Artist’s palate

As winter wears on us

cold and white

(Not that it is cold in white in California)

but...

~

Is this not a delight

it makes me want to sing

seriously, it does

~

dabbles of delicate, soft colors

tiny brush strokes of whimsy

~

Mother Nature 

was working with her spring palate

when she created this beauty

Lilic Breasted Roller

And to watch him fly

through this field of tall grasses

the striking color against the golden stalks 

as they rustled in the wind

Photo credit for this shot: Lisa Caffery (my daughter) doesn't she have a great eye?!!!

Heaven

One of those moments when the meaning of life is held on the head of a pin

to breathe deeply and inhale the ecstasy of the present moment

Unexpected Surprise...

I went to the tide pools today

only to be disappointed

~

they were completely submerged

~

I was bummed 

as I have become quite attached to the

little sea creatures down there

so...

I drove along the coast road and came across this guy

I'm callin him Jimmy Durante

do you remember him

BIG NOSE 

and quite the personality

Well this Jimmy has one too

He was a real ham

doin all sorts of funny stuff for the camera

He even posed so I could get 'catch light' in his eyes

this guys knows what to do for the camera

~

We must have spent thirty minutes together

Jimmy and I

I was so close I could have touch him if I wanted

~

 I wouldn't of course

~

but it made me wonder 

whats made him so fearless of humans

ya just never know what the real story is

~

not that I need to

I'm just sayin

Have you ever had a bird

give you 'that look'

you know the one I'm talkin about

Its the same look we give our mates or children 

when we've just about had it with their stupid antics

~

He had been so gracious and all

I should have just
thanked him and moved on
but 

I wanted to know how long he would just be sittin there
because it's not every day you can just hang with a pelican
~

then along came a single pelican

flyin low to the water

and it was as if he had been waiting for her

because when he saw her

he gave one last look 

and launched off to join her

Similar...but...different...

Isn't this little guy awesome...

I ran across him along the delta in Botswana

Isn't nature the most extraordinary artist

she makes magic with similar palettes

and white stippling

~

brilliant!

I know this guy was on here just a couple of days ago...

but when I saw how he matched with the frog

I just had to bring him back for

another appearance

plus 

who would get tired of looking at him

he's just beautiful

Soap box...

Every once in awhile I HAVE to have a good rant...

and I know the blog is supposed to by my happy place

but

sometimes I just need to speak my mind... 

What's the deal with seagulls

They're called flying rats

for a reason

Frickin flying white trash...

~

I mean 

have you ever watched them at the beach

or on a pier

~ 

They DO eat the most disgusting stuff

and then

leave the trash they've picked through

strung all over 

for others to clean up

~

 So it got me to thinking

they're not much different 

then the population of Americans that feed off

fast food

~

Fast food is my nemesis

Along with cigarettes and cheap beer

and WALMART 

because

it is all useless CRAP

~

and because

it generates and is generated by 

destructive "unconscious" behaviors

that only create messes 

that generally we as a society have to clean up

~ 

I mean

seriously

it is against the law to

not strap ourselves or our children in the car with seat belts

but

it is promoted as a

"Happy Meal" to take them to

McDonalds

and feed them TRASH

~

EVERYTHING about the fast food industry

is 

DISGUSTING

and yet it is a

$110,000 BILLION dollar industry 

that is growing by 41%

~

Talk about the axis of EVIL

Starting with how they influence meat production globally

to 

the packaging and false advertising they use to 

promote their "food"

and yet we buy it

we buy into the whole system

~

We who are supposed to be 

"world leaders" 

~

of what

stupidity

~
Maybe we should change our
National bird
to more reflect how we actually live
~
Change it to the Seagull

Back against the wall...

Have you ever tried to pry a star fish off a rock?

It is almost impossible without a knife

and

I don't recommend it

It will damage the star fish

and you don't want to do that do you?

