Sunday, September 27, 2009

...9.27.09...

this weekend
was homecoming.
funny
thing.
she was just
playing
with
bratz dolls.
her hair
was easily
managed
with two ponytails.
and the biggest
dilemma was
which dr. seuss
book were we going
to read.
not only do the outdoor seasons
change.
so does this.
...they both
seem to be
changing at the same
alarming rate.
welcome to coffee hour.
welcome to this Sunday morning.
just BE.
robin.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

...gather life's honey...

nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
talent will not; nothing is more commonplace than successful
men with talent.
genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. ~calvin coolidge
this is the Tao of success--the way--and like every other truth, it's at once very simple and very difficult. not the understanding as much as the doing, because the Tao of success is patience and persistence. patience is the art of waiting. like all high arts, it takes time to master, which shouldn't be surprising, since patience is the knowledge of time. how to use time to your advantage, how to be at the right place at the right time, how to pick your moments, how to bite your tongue. patience is discovering the mysterious pattern of cycles that cradle the universe and ensure that everything that has happened once will recur.
perseverance in life is being steadfast; persistence is being stubborn. persistence is grittier than perseverance. perseverance is achievement's perspiration; persistence is its sweat. persistence is knocking on Heaven's doors so often and so loudly on behalf of your dreams that eventually you'll be given what you want, just to shut you up. for example, think of an eleven -year-old child who want to get her ears pierced sooner than her sixteenth birthday, the age her old-fashioned mother thinks is appropriate. the first request, even if it comes in a burst of emotion, doesn't succeed. nor does the second, the third, or even the fourth. but the child who goes at you, morning, afternoon, and night, week after week, month after month; this child's voice is water to the rock of your reason. this stubborn but patient child wears you down, which is why you end up at the mall on her twelfth birthday, shaking your head as you pay to adorn her earlobes with tiny gold balls.
the potent alchemy of patience and persistence, which together become endurance, must have been what the lebanese poet hoda al-namai was meditating on when she wrote:
i have not withdrawn into despair,
i did not go mad in gathering honey,
i did not go mad,
i did not go mad,
i did not go mad.
if you are determined to gather life's honey, to stick your hand into the hive again and again and again, to be stung so many times that you become numb to the pain, to persevere and persist till those who know and love you become unable to think of you as a fairly normal woman, you will not be called mad.
you will be called authentic.
~simple abundance:a daybook of comfort and joy
~sarah ban breathnach
so.
after that lengthy read...
don't forget about HEY HARRIET and SSS.
gather your honey.
just BE.
robin.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

...mr. and mrs. kevin mulder...

Ashley and Kevin Mulder


i finally finished editing
and making copies
from our niece Ashley's wedding...
so i am sharing just a couple of them here.
it was a beautiful day,
she was a beautiful bride
and her mom and dad were stunning...
and of course big brother Ryon and groom Kevin were handsome as well!!

**********
"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes... rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you are in doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, love to complete your life."
- Anonymous
just BE.
robin.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

...in this home...

in this home...
we do second chances
we do grace
we do real
we do mistakes
we do sorry's
we do loud really well
we do hugs
we do family
we do love.
i saw this on a site
and it was painted on a wall...
i am so sorry
i don't have the site...
but i loved the saying.
if you know who it belongs to,
please let me know
and i will credit them.
i know it was with
a bunch of orange
colored photos.
thanks!!!
just BE.
robin.
here is the listing for an etsy shop that does the lettering with a description along with it. thanks joanne...next time i lose my car keys (or my sanity) i'm calling you!!!! i remember the site i was on...the gal was showing her love for the color orange...

Sunday, September 20, 2009

...9.20.09...

today.
this caterpillar.
is no longer
with us.
the frost of last night
has left him and his buddies
on the steps.
the seasons are indeed changing.
the withered black-eyed susan
catches a glimpse of
the life and youth of the younger
flowers behind them.
soon the beauty of the weeds
in the garden
will be a fuzzy blur.
"...Don't cry because it's over, smile because it was..."
seasons change.
with each time passage
find your joy.
enjoy the ride.
welcome to coffee hour.
welcome to this Sunday morning.
just BE.
robin.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

...crimson shadows...



