Added Dose of Delight

Rainy evening brings
a bright day beginning;
exuberant as the sunshine
and feeling the richness
of God's blessings;
storing up in my heart
a loveliness I can't impart.

Only truth and wisdom
break through my guarded heart,
choosing words that do good,
without harsh or bitter bite.
Thoughtful musings before
words expressed
will produce an added dose
of delight

Breathe Deeply: Notes on New Places

A God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

- Proverbs 11.28

Coming back from a vacation forces me to shift back to remembering how to breathe deeply. Daily life moves quickly and tasks at hand are always pressing on you.

And I sometimes forget to breathe deeply.
And by that I mean, slow down and notice the little things.

When I go away to new scenery, no matter what it is - it could be a roadside diner, a mountain town, or a deserted building along the way, I scrutinize the scene and the details of it. I analyse textures in my mind and outlines the buildings with my eyes. I take note of the feeling of the place and decide whether I like it or not. I notice the people and how they talk (do they have an accent?) and how friendly they are (do they look at you and smile or completely keep their eyes cast down?). I notice if the air smells fresh or stuffy.

Don't you do this when you experience a new place? Or even a familiar place that you haven't been to in a while? I suspect that is part of why I love to travel so much. It gives me ample opportunities to experience and scrutinize my surroundings on a daily and hourly basis.

Do you focus on a certain thing? Such as people? Do you smile at a strong southern accent? Do you chuckle in the coffee shop when an older man asks the barista what a latte is?

God has give us variety in our lives and landscapes, and I want to experience it. These experiences help us grow into more welcoming people by forcing us to dwell in and appreciate a certain location and what it has to offer. Sometimes, it is even better than what you had imagined.

Writing is my Indulgence

I honestly think in order to be a writer, you have to learn to be reverent. If not, why are you writing? Why are you here?
Let's think of reverence as awe, as presence in and openness to the world.
- Anne Lamott

Writing is my indulgence.
I seek it every day. To record what I see, what I feel, and what I experience with other senses. It is something I have always loved to do. Observe. Record.

My tendency to adventure and seek new landscapes is so I can write about it. I come to such a joy in translating what I see to words on a page. Thoughts as I gaze at a scene made to inked-in memories. All of that provides countless opportunities, scenarios, and topics that inspire writing.

Indeed, my soul is a writing soul.
I dabble in words and seek new scenes.

I look out upon a landscape and hear poetry forming in my head. Words come gently as I stand on a mountain top or walk by rows of trees neatly tucked along a path. Nature's symmetric lines bring an abundance of thoughts, dreamy or insightful, but sometimes hard to grasp. There's no absolute guarantee it will be easy at that moment.

But when given the time, I let the quiet sounds, gentle upon the soul, sink into my background as the words navigate their way to the page more thoughtfully. The practice of writing is what improves the writer, even when it seems like I am grasping at words that flutter by too quickly.

The discipline of slowing down to write helps me expand my use of vocabulary and vary my sentence structure. It gives me the ample time to be selective in my word usage, which usually results in a more coherent piece.

Sometimes it works. And I use it.
Sometimes it will stay tucked away inside my journal.

But I will always try. It would be a detriment to myself not to. I am one who loves to learn, grow, and improve. It is part of my nature, deep inside. I won't just settle for okay. Complacency is my enemy.

So here are my pages of practice.
Some may be inspiring. Some not as much.
One thing I do know - I will always keep writing.

Fairyland

I filled my wallet with white stones,
I took three foxgloves in my hand,
I slung my shoes across my back,
And so I went to fairyland.

- G.K. Chesterton

As we drove up our mountain to our home one day my eyes gazed to the left where down the steep slope as far as my eyes could reach, were tall, elegant trees and an abundance of foliage, with shafts of late afternoon light casting an elvish glow. For a few moments I was caught in a scene of the departing elves, travelling through the land to the Grey Havens. I could almost hear their gentle song of woods and trees.

