazed by the energy of Red Rock Country. It instills the very
essence of nature into your soul.
Zion wrapped me in a very strong inspirational grasp. It was the perfect start
to our trip. Our backcountry hike provided me the opportunity to reflect on
what I have been doing lately, and what I want to do with my future.
The nights provided me with very vivid dreams sharing great insights.
The days were filled with amazing grand vistas, inspiriting ones soul to re-connect
with our mother earth.
There were a few points along the trail that were not filled with grand vistas. These moments
were the times to enjoy the little details that fill each moment.
We also filled these moments with talks of life, the small and large of it.
The beauty of experiencing the grand adventure of Being Human.
It is amazing how sunshine can transform a landscape. When we had first crossed this spot
grey clouds filled the sky. There is still a vast beauty to the area,
but the energy has a little more of a subdued feeling.
As we re-traced our route everything seemed to glow from within.
An old dirt road carried us back into Hop Valley.
My sandals decided to do a little bit of self destruction half way through our trip,
although it was a bit inconvenient that they decided to come apart in the middle of a hike,
I decided it was a sign that I was starting a new path in life.
I did still use the sandals for part of the hike, but I also took the opportunity to use my
moccasins. What a beautiful way to connect even more with the earth.
With a thick slab of rubber between your feet and ground it is easy to plow forth, ignoring
what lies upon your path. When a thin piece of leather is all that is between your feet and mother earth
you are able to feel your surroundings instead of insulating yourself from them.
I could feel the mud push up against the soft leather of my moccasins,
almost as if it was squishing between my toes.
The leather truely feels as if it is a second skin.
I was amazed at all the different directions that some of the rock layers took.
The movement of the earth frozen in time and then slowly revealed, as if a big red curtain
was being drawn away over the millenia.
I have to admit I was a little smitten with rocks on this trip.
Above you can see a couple of the cows that lived in Hop Valley.
On all our hikes across the country we have seen many free range cows.
Cows in all kinds of habitats.
I have to say these cows have the most scenic place to live of all the grazing lands we have seen.
And they have truely adapted to their surroundings.
As I walked pass a cow, talking to her as I went (something I often do with all kinds of animals) I followed
her gaze up the “cliff” above her.
There I saw my first rock climbing cow.
This might sound out there, but I have never seen a cow that had climbed up such a steep incline.
The first one we witnessed up there was a partially grown calf. He was poking around in
the brush. After admiring his climbing capabilities we turned to continue on and suddenly heard
a loud crash behind us. I turned around expecting to see a calf in a pile of rocks,
but no, he held fast to his spot, not even a hint of being flustered.
Hmm, rock climbing cows, its a whole new breed.
La Verkin Creek had a particularly beautiful scenic bend. I loved how the
water had worn down through the rock in this one spot. The sound of the cascade was
mesmorizing, and the view breathtaking. A beautiful place to reflect on our 4 night backcountry
journey across the park.
Well everyone, that is my story of our first leg of an amazing journey!
I hope you enjoyed it!
A Grey Day
Here in Northwest Washington during the fall and winter months, we have MANY days that are grey.
Often these days feel like someone has pulled a big, grey fleece blanket across our skies.
The clouds will be a soft flat layer lulling us into a gentle hibernation.
Today was a grey day, and I paid little attention to the skies all day long.
Until I happened to look out the window, and took a moment to appreciate that even our grey days can have great beauty to them!
I loved the different textures that the clouds were taking on.
We are surrounded by beauty each and every moment,
it is only when we judge the moment and close ourselves off to its potential that we fail to see that beauty.
What beauty surrounds you at this moment?
Want to see more beautiful skies?
North Cascades ~ Day 3
Its easy to be in a good mood when you wake up to a view such as this. The morning light cast a whole new feel to the mountains around us. It was so lovely to sit in our sleeping bags and soak up nature around us.
Why would you ever use a tent? We only put up our tarp when we are pretty sure it is going to rain over night, and even then its open all around. Its an interesting symbol, many feel safer in their tent than if they slept out under the stars. What can a thin layer of fabric really protect you from? I would much rather be immersed in nature around me. And how magical to wake up in the middle of the night and be able to look up at the stars. They shine so vibrant when you are far from any city lights.
We even had a little patch of snow on top of our mountain. A testament to the long cool spring. The snow took a long time to melt off in the North Cascades this spring/summer.
