Nuthatch Calls

Unmoor the darkness
lavage the pits of your soul
refine your moral compass.

Hold strong your gifts
fortitude is not lost
only buried.

Rest your weary heart
in the stone-walled garden
for the Red-breasted Nuthatch calls.

...

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. 

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. 

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. 

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. 

Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. 

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

...

Frozen

Are you feeling frozen in time and drained of all your oil? 

Me too...

68 Miles ~ Sunrise

The sun rose over the low lying roof tops of the squatty town, nestled between fields of soy beans, corn, and wind burdened tree lines. A feelings of loneliness and dread encompassed the hotel room. Dingy. Damp. Over grown with misuse and abusive words.

I slept well enough between scratchy sheets and a lumpy pillow, and the shower last night was passable for warm. Yet, the loss lingers. Loss of a friendship, loss of a traveling companion. Loss of trust in a person you thought held your heart. The truth of the end has no resolution. Not even daylight can crack the code of why.

...

Do you hear it?

Do you here it? That sound? The sound of choice, of freedom, of life outside the confines of the walls that suffocate.

...

68 Miles... Continued

As the highway stretched beyond my view I sensed that we had reached the end. End of our journey together. End of our relationship. The End.

Where did the end become the truth? A question I have been asking myself during the last stretch of 68 miles. Maybe the truth will only show itself when the sun rises. For now all I can smell is a musty hotel room and the hope of a hot shower. Here's to hope becoming reality.

...

Between

Between land and sea, and the space in between our unspoken words hold the truth.

Vanity

 

Vanity that gets in the way of empathy is an unbecoming companion.

...

Postcard Joy

Postcard joy from my dear friend who knows my heart. Happy Saturday! Hug those you love, and remember to write home, even if it's a short postcard.

 

Chihuly Garden and Glass

 

The recommendation to visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass was the best advice EVER! It truly is a must see when you are in the Seattle area, and you can bundle your admission ticket with your visit to the Space Needle. If you have never experienced either attraction they are both worth the dollars and time.

Our visit here is at the top of our amazing list of adventures from our recent weekend in Seattle!

...

Snowfall Winter 2021

 

Mid-town Anchor-town received the first snow that will be tagged as the beginning of winter 2021. It is disorienting to some, welcomed by others, and always a good day for the young among us.

May the young person inside of you have an excellent day. Hug those you love, and send postcards to brighten someone's day.

...

Halcyon Days

Today I celebrate childhood, specifically these two cutie pies, and how much fun I had with them throughout their childhood, and especially their teenage years. Yes, I celebrate their teenage years when they were coming into their own personalities, and growing into their own sense of humor. Halcyon days for sure.

...

280 Days

Two hundred and eighty days is what it takes to grow a human. It begins with a small cluster of cells that build the blocks of who we will become.

This is a true wonder. Think about it, all it takes is two hundred and eighty days and there you have it, a new person, right before your very eyes, ready to be filled up with love, and knowledge.

If the miracle of growing a new human can happen in this relatively short amount of time then surely, given the same number of days, I can recreate myself.  

Recreate myself into someone who has the space to explore new interests. Someone who has the courage to be free from the salt mines. Someone who spends more of their time in the pursuit of broader perspectives.

Starting with a small cluster of ideas filled with endless possibilities, I am changing directions. And the next two hundred and eighty days is just the beginning.

...

Measuring

When life teaches us to measure our greed. Greed for love, money, more time.

We are standing at the edge, wind on our face, and a catch in our breath. 

Mind your step as the next one is a doozy.

...

We Were Swinging

Twenty-one years and a lifetime ago when Everts Air Cargo was still operating under the name Air Cargo Express I went golfing with four folks from our company. I later wrote up a small blurb about the day for our company newsletter, The Radial Flyer.

...

We Were Swinging

Our company participated once again in the annual Rotary Club benefit golf tournament. This year's tournament proceeds will support the Fairbanks Boys and Girls Club.

Our team captain and ringmaster, Harry, came prepared with his golf clubs, keys to a golf cart, and his umbrella. Howard also arrived carrying a golf club bag, the only difference between these two bags is that Harry's is a complete set, and Howard needs to continue to be an active garage-sale’er in the hopes of someday having all his clubs in one bag.

