There was a time in my life when reading sci-fi or fantasy, I could imagine myself as the hero. You know you are getting old when you are too old to be the hero. This line of thought started when I saw a psot by David Brin, author of The Postman. I read that when I was younger; I was sad for the only use the bad guys had for the older women was as child care. Today I am reading a book that made me think of wandering through a magical doorway, and realized I couldn't help the wizard anymore.

I think I might need to eat again, or maybe just sit down with a nice cup of tea in my rocking chair.

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Ode to my always moving ancestors, who passed the desire on to me. Except, I am now planting myself, mentally and physically unpacking, growing things, moving in.

It took me a year and a cucumber smile to feel like this, pioneering into the future instead of moving to another space. 

The incurable optimism of the farmer who throws his seed on the ground every spring, betting it and his time against the elements, seemed inextricably to blend with the creed of her pioneer forefathers that "it is better further on" - only instead of farther on in space, it was farther on in time, over the horizon of the years ahead instead of the far horizon of the west. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

The turtle has always been a symbol of home. You are your home, wherever you are, is where you should unpack. 

Are you settled or stil just camping out?

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In between raindrops I took a cup of tea outside, into my own little (really little) garden. The day was wavering between staying stormy and the thoughtfully sunny. Walking in the wet grass and pulling a couple of weeds made me smile. 

Favorite things can make gray days seem brighter, and not just with the camera. This cup was a gift from a friend, who thought she owed me a gift because I gave her one. She didn't, but I took the cup. I don't think she realized how much this sweet little cup means to me. 

What makes the bridge between totally stormy or blue skies? A friendly cup of tea, for me. 

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Does this mean I don't have to feel bad and depressed because so many things are left unfinished at the end of the day?

A single, giant to-do list paralyzes people. Instead, make yourself a separate, shorter daily list, known as the hit list. I ask myself every night, 'If I get nothing else accomplished tomorrow, what are the two or three things that I would absolutely have to complete to make me feel as if it were a productive day? ~Laura Stack, author of Find More Time

The bells exploded in my head as I read this, and the squirrels danced.

Truly, we can only get done what we can get done. We kill ourself trying to get it all checked off, but really, we can't. 

We need to breathe deeply, and give ourselves permission to stop and end our day. Our ending absolutely has to leave us time to regenerate and restore before we go to sleep, or our day intrudes into our sleep in the dreams we might not remember. 

We need this during our days, too, at the beginning and the middle, not just the end. You have to make them, these breathing spaces. They do not magically happen.

Do you have a breating space?

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My life is insane. Multi-tasking is threaded throughout my life, it is a part of me. It is, however, crazy-making. Sometimes what I need to do is narrow my focus, letting everything but the moment stay fuzzy, soft, and in the background. Be where I am now. 

Writing gives me this, and photography, walking through trees, listening to the creek flow or the ocean wave. With these, I can let the rest of my crazy life fall away, for a little while at least.

When do you live in the moment?

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My life has been spent chasing one thing or another. Chasing dreams,  chasing kids, chasing dogs, chasing life as it raced past me. Other times, life was chasing me. 

Willie Nelson said it best in his song, Still is Still Moving to Me. 

And it's hard to explain how I feel it won't go in
words but I know that it's real I can be moving or
I can be still But still is still moving me still
is still moving to me

My mind is never still. I am always framing my next shot or writing words in my head, words that don't always stay. They run through me, and still moving, they go on out the other side. I learned to stop chasing, to stop worrying because I can't remember them. Now I just enjoy having my drive-by thoughts.

Are you the chaser or the chased?

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Fire fascinates me, a calming energy to flicker candle's, toast marshmallows, or fire a kiln. I am both energized and relaxed by the flames.

The way I use my camera to capture the sunfire might have been influenced by my love of earthly fires.

Walking around with my camera creates the same feelings as fire. I get in a zone where all I see is what I am shooting now or what I will shoot next; my fugue state, deep into peace, a breathing space. Each new shot moves me forward with excitement for the next one. 

Where is your breathing space? 

