Cathy's 3 Day Walk

Dear Friends and Family, I would like to start off by saying that the 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk was an experience that I will never forget and I sincerely thank you for all your support and love. The first day was very exciting to meet new people along the way and hear their stories of courage and faith. It was about 19 miles to our campsite. I made it the first day and very glad to have no blisters on my feet. The campsite was great; it was actually like one big slumber party with matching pink pajamas and accessories. Day 2 was a little harder on my legs. I made 10 miles and my muscles cramped up on me. I was rescued by my Bob who patiently massaged my cramps away. I spent the night in my own bed that night and was glad I did. Day 3 was slow and steady and very hot. I was very happy to have passed every single first aid station at our pit stops. It was an extremely emotional moment to finish that day feeling grateful and complete! Some of my favorite photos are here: Love, Cathy L Droll [as always, don't forget to click on pic for full-size]

Big Day

Today was a big day around here. Started by getting up at 4 to take Cathy to the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Breast Walk. Just got off the phone with her, she walked about 18 miles her first day! Feeling good, and feeling beat. When I drove away from there this morning I thought how brave she is, no team, just Cathy, doing what she said she would do. She had some good times today, glad to be with all the beautiful folks doin the damn thing! I usually don't miss her on the first nite, but tonite, I do.

Then, there's Angel. About a month ago she started having a problem with her eye, vet said scratched cornea. Don't get me thinking about eye pain. Didnt' heal right with the cream, treatment we've been trying, so today, surgery. Not only her eye, but a growth removed from her skin too. So, she's got the cone, and a t-shirt to keep her from messing with her owies. She's gettin some extra special love around here tonite.

Her and BooBoo are here right now, hanging with the old man, missing their mama too. Sometimes, your weekend isn't what you thought it might be, but more often than not, it's pretty damn good to be alive, sorrounded by loved ones.

[remember, click for full size!]

End of Scenic Drive

Over the years, coming west on Highway 260 back from Alpine and beyond, on the way home typically, we come to the town of McNary, Arizona. Just at the onset of town, here's this sign, letting us know that we've reached the end of the Scenic Drive. What a crackup to live, just past that sign. I sometimes feel I live just past or perhaps before, where the good stuff is! This guy's house, happens to be on the other side of the scenic drive! For some reason, and it's a sick one I'm sure, I just get a friggin kick outta where this is placed, and why we need signs to tell us when/where scenery starts and ends! I love this country!

[as always, a reminder, you can click on that photo above to get the full size image!]

Ursi Rides Again

You guys know how much I love this ladies blog. She posted a couple of entries today (or recently that I thought you might also enjoy). A trip to Indonesia and a story about an artist. Some more fine reasons to sit down at the computer on occasion. warmest,bobJuan. [Picture from her Indonesia trip]

Good Morning!

This little beauty showed up in the backyard today. I check on my plants about 50 times a day; each time I step out to have a smoke, OK, maybe a few more than 50!

This guy shows up over nite! The particular cactus this one comes along with (from) has been the same height since I put it where it now lives. I've often thought about how this plant is just stunted, but it stays green, and I still give it the daily love. Look at its "brother", planted the same time, about 8 foot tall. I call it Eli.

I'm hoping for some more from this part of our world. I'll keep you updated here. [As always, click on the pic for full size view.] On morning two, the beauty opened. I suppose it was wide open all nite. Before I took this picture there were about 30 or 40 what looked like little bees having a feast inside. Yesterday it looked all male, this morning, all feminine. I know ya'll get flowers on your cactus all the time, this is our first, and we've had these guys about 4 years or so now. Yum.

Merton Quotes

I like Merton. A nice part of starting the day with some soul-searching and meditation. Anyway, check him out here with HH.

Three quotes from a couple of books I'm currently reading.

… but any fool knows that you don't need money to get enjoyment out of life.

A man knows when he has found his vocation when he stops thinking about how to live and begins to live.

The solution of the problem of life is life itself. Life is not attained by reasoning and analysis, but first of all by living. For until we have begun to live our prudence has no material to work on. And until we have begun to fail we have no way of working out our success.

What about me?

Check out this video.

Another Trip To The Mountains

Cathy and I found our way up to Alpine, Arizona for the 4th year in a row this summer. We weren't as photo-happy as in years past, but took a few pics you may enjoy. Cathy was there for the first two weeks with Angel, alone , enjoying the everyone-needs-a-little-time-away game. I came up for the 2nd two weeks and brought my own special set of needs for her to deal with. Sorry Cathy. Some rememberances and then the pics (remember, you can click any of these pics for the full size). Cold water comes from the taps (if you're in Phoenix this time of year, you know what I mean!). Elk, Horses, Skunks, birds-of-color, aspen, rain, napping when it rains, mountain hikes, lots of down-time, did I mention naps? We found a new spot this year, Escudilla Mountain. Oh my, what took us so long? A 3 mile hike to the top. Aspens, altitude, the works: And then, a few more of our favorite loves, the horses Honey and Papoos! There's nothing better than some horse-soul-love every day! We again, came back to Phoenix so very thankful for our chance to enjoy some mountain time together with each other, Angel and long-rainy-afternoon-naps!

