Spring Retreat

Today, I fed my soul on mountain meadows…

And Spring flowers…

I understand better why Jesus often went off to “lonely places to pray”. (Luke 15) I’ve been in school now for almost 7 months and most of that time has been spent with 1200 other bodies. That’s aaaalot of energy colliding in one room. I’m entering our spring break/mission’s trip week with burn-out nipping at my heels. So, to get ready for my upcoming travel…where I know I’ll be spending a few days of 24/7 with people I hardly know…I’m taking time to feed my soul so I actually have something to give.

Today, I drove up into the mountains…turned right onto a road named, “Oak Run Road”…took a left onto “Murphy Lane” (just because it beckoned me), and then checked out “Tracy Creek”. Oh…I LOVED it! The countryside was just what the doctor ordered.

Then, I hiked a trail where these beauty’s resided (hoping someone would come along and appreciate them), but they were a little off the beaten path…and I didn’t expect them…so I had to go back to my car and grab the camera. BTW: I’m trying out a huge, telescope lens on the Pentax without the Silver Fox to guide me, since he’s in the Joshua Tree National Park as I write this.

I’ll be taking the rest of this week off to get ready for my trip and to continue “feeding my soul”. Thanks for stopping by and I pray you find good food for your soul this week, too!

 

 

Changing Seasons

“Selfie” in Palm Springs by Tom Clements with his iphone…Max doesn’t like selfies.

These two pulled out of our driveway in the wee, early morning hours Thursday, and won’t be back until May. (Insert sad face.) First stop for them: Palm Springs for a weekend art show, then on to Tempe, AZ, for another. The Silver Fox already has a full show season with more to come. Yes! 🙂

From there, they…meaning man and beast…head back to TN to do production for the upcoming spring/summer shows. This definitely signifies a change of season for us. Tom won’t be back in CA until the week of my graduation. (May 9th) I’ll fly to TN for Easter break, then come back for the last couple weeks of school. He’ll drive back here after our KY show and we’ll pack up the rental and drive back to TN. We’ll officially be “southerners” then. Didn’t even see that coming a year ago…

Here’s what Tom was looking at in Palm Springs this morning:

And here’s what I was looking at in my backyard:

Right now, Redding reminds me of Wisconsin in late May/early June. Take hope, my dear Midwest friends…seasons do change!

Spring Frogs in Redding

Last week, Tom and I found a new trail to hike on. As we rounded this bend…

Click on pics for larger view

And passed this beautiful tree…

We heard the familiar song of spring frogs. (We call them peepers.) I tilted my face to the sun, closed my eyes and was brought back to our Wisconsin home with the pond in the backyard. I imagined Tom and I on a crisp, spring evening…laying in bed…windows cracked slightly…allowing the buzz of the frogs to be our white noise. For just a minute, I missed my old home. Then I remembered that my Wisconsin friends were now experiencing below zero weather…almost every. single. day…aaaaand I didn’t miss it so much. 🙂

Hang in there friends…spring IS coming!

Quotes from our special guests at school this week:

“You cannot do what you don’t believe you are.” – Steve Backlund

“Cemeteries are decent and in order.” – Steve Backlund

“Your spiritual, load-bearing capacity is in direct proportion to your level of joy.” -Steve Blacklund

“Some of us need the discipline of joy.” – Steve Backlund

“As soon as you own your destiny, you partner with God.” – Steve Witt

“Success is when opportunity and preparation cross paths.” –  Steve Witt

“In God, there are no hard places.” – Steve Witt

Happy Sunday, Ya’ll!

Move Pt. 2

Redding, CA

I must say, I’m feeling a bit of solidarity with my WI friends tonight. Redding is getting snow…and it’s accumulating. (Big news around here.) Church even got cancelled because of it…all 2 inches of it. We found out on our way. Who knew 2 inches could cause such a thing? Could end up accumulating to 4, I guess, but I don’t mind…it gives me a little bit of Currier and Ives. By Monday, we’re back in the 50’s.

Neighbor’s lights

I haven’t posted all week because as soon as we landed from our WI move, we started relocating ourselves into a new place out here. Our old one was just too small for Tom and I to function in it together…not enough space for both of us to work. I went from a one bedroom, fully furnished (tropical-style), mountain chalet to an unfurnished, three bedroom home. We had fun picking out a few pieces that would supplement what’s in storage and now we feel like we’re truly settled for the next few months.

Hawaiian chalet

New home

I don’t have the best lighting for my iphone, but you get the picture…we’re happy campers and love the new space. It even has a fenced in backyard so we don’t have to worry about Max heading out on treasure hunts.

My next post will be about “change reaction.” ‘Til then…keep warm!