Monday, June 30, 2014

Fertile Land / Growing Veterans



"On fertile land between Lynden and Bellingham, a nonprofit program is helping military veterans ease back into civilian life while growing healthy vegetables for the community at large.
The second growing season is underway for Growing Veterans, with a focus on building community support and developing long-range plans.
Chris Brown, the program's director, said raising organic produce on the three acres and in two large greenhouses plays to the veterans' strengths - including teamwork and a sense of camaraderie - and gives them a chance to overcome isolation and to support each other while they help the environment.
"Their favorite part of Growing Veterans is that they can feel they're part of something larger than themselves, again," he said.
About 15 veterans are regulars at the farm, which formerly grew produce for Bellingham Food Bank. Many other people donate their labor, and support from foundations, businesses, veterans' organizations and other community groups is crucial as Growing Veterans moves toward its goal of becoming self-supporting with more paying positions for veterans."
(from the Bellingham Herald, June 30, 2014)

Sunday, June 29, 2014

"Long Night's Journey Into Day"

"Long Night's Journey Into Day," by Megan Rye, 2008

For quite some time I've saved this image, meaning to post it with a link to information on the artist, Megan Rye.  See the link to her webpage at the bottom of the link. I'm in the midst of my own journey, experiencing the return of a recurring anxious dream that it is getting dark, that I am alone without material resources and that I am trying to find my way home.  Home is nearly always thousands of miles away in these dreams.  This dream has recurred a substantial number of times recently, including last night.

As disturbing as these dreams are and as far away as home seems while I am dreaming, I am noticing that inside the current series of dreams I have choices and inner resources.  That was not an element of the earlier versions of the dream.

I've come a long way since last September when I suddenly began reliving the months before and after my Richard returned from Vietnam in December of 1970.  It's been a journey of healing.

A morning meditation in my porch garden with birds singing:


Saturday, June 21, 2014

Splendid feathery clouds for Janis on Summer Solstice 2014


As I was about to get into my car this morning, I looked back toward my condominium home and saw those splendid feathery clouds which made me think of Janis and her feather boas and "Summertime."


Once again I am remembering the dream I had in 1999 in which Janis looked at all of us who are still alive and said these words,  "Please kiss the 21st Century for me!"

May your Summer Solstice move you to rise up singing! 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Father's Day 2014

A good memory of my Dad from many years ago. That might be the beach at Anchor Bay, California, near where my parents lived from 1974 to 1994 -- the year my mother died.
My father died in 2003.
Thank you, Dad, for everything.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

"... the full engagement with this strange and shimmering world."


                       "If I Should Fall Behind"

We said we'd walk together baby come what may 
That come the twilight should we lose our way 
If as we're walking a hand should slip free 
I'll wait for you 
And should I fall behind 
Wait for me 

We swore we'd travel darlin' side by side 
We'd help each other stay in stride 
But each lover's steps fall so differently 
But I'll wait for you 
And if I should fall behind 
Wait for me 

Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true 
But you and I know what this world can do 
So let's make our steps clear that the other may see 
And I'll wait for you 
If I should fall behind 
Wait for me 

Now there's a beautiful river in the valley ahead 
There 'neath the oak's bough soon we will be wed 
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees 
I'll wait for you 
And should I fall behind 
Wait for me 
Darlin' I'll wait for you 
Should I fall behind 
Wait for me


"There are things we take on faith, without physical proof and even sometimes without any methodology for proof. We cannot clearly show why the ending of a particular novel haunts us. We cannot prove under what conditions we would sacrifice our own life in order to save the life of our child. We cannot prove whether it is right or wrong to steal in order to feed our family, or even agree on a definition of "right" and "wrong". We cannot prove the meaning of our life, or whether life has any meaning at all. For these questions, we can gather evidence and debate, but in the end we cannot arrive at any system of analysis akin to the way in which a physicist decides how many seconds it will take a one-foot-long pendulum to make a complete swing. The previous questions are questions of aesthetics, morality, philosophy. These are questions for the arts and the humanities. These are also questions aligned with some of the intangible concerns of traditional religion.

Faith, in its broadest sense, is about far more than belief in the existence of God or the disregard of scientific evidence. Faith is the willingness to give ourselves over, at times, to things we do not fully understand. Faith is the belief in things larger than ourselves. Faith is the ability to honor stillness at some moments and at others to ride the passion and exuberance that is the artistic impulse, the flight of the imagination, the full engagement with this strange and shimmering world."
 - Alan Lightman

(Thanks to whiskey river for the Alan Lightman quote)

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

A walk up the street to Big Rock Garden

Entering Big Rock Garden







"Intuition Free," by Ann Morris









"Turtle," by David Marshall





Korean War Children's Memorial



"Three Musicians," by C.A. Scott









Looking back into the garden

Walking home, down the hill