WILDERNESS

Dall Sheep in Denali National Park, Alaska in May 2018

“Wilderness is a necessity there must be places for human beings to satisfy their souls.”

~John Muir~

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

If children live with...

criticism, they learn to condemn

hostility, they learn to fight

ridicule, they learn to be shy

shame, they learn to feel guilty

tolerance, they learn to be patient

encouragement, they learn to be confident

praise, they learn to appreciate

fairness, they learn justice

security, they learn to have faith

approval, they learn to like themselves

acceptance and friendship,

they learn to find love in the world.

~author unknown~

Let's teach our kids love and acceptance for one another, no matter what our differences, starting from the day they are born.  Teach them love for one another, which should include love of self. It is not our weakness, it is our strength.  

Children are our most precious commodity, they are our hope for a better world. 

(A photo I have shared before but am using again for today's post)

WHAT IT IS

White-breasted Nuthatch 

with sunflower seed

What It Is 

by

Erich Fried

It is madness

says reason 

It is what it is

says love

It is unhappiness

says calculation 

It is nothing but pain

says fear

It has no future 

says insight

It is what it is 

says love  

It is ridiculous

says pride

It is foolish 

says caution

It is impossible

says experience

It is what it is

says love

Translated by

Stuart Hood 

TO LIVE CONTENT...

(Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park)

To live content with small means,

To seek elegance rather than luxury,

And refinement rather than fashion,

To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich,

To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, and frankly,

To listen to stars and birds, babes and sages 

With open heart,

To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, 

Await occasions,

Hurry never - 

In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, 

Grow up through the common.  

This is to be my symphony.

by

~William Ellery Channing~

My Symphony

TRAVEL THE WORLD...

Travel the world and you'll surely come to see

Ev'rything there is a part of you and me

Never let doubt put you in a spin

Ev'rything out is a part of in

Ev'rything wants you complete as you can be.

We each are meant to share our song

You'll find it sang within you all along

Small but strong.

Imagine that world stretching far and wide

Needing that song that you hold inside

Needing your gift to complete a grand design

Offer your gift to the world

And watch it shine.

~Lyrics by John Bucchino~

Music by Ian Fraser

From Simeon's Gift

You can read all about Simeon's Gift

 on this blog.  Click on the red lettering

if interested.

I have a book in my collection of 

"Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs and Lullabies."  Its first edition was in 2009 and I think I have had it for as long.  I love the poems inside and when I remember that it is there, I take it off the bookshelf and start rereading them.  

So, there I was, dusting off the bookshelf again, and I picked up my copy.  It had been a while and it stopped me in mid swipe.  I went to sit down in my favorite corner, to start reading, dusting forgotten for the time being.  I had already put the kettle on as it was time for a cup of tea, and a good read.  The dusting can wait don't you think?

I picked this piece for my post today.  I also was curious about the title and truthfully I don't remember the story, but sometimes I just need to give the old brain box a dusting too.  Always good to get that refresher.  The link in red lettering above will take you to a review of Simeon's Song. 

WISE WORDS

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything.”

~Irish Proverb~

I know it isn’t as simple as this quote, but it is a lovely thought.  

The roses have started to bloom in our garden, and this is one of them.  

Stay safe and happy everyone, and I hope you find something to make you laugh today. 

WISE WORDS

REVISITING A POEM ABOUT THE OPEN ROAD

This photo is from a summer road trip we took back in August and September of 2013.   It is fun for me to look back to see a previous post from a few years ago.  We were driving across country.

A Little Further

by

Berton Braley

The reason I never can quit the road

Is a reason that's plain and clear.

It's because no matter where I may stop

And whether it's far or near

There's a place beyond the place I am

Wherever I may be at,

And then beyond is a place beyond

And the world beyond all that!

And as long as a man has eyes to see

And a brain that wants to know,

I figure there's things he's bound to miss

If he doesn't go on and go;

For there's always a place beyond the place

I happen to hang my hat,

And another place beyond that place

And the world beyond all that.

There's some folks stay in a single spot

Or a town of which they're fond,

And never worry a little bit

At the thought of a place beyond;

But the place beyond the place beyond

Won't never let me rest,

For there's a sort of a kind of urge

That's burning within my breast.

To go and go till the end of life,

And when I've left it flat,

Go on beyond the place beyond;

And the universe after that.

GOSIA'S FENCES AROUND THE WORLD

Our son and daughter-in-law went for a walk last weekend.  They live 15 miles away.  It looks like it was a nice, quiet trail.

However, someone had been there before and left a welcoming sign for those walking their dogs.

