And sharing some beauty…
I’ve had the luxury of time to enjoy some long morning walks around Mountain Lake in Moran State Park. This park on Orcas Island is about a five minute car ride from our house.
This lake over the last nineteen years has provided another place to think it out.
Thoughts of happiness, frustration, confusion and inspiration have seeped into the path that lies only feet away from the clear, cold water.
It also holds in its center, the island where one of my best friends was married. They had a vision. We thought they were crazy. People rowed in boats on a gorgeous, sunny day in July to this little island to witness their vows exchanged on a floating platform. And it was amazing. This same island was swam to four years ago with a man I didn’t know at the time would be the love of my life, and my now 81 year old father along beside us.
I normally walk the 3.9 miles in about an hour and 15 minutes. Clockwise. Today about thirty minutes longer with my camera. Some days it’s a 45 minute jog.
The strong scent of cedar flushed my nostrils as if I’d walked into a bathroom with a brand new air freshener plugged into the wall. The low rumble of a ferry’s fog horn drifted through the park. The natural beauty astounded. I cannot imagine tiring of these views.
My post on a walk on the Detmold countryside described a path I started not knowing where I’d end up or how long it would take. I thought about how often in my life I’ve chosen a new path. I’ve gained a lot of strength and insight. I’ve spent a lot of time discovering and learning how to navigate.
I’ll keep this simple. I’m once again enjoying a familiar path. It’s nice knowing where it stops and starts, how long it takes and where the switchbacks are. There is comfort. And there is more energy for other endeavors. On a familiar path, if you keep your eyes open, you begin to access the details. Details you missed the first one hundred times. I’m grateful to have an awesome love to share these details with. Love you O!
There is a balance between consistency, continuity and boredom. I’ve often avoided the first two in order to bypass the third. Don’t be afraid to change but don’t be afraid not to. Are you with me?
I’ve no regrets. I love where I am right now.
And I’m going to learn to let things be.
Full of thanks.
For those celebrating Thanksgiving or not, have wonderful experiences and…
Keep your eyes open. xx
tschüß,
Here’s what was happening one year ago: Get some exercise and some chuckles:
My dearest Wendy, every day is Thanksgiving with you back on the Rock. That beep when you pass my cabin, the joy of seeing you puttering in the greenhouse and knowing that I only have a 100 yards to walk to see you’re beautiful face, is the bounty that life has given back to me this season. I found your beloved Ol and now we will both share this wonderful gentleman while he starts his new life in this paradise. That’s the magic that brings everything full circle in its time. Welcome home. Dad … XXX000
Thanks Dad… It’s an exciting transition and I’m glad you’ll be a part of it.
Beautiful pictures! And I agree on the keeping your eyes open on a familiar path and beginning to access the details. Happy Thanksgiving, and all the best for your new life on Orcas!
Thanks Kiki- It’s a quiet morning for me. I’m making my beans and apple pie to take to our friend’s house. Enjoy the beginning of the Weihnachtsmarkt.
Another excellent post. Brilliant photography and wonderful sentiment.
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Best,
Conor
Thank you Conor. Looking forward to the turkey coma!
Thank you for sharing, I would love a place nearby like this, to just sit and soak up life and contemplate…Happy Thanksgiving from down under Australia.
I imagine you have your places of natural beauty. I saw of couple that looked pretty special on your last post:-)
Read this first thing this morning. Your words inspired me – thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks so much Margaret. Have a wonderful day.
Wendy – solch wunderschoene Bilder – ich wuensche mir sehr, dass ich da auch wandern kann.Der Duft der Baeume …..oh ich kann es fast richen, hier in Sued Indien.
Have a wonderful time back ‘home’ – but where is home?> Hamburg or …..
Danke dir… Nach drei Jahren in Hamburg, bin ich jetzt auf unserer kleinen Insel und dieses ist “home”. We have family in Germany and will still spend time there too. Lucky for us.
