The days are getting shorter, the leaves have begun to change into their fall wardrobe. In this picture Chris caught just the perfect moment of sun/shadow… with the background architecture a perfect foil for the artistry of nature. Christopher O’Keefe is a photographer from the States who over the years has shared with us some amazing captures.
Today’s calendar speaks of sincerity, putting our hearts into our words. What struck me the most about Chris’s work is that he often captured “makoto” in his pictures.. ie. this picture for me evokes.. “sincerity”. You can almost feel the sun as the shadows shift bringing the building’s walls and windows to life.
Put your heart into your words. Do you tend to speak in just matter of fact tone? It is important to put your heart into your words.
Chop suey – a word that speaks of an American Chinese dish and other forms of overseas Chinese cuisine, consisting of meat, a vegetables that are stir fried. It is a catch all phrase .. no two dishes would likely ever be the same, it would vary from restaurant to restaurant, and locality .. (mixed variety) I use it when I am putting together a collection of (in this instance) pictures to show the variety of interesting moments along the trail yesterday.
In life we are greeted with so many interesting sights, some we relate to .. other’s we acknowledge and simply move on. This was the case when I met up with Mr slither there. The mushroom is interesting I have been watching it grow and take shape for over a week. With the ticking of the clock we all move along in life, some at a snails pace and while others seem to live life in leaps and bounds. I am in the saunter along mode. I pause to explore, a lot.
taken fall of 2020
I searched for the picture I knew I had of the corner benches I like to sit and commune with nature on. This spot is perfect for quiet reflection. Usually I sit, but yesterday, the sky was a beautiful clear blue and not too warm yet, but if you settled in the sunshine it was very welcoming. I lay down to look up into the vast expanse of sky.. and watch the white clouds lazily make their way over to where I was.
The bog extends for miles and miles. In this corner where the boardwalk is… when it is early in the morning, 9 out of 10 you have the place to yourself. (before 9) I admit, I would have liked a cushion for my head, but aside from that, it was so peaceful and serene.. I felt a contentment that was all encompassing.
Start today with a fresh outlook. Even though people and situation may look the same, they are constantly changing. Start each day with a fresh mind.
Perfect Liberty 2022.17
Till Soon
My heartfelt thanks to everyone for your birthday wishes – muah
I wrote yesterday – hiding in plain sight – little did I know. The body is wonderful, when you over do or are in danger of causing serious damage to yourself… it shuts down.. In my case, it presented me with a problem I could not ignore. a whopper of migraine. So severe I had no choice but to lie down and let it fade and believe me, it was not going to make it an easy fix.
You can only change yourself. Before you start telling people how they should do things, think of how you can be more flexible.
Perfect Liberty 2022.13
If you have never had a migraine or suffer from headaches.. you will not understand or know that there is only one way what works, cuz your laid out, completely incapacitated…It is the body’s way of saying STOP you haven’t been listening. I encourage you all, if you are running from one “task/chore” to another and not taking the needed time for YOU… don’t fall into the trap.. Nothing is more important than YOUR peace of mind and making time for SELF CARE.
When you face difficulties start with anything you can do. When you are able to grasp the situation, you will surely be able to notice something that you can do.
Perfect Liberty 2022.12
I opened a magazine the other day… the bold letters splashed across the top of the page shouted at me LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE. It was followed by the quote ” To feel and think, and learn, learn always surely that is being alive and young in the real sense” Freya Stark I stared at the page and reflected on the words that were catching my attention.
I had just replied to a friend who had sent me message asking if all was Ok. I write another blog that covers the lifestyle, art, performers and entertainment in a virtual world. I have been doing that off and on in the Second life (virtual international platform) since 2007. With the networking, researching, photography, writing, publishing etc. 20- 30 hour a week and sometimes even more had to be dedicated to getting the posts out on time. We are now in 2022 and life has changed for me… In the last many years I lost my Mother, my husband along with his parents, several of my long time close friends, and the list goes on. My Father passed away when I was 10.. I miss him to this day…
Change is ever present and will always be. where do we get our inspiration,& motivation when we are no longer experiencing the pain of loss and the challenges of “new beginnings” for the first time, but find the sameness in the “opportunities” placed before us. Yes, when you recognize the “moment” but the “terrain” is different. The season is changing. I am checking to see if my gratitude meter is still working as it should, or does it need to be fine tuned. How about you…. Today is the start of another week.. you ready?
Did I mention that .. la vie est belle ( life is beautiful).. it truly is… it is just that there are days/moment when it is interrupted by a commercial(s) – and we can’t fast forward.
I sat by the water this morning and carved. The chick-a-dee tried very hard to distract me, it was sure I must have a seed or nut somewhere on my person. Why else would I be sitting in the middle of the forest with a stick, making a mess.. all around me were the pieces of bark and wood that were falling away as I diligently smoothed the surface I was working on.
Good morning… started this yesterday.. it is another day. I enjoyed it, today I won’t have time to sit and bask in a quiet meditation by the water… I will drive out and put feed out for the birds and then head for church. I am only putting out small portions, enough to keep the area “interesting” for them… There is still an abundance of food in the forest for them that they can forage and gather for the winter. I want to share with them, not change their normal behaviours…
Today is Ancestors Day, our Ancestors’ Day ceremony at church will take place at 10 a.m. we celebrate this “day” every 11th of the month. One of our members was rushed to hospital last night, please add in your prayers today, a word of support and healing for all in our community that require that extra energy today. Physical distance is not a factor in a spiritual connection. WE are all ONE.