Here is a nice fence for Gosia's meme.  I asked if they would mind me sharing their photos just for today, and they were happy to.  Thank you My Lovelies!

I have seen photos of these boxes in other areas.  The one they came across says, "Little Free Library - Libraries big and small, we love them all.  Take a book, return a book."

Such a neat thing to do for the community.

"That's the thing about books, they let you travel without using your feet."  ~ Jhumpa Lahiri.

A great quote and very appropriate for this time of self-sheltering.  

Thank you for hosting Gosia.  If you would like to see other Fences Around the World, or join in with your own, you will find the link here.  

A JOHN MUIR QUOTE ABOUT GOING HOME

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity."

~John Muir~

THINK....

Think of the muscles

A tall tree grows

In its leg, in its foot,

In its wide-spread toes.

Not to tip over

And fall on its nose

When a wild wind hustles

And tussles and blows.

~The Wind by Aileen Fisher~

WHEN ONE TUGS...

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

~John Muir~

KEEP CLOSE TO NATURE'S HEART...

“Keep close to Nature’s heart...and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean.”

~John Muir~


Thanks for looking and whatever you are doing today, may it be a great one.

RANDOM PHOTO AND A QUOTE

"No winter last forever; no spring skips its turn."

~Hal Borland~

INSPIRATIONAL WORDS

History will remember when the world stopped

And the flights stayed on the ground

And the cars parked in the street 

And the trains didn't run.

History will remember when the schools closed

And the children stayed indoors

And the medical staff walked towards the fire

And they didn't run.  

History will remember when the people sang 

On their balconies, in isolation 

But so much together 

In courage and song. 

 History will remember when the people fought

 For their old and their weak 

Protected the vulnerable 

By doing nothing at all.  

History will remember when the virus left

And the houses opened

And the people came out

And hugged and kissed

And started again.

Kinder than before.

~Donna Ashworth~

A marvelous poem!  I found the words inspirational for the world's current situation.  I have never come across Donna's poems before, but she certainly has a way of speaking to us all.  

Thank you Donna!

To all my Blogging Friends, thank you for looking 

and I wish you happiness and good health.  

WE RISE....

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

Can you imagine,

For example, what the trees do

Not only in lightning storms

or the watery dark of a summer's night,

or under the white nets of winter

but now, and now, and now - whenever

we're not looking?  Surely you can't imagine

they don't dance, from the roots up, wishing

to travel a little, not cramped so much as wanting

a better view, or more sun, or just as avidly

more shade - surely you can't imagine they just

stand there loving every minute of it,

the birds or the emptiness, the dark rings

of the years slowly and without a sound

thickening, and nothing different unless the wind,

and then only in its own mood, comes

to visit, surely you can't imagine 

patience, and happiness, like that.

Can you imagine?

by

Mary Oliver

DO NOT FORGET...

AMERICAN ROBIN AT MEADOWLARK GARDENS, VIENNA, VIRGINIA

What Robin Told

~George Cooper~

How do the robins build their nests? 

Robin Redbreast told me.

First a wisp of yellow hay

In a pretty round they lay;

Then some shreds of downy moss,

Feathers too and bits of moss.

Woven with a sweet, sweet song,

This way, that way, and across,

That's what Robin told me.

Where do the robins hide their nests?

Robin Redbreast told me.

Up among the leaves so deep,

Where the sunbeams rarely creep,

Long before the winds are cold,

Long before the leaves are gold,

Bright-eyed stars will peep, and see

Baby robins, one, two, three;

That's what Robin told me.

The weather begged me to get outside yesterday, and go over to the gardens.  I could not say no.  Housework can always wait when the sun shines.

I wanted to go birding this time, but always keep my expectations low as the only time I have been here lately is when the sun has been high in the sky.  Not conducive to seeing the birds or taking photographs.  Still hopeful I went more to enjoy a good walk than anything else, and as I walked along the path I came across the robin foraging among dead leaves. Robin was telling me that spring was on the way and that I should commemorate the occasion by taking its photo.  Thank you Dear Robin, you were a joy to see.  The nest wasn't too far away, an old one from last year, ready and waiting.  

Red from Haiwatha House in his comment said that many are unaware that even though our bird is well known as the American Robin, it is incorrectly named and is actually a thrush.  Thanks Red, good to know and I enjoy learning these things.  Later I read that when people saw the bird when the country was first settled, it was named Robin because of its red breast, which reminded them of the European Robin. 

I believe this poem was referring to the European Robin, but I liked the words and decided to use it.

Thank you for looking 

and enjoy your day.

DEEP IN THEIR ROOTS...

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light."

~Theodore Roethke~