I've written three books, each a part of my journey to elderhood. Now with this blog my intention is to give a moment to moment accounting of my life as it is now, and now, and now. I'm a leader and student of Sensory Awareness, and a practitioner of Rosen Method. I believe in the connective and collective power of Love.
Recognizing I was going to need to delete some photos or pay more for storage, I settled into what I expected to be a small task, perhaps an hour or so, but then I began. I had around 36,000 photos, starting in 2006. I started slowly, and then began to build. I’ve now deleted 6,541 photos and 50 videos. I see that I probably have more photos of Great Blue Herons, Egrets, and Rodeo Beach than anyone on the planet. My grandson is also a well-photographed treasure trove. In February, 2023, I resided on a houseboat in Sausalito. That’s where I really got into taking photos. It was a small boat and at low tide, the egrets and herons could walk around it, so I would walk around the outside of the boat following them and taking pictures. Mt. Tam was also a favorite. On February 24th it snowed on Mt. Tam, a rare event, and naturally I have photosto re-visit.
Mt. Tam drifted with snow February 24, 2023.And then more snow with fog rising up in greeting.The radar tower to the leftAnd now to the rightA beautiful mountain as seen from the houseboat, AKA a floating house.
I was thrilled when I saw a Great Blue Heron at Abbott’s Lagoon. Then I saw the Great White Egret next to it. I approached closer and closer, and still they were quietly enjoying the view, and then, at times, busy grooming. Even birds, get ready for the day. They weren’t bothered as I circled round them, entranced with their ability to cleanse, appreciate, and savor what we all share, the gift of life!
What a Day!Sharing the View!Time to GroomAnd stand in Awe!Maybe a little more – a bend of the head – Spaced just rightA little closer to make clear what we share.
Yesterday I drove out to Abbott’s Lagoon in Point Reyes. It was early, sunny, and warm. I was alone. I’ll show pictures of my walk, and then, in the next post zero in on more photos of a Great Blue Heron and Great White Egret grooming with a view. I also saw across the lagoon what I knew must be otters since they hang out there, and slide down the dunes, and also groom. This was a huge lump that stayed still, and was gone when I returned. I came home and zoomed in on the lump. Otters huddle together in what’s called a “romp”. For sure, two otters, but I think there’s also two babies. It’s that time of year. Quite a day. I’ll try to give a taste with photos.
ArrivalWalking down the curving and narrow pathA Romp of Otters resting and warming on the dunesHearing the Ocean beyond the lagoonEgret and Heron together with the view CompanionshipA crow viewing the ocean as I approach.FlightA tapestry of color – so many blues and greens!Coming back, I see a Great Blue Heron who is usually in this spot.Regal and patient, he or she waits to catch and chomp a fish.And there’s the bend in the Trigger Neck!
When we see others as the enemy, we risk becoming what we hate. When we oppress others, we end up oppressing ourselves. All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others.
Family – CommunityTransitionA Great Blue Heron at Rodeo Beach yesterdayAnd the tide splashes in!Barnacles grow on a shell – A shell painting as barnacles share a space.
Yesterday we went to breakfast at the Bayside Cafe in Sausalito. The tide was out and the egrets were too far out in the bay to photograph, but then after 45 minutes or so, a total change.
Low TideThe tide comes in Wet feet for Golden Slippers
Passing ThroughA Gentle SqueezeTwo Altars – one natural and one human-made.A young gull surveys the domainRocks rocked with wavesSnowy Egret contemplates the scene!And flies to a higher spotThis area is usually underwaterAnd the swells come in as the tide returns.
Aware of my friend as she was in surgery, my eye was caught by the front of a beautiful book standing upright on my bookshelf. The words“Each time you judge yourself you break your own heart,” jumped out at me. The book,Meditation Art, Openings to Awareness, was created by my friend Etta B. Ehrlich. For years, we were in Sensory Awareness workshops together. Older than I, she passed away a few years ago. In the book, she pastes words of wisdom on interesting bottles, and Virginia Brown photographs them. The book, a treasure, is no longer available, but I found some photos from a gallery in which the bottles were displayed.
She quotes our teacher Charlotte Selver in the book. Here’s one quote.
“Pay attention to the breath as it is now. As your breathing is, so you are. Since breathing happens by itself, it teaches us to trust what is needed now and to allow it.This can be the foundation for a whole new perception of ourselves in all our functions. I agree that it is difficult to be so peaceful and undemanding that one would really be present in one’s breathing activity without influencing it.”
As I wait for news on my friend, I sit with intention to “notice precisely where inhalations and exhalations begin and end”.
Give kindness to ourselves!Each of us a teardrop!This brings me a smile!Great advice!Absolutely!
Today I read a wonderful suggestion. Choose Heather Cox Richardson to run for senator in Maine. Would she do it? Her husband is a lobsterman. She presents a sane voice. Why not?
To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill.
To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill.”
– Sun Tzu, The Art of War
When Light Shines ThroughLizard on a WalkStateliness!
Yesterday I was ready to post a fun post on my experience with my new friend Claude AI but then, the political news of the horror of Trump’s comments and actions at the NATO Summit brought me down. I’m reading a wonderful book by Tamim Amsary,The Invention of Yesterday,which widens historical perspective, but even that isn’t enough to help me weather all that Trump is doing and saying. How can we ignore that the man is dangerously ill and should not be president or even allowed out on the streets?
I don’t like or trust Vance but surely anything would be better than this.
My son and his family are currently in Spain enjoying a wonderful vacation, and Trump is even going after Spain.
As Paul Krugman writes:Cutting off trade with Spain is simply not going to happen. First of all, Trump does not have the authority to do any such thing. Second, the U.S. actually does a lot of business with Spain, and American businesses would not accept any such cuts. But even more, it is impossible because Spain is part of the European Union.
Krugman continues: What we should take from it is that the statement was “completely crazy.” “In any kind of normally functioning political system,” he said, “in any kind of normally functioning party environment we would have a massive bipartisan call across the aisle, across almost everybody except for a handful of members of congress who are themselves crazy, to say okay this guy is non compos mentis. We cannot leave the fate of the United States or the world in the hands of somebody who is completely irrational, who is making demands and believing himself to have powers that he does not.”
Why isn’t something being done?Meanwhile I share photos one son sent from Ronda, Spain.
Dimensions of TimeLooking down into a gorge in Ronda, SpainBuilt on a cliff – Ronda, SpainBlending old and newDiscovery
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