musings from the mountains: September 2008

Go Outside and Play!

“Go outside and play!” said God.
“I have given you Universes
as fields to run free in!
And here—take this and wrap yourself in it—It’s called:
LOVE
and It will always, always keep you warm.
And stars! The sun and the moon and the stars!
Look upon these often, for they will remind you
of your own light!
And eyes…oh, gaze into the eyes of every Lover.
Gaze into the eyes of every other
for they have given you their Universes
as fields to run free in.
There.
I have given you everything you need.
Now go, go, go outside and play!”

‘Go Outside and Play’ © 2007 Em Claire

Monday, September 29, 2008

RELAX AND ENJOY...

Sunday, September 28, 2008

A MAN OF GREAT CHARACTER...

He had beautiful blue eyes, outstanding acting talent and incredible generousity to those less fortunate than he. He will be greatly missed.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Newman

Those who are most lucky should hold their hands out to those who aren't.
~Paul Newman

Friday, September 26, 2008

THE BEST THE YEAR HAS TO OFFER...

myspace layouts

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

GATHER ROUND...

the campfire, its that time of year...roast a weenie...burn a marshmallow...make smores...cuddle up with the one you love...laugh and sing with your friends or just allow yourself to become hypnotized by the magic of the flames...relax and enjoy

myspace graphics

Monday, September 22, 2008

WELCOME AUTUMN...

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one autumnal face.

~John Donne

Thursday, September 18, 2008

SOLITUDE...

I long for scenes where man has never trod;
A place where woman never smiled or wept;
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept:
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie:
The grass below-above the vaulted sky.
~John Clare

Monday, September 15, 2008

HARVEST MOON...

September's full moon gives us more time each day to harvest our crops...working till "late in the evening", we toil till the fields are bare and the pantries are full...now we are ready for the coming winter frosts!

myspace layout

Sunday, September 14, 2008

LATE SUMMER IN THE APPLACHIANS...

Butterfly Weed...a favorite of the bees as well as the butterfly. The Butterfly Weed is a member of the Milk Weed family and therefore, supplies an ample supply of nectar for our flying insect buddies...grows prolifically along roadsides in the gravel and poor soil. Must get entire root to successfully transplant.

Ironweed and a UFO!!!...

hovering above one of the most beautiful roadside wildflowers. Named for the strong stem required to hold the large clusters of gorgeous purple flowers. Used by Native Americans for stomach aches.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

HAVE A GREAT DAY...

myspace layout

Monday, September 1, 2008

LIFE ON THE EDGE...

I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Piano Player

AS PROMISED...

A hummingbird's nest...most nests are about the size of half a walnut shell, so, that would make this nest the "Mother of all hummingbird's nests". This nest is closer to the size of a coffee cup, made up of the usual moss, plant fibers and surprisingly they also use spider webs...found along a riverbank walkway by some very observant folks, who having stopped for a sit on the nearest bench, noticed the many trips of hummers to that particular tree. They went on a search as to why and discovered this well-camouflaged nest. My "hats off to them"...I still have trouble finding it and I know its there!

AGE OLD WISDOM...

If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills,
If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time,
If you can overlook when people take things out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

well...hell...you're probably a dog!
~Author unknown

LIVING THE WISDOM OF THE TAO...

One who would guide a leader of men in the uses of life will warn him against the use of arms for conquest. Weapons often turn upon the wielder.

Where armies settle, nature offers nothing but briars and thorns. After a great battle has been fought, the land is cursed, the crops fail, the earth lies stripped of its Motherhood.

After you have attained your purpose, you must not parade your success, you must not boast of your ability, you must not feel proud; you must rather regret that you had not been able to prevent the war.

You must never think of conquering others by force. Whatever strains with force will soon decay. It is not attued to the Way. Not being attuned to the Way, its end comes all too soon.
~Lao tzu
Tao Te Ching

PRAYER

Lord, make me an instrument of Your
Peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow
love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt,faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to
understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we
receive;
It is in pardoning that we are
pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal
light.
St. Francis of
Assisi

(1182-1226)

musings from the mountains