No, we aren't there yet, but I'm enjoying the trip with each of you. 

I do not know everything about myself... I don't think anyone does.  I find that others have a way of reflecting me so that I can see a different perspective, new angles and I can look at the shadows and see potential there.

I know myself well enough to know that I make mistakes, and sometimes I repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  Sometimes I am a good student, and other times, I am a slow learner.  I know what my calling is, and I practice my craft every day.  I know what I love and what makes me happy... but I'm also learning that there's always room for more... more room for love and room for improvement.

I guess you could say I'm a work in progress!
:-) 

I need to remember to keep an open mind...
     I need to continually shift my perspective...
          I need to try new things - even when they are outside of my comfort zone.

Lately, Karl and the girls have been waiting for me.  They wait as I take one more photo... oh, one more photo... hold on!  Jusssssssst one moooooorrrrrrrrrrre photo!  Thank goodness for patience! 

I would be able to go with the flow... The weather has been stormy here over the last couple of days.  Clouds, wind and rain have been peppering the sky, and me.  The other morning, when I was at Bond's Dock watching the sunrise, I studied the water.  It was moving in two different directions at one time.  Yes, part of it was flowing toward the sound, and part of it was heading directly back up into the mouth of the river.  Sometimes I feel like that turbulent water.  I try to move in two directions at once, and I don't get very far.  I end up exhausted, frustrated and almost (but not totally) defeated.  If I were enlightened, I would be able to just go with things, not ask so many questions along the way as to why and how and where.  I would be able to enjoy the ride, be more relaxed and understand my journey more. 

The weather here has been grey, cold and kind of nasty this week (excluding today).  We had gusty winds, driving rain and temperatures that seemed much colder than they really were due to the wind and rain.  By Wednesday morning, I had folded.  I dug out my winter hat, my scarf  and my mittens.  It was cold... 

The cob, the male mute swan, has been coming to the harbor every day.  His mate, the pen, has been sitting on her nest.  I haven't seen her for about two weeks now.  Whenever I see him, my heart skips a beat.  The cob knows my voice, and when I speak to him, he swims over to me.  This week, the cob ate a small cracker out of the palm of my hand.  I have offered him a cracker before, and he hissed at me and made a menacing posturing with his body.  I quickly backed down, but decided to try again.  It was Heaven on Earth for me...  I know I'm redundant.  For me, the cob is the most beautiful thing I've seen this week.  He is a little ray of sunshine on even the most grey day of days.

This photo was taken as the storm clouds had rolled back just long enough to let the sun light up the harbor.

This idea started with Martha.  You can read the original text in her blog Connecting Creatively.  I have decided to play along, and in turn, I am paying it forward by making my own creative connections.  This IS a great way to make sure that our friendships go beyond just being "virtual" ones.  If you are interested, please just respond by posting a comment.  This sounds like a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing who responds.  I hope to hear from you soon... maybe you'll decide to play, too!

So, in the meantime, here's the deal:

The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something made by me!

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. None whatsoever.
2. What I create will be just for you, with respect.
3. It'll be done this year (2009).
4. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. It may be edible. It may be ugly.
5. I reserve the right to do something strange. It will probably not involve cheese.
6. In return, all you need to do is nothing.  Well, a smile would be great.

If you're one of the first 5 people to respond and repost, I will send you a message later to get your mailing address.

Hope to hear from YOU!
:-)
Hugs!
-Susan

LOL!  I don't think you'd have the time or the patience to entertain my questions... they seem to be endless at times.  When will the hummingbirds will return to my feeder?  Will be able to watch the salamanders make their yearly trek down to the vernal ponds?  Will my daughters ever end their fighting?  Those are just a few.  Have a great day, and happy questioning! 

I met Doug on the train recently.  He rides it every day, but does not sit in the same place every day, like we do.  Doug feels that so many people are over-connected.  He feels that too many of us are plugged-in, too often, and that human interaction is being sacrificed because of it.  He's right, you know.  Ipods, Itouches, cell phones and computers all interact with commuters.  It is rare that you hear a conversation taking place on the train.  People block each other out, and they use technology to do it.  Not Doug...  Doug talks to the people around him.  He gets to know their names, and he has a way of making each person feel like a million bucks!  He will even remember your name the next time he sees you.  Doug is like a little ray of sunshine.  He tries to open the lines of communication and human interaction... kind of reminding us that we are human, and it's nice to talk and interact on a human level.

     Sometimes I feel like I'm swimming up stream, but if you know me, you'll know that swimming up stream is necessary from time to time!  Lately, I'm trying to just go with the flow, but I've encountered some eddies that keep me in a holding pattern, and some rapids that make me feel like I'm out of control. 
     I got back on the bike yesterday, and Karl and I explored for 31 beautiful and exhilarating miles.  On the bike, I was flowing perfectly... it's as if I didn't skip a beat, and trust me, I was lazy and touched it from time to time, but rode it once this winter.  LOL! 
     Flow... I suppose it's all a part of perspective.  I flow, I progress, I move along.  Sometimes I meander and the flow slows down to a trickle, but I'm still flowing.  Other times I'm caught up in something, and I'm still moving, but just like in an eddy, things just go around and around.  Eventually, the eddy releases its grip on me, and I'm back in the mainstream.  Even when I'm trying to fight the flow - when I'm stubborn and pig-headed, I'm still flowing...  I either change my course, or let go and return to the mainstream and flow again. 
     Sometimes I feel like a river is flowing inside of me.  I trip over myself, and have to catch myself as those around me just don't understand that energy.  I feel so alive with wonder, curiosity and awe.  I try to share what I'm feeling, but sometimes those around me are so numb and sometimes even dead to that which is beautiful, that they can't share in the flow of energy.  At times like that, I just remember that the energy is amazing, and I'm thankful that I am able to share it with some.

I just love to be alive ~ to live, explore and feel... to observe not only with my eyes, but with my heart and my soul as well.

Mr. Rogers has been running through my head ever since I photographed those beautiful flowers yesterday.  It IS such a good feeling to know you're alive!  Make some time to live today.

I can wiggle my ears... can you?

Synchronicity... 
        Those moments when things come together in a way that you didn't expect.  Last Sunday was a beautiful day.  Karl and I explored some new places and I took some photographs of flowers.  I dropped Karl off at home and I took a quick run down to Mac's Harbor to see if my swan was around.  No swan.  As I was driving home, some monuments caught my eye.  I turned down a side street and parked my car.  I walked down a brick sidewalk and under an arch.  As I looked at the various monuments that had been constructed to remember those who had fought for freedom, I spotted some beautiful, bright daffodils.  As I photographed them, I noticed that one part of a monument had shown up in my photo.  Interesting.  I was trying out some new techniques that Geo had mentioned... including changing my perspective by completely lying down on the ground!  I took this photo with the daffodils, the beautiful sky and the monument.  I then walked over to the monument to see what it was in memory of... Gettysburg and Antietam.  I read the inscription:


When I got home, I loaded my photos onto my computer.  I liked the way they had come out.  I read the inscription once again, and got the chills.  Synchronicity at it's finest had shown itself.  I suppose it's also really important to be open to being able to see relationships... to see how things come together in a meaningful way.  I'm glad that I was able to take my time - to soak it all in - to allow the synchronicity to become noticed.