Solitude, Serenity, and Beauty

 "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." - John Muir

"After all, I don't see why I am always asking for private, individual, selfish miracles when every year there are miracles like white dogwood."  - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"Solitude is a condition of peace that stands in direct opposition to loneliness. Loneliness is sitting in an empty room and being aware of the space around you. It is a condition of separateness. Solitude is becomng one with the space around you. It is a condition of union." Kent Nerburn, Simple Truths

circling mysteries of metal and stones

soft places to walk, strong places to rest
my beautiful new park with no name

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." - John Muir

I was curious about the metal "structure", shown below, at the south end of the pond-like depression in the middle of the park. No clue what it is.

 

circling mysteries of metal and stones

soft places to walk, strong places to rest
my beautiful new park with no name

 May you notice a miracle

Savoring Life

"Because I have traveled, I can see other universes in the eyes of strangers. I know what parts of me I cannot deny and what parts of me are simply choices that I make."  - Kent Nerburn in Simple Truths: Clear & Gentle Guidance on the Big Issues in Life

I awoke with an inner voice calling out for an adventure. My usual Mondays include enjoying every last minute in bed prior to work. Today, maybe the prompting was stronger or maybe having a blog where I could post new photos was just enough motivation to encourage me to move outside my pattern. And a very satisfying choice it was. Or still perhaps, it was a calling . . .

Within a few minutes of where I live, I took a turn down a street I hadn't been on before, seeing parts of a neighborhood new to me. Within a course of 2 to 3 hours, I did this a dozen more times. I had a very expansive feeling looking up one street climbing a hill that there must be millions streets out there I've never seen. At the time, I was just enjoying the openness of the feeling. Now, recounting it, I'm thinking I can never run out of new things to see and experience. And, familiar is so deeply satisfying. Um, good.

adventure to a known place
the ticket is an open heart
corner turned bridge appears
supporting many journeys
while holding the inbetween
visible guardian of space

I was able to enjoy a delicious meal at the Full Moon Thai in Richmond Beach with friendly and gracious restaurant staff. The experience was enriched by the peaceful, spacious, and beautifully decorated two story dining area. My surprise at the end was the after "dinner" candies at the register. Did know that they make Tootsie Rolls in lime and vanilla flavors now? I didn't.

Atypically, I decided to go across the street after dinner to have a cup of Chai at the Richmond Beach Coffee Company. Also, greeted by a friendly staff, I was even more pleased that they bring your drink to your table. This is not the usual service for our Coffee/Espresso places here. Their decorate was a mix of old furniture with sitting inside and out. It was the perfect place to sit, write, read, oh, and enjoy some tasty Chai.

I am slowly reading Kent Nerburn's book Simple Truths which I definitely recommend. Library of Congress has it catalogued first in a category I don't remember seeing before: Conduct of Life. Just interesting. Actually, I am re-reading it. As I finished it the first time in a day. Now, I am going back and savoring it as there are so many beautiful sentences and ideas to enjoy. . . some of which you see here.

"I know the blessings of my own table and the warmth of my own bed. I know how much of life is pure chance, and how great a gift I have been given to be who I am." - Kent Nerburn in Simple Truths

Many you savor moments new and familiar

Burien's Pea Patch in the Art Space

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment.  My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.  The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful."  - Abram L. Urban

Sustainable Burien installed Community Gardens At Burien Interim Arts Space which I now is abbreviated as B/ IAS. The gardens as you might imagine added to feeling of being in a community space. I loved all the beautiful benches the gardens had.

If it were up to me, I love to see this interim space remain as part of this community with the imaginative art space and gardens.

