Lovely Lavendar Kisses the Sun

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The Peace Rose is one of my favorites!

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Rattlesnake "Running" Away as Fast as her Scales Will Take Her

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A Rattlesnake Visits

Yesterday, I had a fabulous time painting on silk while sitting in front of my house. Fir and madrone formed an azure shield that protected me from the hot afternoon sun. I was engrossed in playing with dyes on taunt silk, mesmerized by the different colors reacting to each other in unique ways. Suddenly, out of my peripheral vision, I noticed something move, and when I looked up I saw a rattlesnake slivering towards me. It was within 24 inches of my feet, which were on the ground, and instantly I instinctively raised them up in the air, adrenaline pumping through my entire body.

As soon as I moved, the snake froze. I’m not quite sure what the snake was thinking (do snakes think?), but I suppose I surprised her when I raised my feet up. Grabbing my camera, it just wouldn’t turn on fast enough. Trying to focus on the snake became nearly impossible because I was shaking so much. She turned around and started to “run” away from me as fast as her scales would take her. Trotting after her, clicking my shutter as fast as the camera would let me, I tried to capture her image. And then she was gone.

My kids were just babies when we moved onto this land. This was about 30 years ago. My husband and I were terrified that a rattlesnake would bite us, or worse yet one of our babies. So we killed them. Then I would skin them, and cook them (they taste like chicken breast, but with a lot of bones). When Christina and Calvin were around four and six years old, we stopped killing the snakes, and instead taught our kids to be careful where they put their hands and feet. The snakes weren’t trying to hurt us, and we didn’t have to kill and eat them. That is when we learned how to live in harmony with rattlesnakes.

Ben and Chris clowning around

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Biker in Tutu arrives at the Circus Party

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A Mural Celebration

My Beloved son, Calvin Turnwall had another one of his famous birthday parties last weekend. This year had a Circus theme. Calvin, who is a talented artist, painted the outside of his trailer for the event. In fact, he was still doing finishing touches on the mural at 7:15 when people began showing up for the party.

Each year Calvin has a different theme for his party. Previous themes included the wild west, animals, and the pirates of the Carribean. He paints the outside of his trailer to go along with the event, and everyone is expected to wear a costume or one will be assigned. This year included a fashion show and some circus games.

Calvin has plans of getting rid of his trailer in a few years. I have been telling him that I will help him sell it on eBay. So, if you think that you might want a country trailer with a mural on it be sure and bookmark this page or contact me @ skywatcher013@yahoo.com.

It is 7:15 pm, and Calvin is still putting on finishing touches on the mural that adorns his annual birthday party last Saturday.

The elephant looks so real that Christina looks like she may be in danger and not know it.

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Calvin working on circus mural

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More Magic in the Land of Mendocino. I took this picture a few days ago when we were fleeing the heat.

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Magic in Mendocino!

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Daring Dahlia

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Cool Water Sanctuary

Yesterday was hot, though a bit cooler than the last few days. The ocean-tinged breeze caressed my bare skin as I painted on silk in the shade of the firs in our front yard. Yet, the sun burned across the sky I felt my internal temperature rise. Time to cool off.

The best idea that I could come up with was to submerge myself in a large body of water. Our pond is within a five minute walk from the house. I wanted to share the experience of being in the water with someone who would appreciate it as much as I do. Then I remembered a friend, Mary, who in the area visiting, and, on a whim called her. She was delighted with the idea of cooling off in our pond, and drove right over.

The walk to the pond was quite easy until we got to the part of path that had not been weed-wacked this season. To my surprise, the grass waved lazily over our heads. It was like being in a giant maze. I felt like a kid breaking a trail as we bushwhacked our way to the other end of the pond where it was easiest to wade into the alluring water. The walk was worth it. Mary and I submerged in the shallow end of the lake and cooled off as we caught up on the last thirty years of our lives.

The Grass Waved Lazily over our Heads

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Our Swimming Hole

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My first Day Lilies of the season are blooming.

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One Way to Cool Off

Roasting summer heat, tenacious as a pit bull, has settled over us here on our hill. Last night, the low was 79 degrees, and in our bedroom it was in the high eighties. While we had a fan blowing on us all night, it was still difficult to sleep. I usually don’t like to wear earplugs, but I wore them last night to help muffle the sound of the fan.