You can be with God by having a prayerful mind. Let’s pray for World Peace. We are all one big family. Let’s start by praying for the happiness of those around us.
Perfect Liberty 2022.11
Always and Forever
PL (Perfect Liberty) is International, let’s us reach out in prayer today – express our gratitude for the love and virtues of our ancestors and ask for their protection and guidance so we can continue to live to live the PL WAY.
My spirituality is something I will never outgrow. it sustains me year after year and I truly believe that every day brings tremendous possibilities. ie a chance to live more fully, love more deeply and learn something new, no matter how old (physical age) I get. We can remain ageless – strong – healthy – happy and connected. but it isn’t always smooth sailing.
September is flying by all too quickly… Today is the 10th already! My morning began at 4 something .. yes a.m. I originally woke it was 3 something… after a wee break with Keeper… she now takes a break with me.. and we have for now almost eliminated accidents..(the vet has her on special food to control the acidity of her urine etc.) Balance is important even for dogs. Balance is important in all our lives.
It’s easier to adapt to something when we find it interesting. No matter how enjoyable a situation is, a slight change in our attitude can make it boring. Let’s face any situation with curiosity and enthusiasm.
Perfect Liberty 2022.10
bear scat (photo Daniel R.)
Daniel found his scat further along the trail, I found my scat closer to the parking lot on my out, heading down towards the research area ..(P23) a word of caution to hikers .. there are bears wandering.
Life will present you with many choices today, at some time.. make time for YOU. Not just the To Do list.
btw… on inspection yesterday, I saw that the bears are still finding and eating beautiful big black berries.
always and forever
Reminder. tomorrow the 11th. there will be service on Sunday, we will be doing the Ancestors Day ceremony at 10 a.m.
The tree in the first picture is at P7 (Sarsaparilla Trail) NCC Greenbelt – west end near the look out.
Express yourself clearly so others can understand you. When you can’t communicate clearly, it can lead to problems. Always express yourself carefully to avoid any misunderstandings
Perfect Liberty 2022.9
Stop hesitating … It is more natural for you to be direct and say what is on your mind. Holding back or hesitating is unnecessary.
Perfect Liberty 2017.27
When I think that life couldn’t get any more “complex” or “disturbing” the Universe sends me a “ray of sunshine”.. a text from a friend, a raven will fly across my path and call out to me… sometimes I think it is telling me to “smarten up”… to listen with an open heart… or a “critter” will wander out of the forest and waddle past me showing great unconcern of my presence…
A chop suey of doors from the past.. leaving the city and making my way into the countryside, with fall around the corner, and the pumpkin latte’s appearing on menus …soon the doorways will be festive with colours of fall… of all things I saw a sign the other day for pumpkin spice noodles!!! That is a stretch even for my imagination, certainly for my taste buds.
Don’t let circumstances sway your decision. It does not help to overthink things. Sometimes we just need to make up our minds and move forward.
Perfect Liberty 2022.6
Be in the present – Belong …. practice mindfulness…
“Love is not something we give or get; it is something we nurture and grow.. a connection that can be cultivated between two people only if it exists within each one of them.
How long does it take for mushrooms to grow, and what determines how the fungus will take shape? Finding these little gems took my mind away from the annoying conversations it was having .. Really I had been thinking of totally irksome information that had come into my gray matter over the course of the last few weeks. I was out in the woods, having a lovely walk … doing what I don’t usually do, I was going the wrong way along the trail towards the bog boardwalk. (the boardwalk has signs that clearly indicate we are wanted to travel it in the direction indicated by the arrows) My reasoning was that I was not going to take the boardwalk, I was walking the path towards it and then planning on taking the trail that leads off in the opposite direction.
My plan and what actually happened are two different things. I’ve been tired lately, I have had a lot going on around me, my walk this morning was to let my thoughts clear, and let the morning air, clear and unclutter the gray cells. That said, I think the thoughts were all vying for the exit and rushing towards it at the same time.
When walking this way (my first time to do so) I had to look at my surroundings differently, I decided to take the small path that led me between very tall evergreens. (looking for wood for me to carve).. I was checking every fallen branch and log I came to. It was a short enough detour, but I was now juggling pieces of wood that I had picked up, and realizing that I would have to head back, since now I had my arms full carrying my “finds”. I came out unto the main path I had previously been on and there before me was the remains of a tree that had fallen during the storm, … while the main trunk had been removed from the path, cut into pieces and moved away from the area, there were still interesting pieces lying there for me to pick through, I had to put down what I was carrying, in doing so, I found the fungi seen above.
The feeling of exhaustion and the overwhelming parade of nattering that had been happening in my head, vanished. I was totally captured by the interesting pattern and textures of the fungi.
The best timing is when you notice. When you notice something, it is God sending you a message. Act right away so you don’t miss good timing
Perfect Liberty 2022.5
Sometimes we have to break away from the clutter and senseless chatter that happens when we go too long without taking a Me break. It is easy to get caught up in the “must do” “need to do” things that we think are so important… they are not. Our well being is what is important. think about it. You, yourself and only you … are responsible for your happiness and state of mind, YOU are the director of your life,
TAOIST Life is Art (Perfect Liberty precept #1)
contact info.- via blogs
--- there are two energies, Yin and Yang = ONE
---to have balance we must live each moment
of our lives.. with Makoto (sincerity)
The only constant in life is change. I am grounded in the reality of Living.
This is true, in all worlds. RL or virtual. I am me and only me.
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