~

It is best to let it alone 

some times it will move

ever so slowly into another position or place

but it takes a long time

~

The underside of the star fish has thousands of tiny tinnicles

that grab for a surface to cling to

they have to

to be able to withstand the beating of the surf 

and 

to keep from being tumbled amongst the rocks

or from being misplaced

~

I don't know about you

but I can see just how much I have been like the star fish

~

I have thosands of tiny

 but strong 

opinions, routines, habits, beliefs, memories, experiences

that keep me clinging and inmobile

awaiting the potential pounding from life

~

Movement for me is slow

deliberate

and 

sometimes hard to coordinate

because

~

Sometimes I have to let go of 

a lot

even if it is alot of little things

to make progress

~

Protection or progress

which do you choose? 

Tide Pools...

I LOVE tide pools

they are like a secret fairyland

full of hidden surprises

~

When I go there I feel like 

Horton 

in Horton hears a who

As I am almost sure I can hear the sea-life whisper

and 

One has to be careful to not step on the hundreds of sea anemones

dotting the sandy floor

Sometimes it takes awhile to find all the hidden treasures

and 

sometimes they are bold and bright

I love when you can get real close without having to worry

about

a big ole wave knocking you

ass over tea kettle into the rocks

 let me tell you

getting tumbled around in this minefield of rocks

HURTS

not to mention what would happen to your camera

So it pays to go online to find out

exactly

when it is going to be low tide 

and take advantage of 

all the beauty left uncovered

before the tide covers them

when

the sea reclaims what is hers

In case you were wondering...

I've been missing from blog land for the last week

~

because

last weekend I was 'rearranging' my office

into an

artists studio

for this AMAZING class I am taking from 

Misty Mawn online

and

~

somehow I twisted my back just 'wrong'

and that was it

~

I was down

~

miserable

~

I tried everything

ice, heat, chiropractic, MD, massage

~

no pictures, no nature, no relief

~

Let me just say...it SUCKED!

~

I am better today

FINALLY!

~

Went down to the tide pools at Hobson beach

~

Will share with you tomorrow! 

~

Missed ya all! 

Have you ever considered...

being somethings 

lunch...

Photo credit: Lisa Caffery

Seriously

~

Now I'm not advocating you
throw yourself over a barrier at the zoo or anything

but

~

as lifetime experiences go

this is a BIG one

~

Being out in the bush in Africa

and

coming face to face with this guy

~ 

was...well...shall we say...
a stain maker in in my Columbia all weather khaki pants

~

Granted

I was in a jeep

an OPEN jeep...with nothing to STOP this guy from

dragging one of us off if he wanted

~

Lucky for us

he had already had his lunch and had hoisted the remainder of the 140 lb carcuss up into a tree

~

I have NEVER in my life have something stare me down like this guy did

~

A million years of evolution in one look
and
a reminder of where EXACTLY I was in the food chain

Searching...

I'm just wondering

~

where do we begin

~

at conception

~

birth

~

when do we discover the significance of

"other"

or

"self"

~

When we decide to question

~ 

is it from curiosity

or out of desperation

~

To whom do we entrust the molding of our minds

priorities

values

~

Do we ever really claim what is rightfully ours

do we even know

~

Do we really believe that difficult issues are black and white

even with evidence to the contrary

~

even when I our lives depend on it

~

Isn't it time to bury this ideas that someone has to be 

RIGHT

~

Because isn't this stubborn claim of 

RIGHT

~

killing our 

creativity, independence, originality

authenticity

Just for one day

for the WHOLE day

~

see what it is like to not be invested in being 

RIGHT

~

Just let it rest in peace

Unlikely couple...

I was watching this dove while I was walking on the pier the other morning

~

Looking carefully

 you can see the pipe has similar markings to the dove

gray undertone

rusty red ring around the neck

and at closer inspection
 the dove even has green highlights  on his neck and head

~

Now here's the kicker

the dove was flirting with the pipe!

~

I watched for awhile

stunned at his confusion

~

And then I got to thinking

how I too had experienced the same misguided attraction

~

Mistaking what I WANTED to see

rather than seeing what was actually there

Boys!

I was in Reno for the last few days

hanging out with the grandkids

Yesterday I decided I would tag along and watch while

they played a little touch football with their dad

Remember when you teamed up with your sibling

against the world

~

like a secret twin sibblings acompany you though childhood

sharing secrets, rooms, dreams and the day to day challenges 

of growing up together

Remember when it wasn't so much about winning

or compitition

but rather in how much fun you could have

and how silly you could get

Now THAT is what I am talking about!