To make a long story short, today we decided to get out of the heat and go to the coast. The drive only takes a little over an hour. When we left our home before noon it was 85 degrees. We decided to check out Russian Gulch, just a little north of the town of Mendocino, it was a cool 57 degrees with a brisk breeze. I had to change from my short cotton sundress to sweat clothes. Finally, we could cool down our core temperatures. After driving to the beach at Big River, we strolled along the beach at low tide, and then walked a ways up the side of the river until the temperature began to feel like the heat that we had just fled, which happened within a mile or so. Then we went back to the cool of the misty fog. Ahhh, so refreshing.

This was taken about one mile up Big River. The cooling fog was waiting for us back at the beach.

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Cooling off at Russian Gulch

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Beautiful to look at!

My artichokes have been disappointing to eat, so I decided to let them flower.

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Darling Dalia

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Dancing with the Moon

In my adult years, I have struggled with getting enough exercise. It seems as though excuses come all too easy. In my younger years, I found an ingenious way to get enough exercise and to make money—I taught exercise classes, mostly to women (including pregnant women). I have also taught exercise classes for Senior Citizens and youth. I have one of those (now rare) Life Credentials issued from the State of California to teach physical education and art.

Oh my, I certainly seem to have gotten lazy as I have aged. I have noticed that when I don’t do much in terms of using my body, I don’t have much energy. The more I use my body, the better I feel—well, at least up to a certain point. If I cross over it, though, sometimes I pay. I may injure myself, or feel exceptionally sore the next day. So, when I am using my body, I need to remember that I am not a 20-year-old athlete. I need to be present with myself just as I am today.

Yesterday was incredibly hot. We had an inversion, and it was still toasty in the evening. I was busy on the internet, having great fun researching silk painting (my newest “thing”). Steve came in and invited me outside with enticing words about how beautiful it was. I said OK, and kept right on with what I was doing. The third time he asked if I was ever going to turn the computer off, I finally let go of the cyber world and strolled into the real world.

It was still in the seventies outside, and it felt luscious on my bare skin (yum, yum). The moon, which was in its second quarter, glowed like white fire. Why had I been so unwilling to come outside? It was otherworldly, and yet available in the twinkling of an eye. I started dancing with the moon as my partner. I realized that many others have danced with the moon over the millennia. Then, while I swayed rhythmically both to my own rhythm and the sky rhythm, I heard owls in the distance. Their sweet music bathed my ears and soul in the magic of the natural world.

I placed my feet shoulder distance apart, my knees bent. I could feel the energy coming up through my feet, into my body and out my fingertips. Relaxing my shoulders (an area in which I have carried a lot of tension most of my life), I felt as though I had let go of my worldly woes. Moving my hips in slow circles, my arms and hands in a circular pattern, I swayed in perfect balance with the earth and the sky.

Then I remembered to be present with the whole rest of the All-That-Is. I sent light out of my heart, and the top of my head to all of my brothers and sisters. I wondered who else was dancing with the moon at that moment.

I would like to invite you, in silence, to dance to the light of the moon. All it takes is pulling away from the TV or computer and tuning in to the natural rhythms of your Self, the earth and the sky. You may want to gather together with friends, or coordinate a time while being in different places. Join with me, wherever you are, move your body, and open your heart. Your body knows how to move, and how to heal itself. It just takes being present in the eternal now moment to tune in.

Peace Path

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Lily-of-the-Nile. I shot these proud flowers in my friend's yard in Santa Cruz over the weekend.

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Gorgeous Geraniums


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A Little Different View of our View

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Room of My Dreams

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Close to Openning

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My favorite plants to grow are volunteers, like this happy Mullin.

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Madrone Doggy

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Potent Sterling Rose

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Still Green on the Hills in July

Finally, we’re having some hot summer days, and evenings warm enough to sit outside and bask the glorious sunsets. It’s been an unusual rain year here on our hillside in Northern California. We had .95 inches of rain on June 18, which brought our annual rainfall to almost 66 inches. Usually, by the beginning of July, which is when we start calculating the rainfall for the next season, the hillsides are completely dry. Last year, we had less than five inches of rain after February. If you noticed the green grass on the sunset picture I posted yesterday, that is the first time ever I have seen green on the hills here in July… and I’ve been here 30 years!

We have had a few evenings lately when it was warm enough to sit outside and watch the sun set and the astonishing colors drain ever-so-slowly out of the cobalt sky. Last year this time, we were able to sit outside comfortably in most of May. This has been an unusually wet and cool season (and I must say beautiful, too).

Summer's Warming Rays

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