~from the book
My Stroke of Insight
by jill bolte taylor, ph.d.
(The author had a stroke, she is a brain scientist, it took her eight years to recover fully. Her story is amazing.)
" Based upon my experience with losing my left mind,
I whole-heartedly believe that the feeling of deep inner peace
is neurological circuitry located in our right brain.
This circuitry is constantly running
and always available for us to hook into.
The feeling of peace is something that happens
in the present moment.
It's not something that we bring with us from the past
or project into the future.
Step one to experiencing inner peace is the
willingness to be present
in the
right here,
right now."
on that happy note...
don't forget to hop over to
HEY HARRIET for great
shadow shots!!
what is your step one today?
just BE.
robin.

Friday, September 18, 2009

...the webs we weave...

it
is tricky
capturing
a
spider web...
as the
camera doesn't
always
want to
focus.
oh but when that
red light
goes off..
i'm all over it.

yeah, i know...i'm an amateur.
it's all about knowing
your aperture and manual focus...and stuff.
someday.
i will learn.
but for now...i'm content with this.
i'm happy.
just BE.
robin.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

...white perfection...

days end
long shadows
cool nights
crickets
lovely
dandelion
silhouettes
knowing it's
their
last
hooray
before
the wind
gently
takes
them
away.
hope you are enjoying your days end.
just BE.
robin.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

...9.13.09...

"Something good comes from all things bad and the blessing of September 11th, for me, was one of perspective.
I appreciate the things I once took for granted but never thought to question.
I understand the difference between having fun and being happy.
I realize time is a precious commodity and the arbiter of fate.
I’ve learned that a dream is only as powerful as those who believe in it, the difference between lessons and mistakes are the ability to learn from them and that the friction between opinions is where true education is born.
And after a long, hard road, I’ve found that negative energy is wasted energy, money comes and goes and viewing obstacles as opportunities defines success.
Eight years after that fateful day, our country finds itself in a fragile socioeconomic state and a false sense of security.
It’s easy to be angry, place blame and lash out as the ramifications of the financial crisis ripple, the next wave approaches and policymakers seek solutions that will lower the standard of living for our children.
Today, however, is a day of reflection, a day of remembrance, a day of personal introspection.
If the greatest wisdom is bred as a function of pain, we’re blessed with the opportunity to evolve and the experience to remember.
It should never take something bad to make us realize we've got it good and we have profound reasons for gratitude.
On this day, September 11th, let’s take a moment to appreciate what we have rather than lament about what we don’t.
Tomorrow, as they say, is promised to nobody."
~a piece from Minyanville founder Todd Harrison
i believe
this is well said.
and i have nothing to add
except...
welcome to coffee hour.
welcome to this Sunday morning.
just BE.
robin.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

...king of the jungle...(or at least the yard)...

i just love these
photos of blue.
he is so
fluffy
and the shadows
made him look so soft.
he thinks he
is doing me a favor
by climbing up on my lap
for some loving...
he's right.
my heart purrrrs
right along with him.
for more wonderful
shadow shots...head to
and most of all enjoy the day where ever you are!!!
just BE.
robin.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

...give me words to speak...


"Give me Words to speak
Don’t let my Spirit sleep"

Aaron Shust-Give Me Words to Speak
what an awesome view
to wake up to monday morning.
a grand old oak-
with the morning sun
gracing us with it's presence.
the magnitude of this stately tree
is not clearly defined
in this photo.
it was the perfect ending to a great
holiday weekend.
just BE.
robin.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

...camping...

it has been a beautiful week
a week of vacation.
a week off of work.
we are camping at
our property.
it is 40 acres that is land locked.
our camp is in a bowl
with trees all around.
there is a creek that runs through the property.
beautiful.
peaceful.
this little guy is my shadow shot for today.
for more...go to HEY HARRIET
enjoy the shadow shots!!!
But most of all...
just BE.
robin.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

...if i could...

make a living...
doing
this...
i would do it
full time.
autumn to winter,
winter to spring,
spring into summer,
summer into fall--
so rolls the changing year,
and so we change:
motion so swift,
we know not that we move.
~dinah mulock craik
be bold in the dreams you dream for yourself.
~christine mason miller.
just BE.
robin.