Wow, I can’t believe these mountains are in our backyard. They are so raw and wild!
After soaking in our amazing views, eating breakfast and packing up we started our trek down the mountain. We were headed for Ross Lake. In the picture above I am dropping down off Devils Dome.
There is nothing like mountain spring water. Its such a treat to be able to drink straight from the source. If all you have ever had the chance to drink is city water or bottled water, you have no idea what real water tastes like. Everyone should drink true spring water at least once in their life.
We stopped very often on the trail down to admire the view. Jack Mountain played a starring role in our North Cascades hike. We essentially circled around it on our hike, getting to see many perspectives of it. It never failed to amaze. Ah, I am standing there right now. What a magical place! I could have just sat in that spot and pondered life for days, weeks, months, years.
How could you not stop and just soak it up?
After hiking down the trail for a few miles we got our first view of Ross Lake. Periodically it would peek out from behind a hill, teasing us with views on our way down.
The trail snaked along the lake at some points and twisted up through the trees for long stretches. It felt good to stretch out the legs on the long flat stretches through the forest.
Finally the trail twisted away from the lake. We had passed our last view of Ross Lake. We cruised along the trail enjoying the soft light filtering through the trees. Before we knew it we were back at the car. What a magical 3 days spent in the North Cascade Mountains! This is a loop that I would recommend to anyone that loves to be immersed in natures beauty!
North Cascades ~ Day 2 ~ Part 2
We made it to the top of Devils Dome. Filled our tummies with a good meal, still not sure if we were going to continue on or camp for the evening.
After enjoying the view for a little while we decided it would be much nicer to camp up on top and watch the sunset and get to see the beautiful morning light on the mountains. From Devils dome we were headed down to Ross lake and then back to the car. It would have been a shame to hike on farther and not get to see the sun set on the North Cascades.
So we stopped early. It was only 5:30pm, we had lots of time to just sit on top of our mountain and admire all the mountains that surrounded us. We set up camp.
I enjoyed a brief cat nap in the warm sunshine, ahhhh!
After a few minutes of that I got up once again to stretch my legs around the top of our dome. Looking around at our 360 degree view. Ridges surrounded us, snaking in all directions.
Being out in nature brings great joy to the soul. Mind, body and soul can’t help but blossom when one is surrounded by such beauty and pure energy!
As we moved into the magic hour the light was AMAZING! Natures radiance glowed from everything that surrounded us. We were blanketed in her warm embrace. The sunlight seeped into each pore of my being.
I love the lavender hue that moves across the landscape as the sun gets ready to dip below the horizon.
When the light is just right you can see the magic that hangs in the air. Can you see it?
What an amazing place to spend the night! I am so glad we decided to camp on top of Devils Dome. Our evening was filled with so much beauty and magic! The sunset was Stunning!
North Cascades ~ Day Two ~ Part 1
On day two of our hike I am not sure we even made it 10 miles for the day. There were so many magical scenes to capture our attention. It really was a beautiful day filled with lovely hiking and many stops to just soak in the nature around us. We got so many pictures that I am making day two a 2 part entry.
We really were stopping all the time to absorb the feelings and beauty of nature around us. It seemed like even though we were looking at the same mountain range most of the time it really was changing with every mile or two that we hiked.
We saw so many different angles of Jack Mountain. It really is a stunning peak. I am not sure that many people even get to see it. One of the best hikes to view it is this loop, and there was no one out there except us. We heard from another hiker that there was a family that probably did the same loop as us, but it took them 11 days. In the above picture I loved the stripes of exposed rock on the left hand side of the picture. We actually walked right under those little rock shoots. I think it was rock pushed by snow/snow melt in the spring. It just had such an interesting feel to it.
The white peak on the left is Mt. Baker from the backside. Its so interesting to have a totally different perspective of the mountain that we get to look at from our yard. It just looks like one of many peaks from this perspective. From our house we only see it and the Twin Sisters, you would never guess the magnitude of the North Cascades lingering just behind it. Its always good to get another perspective in life!
Here Bernie is basking in the beauty of the mountains that are embracing us. Ah, such a peaceful moment with nature! He is stretching open his mind, body and soul. When we fully open ourselves to the world around us, we are often amazed by the feelings that flow through us.
All the different colours of the meadows, forests, rocks and skies made it feel as if we were immersed in a painting. You can feel the brush strokes of nature here! Look at the amazing colour palate that she chose. I think its called “Mountain Summer Splendor”.
