It is so lovely to hear and see Eastern Whipbirds in my garden. Actually as I write this there are a pair in the garden now. They arrived after the fire in December 2019. Displaced from where they usually lived by the fire which devastated the landscape by the many fires from the Gibraltar Range across the floodplain of the Mann River through my place and towards Ramornie.
Whipbirds are notoriously shy birds and dart way as soon as they see you. All of these photos were taken through the sun room and office windows.
A lovely looking bird
Peering back at me through the window
Always keeping an eye on what is going on in the garden.
When they give their distinctive call, their whole body gets involved. The wings sweep upwards and the tail fans open.
The colour of their feathers look rather plain until you get to…
Hognose Snake from Texas – Yeah.. how about that, a snake. In a conversation happening around me, I heard someone say they saw a hognose.. I had no idea, when I said, what is a hognose, that someone would send me a link and a picture(s). OK. I who walk across the road to avoid a small little garter snake, was slightly taken off guard. Not something I would go out of my way to see, or know about.
I’m a city gal, and I tend to live and frequent areas where if there are snakes they are not where I come across them. Plus I live in a climate that doesn’t encourage snakes to be part of the landscapes I visit In reading about this little wonder .. it seems that to some its so cute they have them as a pet. Yeah. that is something wouldn’t come to mind if I saw one near me. It is known to be a bit of a “drama queen” it seems when it is threatened one of its defenses is to play dead.. I’m not going to link you to that video, but it is interesting .. the snake does put on a performance. While its playing dead it is giving off a putrid awful smell to add to the deceit that it is rotting/decaying/dead.
If I am to transform my negative thinking, try to be more positive and open to new ideas/thoughts etc. then taking a moment to read about this little critter is a step in the right direction. I learned that this “animal” has a personality, it thinks (not like we do), it has some kind of intelligence that keeps it going during its lifetime, helps it hunt and survive… Aren’t we, also daily doing our best to adapt and survive.
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 misunderstanding.
Perfect Liberty 2022.9
Till soon
Service tomorrow July 10 will be at 10: a.m.
service Monday July 11. Ancestors day, there will be a ceremony at 10: a.m.
A beautiful sunny day, the entrance to the site is still closed to visitors. The trees lie where they have fallen, the exposed roots lay bare for all to see. There is no access to the paths or the outdoor facility. Destruction is everywhere. The birds and wildlife are back to singing and going about their business, but to the human visitor, the paths are littered with fallen trees and branches. Very dangerous.
As I wandered on the outskirts of the debris.. I heard a chain saw. Curious I made my way back to the entrance, where a young woman had backed up her truck and was cutting away the limbs that were within her reach. She explained she was gathering up wood for the winter… some of it was obviously too green, but she said, it will be dry for next winter.
I am not an official of the conservation area, I could only caution her as to the risk she would be taking if she ventured into the woods.. I could understand her wanting to gather up the dead wood, her logic was that as people cleared up and put the fallen branches and tree parts to the curb.. there was so much of it, often it could not all be gathered up in one go. So she was in her own way, helping declutter. (her logic)
Since I myself collect fallen bits and pieces for my wood carving and whittling.. I could do nothing but smile and encourage her to be cautious. Life… is what it is…
Start by thinking “let’s do it” Once you decide to do something and put your whole heart into it, things will start moving forward.
Perfect Liberty 2022.8
Yes there is potential danger we had such a severe storm, and damage in areas is brutal. However, life is what it is and nature will continue to grow and recycle. I am drawn like a moth to a flame. I find comfort in being near and part of what IS. What will be, will be.. No more, no less.
Think “now is the time” Instead of “it’s no use now” Don’t give up by thinking it’s too late. Tell yourself that there is more that can be done.
Perfect Liberty 2022.7
Thursday Doors taken by good friend Nick Vrtis who was travelling in Germany recently, Grey door is the Cathedral in St. Ola, and the brow doorway is Kirkwall. Thank you Nick…! For more doors, please visit the Thursday Doors posts on Dan’s site. No Facilities https://nofacilities.com/2022/07/07/june-leftovers/
Tanabata is based on the legendary meeting of two stars, Hikoboshi and Orihime, which are represented by Altair and Vega, respectively. After his marriage to Orihime, Hikoboshi idled away and didn’t work. An angry god split Hikoboshi and Orihime apart from the two banks of the Milky Way. However the god permitted Hikoboshi and Orihime to reunite once a year on July 7. So Tanabata is held on that day every year, and it is said to be the day lovers can reunite.(translated from Japanese to English in Japan)
The romantic in me loves that there is a day set aside for “lost love/s/ers” There is always a place in my heart for someone who has brought me pleasure, shown me kindness, taken time to get to know me, spend time with me. In today’s “throw away” society/culture, we often forget that each moment we live/experience life… that moment is etched in our “being”. To know sadness, we have had to have experienced happiness. Love is in every breath we take, it is like the air we breathe. Unseen but ever present.
