Step into the Unknown

It is familiarity with life that makes time speed quickly.
When every day is a step in the unknown,
the days are long with gathering of experience.

George Gissing
19th century

Of Note: My older sister, who takes these fantastic shots, understands that perceiving beauty in everything around us inspires hope. She has always had the ability to look for and see hope in every experience. If we all could that that, we would change the world.

Today's Weather Report: The morning after a thunderstorm is so refreshing. The storm clouds gathered yesterday afternoon rather unexpectedly and the temps dropped suddenly to the low 70's. It was nothing earth shattering, just a nice, soft pitter-patter to put us to sleep without air-conditioning. Today the glorious sun is shining, but more thunderstorms are forecast. Bring it on!

Commodities of Trade

The ideal economy combines
the spiritual and the material,
and the best commodities to
trade in are sincerity and love.

Morihei Ueshiba
20th century

Of Note: Here the water looks motionless, caught in the act of reflecting the sun. Marie snapped this shot at the Dallas Arboretum in the spring.

Today's Weather Report: Yesterday was a good day not to be working outside. It got into the 90's in the shade and was well over 100 in the direct sun. That's hot anywhere but for northern Wisconsin is blistering. Today promises more of the same.

Bringing Happiness or Pain

Because the law of karma is
inevitable and infallible,
whenever we harm others,
we are directly harming ourselves,
and whenever we bring happiness,
we are bringing ourselves
future happiness.

Sogyal Rinpoche
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

Of Note: The world might be a better place if belief in the law of karma spread to every corner. Even to the corner Marie illuminated in this captivating photo of Utah.

Today's Weather Report: Jim said it was going to rain today most likely. Well, it's sunshiny and in the 80's with not a cloud in sight. Apparently, the Great Lake Superior captured the storm and broke it up. That's too bad because now we could use the rain; our lake is down again.

Unending Thanksgiving

May your heart be an
altar from which the
bright flame of unending
thanksgiving ascends
to heaven.

St. Mary Pelletier
Embrace the World

Of Note: Texas has the most amazing sunsets, and Marie captures them regularly. She takes transcendent flower pictures but her sunsets are beyond the beyond.

Today's Weather Report: More sunshine and hot, although the mornings start off cool in the upper forties or lower fifties. The dog doesn't move very far after noontime, preferring to loll in the shade.

Goodness in Suffering

Suffering exists not for the
purpose of hurting us,
But to teach us where in general
good is to be found,
and thus to make us stronger,
more intelligent and more vibrant.

Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

Of Note: Could it be that God love speaks through suffering? The mesmerizing ocean scene taken by Marie can take us away in meditative reflection on that potentially illuminating thought.

Today's Weather Report: It is getting redundant, I know, but the sunshine and cloudless sky at 70 degrees is just perfect. I started off this morning in a robe at a cool 48 degrees but will end the day in shorts.

Even Those Without It

I am never far from those with faith,
or even from those without it.
Though they do not see me.
My children will always be
protected by my compassion.

Padmasambava

Of Note: For some reason, God is always close in sunset pictures. What is it about the sun and God? Marie has always had a good eye for God and shows that in this magnificent shot.

Today's Weather Report: More of the same, just like yesterday. We will take it! Our garden looks like a bevy of purple this year. Or, maybe it's just my eyes predominately seeing that regal color.

Breathless and Beautiful

There must be always remaining in every life,
some place for the singing of angels
some place for that which in itself
breathless and beautiful.

Howard Thurman

Of Note: The ocean has a way of capturing the soul in its expansive beauty. Marie caught the moment perfectly in this shot at Galveston last week.

Today's Weather Report: It's a good day when the temps are in the 70's and a light breeze is blowing with the sun shining. Not a cloud in the sky. The mosquitoes and flies are having a heyday, however. Those huge, nasty horse flies are the worst. They actually take a chunk out of the skin when they bite. Ouch!