Nov30
Posted on Nov 30 by Ruth Davis
This past holiday weekend Marika and I took the motorhome and the dogs to southeastern AZ to see the migrating sandhill cranes. We camped at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Refuge in the middle of desert brush, agricultural fields and man-made ponds created to attract migrating birds. The refuge is surrounded by the Dragoon Mountains to the west and the Chiracahuas to the east, with Mexico just a short 25 miles to the south. And all around, a big wide eye sky of blue and birds. We walked along the burms of the ponds as the sun set, the sky darkening against the crescendo of thousands of red winged blackbirds roosting in the reeds. Marika, an avid birder, pointed out a Harris Hawk circling above the field. She counted unnamed sparrows flitting in the brush and we heard a Great Horned Owl in the nearby trees. A sky full of sandhill cranes circled the farthest ponds, grawking and honking as if they were conversing, where do you want to land? Later, back in the RV, after dinner, my mind began...
Nov23
Posted on Nov 23 by Ruth Davis
It’s that time of year when it’s easy to remember to be thankful. All of the turkey and ham commercials on television remind us to be grateful for what we have and for the people in our lives. But gratitude is an act for every day living, even without the festive meal. Click here to read all about gratitude. Still, this is a wonderful opportunity for me to say thank you to YOU, my loyal reader, for your enthusiasm, your support, and your open heart. May this season bring you more ways to rest in your own heart and share your special gifts with those around you. Hand in hand with being grateful is the self-less act of giving, of doing something simply to better someone else’s situation. We can give money, time, our talents. We can donate our used items to an needy organization. We can also give with simple acts of kindness. Open the door for a stranger Let someone go in front of you in line at the supermarket Check on an elderly neighbor Smile at...
Oct19
Posted on Oct 19 by Ruth Davis
It is a simple joy every morning to choose my breakfast plate: lime forest green raspberry black orange gray white turquoise all Colorflyte by Branchell, from the 50’s collected over the years from thrift stores, yard sales, on eBay because food is more delicious when served on the perfect color Too often we are so focused on the giant billboard kind of happiness that we neglect to notice the small and ordinary moments that bring us real joy. I invite you to slow down, to notice the small things, the simple joys. Let’s compile a list of our Simple Joys–Click on the Comments below and share something that makes you smile and lifts your...
Oct12
Posted on Oct 12 by Ruth Davis
When it comes to creative expression, our tendency is toward all or nothing. We wait for that perfect opportunity to begin living into our true creativity. We tell ourselves we need a designated space, a big chunk of scheduled time and all of the materials at hand before we can begin. Unfortunately, this isn’t how life happens. And so we have to improvise the space, embrace the tiny pockets of time, and incorporate our creativity into our daily living. Or we may be waiting forever. Several years ago I discovered the joys of paper mache. I loved the freedom and simpleness of the materials: recycled newspaper and sticky, white glue that I shaped into bowls and clocks and found object sculptures. I absolutely loved the organic process, how easy it was to wash the glue off my hands, how the pieces dried quickly in the desert heat. I worked outside on a thrift store wicker table on my back patio, close enough to the kitchen sink, and still, I could be as messy as I wanted to be. When...
Oct05
Posted on Oct 5 by Ruth Davis
It was advertised as a great family trip, a leisurely four hour, 15 mile kayak on the Manistique River through a wildlife refuge. I had watched the video on youtube of a father and son, all smiles as they paddled past trees and the chirping of birds. Marika and I love nature, love being on the water. We’ve kayaked many times together, in bays, along sloughs, we even paddled across a stretch of the Pacific Ocean to get to a great birding spot. So we thought, what better outing than to kayak through the wildlife refuge. “You’ll pass under the Ten Curves Bridge, then in another 2 miles you’ll go under the M-77 bridge.” The woman at the kayak rental pointed to a spot on the map. “That’s your last chance to get off the water. After that you’re on your own until the put out, 15 miles down.” We eased down the muddy bank and got in the two seater kayak with Marika in the front for unobstructed bird viewing. We pushed off and started paddling. It was...
Sep21
Posted on Sep 21 by Ruth Davis
I didn’t know Yvonne. But she knew me. She was the vice-president of the local Mac users group and had been reading my Mac Tips newsletter for years. Several months ago she had invited me to give a presentation to the club and that’s when I first met her. She was so thrilled with the presentation that, afterwards, she said,” You know, I’d love for you and your friend to come up to visit us at our cabin in Michigan this summer.” I graciously said thank you, that I’d think about it. But I had no intention of following through. I didn’t know Yvonne. I couldn’t even begin to fathom staying with people I didn’t know and I had no plans to vacation in Michigan again. And so I forgot about the invitation completely. And then mid-summer, Yvonne emailed me from her cabin and repeated the invitation, reminding me that her friend Mery, who lived next door, was also one of my subscribers and they’d love to show us around their little part of the world.” When someone...
