leaves

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After a restful night's sleep in Indiana... I woke up early and headed out on the open road again. By late morning... I was sipping Starbuck's in Terre Haute~ it was awesome. Even Brina took a little siesta on the patio...

I really feel like I am running behind for some reason. I know that I am not "on a schedule"... but in the back of my mind... I am wanting to get home before my son and his wife have their precious baby. And I have had a sense of urgency... and underlying current of stress... this whole drive back.

I stopped at the Driftstone Pueblo... one of my fav places to look at stones, beads, feathers, jewelry... even flutes! This shop is in Illinois, and behind it is a wonderful lake area. I am told it is a good fishing area... but seeing as I didn't have my pole with me this trip (I know.. I know...)... I decided it was the perfect spot for some meditation.

And it was.... and it relieved me of alot of the urgency I had been feeling these past few days.

Tonight I am staying in a Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Missouri(!!!)... and I am delighting in how wonderful it is. Brina enjoyed her portion of my KFC dinner... and is now happily sacked on the bed while I enjoy some great shows on the Food Network :)



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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It's been raining most all of today again... and the water in the flood channel is fast and furious as it moves along. Alot of the trees are beginning to lose their leaves... what with the rain and the wind. And tomorrow starts the long weekend featuring the "Falling Leaves Festival" here in Potter County.

I am beginning to fear that I won't get all of the things done that I would like to do... before heading back to Albuquerque. Part of it has been my own procrastination on things (why do I do this?!)... part of it has been due to the way paperwork moves within government systems. I have been inordinately tired this trip... and some days it seems all I can do is get out of bed... muddle through a couple of things... and the next thing you know... it's 2am.

I don't have a deadline (per se) of when I need to be back in Albuquerque... but I miss my family... and I have a granddaughter due to be born somewhere around the 11th of October. And so... I need to "get it in gear"... and get things done.

One thing I have accomplished on this trip though... is that I have made it a point to go on a drive... even a short one... each and every day. Because of these drives... I have really enjoyed the changing of the seasons... and the beauty of nature that is all around us. Even on rainy days such as today... I was able to get photos that will continue to remind me of the wonders of nature... and the beauty to be had in the everyday.


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Tonight is a full moon... and I am catching glimpses of it off an on as I sit here on the front porch. It has been raining for most of the day... and now there is a heavy bank of clouds that are playing tag with the moon.

I can hear the crickets chirping... and a dog barking off in the distance...

I can see the little brown bats as they dive for bugs under the street lamp...

I can feel the crispness in the air as the weather slowly changes to fall on this ... the autumn equinox...

I can taste the pungency of my bergamont tea...

and I love the smell of the rain on the grass tonight.



((I took my mother out for dinner tonight to a local cafe for garlic hummus and pita bread... fresh from the oven... tea.... and a wonderful Greek salad...Everything was awesome.))


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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You'd think being "out here in the country"... (said in a voice like a Tom Bodett commercial)... that people wouldn't succumb to the drama of life. Or, better said... that people would be too busy with more important stuff. You'd think... living in a city with half a million people... I would be more accustomed to the particular quirks natural to humanity and living amongst the throngs. But I am not.

The past couple of days has shown me, however, that people are people... no matter where you live. And no place is immune to the stuff of life. That is to say... we all get our feelings hurt... we all occasionally feel put-upon and taken advantage of... we all feel like perhaps there is something "greener" somewhere else... or with someone else... or if we just had "blank" ((... insert thing here...))... life would be easier.

There is a song I know with words in the chorus that go.... "It's a hard life, it's a hard life... it's a very hard life. It's a hard life wherever you go. But if we poison our children with hatred...then, the hard life is all they'll ever know."
The song is specifically talking about bigotry... but it really could be applicable to other things as well. Taken further... we can apply it to ourselves. If we poison our own minds to something... it can truly slant our perspective.
IE: if we expect something to be awful... it generally is.

Now, that is not to say that if we put on rose-colored glasses... our entire life will be sweet as pie.
Far from it. But there is something to be said about hoping for the best... and doing whatever we can to bring that into being.
Positive thoughts... then positive action.

Seems like every book I have read lately has had to do with finding your passion in life... and following your dreams. About being positive in a negative world. About not letting things get you down or destroy your goals. About being optimistic in general, and drawing people to you that are also of a positive mindset. I don't think it was a conscious effort on my part to have picked all these books with basically a theme... but there ya go.

And hey... if nothing else...
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." --Albright

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Another week has begun... and it was full of sunshine and warmth today. It has been unusually chilly for here (me-thinks)... of course... I am used to being in much warmer weather. However... with the chill comes the reason that so many leaves here turn such brilliant colors... so I cannot complain.

Today our drive in the countryside took us out over Dutch Hill and into the fields and back roads of Jenkins Hill, Ayers Hill, and such. The leaves are beginning to turn... and the sunset was gorgeous.

A couple weeks from now will be the local "Falling Leaves Festival"... and the gun show. The business stuff/paperwork I have been doing for my mother is finally winding down... and things are almost completely taken care of. There are a couple projects I would still like to do... and a few people yet that I would like to see..... but things are getting there.