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
I found a rubber ball of sorts today on the trail. (a dog’s toy ball)… hmmm I thought.. I could kick this back to the starting point. So I made the rule, no picking it up, no touching it with my hands, I had to kick it back along the trail towards the start of the trail at the gates. Soccer players make it look easy enough, at first it was a battle to even keep it on the trail, my kicks even though I thought I was facing down the trail, ended with the ball rolling to the extreme right or left into the very overgrown vegetation.
To say it was as easy as I thought it would be, would be a fib. Not only did I find chasing after the ball, skipping over, trying to guide it with my foot, kicking it.. all took extreme effort. I am definitely out of shape. When I found the ball, I was on my way back, probably had about 3/4 of a mile to go. It took me longer and was obviously a work out for me.
Lesson learned. I am not as agile as I used to be.
Take action without thinking too hard .. no matter how hard you try to foresee the future, you really don’t know how things will turn out. Do your best and see how it plays out.
In my journey yesterday, I looked for open spaces. There is always so much to see when visiting a new park/trail … Keeping in mind I have been trying to observe my reactions to everything, noticing my feelings, negative, positive and neutral… the mind get can get so cluttered, I thought.. create spaces where the mind can simply BE. It is an exercise. I’m working on it. =^_^=
There was a space with sunlight, I was just aiming ready to click, when a little squirrel jumped unto the log. .. he made me smile.. so click… bless his little heart, he stayed to share the moment.
Your smile is what’s needed. A smile invites happiness and cheer and is essential to energize others as well as yourself.
take center stage – play out a fantasy – express your individuality
Discover each person’s unique qualities. When we approach people with respect, we can understand them better and see their special qualities.
Perfect Liberty 2022.2
What are you watching now, how are you reacting. Do you have a secret desire to do something different, to be someone else for a day, to just get away, to have time to your SELF. In days past, we were entertained by going to hotels, bars, nightclubs, we met friends in cafes, restaurants, we gathered in the park, attended sporting events, we mingled with our neighbours and friends.. We said hello to people we saw daily, we expressed genuine interest in what what going on around us.
So often I see people, rushing from one place to another, we drive around in cars, get out, go do what we need to do, get back in our cars go to the next destination, do what needs doing and then often head back to home/office and we have not had a social interaction all the time we were out. Except to say what we need to say to the clerk helping or the cashier on the way out.
It is about routine, schedules, appointments, deadlines, obligations, bookings, err… where does having fun come in, or just chilling.. we plan for our vacation, then rush to the destination, try to fit in as much as possible in the few days we are there, collect postcards, take photos, and then look for something else to do so that are “holiday” isn’t wasted. busy busy busy
Are you feeling motivated, relaxed, are you having fun right now.. are you rested? Are you doing something you want to do because it makes you happy, pleases you, makes you feel special and content inside and out just because life is ooooh sooo good!
I know there are events taking place all around the city its Canada Day long week-end here and in the States, its the 4th of July. There are a lot of places to go .. there are concerts, there will be huge gatherings .. lots of people… What are you doing to celebrate? (if you celebrate).. celebrate YOU.
It is easy to focus on negatives in life, but it is important to make time to acknowledge, and appreciate the positives. Find gratitude. Explore all the different facets and dimensions of YOU.
Oyashikiri
social interaction/people skills, is that a lost art?
Simplify your routine – be gentle to yourself. Listen to the the sights and sounds around you. Eat more mindfully, tone, stretch breathe, and relax!
In Canada, .. July 1. is Canada Day!
Brighten up your day with happy thoughts, shared moments. Its been a long time since I’ve been inspired to just sit down at my computer and put together a visual thought. A thought /verse or moment that pops up in my head and simply needs to be visualized.* If you are a writer/artist, you know about those moments when “inspiration hits”… we say.. “Oh, great idea” and then we move on to doing something else or finishing what we were doing when the “idea” came to us. –hours later we have forgotten, that “moment” has disappeared, we vaguely recall some of it.. but the “bright light” has dimmed.
In trying to be more observant of my reactions, I am doing my best to notice my feelings – positive, negative and neutral… I know when I am mindful … I get a sense of freedom. The mind is always chasing who, what, why of our experiences. Today during service, I will do a mindful meditation .. to reconnect with the spaces between the many thoughts that bounce around in my head. I will let a thought come, notice it, and let it go.
Instead of immediately chasing after a pleasant idea, or instantly running away from something unpleasant, I’ll step back .. notice what is happening.. and simply observe. LOL sounds easy.. believe me it takes practice.. but so well worth it. Join me?
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.
dymoonblog 