329:365:2012



thankfully blessed
for warmth, food, shelter and love
this holiday night

***

it's not often we get to pull out our armor and become better selves...
today we are blessed with the presence of a sweet soul... traveling to destinations unknown;
and yet; stranded without mercy. 
And I am ever thankful for our house, the warmth... food for our bellies... (and a stove that works!)
... for soft furniture... and clean clothes... for flowers still! blooming in our garden...
 and for friends and family.
.blessings to you and yours this thanksgiving day.

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"Those who dwell among the beauties 
and mysteries of the earth 
are never alone or weary of life." 
- Rachel Carlson

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roadside sunset
casting light on memories
you are dearly missed

***

New Mexico is well known for many things... including it's roadside memorials.
Usually... they are erected to remember a loved one who (in most cases) died because of a car crash, but they also serve as a "warning" for others to drive carefully. There are many of these dotted along the highways here... and I love to take photos of them... in the hopes of preserving their memory even longer.
This is one I saw on the way back from Santa Fe.


you can read more about these markers

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jonathan's living
on a beach somewhere lovely
and it makes me smile

***

I've been working on alot of projects around the house...
including working on some of my "older" photos... like this one from this February.
I find that the more I clean out... the better I feel.
The more I downsize to a more "reasonable" level... the more I am able to create.
♥ And I am looking forward to making lots of art this winter ♥ 

325:365:2012



as the light shines in...
surrounded by misery
...thankful for your love

***

I took this photo in the chapel of the New Mexico State Prison.. site of a horrible riot in 1980.
It was 2008; obviously years and years after the tragedy... and yet, the violence
hung in the air like smoke in an old speakeasy.
As I wandered about.. I came to the chapel... empty...
save for some pigeon wings that someone had leaned up against the stained glass windows.
.such poetry.

(I've found an old disc of photos that I took on a photo shoot
to the penitentiary .. so I've been editing a couple of them these past few days.)

322:365:2012



under the face paint
I show my true self to you
dance the masquerade

***

sometimes you just have to dance to your own music

321:365:2012


yesterday's guard post
silent desert sentinel
tells no one the tale

***

I recently "found" a couple cds that had photos of them from a trip to the old state prison up in Santa Fe, NM... that I took with a local photo group. I had borrowed a camera from a friend (as mine had been stolen)... and was not horribly familiar with this "strange digital beast" I was lugging around... and all the photos I took were in an unfamiliar format. The hubby, kindly, loaded them onto cds for me from the camera... but I still couldn't figure out how to view them or edit them... and so they languished... and eventually... I lost track of where I had put them.
Time warp to a day or two ago... when they suddenly appeared! At a time when I could do something with them... and so... here is one of the shots. Ironically... I took these photos almost exactly... 4yrs ago today.

The former prison itself, is a very interesting place... with a hauntingly tragic past.
You can read more about it:
and HERE

320:365:2012



"... one ringy-dingy... giggle snort."
Okay, I am aging myself. But if you get the reference.. you are probably laughing with me.

Today was all about paying bills, cleaning the house a bit... and figuring out a couple ways we can save some money. We had a guy come in to give us an estimate on some home repairs... and we now have some more concrete goals in mind as to things to do around the house. .... with the larger goal of moving sometime next year. We figure that; even if we end up renting a place here... selling the house will get us one more step to where we want to be... and that is awesome.

(one of the ways we are planning on saving on some of our monthly costs...
 is by changing our internet & phone service plans... hence... the photo for today's post)

319:365:2012



blowing in the wind
answers... maybe; but also 
...a schload of questions

***

today it is cold... and really windy.
Sometime during the night, we actually dipped below freezing temperatures...
so I have alot more gardening to do...
Be safe out there... and warm too.

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thinking 'bout daylight
and how Father Son rises
each and every day

let this be the light
that follows you through your life
... and know that I love you

***

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walking the tracks
feeling like an old hobo
with nowhere to go...

***

I am feeling a little unsettled today.
The wind is blowing... and it's been raining off an on all day.
There is a definite chill in the air... 

Normally... I adore this kind of weather.
It compels me to stay inside and watch old movies... or read a good book.
But today... I don't know...and I can't figure out why...
perhaps it's time to light a fire in the fireplace and drink a glass of wine.

This photo is from my recent trip to PA.
I simply adore trains... and couldn't resist walking the rails and taking some photos.


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crows in the cornfields
...seeds of flowers past... flying...
swirling... twirling on...

***

and today... I worked in the garden.
Autumn is here in full force... (and probably was for the full month I was gone in PA)
... and I've alot of work to catch up on here.

So... I harvested the carrots and the sunchokes...
gathered in a couple (really small) watermelons,
tons of little pear tomatoes, rainbow chard,
some gorgeous birdhouse gourds
... and I am amazed at some of the things still growing!
Like marigolds, cosmos, lavender, zinnias and sunflowers, 
nasturtiums... and all of my herbs... and even some strawberries!




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it's a brand new day
show love for your fellow man
and do something good

***

and... as seen on-line:   5 things  you can do to make our country a better place:

1. Volunteer - be the example you want to see in others. 
2. Donate - your money, your time, and your belongings to those who need them more.
3. Spread LOVE & positivity, not hate or judgement.
4. Work hard 
5. Mentor - your peers & our youth.

and... ways to help the planet: here

and... ways to help your community: here

and... ways to help make the world a better place: here

and ... ways to make your own life better: here
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" --- Mahatma Gandhi


313:365:2012



it's election day!
go and exercise your rights,
and vote your conscience

***

I know. Sort of a lame haiku...
but I wanted to do something with a "it's time to vote peeps!" theme to it.

And in other news... not only did I vote...
but I also got Roxanne (the Jeep) ... thoroughly cleaned... inside and out.
And... I noticed that the canopies at the car wash place... were all red, white, and blue :)

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Today I rested... and I am still tired.
But I do believe that coming home when I did was the right thing for me to have done.
Ideally, I suppose... I shouldn't have gone on this trip in the first place... but such is life.

Looking back on it... I really didn't get much done... or at least.. not much done on the list of things
I had running in my head that I shoulda/oughta do. Circumstances were definitely beyond my control.
But like so much in life... lessons were learned... and knowledge and insight were gained.
If nothing else... I learned that releasing is good... and that I need to do more.

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Today was blue skies... and smooth sailing (or driving as it were)... and I am very grateful.
We drove all day... stopping for the occasional cup of coffee... or photo op...
and we saw all kinds of interesting things.... like a biker procession for a funeral... fabulous old buildings in Shamrock, Texas... fields of cotton! (who knew? I thought this was only grown in the south east)... lots of pretty farm/ ranch country... and a glorious sunset.

Along the way... I left even more of my ATC cards as part of my participation in the Art Abandonment group on Facebook... the final "drop" was at my favorite little ghost town here in New Mexico... in the dark... creepy... but cool.

And now we are home.