Day Seven of Seven

Day Seven of Seven Days of Black and White

For the last day of this project, I chose this image of Metal Man, aka Photog, aka my muse. I shot “Photog” in Tucson, where I found him standing there with his camera pointed. He’s a life-sized sculpture created from sheet metal. He and I spent many hours together. I talked; he listened. Ha! I photographed him from every angle possible, short of me lying on the hot concrete to get him from the bottom up.

I added the text to his lens because of the origin of the word IMAGINE …

mid-14c., “to form a mental image of,” from Old French imaginer “sculpt, carve, paint; decorate, embellish” (13c.), from Latin imaginari “to form a mental picture, picture to oneself, imagine” (also, in Late Latin imaginare “to form an image of, represent”), from imago “an image, a likeness,” from stem of imitari “to copy, imitate” (from PIE root *aim- “to copy”). Sense of “suppose, assume” is first recorded late 14c. Related: Imagined; imagining.

After all, isn’t that where any image comes from? The imagine-ation?

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

 

 

Silhouette

In response to today’s blog post prompt, I chose this silhouette of a saguaro cactus. When these grow in the desert, they are almost always in close proximity to a Palo Verde or Mesquite tree, as in this image.

Everyone needs a buddy, including the might Saguaro. Have a blessed and beautiful weekend!

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

This or Something Better

Are you wanting to manifest something in your life? Is it tangible? A thing or things? Is it a new home? A new car? More money? If it’s any of these things, write it down!!! But don’t be so specific that it limits the Universe in giving you what you want. And always add this or something better.

I’m a big fan of the Universe. It’s a vast field of potentiality. So today, I want to share with you one of my many experiences with how it bestows blessings upon all of us.

Years ago, living in southern CA, we wanted to move back to AZ, so I wrote down the kind of house I wanted to live in there. It had to have lots of light, a sweeping view of the Catalina mountains, in a nice neighborhood with fantastic neighbors, and most of all, we had to feel good living there. The kicker was that at the end of my description I added this or something better. (The Universe being the benevolent benefactor that it is, I trust in it completely to know better than me and my mere mortal thinking).

We made the move back to AZ and ended up renting a house until we could find just the right one to purchase. We found one. It didn’t match what I had written down, so I thought we’d have to settle for it. But most of all, it didn’t have the feeling I wanted. Then (drum roll, please) just about a week later, one came up that matched my description perfectly. When I walked in the front door, it took my breath away. There was the wow! sweeping view, a house full of light, and many other ‘something betters’ that I had not even written down.

The seller was asking much more than what we wanted to spend, but I knew without a doubt that if we were meant to have it, a way would show up. The ways and means materialized in such a synchronized fashion that it was truly miraculous. I’m smiling right now from ear to ear as I think about it.

But that’s not the end of this story. I also wrote down that I wanted to be a Cadillac driver (for some reason I’ve always liked them).

My Mom called one day and said, “My neighbor is selling her Cadillac. Come look at it.” I explained to Mom that we already had two cars and didn’t need a third. Resistance? She convinced us that we should just come up there and look at it. We did. We ended up buying it. So I became a Cadillac driver. That was fun!

But again, the story doesn’t end there. The lady we bought it from was a phenomenal woman, one whom we became dear friends with. Love her! She was selling this car because she was buying another Cadillac from a friend of hers. So we asked her when it came time for her to sell that one, to please give us first chance at it. She did. So …. we had not one, but two Cadillacs.

Lesson? Never, ever limit the Universe and its power to provide This or something better.

If I can do this, so can you. Write it down! And then trust the Universe to show up.

Here’s the story in a picture. The house and both Cadillacs. Grace on the left. Lady Pearl on the right. (Yes, I named them. Haha!)

Okay, I have to go now. Lots to write down 🙂

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

TBT – The Fire Dances

Feeling the warmth from a fireplace, especially when it’s outdoors, is something I absolutely love. A clear, brisk night with thousands of stars — wrapped up in a blanket, feet up on the hearth, and the dancing flames. So simple. So tranquil.

I used to love to sit outside and just watch the flames, completely mesmerized by their movement. It took me to a place where I could just breathe and BE. Didn’t have to think of anything, solve any problems, talk to anyone, or worry about what anyone else was doing or thinking. For while the fire danced, the madness of the world was gone. I like that … a lot.

I miss this fireplace in our back yard in Tucson. Don’t have one here. So I’ll just revisit this image often and be instantly transported to that place of pure being.

Be good to yourself and each other. Stay warm! Namaste’

 

TBT and Halloween

I haven’t been to the blogosphere for a while but today I wanted to observe Throwback Thursday and Halloween … double duty, if you will.

These images are ones I took a few years back in Tucson. Our neighbor was a single Dad of three and each year him and the kids would go all out for Halloween. Dad would take the kids shopping and they got to choose the decorations they wanted. Then it was their job to do the decorating. I think the oldest was only 11 and he was definitely the director of their endeavors. Such cool kids!!!

I always loved to watch the magic unfold and each day as I would walk the dogs, I got to see the evolution of their front yard. They would ask me what I thought and I always gave them a round of applause for what they had done. And rightly so. It was well deserved.

Theirs was the best house on the street. I hope they’re still bringing Halloween enjoyment to the neighborhood.

Trick or Treat! Be good and be safe. Namaste’

The Only Kind of Drama I Want

Years ago when my son was visiting us in Tucson from Seattle, he named our sunsets “high drama.” I thought that was a perfect description.

(He came in the summer … what was he thinking? LOL)

This particular image was one I took that ranks near the top of my list of high drama sunsets. I probably have at least a hundred sunset images (I’m a bit of a fanatic). Of course you all knew that already, right? 🙂

The summer monsoon season in southern AZ creates dynamic energy and masterpieces in the sky. I feel grateful to have been a witness to so many.

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

 

Coming Home

I’m a big fan of K. D. Lang. My favorite song of hers is Coming Home.

When I hear it, I get a lump in my throat because it makes me think of coming home to Tucson. I do love that place! It has always felt like home.

The warm weather, the Catalina mountains, the sentinels of the desert known as Saguaros, the friendly people, the streets I used to drive to see my Mom, the high-drama sunsets, monsoon season … all combined to make it my home.

 

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

TBT

Well, my dear readers, it’s Throwback Thursday again. I hope this finds you all well and thriving.

This image is from my days in Tucson. So hot there now that I won’t be going back until winter. Can you blame me????

It’s hard to get a perspective of how large this stone thunderbird is. It’s on a busy road and I didn’t have a lot of time to get the image without getting run over … ha!

I am inspired by the artist who did this, especially what is inscribed under the wings:

“The eyes of the future are looking back at us. To protect what is wild is to protect what is gentle.” (Truth).

Namaste!

Exquisite

For me, the word EXQUISITE conjures up feelings, not images and yet this image does it for me … feelings that anything is possible if we can achieve our own balance.

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’

via Daily Prompt: Exquisite

Cactus Ranch

My throw-back Thursday image is one that I really love. It makes me a little homesick for the desert and the Catalina Mountains I saw every day. I think I took them for granted. Sorry!

When I first got my Nikon camera, I played a lot with settings and this image is one that came out pretty good, I think. The sun was starting to set on the mountains and peering through the storm clouds that were gathering for a summer rain that evening.

We called this place the cactus ranch because it was eight acres of cactus; all shapes, sizes and varieties. But even cactus has it’s own beauty.

Be good to yourself and each other. Namaste’