Nature

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may 
heal and give strength to body and soul."   John Muir

~~~~~

At this moment I am seated at a desk in a hotel room, looking out the window every few moments for some sign of the peaceful connection I find with nature. A half-moon hangs in a clear cobalt sky, but mostly what I see are headlights and taillights and neon lights. There is movement. People are going places.


At this moment I am missing my home and the backyard I usually pay attention to out of the corner of my eye while I write. The change of living things as one season inches into the next. The mingled scent of earth, grass and petunias that floats through the open screen at this time of year.


So thankful I stopped to breathe deeply and observe while we were in the mountains last week. So thankful I paused for a moment to make a photograph when I saw something that, to me, was beauty........and that I have the images with me here, to look at now. But really, mostly just......thankful.


Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.


Warmly, Margaret

Renewed

I often peruse the books, blogs and articles of different writers and photographers. Although I love reading what they have to write or taking a look at spectacular and interesting images, there are times when I what I'm really interested in finding out is what they have to say about their own successes or failures. To learn what inspires and motivates them. To collect thoughts about the creative process. To gather advice about what one does with a  fuzzy and overly-tapped creative portion of the brain......when nothing worth placing on either a computer screen or fine piece of paper rises to the top with enough clarity to pursue. What I consistently find.......and what I already know......is that in order to come up with something interesting enough to share, you must also at least attempt to live a life that is interesting to you.  And that it is important to become aware of the ratio of work vs. play that allows and encourages you to produce what is most important to you to produce. This makes sense to me not only as a creative person, but in the rest of my life as well.


There is a quote I refer to often that is attributed to Benjamin Franklin: 

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing". 

Another favorite from Abraham Lincoln is:

"Whatever you are....be a good one."

What I have personally found is that in order to 'write something worth reading', take a meaningful photograph or make a 'good' attempt at anything, I need some balance in my life and that means getting enough of a few important things: 


Enough time spent with close family and friends. Enough opportunities to meet new ones. Enough time spent watching and observing. Enough connecting with the natural world. Enough physical activity. Enough time spent doing things I love simply for the sheer enjoyment of doing them.


These activities and relationships encourage, inspire and restore. They remind me that I am connected to, and part of, something much larger than myself. They allow me to rejuvenate in order to work and think and process and produce. 


And so, this is how I spent the past week: I checked out of my regular daily routine and spent time in a small mountain community. I walked into town with Marc for breakfast and a bit of looking around. I hiked along a foaming aqua stream, watched a black bear amble along a high ridge......(a safe but still thrilling distance away) and purposely put my fly rod down in order to gaze at the river flow along the winding path that it took years to create. I tasted new food, toasted good friends and hung out with my dear husband and parents. I found a place on the beach to watch the sun tuck the lake in for the night and then left our window open in order to fall asleep to the sound of a train chugging and whistling along its tracks. I looked forward to waking to the early morning busy-ness of  the birds.


And now.....I am renewed.


Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.


Warmly, Margaret

Gone Fishing

Today I enjoyed the day fly fishing on a Montana river. I don't have my computer with me and I can't figure put how to post a picture from my phone to my iPad to my blog.....but I will let you know that it was a day in which I felt very fortunate to be surrounded by the peace and beauty of nature. I have been able to feel this way, in fact, for the past few days. I look forward to telling you about it shortly when I return, along with sharing a few pictures.

Warmly, Margaret

July 4th

The weather is finally warm and sunny. 


The apple trees are planted with a few other things waiting their turn. 


I discovered a hummingbird's nest in a tree on the other side of the fence. Now that I know it's there, I can't help but check in several times a day to see if I can find them flitting around and about the branches. 


I made strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight.


Summer is here.......


Wishing you a wonderful July 4th......however you celebrate.


Warmly, Margaret