Crested Butte, Colorado - Day 1

Finally! We are going west!

One of Lexi's projects is to take this school bus with a picture on it of everyone in her school, and photograph it where-ever we go. She then has to keep a journal about where the bus went.

(Is there a brown-eyed fox down there?!)

Coming in to Denver.

View from plane on way to Gunnison airport.

First stop! :)

En route to Crested Butte.

(Hey! That rhymes!)

The fireplace where I will be snuggling up at the end of the day.

Austin checking out the view from our room:

And it's beautiful!

And looking straight down...

Hot-tub to ease our pains!

Tomorrow, we play!

Friday Funnies

Okay, Amber... this one's for you. It didn't happen this week. Not even this year! But the toothpaste story triggered this memory... and I thought it was oh-so-funny.

This little man was about 3 yrs old. We lived in Texas and we were in a department store. Suddenly, I hear his little voice, sooo excited, yelling, "MOMMY!MOMMY!MOMMY!" and then, "MOMMY!A CLOWN! A CLOWN,MOMMY, A CLOWN!"  I walked around the clothing rack to see sweet Austin, with the biggest, brightest, most amazing smile - the kind where his eyebrows are lifted into huge arcs? - and pointing. My gaze followed his little fat finger's point right up into the surprised expression of an innocent old lady... an old lady with wiry, grown-out, died yellow frizzy hair; blue eye shadow to HER brows; and rainbow-striped pants. 

I am so sorry, clown lady.

leavin'...on a jEt plane...

day-dreaming of snOw covered mountains

...activities and adventures...

still so much to do! 

keeping their beans safe

distracted by an artistic opportunity...

...with a friend!

yes! instant face-lift!

The Dance

A bird soars overhead, alone. 

Like a graceful ballerina, she glides, dips, swirls.

Another bird arrives. 

They fly alone, separate, but together.

Soon their flights connect. 

Their paths cross and weave and rotate around one another.

And her flight becomes more beautiful than ever before. 

She drops in the sky to come closer to Earth, to see what She offers. 

And she climbs up in the sky to come closer to Sun, to feel His warmth. 

Her flight becomes so much more than it was before.

She glides more freely, and dips deeper, and her swirls become greater. 

As she dances this dance, she doesn't realize that she's alone again. And her flight is still beautiful. The other bird's presence filled her with something that gave her freedom and peace and joy.

The bird dips joyfully to Earth again. 

She notices her solitary shadow. 

Slowly, she raises up into the sky where she feels safe. 

Her swirls become tighter, smaller. 

She glides and flutters, glides and flutters again,

...and then flies away.

Not Even the Trees

Alone as I sit and watch the trees

Won't you tell me if I scream

Will they bend down and listen to me

And it makes me wonder

If I know the words will you come

Or will you laugh at me

Or will I run

Little boy says to me 

"where you goin' now son?"

I said, "I don't know where I'm goin' boy,

I only know where I'm coming from"

And it makes me wonder

If the stars shine when my eyes close

Or does my brothers heart cry

I don't know

You see, I'm tired of this pain

I'm tired of living my own little lie

And I wonder when I see you in my dreams

Does it mean anything

Are you trying to talk to me

I'm a stranger in my home

Tell me are you feeling alone

Someone tell me what to do

Cause I'm feeling strong 

And I wonder how you feel

Do you realize my pain is for real

I see you in my dreams

And wonder if you are looking down at me

And smiling right now

I wanna know if it's true

When he looks at me

Won't you tell him 

Does he realize he came down here

And he took you too soon

And now my days are short

And my nights are long

I lay down with memories of you

That keep me going on, going on

It makes me wonder as I sit and stare

Will I see your face again

Tell me do you care

I'm a stranger in my home

Living life on my own

Right now I just can't see

Because I'm feeling weak

And my soul begins to bleed

And no one is listening to me

Not even the trees.

 

 

   Not Even The Trees, Lyrics Incomplete

Hooty and the Blowfish

I love listening to music, the phrasing of the words that the artist creates. Some are personal to me; some of the words-usually not the whole song-speak to me.  Some lyrics are just beautiful because they are. This is one of those songs. You start out thinking it's about  a jilted lover, but realize it's about someone who's died. I can apply some of the words to my life, but surely, not all. Do lyrics speak to you? Do they move you? Do they say what you want, but can't seem to find the words to say?

Raw

I've recently been back in touch with my college roommate. She and I are like soul-mates, and as we catch up, and I hear the parallels in our lives even though we were absent from each other, this fact is reconfirmed.

We had a conversation about "repressed" parts of ourselves. And it started me thinking. I don't think I have ANY repressed parts. This is what I mean when I say I know my heart. I am fully aware of every feeling, every thought that passes through me. And I am always eager to share or to learn about your/his/her feelings and thoughts. In this way, I am fully exposed. Raw. And I feel hurt SO often, and am told how sensitive I am. You can call it sensitivity, but I am living. I am not denying any part of my being. Not my intellect,  not my thoughts, not my passions, not my love. Not even my hurt.  And I wonder why so many people have such a hard time with this? If I've hurt you, tell me. If you are angry with me, tell me. If I have scared you, tell me. If I have disappointed you, tell me. I promise to do everything within my power to make it right. 

I guess it comes down to trust. We have to have a certain amount of trust in people that our thoughts and feelings will be respected, whether they are agreed with or not. Does this come with maturity? Does it come with familiarity? And how do we trust when we are starting from a point of pain or anger or fear or disappointment?

I say, just bite the bullet and dive in. There is no feeling in repressing, no living in hiding. There might be moments of panic, and uncertainty. But you will be able to find the surface. You will be able to move and breathe and feel refreshed and glad that you did. 

 

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

I don't know, I guess I had a little spring fever... I thought it was a little later in the season and I had thoughts of spring's first flowers.

But that's not what morning brought...

She had blanketed my beautiful magnolias in white.

See that tear on her eye?

Her friend hit her with a snowball,

but when I pulled out my camera to take her picture,

she smiled.

Who has time for crying

when you are young

and there's jumpin' to be done?

And there's no jumpin' like

jumpin' on a snow-covered trampoline.

Have a warm, happy day!

A Final Look, Everglades Part III

Oh, he makes a mama proud!

I told you he was secure in his manhood.

On the last day of our trip, we had to resort to plan C., as it was too wild in the ocean to snorkel (plan A.), and the Everglades Outpost was closed on Wednesdays (plan B.) 

We found ourselves at Monkey Jungle, where the monkeys roam free, and the humans are caged.

This is sweet Maymay. Isn't she beautiful? 

And no one was disappointed, least of all me... 

it was a photographic fantasyland.

Until we got back in the car...

                                   (photo by stinky-footed J-man)