Twisted Sleep

When I woke this morning ... (for the 4th time!) ...

I wondered how to best visually capture twisted sleep!

Tangled sheets?

Pillows in different configurations?

A comforter tossed aside?

The dreams were scattered .... 

The tossing and turning repetitive ... 

At 5AM I said, just a few more minutes.

Alarm turned off.

At 5:30 I said, just a few more minutes

Finally after 20 minutes I gave up and got up

Took the dog for a walk

Checked email (bad habit)

Showered and finally made it out at 7:30

Restless sleep ... 

Why was I anxious ... 

What awaited me this day.

What makes you toss and turn?

A Wintry Mix

Its a wintry mix outside this afternoon.  

A chilly day ... with warnings about driving on slick roads ... 

I mixed up some potato leek soup ... the beginning of soup exchange at work!

Close your eyes ... 

Listen to the frozen rain hit the window 

Pattering crackling 

Feel the warmth of the fire

Time for hot chocolate and marshmallows

Wrapped in a blanket

Reading

Writing

And observing the season

Waiting ... 

Yearning ... 

Oh come 

Oh come 

Emmanuel 

Simplicity

Our first snow has come and gone .... as has Halloween and Thanksgiving .... 

The big sales started early yesterday ... and seem to continue today and into tomorrow.

In the rush you might miss the simple beauty that is right outside .... 

A single apple still hanging in the tree! 

Surrounded by snow and branches

It calls you to 

stop 

Soak in the beauty.

What have you seen today?

Community Prayer

Prayer around the cross emerges from an ecumenical community of monks in Taizé, France. Brother Roger, Taizé’s founder, arrived in the village of Taizé, France in 1940. In the midst of World War II, he dreamed of creating a community where reconciliation was a daily reality.  

At this place one offers prayer in silence either alone or connecting through touch. In this picture you will note the round bowls on the corners .. this is where one kneels and others come to share in your prayer and the community grows and the connection through spirit is powerful.  Often times a young child in the village would go straight to the bowls .... seeking connection through others.  He saw the power of the community ... and wanted to partake.  

Friday evening at 7PM ... a community gathers in quiet, with scripture, with simple song ... with one another. Creating this experience at home is challenging.  As winter approaches and window lights are more prevalent I imagine people bringing their joys, concerns, confessions, and yearnings to God.  

Tonight I pray for peace and reconciliation.  I pray for patience.  I pray for understanding.  I give thanks for the many blessings .... and I pray for direction.  

What are your prayers this evening?

 

National Day of Gratitude!

Think how different the day would be if you (I) started each day giving THANKS!

I bet there has even been a research study that can inform us how living with GRATITUDE improves our mental, neurological, physical, emotional and spiritual lives.    

I woke from a wonderful LONG sleep under warm covers and a heated home!  How great is that?  The dog has been walked ... the coffee is finished brewing ... the chair by the window awaits.

Quiet in the house ... blueberry pancakes, some reading, the creamed onions have been made (only boiled over once ... so stove had to be cleaned ... then broke the lid on my favorite garage sale pot!)  Soon I will leave for the feast!  We will be 28 folks ... all ages ... way too much food and wine I am sure.   

More to come.

What are you thankful for?

Time to Reflect

Iceland

It's Thanksgiving Eve.  A bit chilly in Rochester ... snow falling ... a wet snow so it feels unusually cold.  This is an evening to reflect ... a precursor to the official giving of thanks.

My list could go on and on ... there is so much to reflect on ... family, friends, faith, and freedom.  

Tonight ... light the candles ... sit and reflect ... 

Ups and Downs

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it.  

This past spring I took a hike to Domke Lake.  To get there I took the morning bus from Holden Village down to Lake Chelan.  We were dropped off and away we went.  Naomi (pictured here), Nathan and Patti.  To Domke and back was the plan.  If you can tell from the picture ... it was 3.7 miles to the Lake.  We needed to be back down in time for the afternoon bus back up the village.  You may be able to tell from the picture that I am not a hard core hiker ... wearing LL Bean shoes and having hiking poles was the closest I get ... I am probably one of only a few "hikers" in Talbot's pants, a bike Vermont t-shirt and a Peet's coffee cap!  Oh yea, the backpack was a Dell computer bag!!!

We started off ... Nathan and Patti casually make the hike ... Naomi hung out with me ... and when I was getting tired I said it was time to take a picture.  She was wonderful ... she headed forward ... and left me to my devises.  

Hiking for me is very humbling ... it is facing my weakness ... it is climbing the mountain and not knowing if I'll make it ... it is stopping ... starting ... resting ... crying ... moving forward.  

One foot in front of the other ... and suddenly I discovered that the trees weren't above me ... no ... the trunks were in front of me ... the ground was level ... I had made it to the "top" ... I walked ahead ... and there was the lake ... Domke Lake.

I made it ... I wanted to stay ...  I wanted to capture the moment .... 

Next time ... I think I will take the sleeping bag ... and enjoy the summit a bit longer.

An accomplishment

One foot in front of the other ... 

It was glorious ... 

Then on the way back ... coming down the hill ... I looked north ... Lake Chelan

What mountains have you climbed lately?
And the view? Was it worth it? What did you learn?