Jeremy filled in for Rob this year. He helped us acquire our new team slogan "swing and swear". Cliff was in a good form for this occasion, and played a great game of golf. Cliff can be quoted as saying "Howard do you know what is wrong with your game? You're just not consistent"! This statement holds true for the lot of us. We took turns shooting the shot that saved the day, and spending time in the woods looking for that small white elusive ball.

The rules for this tournament plainly state that each team must have a woman on board. Being the token girl, I held my own. I had a great line drive of 375 yards, and it only cost Cliff $20. When given the opportunity to purchase the yardage from the tournament organizers we jumped at the chance. It just happened to be my turn at the tee.

Our day started at the tee- box for the 11th hole at 8:00 am under cloudy skies, and hungry mosquitoes. The day progressed with a rain shower, and ended with a little sunshine on our faces. To fill in all the space in between there was a lot of laughter, and great team spirit.

At the conclusion of our 18th hole we were thrilled to discover that we had not finished last, for indeed this year we proudly finished fourth from last. Next year we will swing higher, have better aim, and be more consistent.

...

Who Will You Be

In life there are people who believe in you, and there are people who don't. There are allies, enemies, and the ambivalent.

How will you show up each day to your friends? To your family? To those you encounter in your daily life?

...

Kennecott Mine 1986 & 2021

 

Kennecott Mine 1986 ~ a scan of one of my Mom's slides from her and Dad's trip back to McCarthy and Kennecott. I have labeled this photo 'the flying building' as to me it appears the mill house building at the top is flying through the image. 

Kennecott Mine 2021 ~ a photo from our summer trip to McCarthy and Kennecott. The preservation work the National Parks Service is funding and overseeing is fantastic. 

...

Yuuyaraq - The Way of the Human Being

Below are two powerful excerpts from Yuuyaraq - The Way of the Human Being by Harold Napoleon

Found on page 12...

"They were quiet and kept things to themselves. They rarely showed their sorrow, fears, heartbreak, anger, or grief. Unable to relive in their conscious mind the horrors they had experienced, they did not talk to anyone. The survivors seem to have agreed, without discussing it, that they would not talk about it. It was too painful and the implications were too great. Discussing it would have let loose emotions they may not have been able to control. It was better not to talk about it, to act as if it had never happened, to nallunguaq. To this day nallunguaq remains a way of dealing with problems or unpleasant occurrences in Yup'ik life. Young people are advised by elders to nallunguarluku, "to pretend it didn't happen." They had a lot to pretend not to know. After all, it was not only that their loved ones had died, they also had seen their world collapsed. Everything they had lived and believed had been found wanting. They were afraid to admit that the things they had believed in might not have been true."

Found on page 27...

"Only communication, honest communication from the heart, will break this down, because inability to share one's heart and feelings is the most deadly legacy of the Great Death. It was born out of survivors' inability to face and speak about what they had seen and lived through. The memory was too painful, the reality too hard, the result too hard to hear."

Powerful piece of literature.

...

Double Date

When you come across an item that magically transports you back to the movie theater when you and your husband were on a double date with your Mom and Dad. It was early spring 2010 when we attended a 3D showing of Alice in Wonderland, and afterwards went to Geraldo's for a fun supper together.

Time traveling is good for the soul.

...

68 Miles

“68 miles,” I replied.

Only to be met with silence.

“68 miles,” I replied. This time with a glance towards the rear-view mirror. My hands wringing the steering wheel. My foot falling heavy on the gas pedal.

She whispered from the back seat, “I don’t think I can travel any farther”.

Her slumped form had taken up residence in the back, refusing to drive. Acting repulsed at being asked to operate the gas pump at the station. Only speaking when it suited her.

“68 miles are all that remains, and now you can go no farther?" I muttered out loud, more for myself than for her ears.

She had quit listening. Again.

Darkness began to take over this particular stretch of road, my eye lids grew heavy with fatigue, and the Oldsmobile headlights rebelled at being switch on. I too began to wonder if I could travel any farther.

...