But for right now... I am enjoying a warm cup of tea...
and the warmth of the sunshine in these photos...


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Somehow, I have managed to lose the better part of this weekend, although I am not sure how this has happened. I have been sick... headache, body aches, and with a fever off and on for several days now. Little things seem to take me forever to finish. It is very frustrating. I am sure it is my Lupus... agitated and spurred into action by allergies.
On the plus side... at least it is a familiar problem... and one I can deal with, no matter how annoying.

Today we had a wonderful visit from my fav aunt and uncle... and I have started reading a couple new books, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, and "Secrets of the Fire King" by Kim Edwards... and tonight I stopped at a local fav place of mine to take my photo for the day...


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Exactly 30 days ago... my father passed away.
The sun still greets me every morning.
My coffee still tastes good.
My dog still wants me to take her for a walk every evening.
The moon still cheers me up.
The leaves turn... and time passes on... But I miss him.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Overwhelmed. Seems to be my word for the day. Overwhelmed with things to do... people to see... stuff to take care of... and I am sick. Overwhelmed with news from home... missing my kids and hubby... and news of a HUGE payment on a new water treatment system (*apparently ours died when the city was flushing the lines... and my dear hubby had it replaced yesterday). I am tapped. Broke. Broken.

Tea. Sometimes what I need to do is sit with a warm cup of tea and try to remember that things will work out. Don't know when... don't know how. I just have to believe it. And so... I am trying... (and a cookie can't hurt...)


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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I believe that things generally happen for a reason. That said... we don't always know what that reason is... and maybe we never do figure it out... but I'm convinced that usually wrapped up in the stuff of life, are lessons to be learned if we take the time to listen.

The past couple of days have shown me some unexpected surprises....yesterday a sharp shinned hawk not only came specifically to my mom's yard (which they never do)... but it fluttered and flapped until it caught my attention... looked me in the eye... and then took off.

About an hour later... somehow a little black-capped chickadee got into the house.... and sat on the window right beside my mom who was taking a nap in a chair. Startled awake... she called me... and the bird not only let me catch him in a soft towel... but let me take him outside, where he looked at me, and quickly flew off... unruffled by the event.
(backstory here ... is that my mom and dad loved to watch the birds)


And today... everywhere we went... I saw hearts. Hearts on flowers, and on leaves...


...even in the form of deck chair designs....


... and when I finally laughed and said... ok ok... I get it .... a friend of my mom's was tossing popcorn into a pond in front of me while he was talking to my mom ... and these huge fish jumped right out of the water... only about 1 foot in front of me..... and all I could think of was my dad laughing out loud and wishing he had a net!

Thanks Dad, I needed that... and I love you


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(photos by Elaine A. Russell)

In the middle of town here, is a HUGE horsechestnut tree. When I was very little, it sat in front of a tiny house owned by Mr. & Mrs. Butler; an elderly couple who have since passed on. I remember Mr. Butler telling me about this tree one time... when I asked about the thorny looking nuts it bears in the summer and into fall.

Apparently, these trees originated in the Balkans, and were carried to Northern Europe, and then to the USA. I have read that these trees were primarily planted for their decor, as they would get big and have large showy leaves in the spring... and big showy flowers in the summer. The nuts are very bitter, and generally considered not to be edible. However, old herb books do mention that the bark was sometimes boiled, and the liquid could be consumed for everything from rheumatism to fevers. (link: here)


All I know... is that when I was little... it was a tree unlike any I had seen before...
and I was fascinated by it.
I have always had an affinity for plants and trees...
and this one was "extra special."

Well... that little house is long gone now... but the tree still stands strong and proud there. I stopped by today to check on it, and was blessed to see that it was not only doing well... but had gorgeous blooms on it.


You'd think that... with all this tree has seen in it's lifetime... that it would give up and wither away. But ... it actually seems stronger today than I remember it being. People can be like that too. Sometimes, with all the crap that goes on in the world... our first thought may be to shrivel up and hide somewhere.... sink into the ground and stay there. But... if we let it... adversity can also make us stronger... majestic... able to handle the wild winds.

My father is carrying on. In spite of all predictions... and certainly beyond belief at times. I do not understand it... nor will I try. I can only believe that there must be a purpose... and like my tree that I love so much, I will try to bend with the wind... and listen for the lesson.

( and in other news.... I was shocked to learn that another one of my photos won the Alibi's Shutterbug weekly contest... WoOt!.... see HERE)

fall foliage





*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

Yesterday's freak snowstorm, reminded me of how very short life really is... how quickly the season's can change... how temporary things truly are.
I love fall. I think it has alot to do with growing up in the NE... and having such glorious fall foliage every year. Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. I usually am sooo incredibly happy this time of year. Today seems to be a black spot on an otherwise perfect sky. There is no reason for it. Sometimes it just happens I guess.
So-- rather than ramble on... I will stuff you full of pretty fall foliage pics that I took Tuesday at the entrance to the BioPark. I didn't have enough money to actually go in that day... so I took some shots around the parking complex and the entryway to the park.