Archive for the ‘Reflections’ Category

Perspective

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Today was the second day in a row that we were at the gym, watching gymnastics and breathing chalk dust. The girls did well, and as always it was fun to watch.

66/365 perspective

The best part was realizing that Shann cn pick up and keep going after making a mistake. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it before, but the error was always reflected in her face, the effort of fighting off tears was evident. Today that didn’t happen. In my book that counts as a win.

65/365 Painty's Gift

Yesterday I received the nicest gift from Laura at the Unique Sheep. The orangish colour isn’t something that I would have chosen for myself, but I absolutely love it! Thank you Laura for such a thoughtful gesture. It makes me smile every time I look at it and I love it wearing it.

On the shelf

Friday, March 5th, 2010

They sit there. Forgotten relics of a younger age. Gathering dust and collecting memories of childhood dreams and games.

64/365 On a shelf

Ever watchful. Ever vigilant. Mindful of their manners and too polite to complain of the cramped sitting conditions.

Monday Meanderings

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Almost ten years ago, when my girls were much much younger, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. It was shortly after my youngest was weaned and she saw me as I emerged from the shower. As I remember it, the conversation between the two of us went something like this:

Shann: Mommy, you don’t have a nursing? It’s gone?
Me: Yes honey, it’s gone.
Shann: Will you get another one?
Me: No. I don’t think so.
Shann: That’s okay Mommy. Maybe tomorrow.

I have held that memory close throughout the years. That simple acceptance that no matter what, that I was still Mommy, still me was a gift beyond measure. It carried me through the physical healing process from surgery, the nausea and hair loss from chemotherapy. I don’t know if either girl understood then, or if they will ever know how much the simplicity of their acceptance helped carry me through that time in my life.

Maybe tomorrow. That tomorrow is almost here. Next Monday I will undergo the reconstruction phase of this journey. It seems weird to write of it but it is part of my cancer journey and recovery. It won’t be easy. But it is time.

60/365 Woolgirl Rocks!

eta 3/2/10: I apologize for my really awful editing last night when I posted this. Sorry!

love through the years

Friday, February 12th, 2010

I had lunch with my folks today. This has become an annual tradition where we meet up on the Friday at the Madrona Fiber Arts Festival. I love that I still have them around and that I have the means to treat them to lunch once and a while.

43/254 through the years

I love that their hands show their love through the years. They have been together for over 50 years now and the accumulative years really are reflected in this photo.

42/365 flame

Simplifying

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Occasionally it pays to break things down and take a different look see at something old and familiar.

35/365 Necco Wafers

Case in point Simple Necco waters took me past the events of the day and gave me a new perspective towards today. Amazing how just a slightly different angle changes everything.

Poetry and other things

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Gymnasts are a tough bunch. They work hard to make their sport seem easy. But what you see on their meet days doesn’t even begin to reflect all the hard work they do in practice.

practice at the gym

I was reminded about this today when I stopped at the gym and took a few moments to just observe the girls during their strength portion of their work out. Just watching the seemingly endless repetitions is exhausting.

33/365 Chocolate Dreams

This week’s challenge over at the 365 project is food and beverages. At knitting tonight there was a basket of Theo chocolate bars. It took quite a lot of self discipline on my part to avoid indulging myself. However I suspect nibbling on my the household chocolate stash when I got home was a bit counter productive.

Today is also the silent poetry reading day for bloggers. I had thought about writing my own poem and while I am perfectly capable of doing so, I found that I am lacking the necessary inspiration at the moment. So once again, I’ll share one of my Pop Newkirk’s poems.

Soul Flight

Seek some pleasant, seaside nook
Where sunshine warms and waves are still,
There, resting with a worthwhile book,
Forget the woes of life which kill.

Upon your ears the soothing rote
Of lapping wavelets on the shore,
Fall into time with lines you quote
From some great poet, gone before.

So pause, with life’s descending day
And, conscience clear from willful wrong,
Observe the lights and shadows play
To form the pattern for a song.

Out in the sun-blessed afternoon,
Mind entranced by the wild bird’s tune,
Breathing deep of the rich perfume
Of red June roses, ripe with bloom.

The soul leaps up in ecstasy
To ride the dreams of Destiny
And, soaring far above the grime,
Finds height and reach in space and time.

I N Newkirk, II

Hiding in Plain Sight

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Things around here seem to go hiding with alarming regularity. I swear that this house has an innate tendency to eat things at will. I find that this phenomenon occurs more often if the object is really really important.

27/365 hiding in plain sight

Very similar to this Christmas ornament hiding out in a basket of yarn. Things are in plain sight, yet hidden so well. I’d reflect upon this wonder and give it the honour due, but in short I am just plan too tired to put it all together. However, I suspect the way that my luck is running at the moment, I’ll be up most of the night pondering the subject as I toss, turn and curse my chronic insomnia.

Under construction

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

I got home this evening and found this in our living room.

24/365 under construction

It occurs to me that life is a journey that is under constant construction. Not just the state of my living room. I’ll just settle for the person who acquired this particular gem to remove it from the floor where I can trip over in in the middle of the night.

At the last moment..

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

I thought that I had my photo for my 365 project all figured out. Then I went to knitting tonight at the Fiber Gallery and I had to park a bit farther away than I anticipated. Suddenly this picture (although I really liked it)

branches

Just wasn’t what I wanted.

19/365 Out of the blue

A little bit out of the ordinary. And there it was. I wonder what else I may miss by staying within the lines of my life. Clearly I need to expand my horizons.

Wooden Shoes

Friday, January 15th, 2010

I am at my folks home this weekend. As I pondered what to use for my photo today, I thought that this wouild be a great opportunity to capture some images that remind me of my childhood.

15/365 wooden shoes

These wooden shoes are one of those. I remember putting them on when I was much younger and clomping around the living room, relishing the clackety clack as they went across the hardwood floor. My siblings also played with them and in turn the next generation.