And of course in between photo stops we had blueberry stops! I love to pick a handful at a time and then pop them all into my mouth at once, Mmmmm! Nature has the most pure tastes, so vibrant and full of energy!
We also got to overlap a section of trail that we hiked back in 2004 when we did the Pacific Northwest Trail. It travels from Washington’s outer coast to Glacier National Park. It came right through this part of the North Cascades. It was neat to see what parts of the trail I remembered and what parts seemed new all over again. I found myself drifting back to that hike a little bit.
As we neared Devils Dome we got to do a little bit of ridge walking. This opened up some of the views to the north, giving us even more expansive views of the mountains around us. We stopped often at different view points, pointing out other ridge lines and peaks that we know from other hikes, such as the Pacific Crest Trail.
We are almost to the top. Another pause to absorb these views. I could sit and look at each of these views for weeks and still not absorb all that there is to see and feel in these places.
There are so many special places on this earth. We could spend lifetimes exploring them all. I am endlessly grateful for the amazing places I have been able to experience in my lifetime, and I look forward to visiting many more. I am also very grateful that we have one of these beautiful places so close!
Nature has taught me so much through the years. I love her and am drawn to her embrace. With time I have learned to take her with me when I return to society, and each time I return to visit her wild places I bring even more of her back with me.
Bloom!
When we deny our dreams we are but a tight little bud.
Hidden beauty wrapped up in a tense little package.
When we embrace our true nature and start to live our dreams,
We unfold one petal at a time.
Until, before we know it we are a glorious bloom,
Bringing joy and beauty to the world around us!
Thank you to all the beautiful blooms in my life!
Each One of You Touch Me Deeply !
Getting in Shape with Nature
Today Angel (Above) and I went for a hike.
We went south, to the Chuckanuts, to hike the Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail.
This is a great trail for me to get back in shape on,
Its a steep climb up, and reminded me I have not been very active this winter.
Huff and Puff.
Our sun was shining today! Well at least this morning.
After a nice 2 mile climb up the steep old logging road,
We arrived at Cedar Lake.
I took this picture from in the shade, and spotted a bench basking in the sun on the other side of the lake.
We migrated to that bench, and I took a little cat nap basking in the sunshine.
My soul soaked up some much needed sunshine,
While Angel listened to the squirrels and other small wildlife scurrying around.
After my little rest, we climbed up a trail to a view point above the lake.
It looks out across some of our clearcut hills toward Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters.
It almost looks like Mt. Baker is lounging across the foothills in this photo.
Basking in the sunshine.
Angel and I started back down, taking a hidden side trail back down to the main trail.
My legs felt like rubber on the steep downhill.
Tonight my body is happily tired!
A wonderful reminder to start getting in shape for the up coming hike.
Bernie went on a slightly different adventure today,
And got some amazing photos of his own.
Check them out Here
Light Shines Within
We took an evening walk.
Mount Baker was basking in the sunlight.
Even though it is only January,
It really did feel like spring today.
These pictures speak stronger and more beautifully than my words ever could,
About our lovely outing,
Soaking up the sunshine.
The park that we visited has a lovely fragrance garden.
This garden held a fragrant beauty for us to meet.
I recently learned that this is the blooming season for Witch Hazel.
A lovely surprise this time of year!
And today I learned,
It comes in red also.
Peaceful moments spent outdoors,
Soaking up natures essence.
Tonight my light shines within!
New Energy Springs Forth
Energy is ever changing,
But spring is a time that it emerges in so many forms.
We are still immersed in the winter months,
But nature is showing little signs of stirring.
How is energy stirring within you?
Is there some dream that has been nestled within you,
Protected in its beautiful shell,
Waiting to burst forth into a beautiful tree?
Today we did some yard work. Many plants are just starting to show a few buds.
The acorns are starting to push apart their protective shells, getting ready to emerge into the world.
There were even a few daffodils peeking up through the dirt.
I know we still have some winter left,
But spring is starting to flirt with us,
Just a hint of her bright gown peeking out from behind Winters Heavy cloak.
Life’s Abundance
The Universe produces endless abundance in infinate forms.
If you feel that you are lacking any form of abundance in your life,
It is as simple as shifting your mindset.
When we appreciate the abundance that is already in our lives,
We will attract more abundance into our experience.
