Ready?

Life can change in a flash, a moments notice, blink of an eye, quick as a wink, smack ~ just like that. Are you ready? Are you enjoying every moment? Every breath? Eat, drink and be merry for we know not what the morrow will bring.

Bask in the sunny glow of falls glorious golden hue. As the sun sets and the moon rises, marvel in the our worlds greatness. Our world is changing. The birds have all left for southern pastures. Clouds stray across the sky, thickening and becoming heavy laden with winter.

Hug those you love. Laugh and have a joyful heart.

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Love is Always Welcome

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Feelings move in, set up shop and pitch tents. Sometimes they are invited over, welcomed with open arms. You place them where you want them in your heart. Forever to be comfortable.

Other times they steal in slow and tedious. Lightly stepping on the floor to keep the boards from creaking and announcing their arrival. Then before you know it they are at your supper table fitting right in like they have always been there ~ invited and welcomed.

Yet other times you wake up one morning with an intense desire. This feeling took life in your dreams. Hot beating rays of the sun inflamed and forever etched your heart. Perhaps not quite in the right place and you are not sure what to do with these feelings. Sometimes the best love fits all three categories.

Friendship and love are always welcome in my life. The more I feel the more I have to share. No matter how you got into my life, into my heart, know that you are there to stay and you are treasured.
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Ultimate Let Down -vs- The Truth

Tell the truth ~ draw the line. The truth can be a fine line between what you want to say and what y0u should say.

Honesty in the end is a must. Telling the truth brings prospective. A view that you would never have given the lie you might tell. We all have those moments in life where the lie might seem like a light in the tunnel, yet it becomes a black hole, that never ending abyss. Darkness leading to a cave of achromatic light, possessing no hue, no true value. Lies are not becoming. Lies are not who you were meant to become. Even a lie told only to yourself is a lie.

We cannot kid ourselves into thinking that we are different, that we are the only ones to feel this way or to have to go down this path of let down. History repeats. Others have been here and felt this pain.

In order to get the truth out of someone else you have to be truthful with yourself.

Truth be told I was not the perfect daughter. I made choices that lead me into that cave. The weary evenings my parents have spent wondering where to turn, what to say must have aged them just as I now gray. My saving grace is that I was able to claw my way out of that abyss and back into the light. In the end we all find our way. Some sooner than later.

To my sons: remember always that the darkness can suck you under. Forever fight the darkness and yearn to live in the light of the truth.

Without the truth ~ without trust everything falls apart.
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Calm Before the Storm

It is a quiet day for the Friday before the students show up on campus. After today the joint will be jumping, frogs will be leaping underground to hibernate and the sand hill cranes are gathering to feed for their long flight to Nebraska, Platte River.

Currently enjoying this sweet song by Damien Rice - Delicate.

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Summers Last Daisies

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Summer ends
School starts
Snow fly's
Long live the daisies!
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Hawaii ~ Red Dirt Shirt

Photo credit: Patrick Smith Photography's

Red Dirt Rules ~ some of them printed here ~ the ones I like:

Never judge a day by the weather
The best things in life aren't things
Tell the truth . . . there is less to remember
Speak softly and wear a loud red dirt shirt
Loosen up . . . the unaimed arrow never misses
There are two ways to get rich . . . You can make more or you can require less
What you look like doesn't matter . . . beauty is internal
No rain . . . no rainbows!!!


On September 11, 1992 Hurricane Iniki hit the Hawaiian island of Kauai, causing nearly 2 billion dollars in damage. Among the businesses affected was our small screen print shop. All of our white shirts waiting to be printed were drenched with water and stained with Red Dirt blown in from the storm. Instead of throwing out the shirts, we decided to dry them and print them as they were. The T shirts, stained with the ultra iron rich Red Dirt soil and printed with Hawaiian based themes, became a hit with the locals and visitors alike.