A peaceful quality came over me, sequestered in the hilly landscape with trees taller than our view and an ancient feeling left behind. No sound was heard. No rustle of feet, but I am sure some elves were passing nearby wearing thin, flowing gowns that melted into the slanting light.

A glimpse perceived, but not a second chance. Look again and it is only a breeze shifting the leaves along the path. Are they well traveled by the wood-folk?

In an ancient place we pass through a land inhabited by old stories and dreamy light, with possibilities endless of both sadness and delight.

The light through the trees shifted as we climbed the mountain and soon I was taken out of the dream and dropped back to life when the car jolted to a stop. But as I stepped out of the car I caught a faint glimmer out of the corner of my eye, in the direction of woods, which I suspect was a flowing elvish gown passing along some ancient paths into the depths of the woods.

Snapshots: Highlands, NC

Sweetreats ice cream is the best. It was essential that we visited at least every other day. You choose your ingredients and they mix it smooth in a machine so it's creamy and perfectly refreshing. You get your ice cream and sit outside enjoying every bit. My favourite ingredients of the week - banana and fudge, every time.

Lots of play time for my baby niece. Her Dad likes to torture her with towers, when all she wants is her little princess toy.  

Ellie and her Mom enjoying our gorgeous scenery, above the clouds.

I spent some time at Buck's Coffee Shop, downtown, with a good cappuccino, and taking a little time to check in with my work (just a little). 

A short walk down to Dry Falls, one of our favourite waterfalls to visit when we come up to this area. We've come here since I was little, so I am always fond of visiting this spot. 

You can walk behind the waterfall and feel the cool mist of water. It's a neat perspective to be behind the waterfall and hear the roar of water above your head.

Everything was so lush and rainforest-like with lichen and moss growing everywhere. The temperature was cool. The scenery stunning. 

Ellie walking behind the waterfall with her Uncle and Dad. So sweet.

Mum visiting with Ellie on our balcony. It was too beautiful outside to stay inside for snacks.

Our dinner out on the balcony, with a lovely view.

 

Jason and Renee enjoying some lovely weather and lovely views.

Walking around our property was delightful. Mossy grass and lush green was everywhere. It was quiet and peaceful.

Above the Clouds

The sun is breaking up
foggy layers that are
gliding up the mountain
and through our open windows.
Or is it that the mountain
itself is rising and shifting
the patterns of wind,
casting the greyness northward?
No matter.
Evidence of God's creative mind
is drifting by and rising with
endless sights of mountains,
far as eyes can reach.
Only the hawks that gracefully
soar past our balcony know
The secrets of the mountains
I remain silent, in awe, in respect
of God's majestic beauty
that our world displays poetically,
artistically, visually, whole-heartedly.

Finding Delight in the Messy

God delights in concealing things;
Scientists delight in discovering things.
- Proverbs 25.2

When things just aren't going your way, the world seems like it is fighting you. Everything becomes a nuisance. The sun is hot. The winds makes everything unsettled. Questions become annoying.
In those moments, we lose sight of what is important causing us to miss moments of enjoyment.

My family discovered many unpleasant things on our vacation. Our house had many issues we had to deal with. Things that added stress to our week which was supposed to be a week to de-stress us. More and more kept happening. We could have fallen into the trap of being miserable about the things that were going wrong, but I think we made the best of what we had by relaxing, cooking meals, playing games, and laughing along with sweet Elliott.

Here is what I determined. For the things that popped up as a speed bump to our glorious vision of vacation, look at the positives. Are you alive on a beautiful day? Yes. Can you gaze out at some lovely landscape? Yes. Did you make a cup of coffee to enjoy? Yes. Are you here with family? Yes. Did your baby niece just make you smile and laugh? Yes.

I see in myself the tendency to get stressed until I stop and reset my mind to remember that all shall be well. It also helps to acknowledge that the situations are out of your control. And all shall be well.

The challenges we face are things that will test and strengthen us, and getting through it will help is grow, learn, and become more wise. 

