These are the days...

These are the days you'll remember.

{You and I}

Never before and never since, I promise, will the whole world be warm as this.

And as you feel it, you'll know it's true that you are blessed and lucky.

It's true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.

{These are the days - 10,000 Maniacs}

{KK waterfront7_magic}

These are the days, I hope you remember.

I know I will.

Even all its up and downs, I hope these experiences fill your heart.

They do mine.

Things may not always be easy,

you may not feel lucky . . . 

but I hope you know that you are blessed

to still have the opportunity to do what you love,

even when it doesn't play out the way it should.

Yes these are the days I hope you will remember

not for the things that didn't go right,

but for all the little miracles you've been part of.

I love you . . . (the one between 24 and 76)

Mom, and your biggest fan! XO

I'm over at Focusing on Life today, stitching together moments to tell a visual story and would love if you would join me!! :)

Sharing with Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Song-ography

September Grass...song-ography edition

"We're so small and the world's so vast"

James Taylor - 'September Grass'

[Yep, it looks different around here, thought it was time for a little change.]

So, this is one of the only three times, I think, that I made it to the sunrise ALL summer!

I know, I can hardly believe it either. I'm hoping to change that, especially before we have

to "fall back" with our clocks. Getting up early this summer seemed to be a real challenge.

"Well the sun's not so hot in the sky today

And you know I can see summertime slipping on away"

All I can say, is that apparently Mr. Sheldon who wrote these lyrics, had not been to

Texas in September because the sun IS still hot in the sky. In fact I had a few red marks on

Sunday from being at the beach to prove it (yes I forgot to apply sunscreen).

It's not slipping away quite yet, but the writing is in the sky.

{KK 1301 in overlay}

 You can sense the change in the light and the lower position of the sun in the sky.

And, that the blanket flower and black-eyed susans are now growing amongst the grass.

P.S. Keep your eyes open, Monarch migration is underway!

Happy Tuesday,

Love, Kim

sharing with Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Songography

From a distance . . .

{KK 1301}

From a distance there is harmony

and it echos through the land

it's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace

it's the voice of everyone

God is watching us....

Bette Midler, "From A Distance

[linking with songography]

Just as a camera doesn't always tell the truth, the perception of things, of life and the people in

it don't always coincide with reality.

And like the side mirror on your car, just because things appear closer than they are,

doesn't make it so.

I am also over at Focusing on life today and sharing one of many lessons learned from

my front porch, and I invite you to join me here.

Have a fabulous day -

Love, Kim

sharing with Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Songography

Life seeking life . . .

I have at times called myself a finder of things and a seeker of light. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm finding things or if they are finding me, or maybe it's because on some days I have just enough courage to show up and we somehow meet in the middle.

The truth is, I don't always... have the courage to show up, that is. Sometimes showing up is just plain hard.

And about that light, it's not so much what comes from the rays of the sun or that golden hour, but what comes from His light. What I'm seeking is that light in all things. That deep spiritual connection that illuminates the path that on occassion can feel like it's traveled in the darkness.

This summer I feel like I lost my way a bit. The path just didn't feel as illuminated, not because the light wasn't there, because His always is....but because even though I looked I just couldn't see through the noise. My focus was off and my depth of field was too narrow.

I felt helpless.

I felt quiet.

I felt a little angry.

I felt a little sad.

I felt a little numb.

I was distracted.

As I mentioned in June, my sweet boy ended up in the hospital due to an abscess from a staff infection on his face. IV antibiotics and a plastic surgeon to drain it. But all that inflammation, well, it doesn't go away overnight and neither does the scarring. And after this last year and a half with his diagnosis of a rare form of juvenile arthritis, a heart scare, a bone marrow biopsy, a rare leg bleed and this . . . it's just a lot for a parent to process let alone a 17 year old.

We got home he didn't go anywhere this summer...I mean anywhere!

Not out with us,
not with friends,
not to strength and conditioning,
not to get his hair cut,
no where.

It's so very hard to watch your child try to navigate a chronic illness let alone the territory of being a teenager. It's so very hard as a mom, a parent, even if I'm not a control freak to not be able to make it better.

Yeah, that realization that I. can't. make. it. better.

Suddenly I found myself not wanting to go many places, even places that he wouldn't have gone anyway. Because it just didn't feel right for him to be home by himself.

I didn't write,
I didn't edit,
I rarely made it to my computer.

And then it happened. A couple of friends would stop by, then he went fishing and then football started. And little by little I saw glimpses of him returning to his old self. And just like that I felt my heart grow three sizes.

And yesterday, something clicked for me. I can't explain it really. I don't even know if this will make any sense. It was chapter 9, Life Seeking Life, in the book God Is at Eye Level.

I was at Starbucks...{I hadn't been inside all summer with my books and journal.} I found myself nodding my head, feeling like she had eavesdropped on my thoughts. How she is drawn into the pulse and heart beat of the world around her and to its pain and heart wrenching passions, and how she cries, in joy, at the things she witnesses.

Yes, yes, and yes.

She went on to tell the story of  a day when she was taking photographs along a wooden boardwalk when she heard what she thought were footsteps. When she finally turns to look it's a fawn that had been following her and when she reached out he put his sweet nose into her hand. By this time I'm starting to pack up because I feel a good cry coming on.

...deep breath

Here she was out looking for life and it found her! And you know what? That happened to me all summer, with the dragonflies especially. I may have been distracted by some of the noise that I probably created for myself, maybe even a roadblock, but was awake enough to witness those slivers of light. Literally, as it danced across their wings....like the stars light up the night.

Our creator places these things in our paths in hopes that we will take notice, that we will pay attention and send it back out into the world. We are to be receivers and givers. We just have to listen with our eyes and our hearts through all the clutter or we'll miss it.

Life seeking life...that totally happened from my front porch. Photography is like "home sweet home" when our hearts are aligned with spirit, present in the moment at hand, open to the wonder of it all.

Dragonfly Abstract

"The edge of light"

Hallelujah, I think I'm back!
Houston, we have a safe landing . . .

Love, Kim


sharing with Little Things Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Friday Finds

The three S's in my summer

{KK 511}

From my front porch . . . simplicity, silence and solitude.

Simple . . . a state of mind. Not complicated, not always easy, but definitely not empty.

Silence. . . music for the soul. Not necessarily the absence of sound, but of noise that disrupts the contemplative mind.

Solitude. . . a state of being alone. Not lonely, but refreshing the mind, cultivating a relationship with oneself and nature.

Yep, the three s's were my motto for this summer when I wasn't in the crazy house taking care of caterpillar business. I've lost count, but I'm sure I've released more butterflies this summer than last. There has been more disease and predators to deal with too. My last batch of about 70 was released last week and I already see momas in the patch. The milkweed has finally gotten some serious growth but not for the amount of new eggs I see being laid.

I may also need someone to throw me a rope to climp out of the never ending photos to edit. I don't know why I do this to myself. It took me days just to cull and download photos from 3 full memory cards. But, I have photos of emerging butterflies, the pupation, and a caterpillar coming out of his egg!

I'm going to be busy . . . send chocolate! lol

We have a new theme over at Focusing on Life, where you can also find me today . . . it's going to be a fun month!

More later,
Kim


Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday