Laine's Blog, Thinking Out Loud

A Silly Vanity...

 

 

Traveling by jet brings out the kid in me and I have to have a window seat,

even if I end up at the back of the plane.

I love looking out over the world, at the meandering rivers, the houses and trees and the coast line,

wondering which beach it might be, in which state, and of course the wonderful dramatic clouds.

 

On this trip I was in the back, behind the wings and when we arrived at my final destination I was observing the conscientious 

workers, setting up hoses and getting ready to unload the luggage, and I was making up stories about them

when I realized that I might see my bag come down the conveyor belt!

 

My very own bag, a silly vanity, but it made me laugh at myself and it wasn't long before it tumbled down, right before my eyes!

 

I told myself to take a picture of it, and myself said there wasn't enough time,

and my I said sure there was and myself finally said ok and fumbled with the camera and voila!

 

There it is, the purple duffle, that happens to have my name on it -

a lovely gift from dear friends years ago.

 

My trusty purple duffle, back on terra firma!

 

 

 

Life's a Mystery

 

This is a photo of my Dad when he was just a boy,

only 5 years old if the date on the cart that he is smiling in is to be believed.

 

He still smiles and laughs and makes fun of people he doesn't know.

He just turned 89, and struggles with memory loss.

Although I visited him for his birthday, he doesn't remember.

But I do, and it was very pleasant, even he said so.

 

How important are our memories?

Perhaps not as important as the moments,

and the feelings and the love.

 

Life is a mystery, all along the way - from tiny little babes to the young ones and the older and oldest -

it's a mystery.

 

Faith or Natural Selection?

 

 

In this case, it was faith and the man survived his folly, or was he actually working?

Either way, it took some mettle to stand there

and faith in a lot of things, like himself, the pilot, the time...

 

It must be nice to be so sure of something!

 

 

Spider Prince

 

When I saw this HUGE spider on the bathroom wall of a friend's house 

where I was responsible not only for my own lovely self,

but for 4 curious cats as well,

I knew that I couldn't sleep through the night with it in the house.

 

First thing that I did was grab the camera and click-click, two shots without the flash and now what?

I had to try to get it out of the house.

I was in override-your-panic-mode, placing one foot in front of the other until I found a clear glass vase 

that wasn't quite large enough, but I had to try.

 

Prepared to drop everything in a flash if the thing so much as jumped or scrambled over the vase,

I placed the edge of it on the wall right in front of the spider and it crawled right in.

 

I was in shock.

 

I still nearly fainted, but being in overdrive, I took a good look at it inside the glass and marched outside

to place the vase not so carefully in the garden, wished it well, and ran back into the house.

 

It really had beautiful markings and was a prince after all!

Thank the goddess!

 

 

If anyone can identify the creature, I would love to know more about it!

 

Sea Oats in the Setting Sun

 

 

The sea oats are beautiful again this year, thanks to the abundant rainfall.

Are you getting the nourishment that you need to be beautiful?

(cue violins and get ready for an info-mercial...just kidding!)

 

But if this were an advertisement, it would be for Happy Living.

 

A story...

 

There is a loving mother of three young and beautiful girls, whose life is so hectic 

that it would make a normal woman crazy.

One morning before she left for another day at work,

she painted the toe nails of her three little girls

and they were thrilled!

 

Now that is happy living.

A cup of love and an ounce of generosity and fun, and your day begins elegantly.

With these you will be as beautiful as the sea oats in the setting sun.

 

 

 

Cat Meets Armadillo

 

 

 

 No worries!

 

 

 

Enter the Garden

 

 

What do you see when you enter a garden?

What do you hear?

Is there water falling nearby?

A bird singing?

Can you smell the lavender,

or the damp earth?

What do you see?

 

Life is exploding all around us.

Can you feel it?

 

 

Garden by Green Acres, LLC, Roanoke Virginia

 

Mom?

 

 

           That's not Mom.                                            

 

Are you sure?            

  It's not Mom.                                     

 

No, too tall, I guess.    

Mom?                          

 

It's not Mom.                                 

 

 

 

 

Friends

 

 

Life can be overwhelming at times - aging parents, sick children, losing a treasured pet.

Even joy can flood the heart, so much beauty, so much love, so complex.

That's where our friends come in.

They walk with us even when we are apart and help us to make sense of our mortal lives.

 

Where would we be without our friends?

Here's to old friends, new friends and the friends we are about to meet!

Salut!

 

 

 

Pelican Sets Sail

 

Does a pelican in the water ever doubt that he can raise his sails and take to the air?

In three powerful strokes, this huge bird is airborne and glides away.

