Dudley on Camelback Mountain

I took Dudley up the Camel this a.m. to get a shot of the sunrise (it was beautiful yesterday, so I thought I would try to get a shot this morning, but it was not so great). Dudley loves to climb and he sailed up the mountain - I had to really work to keep up with him (even with his short little legs). He loved it!

Working at Andre House

I spent last night working at Andre House with fellow ASCPA staffers. We served about 580 meals to the homeless. This is a great place to volunteer - you cook, serve and clean up all in about the span of four hours or so. I think it was a positive experience for everyone. It does make you thankful for what you have.

Happy Halloween!

This is from the cover of a book that my sister made for me of pictures from all my kids past halloween days. It was very cool! Thanks, Sandy!

U2 Concert

Here is a short clip from the U2 Concert I attended this past week. They played with the Black Eyed Peas. The stage was huge and they sounded great. It was quite the production. Sorry about the poor quality of the video - I just used my little still camera on movie mode.

Let Everything Happen to You

I've been listening to some meditation podcasts on iTunes - a great way to relax and sometimes puts me to sleep at night. I love listening to a woman named Tara Branch who leads Buddhist mediation retreats. I found this one particularly inspiring - go here: http://www.imcw.org/audio/TBPodcasts.xml and click on the "Let Everything Happen to You" podcast.

It is very healing an enlightening and a little long, but worth the time. She sites the following poem "God Speaks":

God Speaks

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,

then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear:

You, sent out beyond your recall,

go to the limits of your longing.

Embody me.

Flare up like flame

and make big shadows I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.

Just keep going. No feeling is final.

Don't let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.

You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.

- Rainer Maria Rilke


Great stuff! The photo is one I took in Bisbee a few years back.

Rose Bowl and Recent Travels

Lauren finds treasures at the Rose Bowl

Entrance to Rose Bowl Flea Market (every second Sunday of the month)

Me - sailor-less (as usual)

I visited Lauren two weekends ago in Newport Beach where she is completing an internship. We went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and had a blast. There are tons of treasures there and we were not even able to see the whole thing.

I went back to California last weekend to stay with some friends on Coronado Island. It was a great girls weekend and the weather was so great. It is hard to come back to AZ sometimes.

Cottage Journal Page

I was inspired by my blog friend's photo on her profile (http://cottagebytheseascottsbay.blogspot.com/) and used her cool cottage in Novia Scotia for a journal page for my journaling class. My sketch does not do it justice!