MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world

 in a conspiracy of love.” 

 
~Hamilton Wright Mabie 

 

Merry Christmas!

I hope your Christmas is filled with love, hope, and relaxation.

 See ya December 31st, with my last post for 2023!

 

 I just love New Year's Eve!

 

 

My Happy Place

 

“Come, little leaves," said the Wind one day, "Come to the meadows with me and play. Put on your dresses of red and gold; For Summer is past, and the days grow cold.” 

~George Cooper 

 

 

“Squeeze your eyes closed, as tight as you can, and think of all your favorite autumns, crisp and perfect, all bound up together like a stack of cards. That is what it is like, the awful, wonderful brightness of Fairy colors. Try to smell the hard, pale wood sending up sharp, green smoke into the afternoon. To feel the mellow, golden sun on your skin, more gentle and cozier and more golden than even the light of your favorite reading nook at the close of the day.” 

~ Catherynne M. Valente,

  The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making 

 

 

Close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by crimson red leaves dancing around in the air. Smell the scent of the raw earth, just after the corn is harvested. Geese and Sandhill crane flying by, singing for everyone to hear as they arrive high above Woodbridge road. Imagine a sky, filled with clouds that seem to go on forever, with just enough blue sky surrounding them to make you think of the ocean. That's what it's like here in Autumn, and no other season presents itself with that kind of beauty. This is one of my happy places. It's really helping my process my grief. I loved my niece and nephew, very much. I am so sorry they died and I miss them greatly, but being out in nature provides me a gentle relief from the stress and sadness. In an upcoming post I will tell you about some of the other sights I see on Woodbridge and Desmond roads. It's a truly amazing place.

 

 

 

 Take a moment to just daydream. 

Emotion Incarnate

"The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defines all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say about it, there is always that which you can't."

~Christopher Paolini, Eragon

I took this photo several years ago, on the 17 Mile drive, near Monterey. I love it there and don't get to visit nearly enough, but with it being March, and the ice plant along the shoreline beginning to turn bright purple and pink, I think it might be time for a visit soon. There are some amazing sunsets to be seen as well! No phone... no Internet... just me and my cameras. The stuff relaxation is made of. Who knows, maybe it will help me sleep better.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

The January Full Wolf Moon

Oh, Man In The Moon
By Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

Oh, man in the moon, send an evening star to wink at my dreary eyes, 
and I shall make a wish for a peaceful world that spins with no more lies.

Oh, man in the moon, send the night's cool breeze to lull my leery heart, and I shall
cast my fears to the wind with ease, and watch them all depart.

Oh, man in the moon, send the sandman's dust to rest my weary soul, and I shall 
slumber in happy dreams until the morning bells do toll.

Isn't that lovely? Almost as lovely January's full Wolf Moon! It was absolutely breathtaking as the slightly orange orb climbed in the twilight sky last night. I was on my way home, by way of Half Moon Bay, and San Mateo, so I had a front row view of the eastern sky, and it was perfectly clear outside, so there was nothing standing in my way! I was in complete photographer's bliss! Actually, It was a pretty awesome day with the camera in general! San Francisco was gorgeous!

The temperatures in the Bay Area continue to be more late spring-like, than winter. So, with the clear sky, and the warm temperatures, I did some photos on Mt. Sutro at Twin Peaks, and after that at different points along the San Mateo Coast. Ordinarily I wouldn't be able to take the cold and fog of the coast, during a normal winter, but with the weather this amazing, I couldn't resist! I will be posting the new photos over the next few days. You'll see them.

Stay Tuned!

Mood: Relaxed

~Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: A Nice Place To Sit

"Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom."

-Buddah

I have shared to place with you before, it is the Point Montara Lighthouse and Youth Hostel grounds. When I saw the topic for this challenge, I had to smile, because this is one of the most beautiful spots in the Bay Area, and it is never crowded when I go there, almost like it is one of the best kept secrets as well. :) I have visited this place often for it's quiet, calming, feeling.

When I am sad, it provides the right kind of solitude to let me just sit and think things through, when I am happy, it is fun to sit on one of the chairs that the Hostel provides, and just enjoy the sounds of the Pacific ocean, and the fun seabirds that fly past, on their way up the coast toward San Francisco. It's my favorite place to take a little time out of life, to just enjoy being away from things. I went their this past week, and did a little meditation, and when I was finished I felt so good, relaxed, but invigorated at the same time. Does that make sense? :) We should all look for places like that, it does a body good to take the pressure off once in a while.

I took this picture at a beach park along HWY1, just south of Hearst Castle, near Cambria, California

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Some very comfortable looking pelicans, kicking back at their perfect place to sit, near Pismo Beach, California. October, 2006.

Tammie Jean, who authors the blog, Long Drives To Know Where, suggested this topic, a few months back, when we did a special challenge that called for new topics to be submitted as part of the challenge. We got a lot of good ideas that day, but we are always looking forward to more ideas being submitted. So put on your thinking caps, and send us those suggestions for future challenges. You can email Karen, Steven or myself, and we will add you idea to the challenge list pool. Who knows, you idea might be next! Now, go visit the Robins who participated for this challenge, all you have to do is follow the links below!

:)

Linking List

1.Tammie Jean... Long Drives To Nowhere


2. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

3. Carly... Ellipsis
POSTED!

4. Kiva... Eclectic Granny
POSTED!

5. Gattina (See RR Sidebar For Link)
POSTED!

6. Jill... Letting Crazy Take A Spin
POSTED!

7. Sandra... Strong Chemistry
POSTED!

8. Jan AKA Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnatti
POSTED!

9. Lisa Marie... Lisa's Chaos
POSTED!

10. Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix
POSTED!

11. Vicki... Maraca
POSTED!

12. Sarah... Charish-Me


13. Martha... Perception
POSTED!

14. Suzanne R... Living ... Suzanne R's Life
POSTED!

15. Sandy... Myanderings


16. Momma... (See RR Sidebar For Link)
POSTED!

17. Jan... The Prytz Family
POSTED!

18. Chrissea... Chrisseas-Corner
POSTED!

19. Old Dog... (See RR Sidebar For Link)
POSTED!

20. Teena... It's all about me!
POSTED!

21. Celeste... Ragracers
POSTED!

22. Becky... Where Life Takes You
POSTED!

23. Vicki... Visions By Vicki
POSTED!

24 Jama Hameed... Sweet Memories
POSTED!

-OndineMonet