a chance encounter

shadows cast a spell
allowing me to see
the world in your eye
when the sun moves on
you will be gone
I won’t forget, but
your location
I won’t tell
your secret is safe
with me
Q

shadows cast a spell
allowing me to see
the world in your eye
when the sun moves on
you will be gone
I won’t forget, but
your location
I won’t tell
your secret is safe
with me
Q
My long time friend, passed away Friday – if she were here, we would likely quip that “another one bites the dust” Susan and I were the dynamic duo who felt that we could do anything we wanted to. If others said it was impossible, Susan and I would sit down and work out how we could get it done. I had two friends called Susan, she was known in our circle as “little Susan” cuz that is what she was, 5’2″ if that.
Being a Taoist, for me landscaping was all about bringing nature to my property so that it would as closely resemble natural growth, Susan shared that passion, when I bought a home with a double lot, she said, I’m going to get more land too. She moved to a place where she had the kind of lot that she could build on. We were off to the races, every week-end we toured miles of countryside looking for landscaping places that would offer us plants that were not the standard backyard fare.

Susan’s passion soon outgrew her backyard, she called me one day to tell me she had decided to purchase land. We both had full-time careers in Corporate Health Care, and were raising our “young” but that didn’t stop her. Once her mind was made up, Susan was a very determined person. Over the years I watched as she took on one “project” or “passion” after another.
When I remarried in the late 90’s, we didn’t get to spend the time together that we did before, but anytime we did meet up, we picked up just where we left off. That was the kind of relationship we had. The bond we had created when we were younger, held like glue. The years passed, friends in our lives changed, but still, we knew each other like one hand knows the other.
She is gone now, at least the human form is no longer here. But her presence, the secrets we shared, the long evenings of simply “being” in the same space, discovering our “selves”.. that will always be.

Rest in peace my friend, our joy in prisms will always be a reminder of how much you are part of mine.
When love is true it lasts forever, no matter what…
true friendship is not about how often you see each other,
or how long you have known each other..
but in the truth of what you were to each other.
Q
photos along the Tay River, Ontario,Canada
Shadows cast their imprint on the forest floor, not looking up, I wanted to read the storyline that played out on the fallen pines and organic debris that carpeted the way
autumn sun was high in the sky, so that the filtered light cast beautifully defined lines against the rusted shades of brown and grays that lay textured, the perfect foil for the images being projected for our viewing.
PL Precept #1 Life is Art.
How we creatively interact with the challenges and opportunities that come our way, if we were to see them only visually, it would be like the shadows shown above. dynamic and static meeting as ONE.
Oyashikiri
Perth on the Tay

tranquility
moments pass
yet stillness
inspires
more lingering

Make every day special, we only live it once.
Oyashikiri
Perth, On. Canada on the Tay trail
Happiness is finding that the coloured hook and loop tape is on sale, buy 1 and get 2 free. I had not seen coloured hook and loop before, so I was for sure, having a few. Especially they were in the fall colours I was on the hunt for.
Took me awhile but I finally found the fat quarters, and when I did, I forgave the shop for hiding way in the back. They were all half price. I managed to find enough quarters in the colours I was wanting.
I’m even going to follow the “rules” and launder the pieces first before I start to cut them up and heat bond them. I am showing you the raw pieces, before I play with them. Hopefully I will eventually show you the end product. I have no idea what I will do with the tape, but the possibilities are endless.
I’ve also begun to work on the art/junk journals again .. fall is in the air, I always get a nudge from Mother Nature at this time of year, the vibrant colours she splashes all around us is enticing. Even the rows of golden rod and mellow yellows that dot the fields along the highways call out to me.
The unbelievable thrill of seeing the 1000 shades of orange/reds that wave from the hardwood trees that line the road, exhilarates.
My stash is slowly taking on the colour theme that I will work with. Yes I am excited at the pending creativity that is awake and churning to get going… anyone else out there feeling that zing that is floating around in the ethers of the bright fall days. Not to mention the crisp night breezes that lull us to sleep.
It has been a super great Thursday … hello Friday, I’m ready for you.
May the happiness of the season, float effortlessly your way. Appreciate and enjoy this season of harvest.
Oyashikiri
PL Principle # 3 I will live with a mind of appreciation towards others and things.

arriving for some disco
the clan start to gather
the fun began
at Pacifique (SL) the music, the atmosphere, the friends,
a musical interlude, a nice way to end the day.
Ok that was how I ended my day, but the start was just as great. We drove out to visit with our new whippet, here she is spending some time with her soon to be brother. Who is being as aloof and distant as he can be. Real party poop.

