Sunday, June 12, 2011

Day 16,687 Gratitude

Basking in our annual pilgrimage to the sea
In the last 24 hours I have appreciated
The miracle and blessing that is air travel
The power of breakfast served all day
House Chardonnay at happy hour prices
Feathers that keep finding me
Renewing my Flickr Pro account
And the ease of uploading to it from my phone
You can tag along at http://www.Flickr.com/juloftheday

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Day 16,683

It dawned on me last night
That my last entry in my sketchbook journal
Was on the flight from Albuquerque to Chicago
Ten foggy and flailing days before
I was still thinking that I might
Sort through the ephemera
And artfully add more to the pages
But once I got out the maps, menus and such
I got the distinct feeling that closure was in order
It was time for me to be wholly back home
Grateful for the experience and ready for more
The pages from this trip could stand complete
The greatest gift from Amy's sketchbook journaling process
Is that it invites us to wake up to each moment at hand
And how we want to capture what it is
That captures our appreciation within it
In our journal and through it, day after day well lived
This opportunity is not exclusive to Taos
I am free to practice this every single day of my life
Wherever it is that I am
With my trusty sketchbook at the ready
And in the process rewired with an even greater capacity
For deep gratitude

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Day 16,682 Gratitude

Synchronicity and Kate Cartwright delivered us to photographer Lenny Foster's presentation at the Taos public library on our first full day in town. It had been a whirlwind morning, literally and figuratively, so I don't think I sat down with any particular expectations beyond relief from the cold outside. I was not the least bit prepared to be so deeply touched by the candid glimpse into Lenny's personal journey and the power behind his deeply moving images.

Feast your eyes on the video that first broke my heart wide open to Taos:



Amy and I were eager to visit Lenny at his gallery and introduce ourselves. We were welcomed there with open arms. He generously offered his time to lead interested workshop participants on an early morning photo shoot at La Morada de Don Fernando de Taos, which we never would have located on our own. It turned out to be a magical morning of storm clouds rolling and I got some of my best shots there. Pure magic. Lenny even hosted our entire group at his gallery so that everyone could see the video and hear some of his stories. Not only did we meet another talented artist, but made another friend there as well.

That's how Taos rolls. Arrive a stranger and leave in love with everyone and everything in town. Time to put up a new countdown to our return in June 2012!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Day 16,680 Gratitude

Today I am grateful that we have been making belated progress on our spring weeding, planting, and mulching. When we first moved here 9 years ago, we were able to complete this project for the entire property in a single day. Older and wiser, we have learned to break it down by area and then further by specific tasks. (All things in bite-sized morsels work better for me these days.) The downside is that it never really feels like we've finished. But, thankfully, there are triumphs along the way, rewards for jobs well-done, like this year's zinnia and coleus taking root in their potted homes.

Today I am grateful that Amy is so beautifully capturing our Taos trip, one juicy day at a time. Looking back at my journal pages, it is hard to fathom just how much we managed to pack into each day. I had intended to do a similar day-by-day recap upon re-entry, but will more than likely delve deeply into specific stories when I finally land.

Yes, it's taking a long time for me to recover. Part of me is still on Taos time and in that state of mind ... and in absolutely no hurry to shake it. What's interesting is that I will be by the sea in less than one week. This should either bring me back into balance or catapult me completely out of my wobbly orbit. In the interim, I am grateful to know what helps with my post-transformational recovery ... cups of tea, naps as needed, and good books.

So grateful for breakfast with Amy tomorrow, so she can remind me (yet again) that it wasn't a dream!