I discovered the names of the artists and names of the works from the photos I posted yesterday can be found on the B/ IAS website. . . " An urban canvas for temporary art and community collaboration . . . "

simple heart center
gathering human spirit
growing edible love

"Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof." - Julie Moir Messervy

May you enjoy the bounty

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park

“for whatever we lose (like a you or a me) / it's always ourselves we find in the sea” - e.e. cummings

deep silent rippling paths
shining shifting shimmering
sunset ships and the sea

As my days off were winding down, I felt the pull to do a small bit of wandering. Richmond Beach is relatively close yet I a place I rarely visit. It was an excellent choice for a peaceful view of the Puget Sound at sunset. The park is layered so it was easy to find a silent reflective place of my own. Always restorative.

Next stop dinner. I had an unusual experience while enjoying my dinner. A gorgeous well dressed looking young man came up and asked if he could join me. Without much thought, I responded that I wasn't looking for company.  After he left, of course, I wondered why he had wanted to join me, if in my younger days I would have said yes, and if I missed some special gift. But, the truth is I was really enjoying my dinner, my company, and the free newspapers gathered up to look at. There is something luxurious about dining out on a Friday night and having new material to read. While the company of a stranger may have been an interesting adventure, I am grateful that I am satisfied in being alone.

“There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul” - Victor Hugo

Further Friday Adventures of Jan & Lynn

 "To be a real traveler, you must be willing to give yourself over to the moment  and take yourself out of the center of your universe. . . Become part of the fabric of their everyday lives. Embrace them rather than judge them, and you will find that the beauty in their lives and their world will become part of yours." - Kent Nerburn, Simple Truths

stalled car detour unplanned plateau view
adventures lend themselves to intermissions
rolling down the road makes my heart happy

After a filling lunch at Twede's yesterday, and a turn around the town of North Bend with views of Mt. Si, we headed back towards Seattle. (Did I even mention I had the luxury of  being the passenger?) Jan decided to take a trip to another place I didn't know existed just outside Issaquah, a landing field for people paragliding off Tiger Mountain. We didn't see anyone in the air or landing this time, but I think I saw a piece of glider that was up in a tree.

After the landing field, Jan was kind enough to take me to a landmark restaurant in Issaquah that I've seen on TV, XXX Root Beer. They serve root beer made from a 1930 recipe. I enjoyed the very frosty mug - perfect for drawing on. However, the root beer was a little sweet for me. The inside of the restaurant stuffed with all kinds of memorabilia.Then, there is a 1950s Kenworth - the Buddy Holly Tour Bus -in their parking lot. I love the fact that I have finally been there. Yeah!

It's exciting that in one afternoon, I was able to have so many new experiences. And then to be blissfully settled in back at home.

“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Miriam Beard

May you have wonderful adventures, and blissful homecomings

Edmonds - More Photos

“Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.” - Michelle Held

St. Edward State Park - More Photos

Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.  - Benjamin Disraeli

La Conner - More Photos

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.  I travel for travel's sake.  The great affair is to move.   - Robert Louis Stevenson

A Simple Step

I've had another interesting day scouting the internet. I discovered I already have the link to Technorati in the Add This widget on my page. I recommend the Add This widget if you haven't check it out I recommend taking a look at it, it's a link to many wonderous places. I haven't manage to get the Bloglovers button yet hit a snag I didn't understand.

I signed up for a gallery at Flickr today since someone else is enjoying the name of NW Artist there you can find the pictures I posted under my Twitter name NWWolf.

Realized I really haven't done any journaling or writing in the past 20 years. I'm hoping I get more interesting as I go along. But for now, I can't promise amazing feats of journalism any more than I can a fancy, spiffy layout. Grateful to be here, blogging, comtemplating multi-opportunities for growth.

Now for a wonderful Rents Due Ranch Fresh Crisp Lettuce wrap with Trader Joe's crushed garlic and Just Cesar chunks of chicken. Yum.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention one of the most favorite parts to my day - getting some neat add-ons for my Mozilla Firefox brower, Add This, WOT, Shareaholic, Download Helper, and a Geotool that tells you what country a site is in. More to explore and consume.

Journey On The Edge - My First "Movie"