A Day At The Fair

Spent the day yeterday at the Coastal Empire Fair with Cathy, my father, Tommy and his friends Taylor and Tyler. Crystal clear blue skies and warm southerly breezes made for a wonderful afternoon's fun and the smiles on the faces of the boys, Cathy and my father warmed my heart and made my face muscles hurt from laughing and smiling at their joy.

The above picture is of the three boys (Tommy is on the left- reclining) with two dare devil motorcyclists who wowed the crowd by cycling inside a steel sphere with their attractive female assistant standing in the center! What a feat of nerves and courage. We all thought this was just trippy!




Special effects of an attraction in motion- although I wasn’t brave enough to ride this one- it did seem to be spinning as fast.

Three carnies posing for the cam. How much can three little boys spend on games and food? A Lot!

Cathy and the cutest little friend riding the Whirl-a-thingy.

Ferris wheel at night. Of course, the best part of any fair is staying until the lights come on and the eyes are treated to a festival of colors. The smell of cotton candy, candied apples, Polish sausage, onions & peppers, funnel cakes and Pizza filled the air…and the coffee, black & strong was the best!

I really like observing people, seeing the assortment and watching them interact with each other and have fun. I was reminded through observing the various ethnicities and ages mingling together at the fair that the language of joy is universal and the most easily communicated and understood. We all have more in common than at first perceived.

Everywhere One Looks

Us

Us

From silence,
here, everywhere,
from all-ness
...I am...

and I love your giving me voice.

You say nothing wrong,
even more; nothing right,
it is only utterance, and
...I am...

Believe in yourself,
don't believe in me,
Love is where this
begins making sense
and is where
...I am...

if you only knew how beautiful you are
if you only knew how blindly my eyes see you
know this-
and know...I am and you are, too.

Meredith's Open Doors

Here are some most eloquent words written by my friend Meredith at her site Graceful Presence. I have been searching for such words to adequately describe this feeling of autumn and of losing myself too through "open doors" that are found everywhere.

Meredith describes the many "open doors" for her as those places or moments...'where we are able to peer deeply through and extend ourselves beyond visual boundaries.' and 'into the presence of a graceful and silent energy.'

Having just returned from the mountains of North Carolina and experiencing a touch of autumn along with its 'grace and silence'...Meredith's words describe what is beyond me at the present moment in my desire to summarize my feelings with the entrance of such a beautiful and enchanting season.

My own personal "open doors" are the inspiring writings of my friends, the warm smiles and hearty laughter of family, the touch on the heart from love given and love received, the mystical sounds of 'old soul' music freely flowing and weaving itself into my being, the view of a new world found through my camera's lens, the inexplicable language of water moving in a mountain river, the silent stillness of sunset over a marshy inlet sound, the eruption of joy in my son's eyes when he is filled with enthusiasm... all this taking place in an incredible, magical play of consciousness we call life.

I witness the bewildered eyes of those who do see beyond, into and through... "open doors." I see the clear pathway beyond all thresholds and the way is made more clear by you- you who are reading these very words. Our very presence, here and now is in and of itself an "open door."

Open Doors
by Meredith

"Autumn is surely here – beautiful turning leaves and pumpkins at the farmer’s market tell me it’s true. This week the weather has grown colder, especially at night. We have begun to light the woodstove in the evenings, and sit silently in front of it, mesmerized by the glowing flames. The orange and golden flicker, the warmth of the fire, and the gentle sound of the air swooshing around within the stove make me feel so relaxed. As I quiet myself, and peer into the flames, I become rather lost to time and circumstance. The flames become a doorway to me, as if to another dimension. What is through and beyond this door? What energy moves within the flames? What causes them to dance so beautifully?

In a moment when I am lost to distraction, when I am relaxed and open, I feel the presence of this graceful and silent energy moving through random doorways within my sphere. This presence gently holds me, comfortably cradling me with such tenderness. Like the flames this energy also lovingly carries me, beyond time and space, beyond person, place, or thing. For a moment, there is no separation between me and the flame – I am warm, glowing, dancing with gentle swooshing breezes.

There are so many open doorways such as this – where I am able to peer deeply through and extend myself beyond visual boundaries. I move through a doorway looking into the river at sunrise, through again when I peer into a child’s eyes. Looking up to a mass of red and golden leaves on the sugar maple waving gently in the wind transports me through the door. Watching the raindrops make circles in the birdbath or feeling the hand of my beloved move into mine can do the same. My kitten’s purring always lets the sounds of the universe through a door, the night sky door opens me to endless galaxies. Foggy mornings with pungent mossy woodland fragrances pull me through again and again. On high mountain trails I can see through and beyond the door into forever. Through open doors I am the sunrise, the child, the leaves, raindrops, the beloved, and the kitten’s purr. I am the night sky, and foggy morning, and the forever.

What are your open doors?"

Checking Out!

Will be away for a while in the NC & Tennessee Mountains enjoying family & friends and celebrating Autumn . Plenty of thoughts and pictures when I return.

Peace & blessings-

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12 Years Ago

Happy Anniversary Baby!

You're still my main groupie-