And often there is MUCH abundance in our lives that we simply may be overlooking,
So just take a few moments to reflect on what is abundant in your life.
The more time you reflect upon and appreciate your abundance,
You will be amazed to find so much more flowing into your life!
My life is filled with so many forms of abundance,
And I appreciate all of it!
One form of abundance in our lives on the farm lately is eggs…….
We have close to 100 chickens (hens and roosters) at the moment.
A couple months ago we were not getting a single egg from our girls,
Due to a hard molt (loosing their feathers) and the lack of sunlight.
Well we told them they needed to get with the program.
Be careful what you wish for…..
It started with one egg and the numbers kept rising.
We are currently getting on average 20 eggs a day at this moment,
With the numbers at a slow but steady rise.
We love our farm fresh eggs! What a beautiful healthy gift they are,
But there is no way that we can eat anywhere near 20 eggs a day.
So how is abundance present in your life in this moment?
The Art of Appreciation
Our weather cleared up a bit today, we even had moments of sunlight! This is a treat here in the Northwest during the winter months. Bernie and I took a little journey to the Chuckanut Mountains today. We have not been getting outside as much as we enjoy lately, so it was nice to get some fresh air and be immersed in nature. We ended up hiking about 6 miles, which was a good stretch for our legs and souls.
Nature emulates the same form in many different ‘beings’. Here is a tree impersonating an octopus. It looks as if this tree started as a little seedling in a bit of dirt on the top of this rock. As it grew it spread its ‘arms’ to embrace its new home. What a beautiful form it has taken! I love to see the life in plants, they are such amazing beings to me. If you have ever doubted that plants are ‘alive’ and ‘conscious’, take the time to sit in nature and watch the plants around you. Not only might you watch them come to life through the day, they might start to talk to you in their own special way. What do the plants have to teach you?
This moss illustrates how wet it has been around here lately. It has soaked up the rain like a sponge, and is still dripping with it, even though it did not rain a drop today. What amazing form these little plants take. I love to look at the form of these graceful little beings. There is so much detail we can miss in our every day world if we don’t take the time to slow down and enjoy it.
The cedar trees were coated in this beautiful lichen on the lower part of their trunks. It highlighted the amazing patterns that the cedar bark grows in. Each tree had a unique ‘painting’ on it.
It looks as if this tree is stepping into the light, to enjoy the wee bit of sun rays that were shining through the canopy. Are you stepping into your own personal light?
We did a big loop hike that takes us on a beautiful journey through the woods, seeing many amazing different scenes along the way. The light was not plentiful today, thus the slight darkness to many of the photos. But it was a spectacular day to spend outside, enjoying the beauty of nature. And when the sun managed to peek through the clouds and the tree canopy, it was a special treat that made the emerald foliage on the forest floor glow.
What a beautiful day Bernie and I got to spend in the Chuckanuts. If you feel yourself being down, tired, or bored in the winter months; take the time to go outside. Nature has an amazing way of re-setting our souls, helping us come back to our center.
And I received a treat when I got home. A lovely lady I met on Facebook, Peggy Halevi is in the process of publishing her first book. She asked if I would like to review a copy of her not yet released book, and give her my feedback, I was honored! Well, her book arrived today, and I look forward to reading it!! “The Art of Appreciation” by Peggy Halevi will be immerging into the world shortly. This has prompted the title of this post, because I truely appreciate my life in every way!
Reflecting From Within
When we see the beauty within ourselves,
It reflects onto the world wround us,
And we find that we are immersed in beauty at all times.
So take the time to remember your beauty,
In all its forms.
So we did get snow this weekend, but it was only a couple inches, and did not lend itself to a photo opportunity. So I share this picture from a few winters ago, when my parents came to visit our home in Winthrop. My dad took this picture one morning. There were many moments filled with beauty in Winthrop.
My Adventure – Part 3 – Sedona
Now the Grand Canyon is a very magical place in its own way. I love that I got to see and experience it once again, and look forward to going back some day. But I do have to say, my favorite place on the whole trip was Sedona. Again, I had been there 7 years ago with Bernie, and loved the little bit of exploring we got to do then. It was wonderful to feel the amazing energy of this place again.
The whole area is immersed in these magic Red Rock formations. The colour in these photos is not messed with, they are really that red. Its a great experience to be surrounded by so much vibrant colour provided by nature. And look at it against those amazing clear blue skies.
