Fascinated with Fungus!

For almost a week (or two) there were all these brilliant mushrooms growing all around my place. The weather has been unusually mild for this time of year as well as quite damp. I'm not sure if that is why, but I don't remember mushrooms in these numbers in years previous.

I took photos of the ones I found most interesting...the biggest one...the ones growing in the oddest soil or manner. These particular ones I found to just be rather cute. The are all huddled there together like a Smurf Condo.

Anyway. November is almost over...then back to a few posts a week. I do wish I knew what mushrooms were poinson and which were edible. It would be fun to go searching for some good ones!

Pretty Thoughts

This photo isn't the best...I am trying to learn how to use light in my favor in photography, but seriously, it is not easy.

It is a photo of my PartyLite Hurricane Jar Candle...cinnamon scent. It is sitting on top of my Hungarian Embroidered Doily. Yah...they call it a doily or a cloth. Let's go with cloth. It is sitting on my Hungarian Embroidered Cloth :)

As the candle burned to the end and all the wax was liquefied--it made this beautiful glow on the cloth. I literally sat and just watched the light dancing on the cloth...I even made a little video of it.

As I watched the light and the color my mind was calm. I have had so many opportunities to truly experience beauty. Where I live now has beauty...yet, I long for the mountains I know.

I miss the Rockies...I miss Colorado, Wyoming, Montana...the places I know. The ones I can see in the blink of an eye. The ones I can traverse without road maps. I miss the smell of the forests...the feel of the earth...the sounds of rushing water, spurting geysers, mud pots and hot springs.

I miss being there...and the freedom...the freedom that draws me back...again and again.

Much like the thunder I have described in the past...these mountains emanate with the aroma of our creator. Nowhere else have I walked with God, seen the Spirit dancing in the wind...the Lord's justice in the massive fires lapping at the skies, His hand of comfort in the waterfalls rhythmically crashing into the chiseled earth.

Freedom...joy...peace.

Some things never change...

This evening while I was cooking up some supper I decided to open up the house for some air since it has finally cooled off a bit!

As I was puttering about I heard one of my favorite things: THUNDER!!!

I went out to the porch...and soaked in the energy. There wasn't really much rain involved and the whole thing was rather brief. It was only a little taste of the the storms of the AZ desert and the CO mountains that I love. Though these brief interludes of amazing-ness only whet my longing for the powerful and beautiful storms I miss so much...I cherish them.

It is in these moments, much like when sitting on top of a mountain peak overlooking all creation...that I am so utterly reminded of the beauty and power of our Creator.

Life can seem overly busy-hectic-all encompassing-even important. It is in these interludes that I find myself grounded...utterly mesmerized by what is important--and that isn't me.

What is it that keeps you grounded?

: )

Birch Bay

I was able to spend the weekend in Birch Bay. My friend Ruth has a time share and invited me up with a couple of other girls. It was a good time! The photo above is picture from our balcony at sunset one night.

We walked a lot. This is a photo of the girls: Megan, Ruth and Robin. Here we are walking along the tidal flat. The sand was really soft and silty. There was lots of slimy stuff, too.

This is a photo of the sand.
I like it :)

Here are just a few photos of the area...We walked up and down the beach in the mornings and did things at the resort through the days as well as exploring around the little beach town. Sunday night we went to Birch Bay State Park for the sunset...and took a little walk around there before it started to sprinkle little raindrops. The photo of what looks like a small river is from a footbridge there.

Lots and lots of water!!!

Overall...it was a beautiful weekend. I love that through creation God reminds me of his majesty...that through the vastness of the ocean...the beauty of the sunsets...all the pretty flowers...the power of changing weather--I know God is bigger than I can fathom.
He is sovereign.
My life is His...may I trust Him.

Pretty things...

As I was walking this morning I took a couple of photos of some of the BEAUTIFUL flowers around where I live. It was clear as well...I have to admit that when I'm here in town and I can look over and see the Olympic mountains in the distance with their snowy peaks and deep blue crevices majestically peering out at all creation, it is amazing! I absolutely see the magnificence of the creator in all the amazing things around me!

I'm off to Birch Bay in a few hours. I'm excited to see a new place and explore a bit! I'm sure I'll take some photos and share them when I'm able.


I hope you all are enjoying where you are today!!!

: )

...blazing moon...

I was lucky enough to catch the lunar eclipse last night. Only today did I see that we won't see another until 2010. (weird!) I tried to grab a photo--but it was too much for my meager camera to take in!!

Sooo...here is a link to a REALLY cool AP photo that was in my der Spiegel feed this evening. It is the eclipsed moon over a building in Jerusalem's Old City.

When I stop and think of the stunning things that happen in our world... Creation does cry out, doesn't it?

Just thought I'd share :)

: )