Eli Birthday Party, June 24th, 2007

We got together last nite to celebrate Eli's birthday, Cousin Billy's graduation from Fireman School, and to share some family and friend time. Here's some of the shots we took. Click on them to see the full size! [If Andy gets me some more good ones, I'll add um here.]

How Does He Do It?

Rumi.

The clear bead at the center changes everything. There are no edges to my loving now.

You've heard it said there's a window that opens from one mind to another,

but if there's no wall, there's no need for fitting the window, or the latch.

He certainly dips his pen somewhere precious.

YouTube!

Oldies, and goodies. What a wonderful world. Imagine. Imagine again w/Bill Clinton. I love this one. Richie Havens. Fragile. Lady In Red. My goodness. More to come!

Three Things Today

First up, our favorite soon-to-be-daughter Amber graduated from Dental Hygiene school yesterday. We've been with her for several years now watching her work tirelessly to get accepted into the school. Retaking English 102 is enough of an indicator of how she would not be denied! For two years she's been gettin after it, and has finally reached the other side/shore. The good news is, she still loves my son Eli and perhaps will marry him away from me someday soon! I thought I was going to have to pay some girl. That's her, Eli and I at the celebration gathering yesterday afternoon. Secondly, recent movie: Winged Migration. Absolutely nature. These guys spent about 4 years all over the planet making this movie. The photography of our planet is awesome, forgive my adjective-weakness. They talk about holding up in some place for 2 months to get a shot, and then, it ends up being less than 1 minute in the final cut. There's hardly any narrative, mostly beautiful music that was written for the film. I first saw it on PBS last week, and had to order my own copy. Recommended for anyone who loves birds, our planet. Third. Some Rumi. If you've not read any Rumi yet, I think it's high-time you did! I'm getting through the second read of Essential Rumi. Every spoken word is a covering for the inner self. There is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence it opens. With wandering talk it closes.

Where we do it!

We got into this place because of the patio about 7 years or so ago. There's always something not quite in its place back here, in process. I mostly try and keep the big-chunks cleaned up. It's our place. It's where we do the things we do. Make love, argue, fuss and fight, have friends over, family. Sit. watch, dine, hope and despair. All of it happens back here. You can see Angel to the left of the green lawn chair in the middle of this shot. She's not why I took it, but she don't know that, she's a ham, whatever that means. I love living here with my girl, taking our life in day by day. Showing up for what comes our way with as much tender attention as we can. If that patio could talk!

OK, a little politics.

I just sent my first contribution to a candidate this cycle. Bill Richardson. He has a couple of things going for him that appeal to me. Number one, he's not number one. I've always sent what little money I contribute to the guys on the side-so-to-speak (McCain last time, NOT this time, Ross Perot, Governor Moonbeam, you know what I'm talking about! OK, maybe not Ross!). On Bill's homepage he talks about 1) Bring the Troops Home, and 2) stopping the genocide in Darfur. Not a bad introduction to a couple of things I care about. I'm NOT a republican or a democrat. I'm not even finished paying attention to these guys/gals that are running. It's just that Bill has caught my attention, and I really like his style and wanted to contribute to his efforts to talk about issues like this. Truth is, I am saddened by my realization that we currently have the worse president ever right now in so many heart-breaking ways, I am looking forward to .NEXT!

Mom

My Mom, I’m getting ready to send a card to my Mom for mother’s day. Getting in the mood to find a way to somehow describe how big my love is for her. Rumi would say something to the effect that words for this kinda love can’t fit in my mouth or not a single pen or all the pens in the world would be up to the task or even if you could find some words, they would seem counterfeit, a flimsy attempt. Children do better with a picture. In my own case I am blessed beyond reason. My mom taught me everything I know about real love, day-in-day-out kind of love, how to love your family and put them above all else kind of love. Often my Mother’s day gift is gratitude to her and a fresh commitment to keep that love-light on in my own branch of this beautiful tree she started. Words, oh my, keep up!

Don't kill that bug!

I have been reading some Issa for the last few days. A book that I retrieved from Morrie's things. A couple of thoughts. I think the author Lewis Mackenzie does a really nice, kind introduction to the man. I'm not a critic of anything really, so I wouldn't know how well the author Lewis or Issa the poet did in those circles, but I do appreciate people talking nice about things (you knew that). And there are several of his poems that treat insects and animals, birds, all of it with the utmost recognition of our common time and life. He brings them into the scene with the life-respect that all living things deserve I feel. That kind of stuff really gets me juiced up. This morning, I was doing my own homegrowne style of this. That bird up there sees everything Doesn't care what's coming. OK, I'm out there now.