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Photo credit: Patrick Smith Photography's

Fall Rain

Rain is falling gently around town. The slow soaking mist gathers on the tree branches weighing down each leaf till it is submissive to the will of the water. The parched earth welcomes each drop, sweet as honey and as satisfying as a lovers long embrace.

Fall rain is peaceful, not accompanied by any heat of summers rage. No jolting noise of the lightnings flash. Fall rains are soothing to the spirit and calming to the soul. The fulfillment of summers promise for a fruitful harvest comes to pass. When the rains pass the morning sun will shine bright and a crisp breeze will ruffle the last of the flowers pallid petals.

Till morning takes away my fall rain I will fondly remember summer, I will listen to the rain drops falling from the leaves and wish for everyone an evening of peace.

Smile for you are loved.
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Fall Air Drifting In

The air cools quickly like the flick of the switch. Swapping the cool breezy linen dress for the comfort of wool, a warm hat and heavy blankets on the bed. Fall drifted into our world overnight. Here's to cozy fall evenings in front of the fire place listening to good music or watching a romantic movie to warm you body and soul.

Currently listening to: Citizen Cope ~ Sideways

Recently watched: Ghost Town
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Growing Pains

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Stretching and scaring, growing so fast your skin cannot keep up. Bones ache and muscles flex. From 21.5 inches long to 78 inches tall.

It's the heart that takes on most of the weight of these changes.
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Fresh Air

A warm wind is blowing in some fresh air from the WSW (240 degrees) at 12 MPH gusting to 23 MPH! The fire however is still burning and at anytime we could be in the smoke again.
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It's Back

Smoke drifted back into town during the night and a red glowing sun greeted me this morning at the bus stop.

1.5 miles of visibility at the airport and from the office window I can just make out the edge of the tree line where the airport is located.

The worlds largest firefighting aircraft has come to the rescue, so they say. Evergreen International Aviation converted Boeing 747-100, dubbed the Evergreen Supertanker.

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A Little Relief

We have received a little relief from the smoky skies and can see the mountains today. The layer of dark at the base of the mountains is smoke from the wildfires to the south of town. No rain in sight yet ~ perhaps soon.
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Remember Your First Vehicle

1992 Ford Ranger
Youngest is the second owner
Low miles for a 17 year old truck
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Mid-Summer Sun

Sunrise 4:39 a.m.
Sunset 11:14 p.m.

Moon rise 4:46 p.m.
Moon set 10:25 p.m.

78 degrees Fahrenheit
Hot smoky day.
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Good Morning

3.8 Magnitude
4:13 a.m. ADST ~ Alaska Daylights Savings Time
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Captain Morgan

Every generation will look into the mirror to see just how the hat they are wearing fits. What does it look like? Do I look cool? Does it look better worn backwards? Nope forwards and straight on. All the while the parent watches from a sideways glance. A smile of approval at the final choice.
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Photo of the youngest after his friend and him painted their rival high schools rock with their school colors and a play on words (a yearbook misprint three years back ~ funny to those who have graduated in the past few years and to this years graduating class).
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In The Night

Lip quivers with loneliness

Shoulder aches with longing

Immured in a vacant room

Divest of all my clothing

I am exposed

Senses reel from the vivid

Images of the night’s dream

The vision chroma

The taste satiates

I have breathed you in

You have indulged me

I accept without reluctance

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Written by Julia Mist D'June ~ July 2009

Lunch at Emily's

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New & Finished Projects

Finished Project: Tile Trivet for Mom

Finished Project: Tile trivet for my kitchen made from the
tiles we purchased in the Azores summer 2007.

New Project: A recently acquired old ~ and I mean old ~ trunk from the
land of the Norwegians and the Swedes ~ Minnesota.
I am still pondering how to make progress.
But I think I can do something with this antique.
By antique I mean old & busted.

Thank you Lisa for having a garage sale.
Thank you Uncle John for letting it
ride from MN to IA in the boat.
Thank you Pops for packaging it up
and getting here as excess baggage.
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For the Husband

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