Meet Keeper, she is 5 years old.
OK she saying, I’ve done my few minutes with big brother, now let’s do something else. She is a sweetheart, can’t wait for her to be home with us full-time.
There is room in a day to do a lot of things, attend to what needs doing, resting, and having some “chill” time.
PL Precept # 20 Live maintaining equilibrium between mind and matter.
Sweet blessings to take you into the night.
Oyashikiri

What brings me to Manaus, Brazil? A book I picked up because I saw on the back cover that it was about a young girl who travelled to Brazil. It is one of those “ah” moments when you are wandering down an aisle in a shop and your eye falls on a object, or in this case, a book, and you know you want to see it more closely.
The book is Journey to the River Sea, by Eva Ibbotson. It was runner up for the Whitbread Children’s Book of the year and the Guardian Fiction Award. I glanced at it this afternoon, sat down and read it through till the end. I had not expected to spend the afternoon reading, but that is exactly what I did.
I was transported to a land I know only from various media presentations, the story line, the characters, it was a perfect blend of words presented in such a way that my imagination created the visuals.

I was travelling along down the Amazon (the River Sea), seeing where the brown waters of the Amazon joined the black waters of the river Negro.. where soon after the main character saw the green and gold dome of the theatre and church spires. It was wonderful to be able to totally immerse myself for a short time in the adventure of a young girl, and her friends.

There were no pictures in the book, I found the pictures you see here, on the net. To be a young girl, who due to circumstances is off to live in Brazil, with distant family she has never met… (from England)…. you know… there are many possibilities, the author is skilled at her craft. I will have to seek out more of her stories.
PL Precept #17 Grasp what is most essential
The story held me captive for hours. At first I wanted to know what was it, what held my attention, then a thought popped up.. Could it be, my mind needed a rest from the chattering of nonsense and noise that has been whirling around me of late… my husband had his last chemo session today, and soon it will be his last radiation treatment. Then we rest, and prepare for the surgeries.
PL Precept # 12 Everything has a way according to its name
PL Precept #7 Everything exists in relativity.
Isn’t life beautiful… PL Precept # 11 Always be with GOD
Oyashikiri

I was just going to settle into bed when I heard the ping of my phone, I could have ignored it, but I wasn’t completely settled in so, I had a look. There was Mickey smiling away while in the shadows I could see a throng of people wandering, mingling the Disneyland “Park” Even at night it is able to captivate with the charm that is Disnyland.
Where I was, on a quiet street, night time had descended, and most residents on our street anyway, were safely tucked into bed. My sister on the other paw, visiting in Los Angeles was surrounded with activity and coloured lights, (3 hour time difference)
I love when I am reminded on how wonderful life is in 2017, that with technology the way it is now I can share a moment in space and time with someone (in this case my sister) and be miles away, and in a totally different “place” These are blessings friends, we experience them everyday. We have much to be thankful.
Appreciation of life, learning to share and care as a daily part of our lives, that is important.
People who choose to be toxic, who get their “highs” on the distress or perceived failures of others, who can only malign and remember past incidents that they feed on to give them a reason to live. That is SAD. we can only pray that their toxic behaviours and “sick” fumes don’t darken our paths. When they do, appreciate that you are not in “that place” give thanks for your own life, and pray that their “unwell” state of mind and being will find its way to a better place. Then move on.
PL Precept #11 Always be with God.
The negativity and disease of others, need not infect your world.
GOD is LOVE
no matter what philosophy you live by, LOVE permeates all teachings.
Oyashikiri
photo -Valerie