What a beautiful walk for us! Happy Thanksgiving to you!!! xx
Hi Smidge… thank you. cheers…x wt
What a wonderful post. Orcas Island is indeed a beautiful place to be…a great place to be thankful for. xo.
It is a great place. I’m thankful for so much this year and moreover everyday now. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of good food and good laughs. xx
Hi Wendy ~
Your thoughts bring this poem to mind…
Happy Thanksgiving ~ Sue
T. S. Eliot
Little Gidding V
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half heard, in the stillness
Between the two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always–
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of things shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.
Beautiful. And so appropriate. Have a lovely day Sue…xox
That is beautiful Wendy. What an amazing “think it out” place. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you… I love your Thanksgiving menu. Will enjoy hearing about your day. x wt
Wendy, love your way celebrates Thanksgiving … we have so much to be thankful for – so we should have a thankful hour everyday instead of one day per year.
Stunning photo – you live in wonderful surrounding – it shows you’re close to Canada.
My favorite photo is the 2 photo page – with the stubs and one with moss.
Wendy, changes are good for us … and so long as we go ahead and do changes, are we alive .. and that’s something to be so thankful for
So so much everyday. Thankful and grateful. I think you know… times for change and times for staying put. All in a life Viveka!
xo
Wendy, you said … and hopeful the most important things in life will stay the same during our changes.
Wendy … I want to ask for your support and vote here – for my photo – the race is so close .. and I need every vote I can get – here is the link … and you only have to click on LIKE. http://rodposse.com/2012/11/20/18th-challenger-fountain/
Thanks from my heart. Viveka
Awesome! Beautiful pics, and lots of Mother Earth to be thankful for.
Oh yes. Thanks Resa… despite the early darkness, it’s a beautiful time of year.
Loved wandering vicariously on your walk with you! so beautfiul indeed!
Hey you…
cheers!
What a beautiful place to clear the mind. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
It was very good. We had a fun evening with friends on the proper day and another on the weekend so I could have leftovers!
I loved your post. Thanks Kathleen
Sent from my iPhone
So glad you enjoyed it. Life’s a long road of discovery… best to you and keep writing.
Happy Thanksgiving Chloe – different kind of a post from you – beautiful never the less!
Hi there… thank you. Nice to see you…. x wendy (chloe is my girl
)
I’m sure you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. You are in such a lovely place now to contemplate and enjoy life.
I’ve mentioned, it is a beautiful time of year. Just trying now to figure out taking pictures in the dark at 2.30pm! x Hope you had a nice holiday.
What a beautiful place to live.
Thank you Stacey. Happy decorating
lovely photos Wendy and BTW I love your dad – can I adopt him? LOL
Most of the time no… sometimes yes. He’s got a heart of gold and a wit that can’t be beat.
I swear I could smell pine and cedar as I read your blog and enjoyed your photos.
So beautiful.
That’s the new WP plug-in. Make scents. …
Wendy, what a beautiful place in the world! If I lived there I wouldn’t leave.
Look forward to your next Orcas visit Karista… we’ll have a walk around the lake. x wendy
That looks like pure heaven. What a privilege to live with all that beauty. Wow. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Very wonderful and a good warm up for December. I’m feeling grateful.
I love these photos of the calm and nature surrounding your home. Going back and reading abut your ‘Thanksgiving’ its refreshing to hear your thoughts on what it means to give thanks. That those many years later, you can look back with such fond memories of the life you’ve lived and (with the choice people in your life) thus far!
Thanks… There have been a lot of good chapters on and off the island but I do have a new appreciation for community and the beauty I’m surrounded by. cheers… wendy
I enjoyed the walk in nature so much this morning. It is past the Thanksgiving Day, but I am so thankful everyday for what I see and experience. Being unable to walk for real right now, the scenery was just what I needed. I could almost taste the air and smell the woods smells. Thank you, Wendy. Have a blessed day.
Thank you Harriet- I appreciate your words. Blessings to you and your journey.
Hi, Wendy. Just wanted to pop in and wish you a very Blessed Christmas. One that will give you the gift of family and friends, and one that your biggest dreams will come to pass.