Hello blog friends,

I had hoped to share some beautiful sunrises with you, but alas, since the supermoon, I've had technical difficulties. I can't seem to import photos. The one below is from canva and doesn't come close to the incredible sights we've had this last week. It seems the monsoon rains brought in magic -- as well as much cooler temps. 

This week poet Colleen Chesebro suggested that participants focus on the arrival of Autumn. For the northern hemisphere, she shared three possible phrases: remaining heat, Milky Way, and mackerel clouds. I chose to include the last phrase - mackerel clouds. Almost daily, our skies are covered with these marvelous clouds. If I can fix whatever is wrong with my computer, I'll share some of the photos in a later post. 

Here's my simple Tanka. I hope you enjoy it. 😊

I'm excited to share that I'll be attending a few workshops at the IANDS conference in Phoenix. The two-hour drive is no fun, but some of the speakers are extraordinary and not to be missed. I'll do what I can to respond to comments, but I may be a little tardy. For my next blog, I hope to post about some of what I learned.  

Have a great week and enjoy the change in seasons. 

Good morning blog friends!

In the high desert of Arizona, we are in the midst of the monsoon season. The heavens are very active these days - with thunder, lightning, and hail. I love the energy and the surprises. 

Colleen Chesebro invites us to reflect on our experience of the season. My simple tanka and a morning photo offer a glimpse of the daily experience in this locale. Sometimes the clouds pass us by, but often they visit with a fury. I hope you enjoy this peek. 

My seasonal words are shades of rain, thunder rumbles, and monsoon. 😊

Wherever you live, I hope nature is kind to you. My daughter lives in Connecticut, and she's felt the brunt of the recent storm. Rain is much needed in many parts of the country, but when it is a lengthy deluge, it can be destructive. Be safe, my friends.  

Hello, blog friends!

Yep, it's true - another birthday approaches. This one, more than others, has evoked considerable reflection. Maybe it's the crazy times in which we live, maybe it's a growing awareness of personal finitude. Whatever the reason, I find myself revisiting life junctures. Do you do the same?

My writing adventure began with a memoir that wandered through much of my life. But today I'm simply sharing two poems. The first reflects on when I was 25 years old and living on Salt Springs Island, BC, Canada. The second poem tries to capture my current years. 

What have I learned in the seven plus decades? Well, I'll spare you the list and focus on just one aspect of my journey. Life taught me through difficult challenges to value myself and what I believe. So, I walk away from situations that are unhealthy. If there is nothing I can do about the circumstance or people, I entrust it/them to the Divine and let it be. This simple process has brought much peace. 

I hope you have a wonderful day. Let's all celebrate! 

the 25 year old me

the 70plus year old me

There's so much to be thankful for. Sometimes it takes a wet mountainside to show us the wonder of life. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week full of sunshine, cool breezes, and discoveries. 

Hello blog friends, 

Today I'm excited to welcome writer Elizabeth Gauffreau to my site. If you're familiar with Liz's writing, you know that she is an artist with words. She takes the everyday experience, unravels its delicacy, and offers the reader a rare perspective. 

Simple Pleasures is a beautiful example of Liz's skill. It is a collection of Haiku poems written in response to exquisite photos of nature. I loved strolling through the pages. As I did so, I felt the seasons and their nostalgic power. I also re-remembered the miracle of life. Just as the title suggests, this is a book of simple pleasures. It invites us to sit back and savor both the poems and nature's majesty. 

Please join me in welcoming Liz!

Thank you, Gwen, for hosting me on Day #4 of my blog tour for Simple Pleasures: Haiku from
the Place Just Right!

For this tour stop, I’m going to provide some context for one of the places that appears in the book: Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 

​The Coast Guard opens the lighthouse to visitors once a year, and in 2019, my husband and I realized my childhood dream of climbing to the top. We had to be Johnny-on-the-spot to get tickets. We then had to wait in line in a vicious wind—but it was so worth it!

​

​Adjacent to Portland Head Light is a decommissioned Army base, Fort Williams, which has been made into a recreation park.

Hello blog friends,

It's #TankaTuesday again, and I've another poem to share. Writer Colleen Chesebro invites participates to consider their experience of the surrounding area. In prior posts I've mentioned that I live in the high desert of Arizona - elevation over 5,000 ft. I grew up in a desert, but the elevation in that southern California area is -112 ft. Yes, minus 112 ft.

The two deserts are very different. Neither gets much rain, but in the high desert we celebrate rain and in the low desert, rain evokes worry because it can destroy crops. 

My poem today reflects on the monsoon season. Every August, rainstorms arrive with a fury of thunder and lightning bolts, bringing much cooler weather. It's not unusual for the temps to drop 20 degrees within minutes.

I took the photo below at 5:45 AM as I hiked my regular path. Isn't the sunrise extraordinary? I don't know about you, but early morning walks calm my busy mind and always evoke reverence. 
​

I hope you have a wonderful - cool - week. 🌞

Dear blog friends,

It's been quite a week, and because of all that happened, I've not been on social media. Hubby's son needed emergency surgery, and our plans adjusted to be nearby. He is doing well, no problems, but I'm behind on everything. I will try to visit your sites, but it may take me a while. 🌞

When we were driving through the mountains, I got a wonderful text message from our neighbor. I had invited them to use the garden freely. As it happened, they walked over to our yard, and their grandson spotted the pumpkins. He was super happy. They took the photo below and texted it to us. Isn't it the sweetest!!

​A child's smile and laughter can lift our spirits like nothing else. Don't you agree? ❤️
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Have a wonderful weekend. I've missed you!