We went for a couple little short walks. The wonderful thing about being immersed in the middle of these formations is you can take a very short walk, and be right next to the rocks. This walk was 1 mile each way, mostly flat. It was a good healing walk for moms cold. We got her out in the warm sunshine, enjoying some beautiful scenery (that is her in the white shirt)! The weather continued to warm as we were in Sedona, and we were able to melt the little bit of chill left over from the Grand Canyon from our bones. Being from northwest Washington, it was really nice to experience that warm dry air for a change.
There are a few energy vortexes in the Sedona area. This is a unique thing to experience, and is quite advertised in the area. We went to one that was easy to get to, and sat there just after sunset until the sky got nice and dark. I can not say that I have had a life changing experience on one of these vortexes, but I do believe that I can feel a slight difference in energy, kind of comforting and cozy. I am sure with some time spent just being in these places, one could tune into the energy more. It is an aspect I would like to explore sometime in the future. Its easy to understand why these vortexes exists here once you have been to the area. The energy of the whole valley is just different from anywhere else you have been.
Above is part of the town of Sedona. Its both lovely and sad that it snakes its way through the rocks. What a magical place for a town to be, but also a bit sad to see chain stores and mini malls right in the middle of such a view! But the beauty does attract people….. and where people go, building follows. The fun aspect of all the people in the area was watching the trick or treaters in uptown Sedona. This is the main tourist shopping area, and lots of people turned out to get treats from the businesses. We sat at a sidewalk cafe and had dinner, watching everyone walk by in their costumes. There were mostly plain costumes, cute, but not creative. But I do have to say we saw a couple unique ones. Probably the cutest of the night was a girl of about 10 or so dressed up as Barbie, but they went one step farther. They rigged up a whole box to look like the box you buy Barbie in. they had the little viewing windows, painted pink, Barbie written across it. Very cute! She walked around inside the box, lifting it up as she walked, setting it down to pose for pictures. Wish I had gotten one!
This was the view from our room. I was standing on the little balcony attached to our room to take this photo. It was truely peaceful. We had a little creek, Oak Creek, flowing right below the balcony also. It was so lovely to sit out there in the morning and listen to the water, and watch the sun slide across the Red Rock. Then at sunset the rocks would glow like this. Amazing!
Well, the trip was magical in many ways. And we had a beautiful time in Sedona. We got some Christmas shopping done, did some lovely little walks to see some rock formations, relaxed in the warm desert sun, and had a good time together. We packed up our belongings, quietly said our goodbyes to Sedona, promising to return in the future and started our drive back to Las Vegas to catch our plane. When we started our road trip out of Vegas we had seen a couple herds of Big Horn Sheep near Hoover Dam. There was no place to pull off to get pictures, but on our way back, after we had crossed over the dam and started to get back into the populated area of Las Vegas, we saw a herd of males next to the road, enjoying the well watered stretch of grass along the highway. We were able to safely pull off, and I snapped some shots. This guy seemed to enjoy the photography session. I have loved Big Horn Sheep since I first saw them in Yellowstone, they are quite majestic creatures.
Well our flight home went well. It was a bit sad to see the grey skies again, and the rain. But we enjoyed our trip, and the photos are a good inspiration for us to return to this beautiful area some day soon.
Friends and An Ancient Lesson
We have a lovely couple visiting for a couple of days who we met on the Pacific Crest Trail this summer, Lyndsay and Jordan. They ended up finishing a couple weeks after us, and spent some time enjoying Canada. It’s great to get to spend a couple of days with them before they head back home to Tennessee. We actually met them somewhat early on in our pilgrimage this year, and actually last saw them in southern California. I had wondered about them many times along the trail, and did not hear how they were doing. I am glad we got in touch right at the end!
We had a lovely day today. It was relaxing, and we visited some beautiful places around Bellingham. I really liked this picture of them enjoying the views out toward the islands. Tomorrow we journey to the San Juan Islands. It should be a great outing, and I hope to get some nice pictures out there! We get to go on a Ferry ride, and thats always a great experience.
Tonight we all watched the movie Kung Fu Panda. Cute, as expected, but it also had a great message. I love the disney movies, because even though its usually a basic concept they are very profound if you take a moment to reflect on it. So I leave you with this thought:
There is no ‘hidden ingredient’ to transform us into something special,
We are special.
