Thursday, November 25, 2010

Do Trees Cry in the Fall?


For all my tree hugger friends here is my thoughts on Fall.


A couple of days ago I was sipping coffee out on my deck just before dawn.  I heard the sound of raindrops lightly striking the dry leaves on the ground ( I haven't raked the yard yet).


It was odd because it was not sprinkling on me.  The sound was just coming from over by the huge maple tree. 
I pondered this atmospheric anomaly for a minute then I realized it was not raindrops tapping the ground, but the leaves falling off the tree were making the noise.


It was kind of sad.  The tree was slowly releasing it leaves like it knew it had to let go, but wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.


The next day it rained, and rained.  Most of the leaves were blown off, but the next morning those that were left were still very wet and dripping.  The sound was almost exactly the same as the dry leaves dropping the previous day.


I got my camera out to get a few shots of early morning sun making the leaves  glow.  All the little bare limbs and the remaining leaves had  water drops glistening on their tips.    It reminded of tears.  The tree seemed sad, but knew it had to let go of the past in order to look forward to Spring when it would be happy again with all new leaves to nourish and be nourished by.


The same is true for us.  Sometimes we have to let go of something or someone in order to have room in our hearts for someone new or to simply renew our souls be releasing something or someone who has been preventing us from moving forward.

This Dolphin Should Go Green

The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil is considered a wildlife sanctuary, but today, even in this isolated archipelago dolphins are victims of the bad habits of consumption. (Photo and caption by João Vianna) #
I borrowed this photo from the 2010 National Geographic amateur photo contest. It is truly a statement on the condition of our oceans.  But, of Course in my slightly skewed perception of reality my first reaction was, " This dolphin should know to bring its own re-usable grocery bag with him to the store."
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/11/national_geographics_photograp.html?ref=nf

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Drive By Shooting


Yesterday I checked out Pawley's Island, SC on my way to Charleston.  On my way out I saw this Heron sitting on the bridge rail.  I had my camera sitting on the seat beside me so I snapped this picture as I drove by.  Who says you have to slog through miles of wilderness to do wildlife photography when you can do some drive by shooting form the comfort of your car!

Monday, November 08, 2010

I Believe in Fairies

Magical Ferry Help

Joe, the Ferry Master

NJOYLIF likes Ferry Help

Rob is NOT getting seasick
The Odyssey (Honda and mystical) manages to continue with the help of a Fairy (ferry).  Odd-I-see how it is magical that you can come to the end of the road but can continue on if an un-foreseen helper is there to take you across the gulf you cannot cross yourself so you can continue on your journey.

I laugh at how so many words have double meanings or synonyms, antonyms or homonyms  that provide insightful revelations to life's paradoxes.  Wow, I am not even sure if I used these complex words correctly.

I just find it fun and funny to see how the same word can have opposite meanings (like vain) , or similar sounding words can reveal the nuances of perception.

Saturday, November 06, 2010

Questioning My Apierance (sic)

How Much Longer Can Your Apierance Stand the Waves and Storms of Reality?

Sorry for the bad pun.  I had to think about this photo for awhile to figure out why it moved me.

I kept looking at the wobbly pier that has probably been their longer than I have been alive, yet looks like it is about to fall down. Then I thought about my appearance, my facade, my face I try to put on to others, and to myself.

I think my pier stands on worn wobbly legs yet I have managed to maintain it my whole life.  It seems ready to fall down at any time, with even the slightest storm to topple it.  Yet I manage to keep it from crashing into the sea of reality.

An honest contemplation of my pier makes me wonder if its worn pilings are as apparent to others as it is to myself?

I secretly hope a hurricane will blow it away.  I also secretly try to keep it standing and looking strong to others.

I think I would prefer not to try and maintain an apierence.  It seems to take more time and energy than just letting it all hang out.  I believe at least a few people would still like me..

Friday, November 05, 2010

Uncertain Path Pays Off


Last night I was wondering what my morning scene would be.  I was hopefully anticipating a really nice view of the ocean.  Well my dark path turned into a really nice one.  It was worth looking forward to!

Should've, Shouldn't, Should, Past, Present and Future


Some people say you should not live in the past or predict the future but live only in the present.  I mostly agree with this theory but find it hard to put into practice.  I tend to look at the past and say that I should've done this or shouldn't have done that.  This taints my view of the present which negatively tints my vision of the future.

I use my views of my past then say that from now on I should do this or that to make my future better than my past.
I also say I shouldn't do this now to make my future better.
Either way, the two words are projecting a future action (even if the future is just a second from now, like saying no to a negative temptation that I want to do right now in the present).  Pretty confusing, right?

Tonight I landed at Kitty Hawk (pun intended) on the next stop of my NJOYLIF quest.  It was after dark  when I found a motel right to the beach. I only assumed my room was right on the beach because the sea oats were just outside my room and I could hear the whursh of the surf not very far away.  However, I could not see it, I could only hear it.  I had not seen any colorful brochures of my motel room's beach view since I just picked it based on a list of motels my GPS told me were in Kitty Hawk on Ocean Shore Avenue.

My point is that I don't have any guarantees that when I wake up tomorrow morning I will be greeted by the fulfillment of the mental image of what I think the beach will look like (assuming it is even as close as I think it is). This does not stop me of eagerly anticipating waking up tomorrow morning and enjoying a freshly brewed cup-o-joe on my deck with the ocean just a few sandy steps away.

Tonight I could not help but walk out on the trail between the sea oats to see if I could actually see the ocean. It was just too dark to tell.  This is what this dark grainy picture is.  Me and my shadow standing on the path I will follow tomorrow morning to see if my anticipation proves to be what I hope it will be.

However, right now, I just don't know.  It is dark, and my path is uncertain but I am looking forward to tomorrow.

This is different than where my mind was last week when when my path was dark and uncertain but I was not looking forward to the next day because I was too caught up in what I should or shouldn't have done in the past.

I don't think we can escape from thinking about the future, but we can stop thinking about the past, or at least decide not to let it taint our present, which tints our future.  Maybe I can use the mental image of me standing on this sandy path at night lured by the sound of the sea to help me look forward to the next day even when my present is dark and uncertain.  God's call from the waves whurshing up on the beach beckons me to look forward to tomorrow.

I sure hope that whurshing sound is God and the beautiful sea and not the gushing of a very huge sewer pipe!  The key word here is hope for tomorrow un-tainted by what I should've or shouldn't have done in the past.  Or, what I should or shouldn't do in the future.  If tomorrow morning brings me a lovely view of the ocean as I sip my coffee I will just live in the glory of the present, at least for an hout or two...

a Robservation
11-5-10