Tag: travel

Simply Sunday

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Limits

How do I know them
without testing
How do I test
without facing fears

Once set, how do I
accept and maintain
Or know when it’s time
to test them again

Questions resurfacing
during recent scenic,
but harrowing drives

Past experiences in cars
suddenly out of control
inducing present fears

My desire to stand under
the wisdom of giant trees
tugging at my soul

A fear my body remembers
fighting with an experience
my heart strongly desires

A work in progress
Accepting my limits
Not giving them control

Forever treasuring the
feeling of walking through
a grove of Giant Sequoias

Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park

Mariposa

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You greet me with
the fresh scent of
pine bark and soil

Like the smell of air before rain

Your guardians stand
majestic and grand, some
over a thousand years

I am a guest in your home

Gray squirrels scurry
across fallen branches,
dark-eyed juncos sing

Sweet melodies reminding
me again my visitor status
This is not my home

A message reinforced
in my tired body with
each continuing step

How foolish to consider
only the humans who first
encountered your wonder

Now, I imagine a black bear
lumbering through your
gates, groggy from hibernation

A yellow warbler finding
rest in your treetops
following a long migration

A swallowtail sipping
sustenance in a meadow
of springtime flowers

Thank you seems insufficient
Today, it is all
my heart can manage

Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park

Traveling South

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Stunning sunrise
on my right
Lingering Moon
on my left

A perfect spot for
contemplating
the coming day

The sunrise feels
grand, vibrant colors
impossible to ignore

Brilliant light rising,
reflecting, refracting,
lifting, and warming

But the Moon seems
so small.
It looks a bit lonely.

Until it dawns on me

The Moon is resting,
soaking in sunlight
to be reflected in
the coming darkness

And there’s a person,
waiting in the dark
who will witness
this same Moon

The brightest light in their sky

Still traveling South
Wondering
What I will reflect
in the coming day?

Sunshine on My Shoulder by John Denver Kelley Morris, piano

Getting Carried Away

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Where would I wish to go?
And who might do the carrying?

If carried by a cloud,
wherever the wind blew-
Watching shadows float
across the landscape below

Not simply reclining, but
looking through binoculars

Searching the trees, flowers,
and people below in hopes
of greater understanding

If carried by a horse-
Sitting tall, laughing
As my hair flows behind me
Holding tight to the reins

Exploring places only
The horse knows how to find

Admiring hidden
landscapes, amazed.
I’d have so much to learn.

As with any trip,
It would eventually
come to an end

And I would free
fall, confident
You’d catch me
and carry me home

Documenting

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Gathering
Some carried flags
Others held carefully crafted
signs clearly expressing their purpose

People from all walks of life
Chants steady and strong
No troops, no ICE
No troops, no ICE

The message filling
every ounce of space
between the buildings
that lined the city streets

A continuing steady march
toward freedom for all
No troops, no ICE
No troops, no ICE

Weaving our way through
the crowd, there was no
fear- only strength and unity,
magnetic and memorable

Gathering
The words continue ringing
Faces captured in my mind’s eye
A grateful observer documenting truth

We were guests, visitors to the city. And though not participants in Chicago’s No Kings rally and march, we stood in agreement, willing observers.

Understanding the importance and power held within peaceful protests. And it was peaceful. And it was powerful.

Thank you, Chicago, for allowing us to take in your beauty, character, food, and history. ❤️

Simply Sunday

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After Careful Consideration…

I study the image, moving
past flashy first impressions
to the combination of
smooth surfaces and fine lines.
Flecks of light reflecting
from the deepest crevices.
Curious about what events
heightened these characteristics.
Both the expected natural
occurrences and
the unavoidable extremes.
Relief in a cool breeze.
Peace glistening in the snow.
Heartbreak felt in a flash flood.
A grief-induced drought.
Passion flowing from a waterfall.
It’s curious how the
careful consideration
of an unusual pillar of rock,
sitting peacefully
in the middle of rushing water,
gently nudged me to consider my reflection more carefully.

Riverfront Park-Spokane, Washington

Highly Recommend

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Circus-like music follows
a brief safety announcement.
Like magic, the ride begins to spin.
Music fades as laughter grows.
Waiting in line, I notice
Intricately carved horses,
ornate benches, a tiger,
even a whimsical giraffe!
This rider is not a child.
But for a few minutes, a child at heart.
Temporarily transported to childlike days.
Days when playful innocence
served as a protective shield
against the weight of the world.
If you happen to pass by
a carousel, hop on!
And if it happens to have
your favorite animal,
no other choice will do!

When researching things to do in Spokane, Washington, the Looff Carousel caught my eye. Dating back to 1909, its beautiful wood-carved animals stand in a perfect circle. Patiently waiting for their next rider.

When the opportunity arrived, I hesitated. Would I feel silly riding a carousel by myself? Maybe a little, but it was worth it! And by the way, the giraffe is my favorite animal. 😉🦒

Where am I?

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Above or below, a scene unfolds.
Questions are a necessity.
Are those white frothy peaks
On wind-tossed waters?
Is that a tundra covered in snow?
Are those mountains in the distance?
Or simply a bank of storm clouds?
I see them from below almost every day.
Viewing from above offers new perspectives.
It requires engineering and mechanics.
Logic combined with wonder and awe.
Below, I stand firmly on the ground.
Above, I fly, unsure of my place.
Above or below, a scene unfolds.
Questions are a necessity.

Somewhere over the PNW. 💙🤍✈️

Simply Sunday

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Around Here


Welcome! Have you visited the park before?

Oh, yes. I grew up around here.

Well, welcome back!

Kind words, friendly smiles.
Surrounded by nature.
Glass walls for viewing.
Birds flitting from tree to tree.
Squirrels scurrying across rocks.
Giant pines swaying, drawing eyes
toward slabs of slate lining the mountain.
I remember the views from above.
The world below seemed smaller
and bigger at the same time.
Perhaps I need to experience
that view again. An observer,
with added wisdom?
But for today, I’ll simply
enjoy the memory of
growing up around here.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park 💚