Love
Love is our natural state of being,
We are often out of balance with this state of being,
It takes more work to be out of balance
than to experience Love in each moment.
Watch the world around you,
How many times each day can you see examples of Love?
How can you bring more Love into your life?
How do you experience Love on a daily basis?
This thought was inspired by these carrots that I pulled out of our garden.
Life’s Tests
Last night I was sitting in bed and meditating, and spending a little time communicating with my guides. I was reflecting on the many ‘tests’ that we come across in our life, and the lessons that they teach us. I was pondering how to work through some of these tests also, because seeing to the other side of them while you are immersed in the midst of them can be challenging at times. As clear as could be an answer came through from my guides.
Remember, for every ‘test’ you encounter in life,
You have the answer sheet,
Because you wrote the Ciriculum.
So when you encounter a ‘test’ (challenge) in life, remember that we chose to experience the lessons in our life, to help us to remember our whole story. We use these lessons to reflect off of. If you feel lost in something, take the time to center yourself, and look at everything that is going on from another perspective. Try to see what is being presented to you at that moment.
Fresh Beginings
Many of us set New Years resolutions, but find it hard to stick with them. Perhaps one reason for this is the energy at the time of year we do this. Even though we consider New Years to be a new start, energetically I think the first day of spring is a much better time to set new intentions.
Spring is a time of new beginnings, new growth, and fresh energy. What better time to chose to shed something old within ourselves, and bring out a fresh new part of our souls. Don’t we all feel energized and refreshed as spring starts to roll around?
One example that many of us identify with this time of year is spring cleaning. I believe this is very symbolic of what we are really trying to accomplish. When we clean up our surroundings we are trying to clean up ourselves. By uncluttering our living space, we are uncluttering our mind.
So this spring, as you find yourself energized and buzzing around with no particular direction, take a moment to stop and reflect. What does your soul really want to accomplish this spring? It might be something small, it might be something big, and it might be all kinds of things. Don’t let anything overwhelm you, just let your soul tell you what it wants to do. Maybe even take the time to write everything down, just so you can come back to this later, and see what you have accomplished. You may write down tasks and projects that you want to do in your outer surroundings, you might write down tasks and projects you want to do on a spiritual/internal level.
When you have a list, what ever size it might be, what ever might be on it, take a moment to really study what you have written down. Is there a theme? Is there something that has been calling to you for years, and you keep making excuses not to do it? Is there something that has just seemed too overwhelming, you just don’t know where to start?
Pick one thing off your list to start. Now take on this task like it is a fresh little seed within. That seed has been nestled within you, as if it has been within the earth, all safe through the winter. Now the soft warm spring sun is gently warming the seed. You feel a slight stirring (this is your item you want to accomplish). Now you can start nourishing this little seed so it can sprout and grow strong. You can start out with the basics. If it is something you have never done before, nourish it by doing the research you need to do. Now that your seed has set out its first little root, it pushes through the surface. You have started to manifest it! Your soul is happy, your little seed is quickly growing into a plant. It is being bathed with the warmth of joy within your soul. Before you know it, your seed has matured into a beautiful plant (what ever plant speaks to you the most, or what ever this item most seems like).
Is it a plant that provides you strength and shelter for many years to come? Is a plant that will die off at the end of this season, but has provided you with a large harvest to nourish and comfort you? Is it a plant that has simply surrounded you with beauty? Is it a healing plant that cleansed your mind body and soul?
Every task, project, or activity draws us for a reason. We are here on earth to learn. So don’t deny yourself the lessons you are longing to learn. If something is calling to you this spring, its a seed within that wants to burst forth and experience this world!
A Good Day to Reflect
We have finally hit typical western Washington fall weather. The last couple of days have just been steady rain. Its great for all the plants, but it doesn’t make for enjoyable outdoor trips. So I have been enjoying the time for reading, and doing some crafting. I have been working on my needle felting.
We put an add on craigslist to sell some of our chickens, and we have gotten a couple of calls. I always get nervous about selling our animals to other people. Our chickens have it so good here, I can only hope that they will end up in homes that treat them well and let them roam around. We had a couple come last night to get 4 hens and a rooster as a birthday present for their 7 year old daughter, who wants chickens. Hopefully their girl will love them.
I have been reading a book called Money and the Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks. I really love their books. Their books The Law of Attraction, and Ask and it is given, are both really good ones for changing your perspective on the world. All of their books teach you how to release the negativity in your life, and focus on what you want. If you have never heard of any of these books I highly recommend going to the library or book store and checking one of them out, you might be surprised at what you learn.