 

 

Cultivate Your Sense of Humor

 

When I lived in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod, and was ready to launch my little daysailer for the very first time,

(not pictured here)

I went to the Harbor Master thinking that I might have to pay a ramp fee.

I asked him if I needed anything to launch and he answered,

"Water."

We got along very well after that.

 

The moral of the story is to cultivate your sense of humor,

especially when dealing with persons in authority,

and never launch your boat without water.

 

 

Fishing in the Big Pond

 

 

A great blue heron can often be seen fishing on this beach.

There is a marsh just over the dune in front of her that would seem to provide an easy feast for a heron,

but there she is, hunting in the ocean, getting bumped around by the waves on her spindly legs.

 She lands the fish - not every time - but she gets her prey often enough.

Her perseverance pays off.

 

Is there one thing that you are steadfast about pursuing in your life?

Are you prepared to withstand the oncoming waves, and the undertow?

Whatever it takes to stay close to your dreams, do it,

even if to others it seems like you might be fishing in the wrong pond, do it for you.

Persevere until you land that special fish that nourishes your soul,

again and again and again.

 

If you haven't yet found a dream to pursue, be steadfast in finding one.

Your life will blossom for the effort.

 

 

Squirrel at the Door

 

 

"Hey, you forgot to put the seed out.

I can see you in there. You forgot to put the seed out.

Can I come in?

I bet I could find it and save you the trouble of carrying it outside.

I can see you - is that a cat in there? Is that you, Dj?

Hi Dj, can you get the bird seed?

Dj, can you hear me? I'm here, over here, by the door.

Is somebody cooking?

That smells good.

I'm over here!

Hey!"

 

 

 

Stoked

 

 

Back and forth he goes with endless energy!

This boy is so stoked with his skimboard and the newly formed tidal

pool, that he doesn't notice the drama unfolding over the ocean

right beside him - the outer edges of Hurricane Irene,

illuminated by the setting sun.

 

I think to show him, but decide to enjoy his pleasure, and

mix it with mine, to double the moment.

 

 

 

Clinging Vines

 

Delicate clinging vines - this is a time when clinging is good.

Good for the vine and the wall benefits too, aesthetically.

Is clinging ever good for us? We humans?

Holding on to that good or bad feeling - joy or anger?

Being in the moment is preferred, but if you have to cling,

cling to the things that become more beautiful with your clinging,

like a baby's smile or the best day ever in the water with the  boogie board.

It makes you more beautiful to do that!

 

 

Re-runs...

For the next two weeks or so, Laine's Blog, Thinking Out Loud will be re-posting some of Laine's favorite posts from the begining of the blog.

I hope that you enjoy them!

 

xo

Laine

Lots of Saints

 

 

Summertime in St. Augustine on St. George Street.

There are a lot of saints in St. Augustine.

 

You get used to it!

 

 

 

 

Photograph with a painterly effect.

Red Sky

 

 

Red sky at night,

sailor's delight...

and whale watch Captains too!

 

 

 

The tidal flats in Provincetown with the Pilgrim Monument and sunset!

A Welcome Ordinariness

 

 

Friends, paddling along together through life's currents.

It's a calm evening and mild in between the storms and troubles.

There's peace and quiet and a kind of welcome ordinariness,

a rightness about things that begins to include the storms and troubles

and the peace and quiet.

 

All's well.

 

 

 

To my e-mail subscribers - Sorry for the Glitch this morning. I am not sure why multiple posts were sent...Love you guys!!! Laine

Cypress Trees and Their Knees

 

 

What lurks in yonder wood?

Alligators and snakes, frogs and bugs, and all kinds of creepy, crawly, things.

 

From a boat, however, it is rather picturesque.

The cypress trees and their knees.

 

 

 

 

High Maintenance?

 

 

The Black-eyed-Susan vine is one of the most cheerful hanging plants around...

until it droops.

Then there is a desperate attempt to bring it back to life and its former glory.

 

It's reminiscent of some relationships.

It looks so good in the plant store that it is irresistible -

year after year!

Until you get it home...

and it droops!

 

High maintenance or just not the right fit, plant to gardener?

 

 

 

 

Traveling Lighter

 

 

Traveling lighter these days, letting go of lots of baggage.

Are we entering a "New Age"?

I know that I am, but I might be just growing up.

 

How to tell the difference?

 

Maybe because we are in a "New Age", I am growing up?

Or maybe because of my age!

 

Either way, it is good

and so much easier!

 

 

Photo of the corridor in the Detroit Airport that leads to the puddle jumpers. The colors fade and change and it is quite wonderful!