Meaning within arm’s reach of beach blanket

Stacking my thoughts

I made Monday a Sunday.
Slept in. Dawdled. Worked only one hour.

Then I went to the beach by myself plus my soul and my snapshot machine. And beach blanket.

High tide was on its way in. So much for exploring.

My self said lets sit. No need to explore. We can see what we see from this spot on the rocks.

She was right. Our eyesight grew sharper with a short-sighted focus. What could we see in the sand and the gravel and driftwood from here? A lot it turns out.

Like flat rocks to stack, like thoughts on a shelf.

And blue mussel halves of size large and medium. Then lo and behold, a super small two-halves still-intact whole!

mussels-nested-DSC_0510 (600 x 399)

Add a half ancient shell with hole for a string to add to my collection back home, then a super small shell of the same kind, sans string hole.

Clear sandblasted glass then a green shard.

My eyes were having so much fun noticing, I mostly took pics with my mind.

I noticed how high tide comes in with so much stuff in the swells. It matches the muck in my mind that’s needing releasing.

The waves serenaded. The sun played hide and seek. The sand bugs jumped up and down in delight or delirium; it was hard to know what they meant in their popcorn-like frenzy.

Time slowed. Time passed. Sea slowed and did a 180 sans fanfare.

By the time dinner called I noticed the waves were clear of all stuff. So was my mind.

On the beach blanket

The Narcissus Needed to Know This

[Please enjoy our second video story and photos!]

I walked down to the meadow on Saint Patrick’s Day to visit my friend, Mr. Gnome. The daffodil sisters were shouting with their hyacinth smell for me to come over. They had something to say.

I stood on a log to get closer. The eldest leaned down. I peered into her face, and inhaled as big as I could.

“Oh my gosh, you smell divine!”

I heard them whisper

“Why, thank you,” she said, on behalf of the whole clump of girls. And they giggled and waved with delight.

“The slugs have been bugging us,” the eldest told me. “Their breath is so bad. Can you help?”

“I’m not at all sure,” I replied. “What can I do? They live here, too.”

“Just look at these holes in our petals!” she cried.

“You may look bedraggled,” I said, “But that’s what comes from a full season of growth. You’re living your life. You’re feeding the slugs. You’re perfuming the air with your heavenly notes. You’re lovely narcissus!”

Then I added, “You’ve made this meadow a sight to behold. I’m beholden to you and your crew.

“And I know for a fact, you’ve blessed and impressed more than me, the slugs and the bees. We’re so lucky you live here. I don’t know what to do, but let’s ask Mr. Gnome.”

I knew with his spidey-sense ears that he’d heard the whole conversation.

Mr. Gnome simply whispered, “I’ll have a talk with the slugs.”

We met in the garden

P.S. If you missed the last story, it had a video, too.

Celebrating Spring with Izzy

This morning’s glorious blossoms called for a song.
And a serenade.

So we invited Izzy’s spirit to our backyard
and invited him to play for us
and his namesake plum tree.

Apologies for the birds, the bees and the Cessna
for their fly-by’s in hopes of being seen.

Every blossom on the tree cheered when Izzy was done.
It really is a wonderful world!

 

 

Rubber ducky, you make Seattle so much fun!

Rubber ducky reflections on a rainy Sunday in SeatleIt was a rainy Sunday in Seattle, and Emotikin needed to get out of the house!
“Let’s take a walk,” she said to rubber ducky, who had been twiddling his leash
and watching TV all day, bored bored bored, just waiting for the invitation.

California Avenue on a Sunday afternoon was busier than they expected.
Lots of folks with cabin fever were out and about since the showers had turned to drops.

Startled dog meets duck on a walk with Emotikin“Whoa!” said the dog (fresh from his grooming appointment next door).
“What the duck?!”

Can I smell that creature?“Can I smell that maple creature?”

dogduck4 (600 x 450)“Hey, don’t get too close to my duck, dog! That’s not a toy!”

Rubber ducky on a West Seattle sidewalk Lucky duck, escaped the dog!

duckumbrellalady (399 x 600)So the duck and Emotikin continued their walk in West Seattle,
and greeted other Sunday walkers on their way.
“We don’t need no stinkin’ umbrella,” whispered the duck after those folks passed by.

duckworm (600 x 407)Stopped to talk with a worm who didn’t say much.

duckwalking (399 x 600)Emotikin couldn’t help but start humming that song made
famous by Ernie. “Rubber ducky, you’re the one…”

duckwalk-reflection (502 x 600)“…you  make Seattle so much fun,
rubber ducky I’m awfully fond of you!
Boo boopy doo!”

A rainy Sunday is so much better after a walk!

Hoisting our own sunshine on a non-sun Sunday in Seattle

hoisting-sun-hz

Some days in Seattle, especially Sundays,
it’s necessary to make your own.
Sun, that is.

hoisting-sun-mimosa-pms14-0848

We have these Pantone color-matching cards that make the perfect,
and we mean perfect, sunshine colors.
Mimosa makes sense for PMS 14-0848,
like Sunday brunch at the beach.

hoisting-mimosa-pantone14-0848
The mechanics are a bit like flying a kite,
string required, of course.
A bit of wind helps, but not too much.

hoisting-sun-mimosaYou wait for just the right breeze, the right lift,
and you hoist your sunshine into the sky.
And bask in the glow.
Good for the soul.
SPF 2 is plenty.

In awe of the textures of New Years Day in the forest

simply random snapshots of New Years Day in the woods of Lincoln Park…
tree-communing-NewYearsDay2013communing with trees

stairs-to-newyears

composting autumn on the 138th step

stairs-closeup

in-awe-of-algae-texturesawed by so many layers of life in these woods

awesome-olympicsa posterized view over Puget Sound

At the Rock Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch with Batikin #ced2010

One sunny Sunday not long ago, Batikin and I took the Nikon to the Rock Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch on Hwy 287 in Broomfield, Colorado. The fields go on and on for acres. We had a field nearly to ourselves for our photoshoot.  If you were to pick a photo for an October calendar page, which would you vote for?

October at the Pumpkin Patch

A (above) or B (below)?

October Batikin

Enjoy the rest of our photoshoot. We did!

Sneaking up on unsuspecting pumpkins

Sneaking up on unsuspecting pumpkins.

I am Zorro-kin

I am Zorro-kin

Riding the air waves on my pumpkin

Riding the air waves on my pumpkin

Alone with his thoughts

Alone with his thoughts

Batikin with EmotikinGirl

Batikin with EmotikinGirl ... Me and my shadow

Thanks, Rock Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch

Thanks, Rock Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch