CB&W: Open Topic

September 7, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

It’s been awhile since we’ve taken to the open road, since light protruding through shadowy clouds has charmed and lured us onwards, hearts set on adventure, minds as open as the landscape. Just beyond the state line of Arizona, driving into California we were greeted by this posse of burros, shamelessly begging despite the signs […]

Building a Foundation (with help from wikihow.com)

September 5, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

Choose the type of foundation to build. I want a foundation strong enough to carry me through hard times, yet flexible and able to adapt in the moment. Something sustaining, and solid, but not rigid. Set your footings 2 feet across. Two feet on the ground, firmly planted, well balanced, not alone, but interdependent, both partaking […]

Lens-Artists: Action

September 4, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Oh, to jump without fear – a skill long passed, although leaps of faith, I still take – never too aged for those. I remember when speed equated with freedom – a constant race – now I walk with careful measure, fresh air still accompanying pace. Never could accomplish a cartwheel – coordination not amongst […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #14: Foundation

September 3, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

“What about my marriage?” a naive, much younger me once asked a psychic. “The foundation is firm,” the woman responded hesitantly, “but not without cracks.” Cracks? It was more like gaping holes. Easy to see now, in retrospect, but at the time, I was convinced we were rock solid. The suggestion of anything less insulted […]

Continue to Question

September 2, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

Inquiry is a trait teachers hope to instil in students – the ability to not just take for granted that which they have been taught, but the curiosity to question evidence, and to research beyond what is given. Questions form the basis of a reflective life. This week’s challenge was to think about the questions […]

Photo a Week: Details

September 1, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

I’m drawn to the details – a knot hole in a tree – hoping my close-up will reveal a curiosity. The inside of Saguaro, ancient and grey – reveals the inner bones, speaks to a better day. A roadside encounter brought me face to tail with […]

CB&WC: Glass

August 31, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Although made of glass, this building in Phoenix, Arizona reveals only the reflections of the structures that surround it: light playing tricks with our eyes. A window holds so much temptation – the promise of a glimpse inward, but not by day. The passerby, tempted by the sign and seating, might want to see the […]

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Colourful

August 28, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Colourful are these Jays, who make Texas their home, and this Altamira Oriole, also spotted in the Lone Star state: What can be more colourful than these yellow and purple pansies: (Lens-Artists Photo Challenge is hosted this week by Tina at Travels and Trifles)

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #13: Questions

August 27, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

What will come from all this suffering? Why do I keep repeating old patterns? Where is this journey taking me? How can I be a better person? When do things get better? A Question by Robert Frost A voice said, Look me in the stars And tell me truly, men of earth, If all the soul-and-body […]

CB&WC: Sculptures, Statues, and Carvings

August 25, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

These children (featured image) gracing the local park in Chandler, Arizona are an amazing work of art. This tree-like figure joined other sculptures gracing these gardens. Taken in the area of Phoenix Arizona, although I have now forgotten where exactly. This bird, carved of wood, […]

Of Trauma Born

Goodbyes tarnishfaith, like ashesscattered My heart grows dismissal,craves a balm of connectionseeks quiet harbour Remind me what it feels like to be safebreath nurturing life,love a rhythmic flow In meditationI reach for peaceimagine salvation But this wayward chaosunrestrainedcements me in doubt Tainted intentionsI lift up to the Universea tempest without hope My soul incubates malicea […]

Hawk (haiku)

Relevance of Story

Stories have power. Parents, teachers, public speakers, and therapists understand that the secret to engaging an audience or connecting with others is through illustration: storytelling. I see it in the eyes of the my grandchildren, who love to hear tales of family history. I’ve seen in the eyes of students, when recognition and understanding light […]