There is something magic about the Sierra's

the clouds...

the birds...

the sun breaking through the chill of the

early morning 

~

I grew up in the mountains

it is where I feel most at home

~

there is a vibration in the mountains

that resonates in my core

~

something wild

untamed

free

A Consideration....

 "We spend January 1 

walking through our lives, 

room by room, 

drawing up a list of work to be done, 

cracks to be patched. 

Maybe this year, 

to balance the list, 

we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… 

not looking for flaws, 

but for potential."  

                                               - Ellen Goodman

Little guys...

what is it about little kids at the beach

they are just so darn cute

this little guy didn't care that it was starting to get dark

or

that the water was freezing

he was just content 

to explore his own little world

and to wave good bye to the setting sun

~

it's not that I want my childhood back

God no

~

but to be so intensely invested in the moment

now that

would be heaven

It's the little things...

Sometimes

it feels like I am just a small drop

in a vast landscape

~

Sometimes

I think what I say and do

doesn't matter

~

Sometimes

it all seems so overwhelming

the environment, economy, politics, social and personal 

unrest

~

Sometimes

it is good to focus on 

the drop

~

take a closer look

and consider

~ 

No matter how small

We are all part of "the source"

~

of either the problem

or

the solution 

The Great Migration...

One of the great things about living in Ventura 

is 

 the beautiful Monarch butterflies come to winter here along the coast

~

There is a lovely grove nearby where you can go watch them

~

It is all roped off so you can't get to close...which is a shame

but today I learned why

~

Some lame  

I mean...unaware person was throwing rocks at the butterflies

to make them fly around for pictures

~

Seriously!

~

It was heart breaking

So

of course

with my New Year Promise in mind...

~

I just HAD to take a stand for the little creatures

~

The look I gave the woman would have melted steel

and she walked away with a rock in her hand

~

I half expected her to throw it at me for wrecking her fun

If you look closely 

you will see thousands of butterflies clinging to the eucalyptus leaves

~

this is where they rest

~

They hang like garland from the tree

It is hard to get good shots of them 

because they are so far away

~

 moving

~

and small

But...if you are patient

~

and wait

~

until the light is just right

~

You might get a couple of awesome shots

Their journey is really quiet remarkable
~
They don't live long enough to make the return trip
but
somehow their offspring know the way back
~
 it just reminds me
~
 our own inner guidance is

a miracle

if we will only listen
~
It stands to reason
IF
a butterfly with the brain the size of the head of a pin
can find its way back over 3,000 miles
to a place it has never been

~
then surely
we humans with a far more complex brain
~
and using our HEART as compass
~
can figure out how live more simply, sustainably, and with
a deeper consciousness
for our own well being and future...
~

Read more about their fascinating migration here:

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/monarchbutterflies/monarchbutterflies.html://

The Promise and the Word...

 Santa Barbara Harbor ~ January 1, 2012
                                          

                              Hatsuhinode (はつひので or 初日の出) means the first sunrise [of the year] in Japanese.

                                             Ancient Japanese believed the Sun was one of a thousand gods.

 it was the most important God. 

It's very sacred to see and pray to the 1st sunrise of the year. 

~

There is a saying...

                  make a promise on this first sunrise                                          

and the sun will then remind you of that promise each morning for the rest of the year...

~

My promise...

 stay true to who I am

My word for 2012

Freedom

Freedom 

to set out on the sea of the unknown

trusting my inner compass

relying on spiritual balance

and striking out in a purposeful direction

Riding the wave of intuition

creative expression

meaningful dialog

and

generous compassion

Even when 

doubt, frustration, disappointment

and expectations

come crashing down around me

I promise to hold fast to what is important

~

my freedom

to become and then to live 

an authentic, passionate and simple life

Sunset Ventura

I seal this promise with the sunset near home
It's going to be a good year
I can feel it in my bones!
~
May you find your focus for 2012
and live it with passion