Breakfast Nook

I think my favourite spot is this breakfast nook. It is a simple round table with wooden chairs by windows and a glass door. All these remain open all day and night until we go to bed. The sunlight and cool mountain air can thereby keep this spot comfortable. Plus, the view of the mountains, of course.

A lot of good thinking happens here, I do believe. Something about the fresh morning air in combination with the delightful sunlight and an awake mind. If the house is quiet that's even better. More thinking, more churning of the mind, more writing.

It's my favourite part of the day. The morning hours.

In the morning:
The house is the most quiet
The air is the most crisp and fresh
My mind is awake and vibrant
The mountains haven't grown shadowy
The trees rustle gently
The coffee is brewing
My pen moves across the pages with ease
Books open to me and pages breeze by

This breakfast nook is attached to the kitchen, living room, and has a door to the balcony, so it can be a busy spot. But in the morning before everyone wakes it is a perfect spot with windows and doors open. I can sit here at the table on yellow-antiqued wood chairs painted with muted flowers, with coffee and books on the table, and a refreshed mind. Slowly as the morning progresses, family members will come through to make breakfast. My baby niece will walk in with her bright smiles and a book in hand. Even she gets it. It's the spot for thinking and reading.

Collecting Thoughts on the Open Road

Collecting thoughts on the open road - - - -

Bright blue sky and very hot. Road trip is under way. With the backseat to myself, the expansion of my thoughts is able to take up both seats.

Sometimes my words and thoughts need the space to permeate beyond my current location and setting.
I like how Alain De Botton explains it --

 "There is an almost quaint correlation between what is before our eyes and the thoughts we are able to have in our heads: large thoughts at times require large views, and new thoughts, new places."

Wide open fields graced with gentle hills glide by and it feels northern, unlike Florida. My eyes trace the hills to the far distance, imagining myself walking the slopes.

The road curves and rows of identical pine trees line the road making the road seem more closed in.

Then the road opens again to farm land and fences. My eyes spy for beautiful patches of flowers in the median. I watch for the next state's welcome sign.

Mat Kearney is singing through the speakers - a favourite road tune - - Watch the video HERE

come on and we'll see
like we were free
push the pedal down
watch the world around
fly by us
come on and we'll try
one last time

Feelings of wanderlust are accompanied by his voice singing those familiar words. This road is familiar. This path has been travelled many time before, since I was little. These mountains have my footprints in various spots, and they look the same each time I come to add some more footprints. But even the mountains are changing, like we all are.

Mountain Silence

It's quiet.
So so quiet.
I am sitting outside on the balconey that overlooks the entire valley and mountain range.
Birds chirp in the distance. Trees rustle gently.
That's it.
We are up here by ourselves. And it feels like this mountain is our own.
The air is fresh, mountain air. The kind that smells like forest and earth.

God's expansive mountainous landscape is set before me and I sit amidst it all.
Green covered mountains are at our height and a bit higher with no homes and no powerlines. Untouched land. This is true North Carolina and it is glorious. I feel like I can reach out a touch the mountains and yet they are across the valley.

Sitting out here on our wooden plank balconey, I am perched on top of the world with so much space to expand my thoughts and imagination. Lofty, dreamy air is fresh and moist. Weather changes momentarily, and we can see it coming and going.

They're called the Blue Ridge Mountains for a reason. A misty grey shade of blue are the mountains that make up the skyline against the white foggy clouds and breaks of blue sky.

They are also called the Smokey Mountains for a reason -- the way the wispy white clouds rise from the valley between all the peaks, it resembles smoke rising to the great reaches of the sky. It is dramatic and beautiful and invokes a sense of smallness in me. That I am able to sit here with a view of God's big-ness, which is just a tiny glimpse, I feel tiny.
But to feel small in relation to God is an inspiration. I don't want to feel big in a small world, but rather a tiny piece of a big, beautiful world with so much to discover and appreciate.