Awestruck seems like an inadequate word to describe the images coming through the James Webb Space Telescope. I am reminded of the scene from the movie Contact where Jodie Foster’s character Dr. Arroway says “No words….They should have sent a poet.” I agree.
Now that my area is almost back to normal, I decided that I had to get back out into nature. The places I used to visit for my fix of blue skies, greenery, and water are now too far away, requiring too much time out of my weekend to reach. I think the Universe felt sorry for me and showed me an urban nature center only 3 miles from my home with miles of hiking trails all around it. I had no idea this little gem was almost in my backyard.
This morning I visited: meditated under a sycamore tree, watched the monarch butterflies flit, the hummingbirds drone, and a pair of killdeer birds with three chicks peck through the meadow grass. I also pieced together this bit of video of the garden with its indigenous flora. I think I will make this a weekly practice.
November amber: Where sunshine sleeps until the coming of Spring.
ljgloyd (c) 2020
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/11/22/rdp-sunday-amber/
Tai Chi Chuan at the Beach, ljgloyd 2017
I believe in science. I have little patience for flat-earthers who ignore basic, observable evidence, or those who won’t wear masks during a pandemic because …. well, I really don’t understand their “because”. They make no sense.
That being said, I am open-minded enough to believe in the possibility of things that don’t have a readily available scientific explanation.
For example, I have, for decades, practiced various types of energetic practices such as qigong, tai chi chuan, and yoga– practices intended to move vital life force energy (Qi) through the body to optimize good health I receive acupuncture treatments and take Chinese herbs for the same reason–they break up stagnant Qi. I engage in these practices because I can observe the outcome: I feel better afterwards.
So for the time-being, I will be content to embrace the mystery and assume that one day our methods of scientific research will shed more light on the existence and operation of something so basic as our vital life force.
********
Here are two fascinating clips from the classic Bill Moyer’s documentary about Qi and traditional Chinese medicine. In the second video, I appreciate the young man’s comments about advancing our methods of studying Qi.
ljgloyd (c) 2020
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/11/17/rdp-tuesday-qi/
Today is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. Our church had a blessing of the animals service via Zoom. Participants brought their dogs and cats to their computer to receive the blessing from our priest.
I don’t have any pets right now. I attended the Zoom anyway and requested that we remember the variety of creatures that live in my backyard: squirrels, feral cats, raccoons, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and a family of raucous crows. They are part of the ecology of neighborhood.
Also, here is something else in honor of the day:
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/10/03/rdp-saturday-variety/
During my childhood, my mom grew roses. They were everywhere. She was particularly proud of her Silver Jubilee lavender-colored roses.
Fast-forward to adulthood: When I moved into my home, there was one sickly rose bush in the yard next to the garage door. It was covered in white paint from when careless painters sprayed they garage. I’ve tried to nurse it back to health, but I don’t think I will be successful.
In the meantime, I planted poppies, nasturtiums, lavender and rosemary in early spring. They all took hold, but the poppies have a short life span and have played out. I replaced them with sunflowers — both mammoth and miniature– as well as more lavender, borage, lantana, yarrow, delphinia, lots and lots of sweet allysum and more nasturtiums in different colors. My yard is an experiment this year to see what will thrive and what won’t.
Maybe someday I will plant roses again.
ljgloyd 2020
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/rose/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/rdp-tuesday-bloom/
Last year I bought myself a decent camera because I had this idea that I would be able to get back into photography. That did not come to pass because one thing after another came up to get in the way.
The shelter-in-place mandate by my county has been extended to the middle of May and my workplace will not allow us back until the end of May. So I have plenty of time on my hands. Instead of just standing by and waiting for the all-clear, I thought I would put my camera to use.
Since I cannot go anywhere, I will need to be satisfied with what I can shoot around my home and in my neighborhood. This morning I figured out how do use my long range lens. I sat on my patio for a while waiting for the hummingbirds to feed on my nasturtiums as well as house finches and Black Phoebes to splash in the birdbath. However, a murder of crows roosting in a Jacaranda tree on the property next door was creating havoc by terrorizing the mourning doves, cavorting mid-air with each other and hollering back-and-forth at full-volume. They managed to scare off all small birds in neighborhood, so all I managed were some shots of my flowers and bees. It’s gonna take a while to get that proverbial money shot.
That’s OK. It seems like I’m in this for the long-haul.
ljgloyd 2020
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/rdp-saturday-standby/
I did not create this. But since it is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Christian Church Calendar, which starts of period of spiritual introspection, I thought sharing these “Lenten fast” ideas a rather cool way to kick start the season. This comes from St. Dennis Catholic Church. I hope they don’t mind me sharing it. I will try to do as many as practically possible.
There is an expression that suggests when a person is being “lead down the garden path” that she is being deceived. I do not know who first postulated this idea, but I do know there was once a wizard who said, “all who wander are not lost”. I would rather wander down the garden path with Gandalf anytime.
Winter rains, cool nights
Green grass, red bark, orange boughs—
A compost pile looms
Ljgloyd 2020
I sometimes feel overwhelmed at the enormity of what we must do to save this planet. As fires rage and oceans rise, as lands become barren and the path we walk along the edge of extinction crumbles away before us, I still feel hope. I am one simple woman. What can I do? I will take my one small corner of green that I am blessed to steward and plant flowers. Sounds silly and naive? Tell that to mourning doves who graze in my garden and the hummingbirds who hover about, and the bees who come looking for my lavender and rosemary. And when I plant milkweed and borage this spring, I hope the butterflies will come. That is what I am doing. Even if all I had was an apartment balcony, I would put out a pot of flowers to feed a passing pollinator. Before I start though, I need to show a little humility and perhaps, to use an old fashioned term, a little repentance for my part in damaging the planet. Then I will put on my gardening gloves and get to work– sowing one tiny seed at a time.
ljgloyd 2020
Miss Pelican's Perch 