rain

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Today I am thankful for:

remembering my dad with this photo...
finding some cool clothes at a thrift store
RAIN! Even though it was only about 15 minutes worth... it was the first in months...
... and the smell of rain...
and the slight wind with the rain...
Netflix
recipes from friends
fresh brewed coffee
cheese puffs... and the orange residue it leaves on the fingertips

and the quote:
"he who knows nothing... gets the most out of everything..."
(--- don't know who said it... but it's awesome)


*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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(you can click on this photo; and see it larger )


I've heard the phrase..."God never gives you more than you can handle..."... and yet, I have to wonder. My mother is devastated. I have seen grief... in so many different forms and stages over the years... as a nurse.... as a family member.... as a friend.... I have seen so very much of death in the past.
Some people handle it with quiet resolution, others anger... but with my mom; the tears just keep coming... shaking with sobs... unable to calm herself... unable to eat... unable to sleep. She has always been a nervous/ anxious/ restless personality.... but this... there is no fixing this. I feel so helpless.

And I seem to be at the opposite end of the spectrum... missing my father... and yet... relieved that he is no longer in pain... satisfied in the knowledge that I will see him again some day.
I believe that she feels that way too... it's just that her way of showing emotion is so very different than mine. Neither way is better... neither way is worse. It just is.

I mention this only because it was casually mentioned to me that I must not care or some such... because I was not falling apart with grief.
Needless to say, I know this to be far from the truth.

Today; after we had appointments making preparations for services on Friday... I took my mom to eat at a local burger shack type place. The owners are friends of my parents, and it was nice to visit with them. We got to talking about cars... and the owner went and got his 1959 Thunderbird to show me. He is only the 2nd owner... and the car has only 62,000 miles on it. Pristine! Gorgeous! Classic!

And I thought of my dad... who soooooooo loved vintage cars... and could feel him smiling...


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today was an interesting study in contrasts. Went to the doctor's (which I hate)..... but then had a nice break at Barnes and Noble where this ultra cool musical duo were playing outside for tips.


Ran some errands... but then had a nice visit with friends.....


Had sort of a crappy lunch.... but then had dinner at Cocina Azule... and it was fabulous!


It began raining... then just as quickly

..... it cleared up and there were these stunningly beautiful clouds overhead.



On the way home..... I saw these interesting sky colorations. I remember reading about this phenomenon once... but I can't remember the name of it now..... so incredible!

~~~

Life....like in photography... is all about the contrast sometimes... the yin to the yang... the up to the down... perhaps just another way that the powers that be "keep it interesting....."

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---> photo by Elaine A. Russell

There is something so refreshing about a rainstorm. I have always loved the rain... the thunder... the lightening... it is all fabulous. However, since moving to the desert... it has become SO much more to me. It is amazing to me how such a "simple" thing can really mean life or death to so many plants and animals... Let alone peace of mind/ serenity... to humanity.

Mentally... rain symbolizes alot of things... but mainly people think of cleansing when they think of rain... and no wonder. After so much chaos in my life this year...... and even more so this week... it was an incredibly awesome event today to have the clouds gather... to start their rumbling... for the drops of rain to come down... one... two.... three..... then a massive downpour... washing away my stress away drop by beautiful drop...

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--------> photo by Elaine A. Russell


Today it finally rained and I am grateful. The rain came down ever so softly off and on today... and it was a welcome respite from the intense heat wave we've had. Tonight it is cool and calm... and is perfect sleeping and dreaming weather.

We were also blessed with a visit from a friend of a friend... who was able to fix our swamp cooler. And again... I am so very grateful. You never know how comfortable those things make our everyday existence... until it's broken for a couple of weeks.

It is also the full moon for this month.... and tomorrow is my daughter's 18th birthday.

"Today marks June's full moon and it is celebrated with multiple names: mead moon, honey moon, dyad moon, strawberry moon or pair moon. June is a month for decision making, working on inconsistencies, strengthening and rewarding yourself for your positive traits. June is a good time for protective, strengthening and preventive spells.

The Full Moon actually covers three days, including the night of the Full Moon, itself. This is a time for action, for harvesting the fruits of our labors, for realizing that which we began at the last cycle, and of giving thanks."

About the photograph for today: I took this photograph today while the rain was coming down. I had some great light coming in through my bathroom window... which is a textured glass. So I put a still life together using some vintage glass bottles ... this way the light could be seen through the various colored glass...