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I like to push limits. Tell me to not do something, and I am likely to respond like a two-year-old and do it anyway. 

There is a list of 78 rules for photography. I violated 16, 51, 52, 57 making this Lily Fire.

 The noontime sun, the heat, and the moisture in the air made these colors as I camera-painted. You can almost see the flames licking up, floating in the wind. 

Can you hear the snap, cracke, and pop of the fire, and, more important, can you smell the s'mores?

(78 Rules for Photographers, and a recipe for S'mores - scroll down and you can cheat with oven sm'ores)

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“What people commonly call stress, I believe is the rebellion of the heart. The heart can only take so much pain, disappointment, or upset. The heart is communicating to the mind, Hey! You better chill or else.” ~ Iyanla Vanzant

I will do my best, but I can't make any promises.

It's 95 degrees in Minnesota today, with a heat index of 120. 

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We went out to the farm again today. Chickens need watering and eggs removed (from nest, not chickens). Ruby was banned from the chicken house after her little freelance chicken chasing last visit. The chickens are happy to report all feathers were intact when we left.

Since she couldn't eat feathers, she drank chicken-egg water. Wishing an egg will break doesn't work, in case you were wondering. 

When was the last time you did anything with unbridled joy?

Go ahead, you have my permission to chase chickens. 

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There are always places and times we remember more vividly than others.

There is a garden not far from our place in Highland. It was amazing! Mindy filled her entire yard, front and back, with flowers and more flowers. These huge lilies are almost seven inches across. The rain fell, and I ran to catch the raindrops. The thunderstorm cleansed the air and the heavily-scented lilies perfumed it. 

What places or times bring strong positive memories for you?

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Things I learned today. 1) I have my own garden to photograph now (though mostly built my my neighbor) 2) I can get muddy when I am not working in clay (thanks to my own garden), and 3) Its a lot easier to photograph your garden than it is to take care of mine. 

This is Not On Fire(works), from my garden to you - Happy Fourth of July!

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I spent a lot of time wandering Linda's garden at their farm. This is where I find peace. My camera and I meander up and down the paths, Ruby at our side. It is her peaceful place, too. We get into a meditative state, forgetting time and troubles as we wander in between the flowers.

Do you have a spot you love so much you can forget where and when you are?

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There is a dance we do as we age. If we do it right, our minds and our lives become less rigid, more fluid. it is as important to keep our bodies moving as it is to keep our minds alive. Grab a friend and float for a while. A wise women once told me to take my dog for a walk every day, whether or not I had a dog. She meant to keep moving.

These Aging Beauties are reminding you to dance. Have you danced with the wind today?

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The trees get dressed up, with the assistance of nearby flowers. The wind plays the music as the trees swirl and twirl. The sun ads to the fairy lights, as the rays float between the leaves and around the trunks, creating a colorful strobe.

the trees have a party in the woods and no one is there to see them, does that make it any less a party?

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Friends sit together yet apart as the creek tumbles by. Green leaves wave in the breeze, the cool water splashing them as the the water cools and flows past your dangling feet.

Can you feel the love from the other side of the misty veil?

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Schools over, so this garden is gone for me. My gardens tend to be on the paths of my life. I frequently have to move on a find a new temporary home. Life is like that for me. I find a place to camp, something changes, I find another place. For me, that happens with gardens.

I find one I like and I become the crazy camera lady for a while, then that garden rests or the seasons change, and someplace else becomes my home. I am used to change, I love change, I thrive on change. Move my cheese all you want, I will find a new piece.

How changeable are you? 

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This egret comes back to Dew Drop Pond every year. Sometimes there is a mate, sometimes not. This one has been around for at least five years. I named him Charlie.

Every year we have a contest to see what happens first, he flies away or I get a good photo. Usually, he flies away. Its our little ritual. He sees me, he flies away, but only if I have my camera.

Ritual is important, even for a bird. Maybe, especially if you are a bird. 

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Dedicated to my mother, Verley Belle. I was blessed to have spent the last thirteen days of her journey deeper into Alzheimer's, until she was freed forever. 

AgingBeauty.pdf Download this file

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