Enjoy each moment, and always follow your dreams.
Do What You Love
My outlook on life is: if you are being true to yourself, and following your dreams, you will make the world a better place. When we find our bliss in every day moments, its spreads to those around us. We will never be able to change another person, but if we change ourselves, the world will change with us. So as much as possible I try to live my life following my dreams, it’s a challenge to always accomplish this, but as the years pass I find I am doing it more and more.
I find myself getting frustrated at all the negativity, violence, sorrow and fear in the world. I know the human race could accomplish so much more than we are. And then I remember if I just take a little time to go out into the world, and spread my own brand of sunshine, those around me will be affected. When we are at peace and enjoying our life, the stress and dis-ease within us melts away.
So if you find yourself full of stress and anger towards an aspect of your life, I highly recommend sitting down and asking yourself, what you REALLY want out of life. What are your true desires that either you or other people have told you just couldn’t happen? What would you rather be doing? It might not seem like it at this moment, but you can do it. You just have to change your perspective on how you are living life. Its not something that changes over night, you don’t want to go quit your job tomorrow. Just start with the little things. Start with one little thing that you have always wanted to do, and have always told yourself it wasn’t practical, or you couldn’t afford it, or you just don’t have the time. Go to the spa, go for a hike, take a soak in the tub, splurge on a special culinary treat. What ever that first little thing is for you, take that moment in, realize that you are actually accomplishing something you have wanted to do for a while.
If you want, you can keep a journal of your journey into the life you have always wanted. You will find as you give yourself permission to do the things that you really want to in life, the easier it will be to do more. Things will fall into your lap as if they were meant to be. As you follow your heart and accomplish your dreams you will find the ‘guilt’ that society has programmed into us will just melt away. There is never any reason to feel guilt for following your heart. Most of the time guilt is projected on us by those that are jealous because they have not given themselves the permission to follow their dreams.
I live an very different life style than most, and I know that I am blessed. Many people do not understand the way I live, because of their programming. I live on very little, my expenses are pretty minimal, but at the same time, if I find something that really draws me I do not exclude it from my life just because it costs me money. I do not have a ‘real job’. The closest thing I have had to a real job in the last 6 years was my very part time job as a breakfast waitress when we lived in Winthrop for two years. The most I worked was 3 days a week, and that wasn’t very common, I usually worked one or two days a week, and usually got the days off that I wanted. If we wanted to leave for a couple of weeks, most of the time I got that time off. And the reason this worked for me was, I stated what I needed, I didn’t ask permission, I wasn’t rude, I just stated what I was up to in life, and most of the time the universe has provided for me. I suppose that is one lesson I have learned in life, there is no reason to have to ask permission for everything, we need to take responsibility for our lives. This doesn’t mean we should walk over other people, we can be courteous to those around us, but we don’t need to let them walk on us either.
When we did live in Winthrop, I worked for the grocery money, and Bernie worked for our landlords in trade for our rent. In the two and a half years that we lived there, the only rent we paid was first and last, and I believe one month. There are ways to live simply yet fully. With the schedule of ‘work’ that we had, we were free to explore as much as we wanted. Often we worked on the weekends, and had the rest of the week to hike, take pictures, play in the river near our house, travel, watch tv on those cold winter days, and what ever else we needed to do to follow our dreams.
We have also done quite a lot of long distance hiking. Since we are not tied into a job or a home, we can take all summer to go for a hike across the country. There are also all kinds of volunteer opportunities to see the world. This summer we spent in the Aleutian Islands doing Sea Otter research. We were not ‘paid’ for doing this work, but they pay for all our travel expenses to and from, and a per diem to cover all food and supply expenses. We got to experience a beautiful part of the world, in a way most people never will. Love the places that you are, and if you dont like it, then move yourself to a place that brings peace to you.
Another helpful way to bring yourself to the place that you want, is to surround yourself with like minded people. As you can change the world around you by finding your bliss, having people around you that are already following their dreams, you will find yourself changing for the better.
Spend some time thinking of what you want out of life. Nothing is impossible. Some things might be a long journey from where you are now, but you can get there. You have to start the journey to reach the end. And the easiest way is to start with the little things. And remember, Do What You Love, Love What You Do.
