Orchid Daze Part 4

Posted on 6:01 PM by jr cline | 1 comments

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  
~ Robin Williams



Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment.  
~ Ellis Peters


Spring has returned.  The Earth is like a child that knows poems.  
~ Rainer Maria Rilke


"If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom." 
~ Audra Fuveo


"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life."
~ John Burroughs


“Waking up in the morning, I vow with all beings to be ready for sparks of the Dharma from flowers or children or birds.”
~ Robert Aitken


"Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."
~ The Gospel According To Zen


"Happiness?  The color of it must be spring green, impossible to describe until I see a just-hatched lizard sunning on a stone.  That color, the glowing green lizard skin, repeats in every new leaf.   ...  The regenerative power of nature explodes in every weed, stalk, branch.  Working in the mild sun, I feel the green fuse of my body, too.  Surges of energy, kaleidoscopic sunlight through the leaves, the soft breeze that makes me want to say the word "zephyr" - this mindless simplicity can be called happiness."
~ Frances, Mayes, Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy, 1999



Orchid Daze Part 3

Posted on 5:57 PM by jr cline | 1 comments


One Instant is eternity;
eternity is the now.
When you see through this one instant,
you see through the one who sees.
~ Wu Men


“There is only one world, the world pressing against you at this minute. There is only one minute in which you are alive, this minute here and now. The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.”
~ Storm Jameson


“When we put down ideas of what life should be like, we are free to wholeheartedly say yes to our life as it is.”
~ Tara Brach


“Life is this simple. We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or a fable. This is true.”
~ Thomas Merton.


  “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
~ Dalai Lama


Orchid
breathing incense into butterfly's wings 
~ Basho, Matsuo



Orchid Daze Part 1
Orchid Daze Part 2

Rethink Everything

Posted on 6:53 PM by jr cline | 1 comments

On my recent road trip, I turned the car around and went back to take a photograph of this sign on a Hyundai car dealership.


I started thinking. (always a dangerous proposition)

Albert Einstein once said; "Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them".

We’ve settled for what the past tells us is possible and as a result, we continue to be stuck surviving in the world we’ve created. ~ http://fearlessdreams.com/blog/

When was the last time you questioned your view of things?

What do I believe?
Why do I believe it?

What do I think?
Why do I think it?

What do I do?
Why do I do it?

Why do I live the way I live?

Which moment by moment decisions make my life happier, create more love, and enhance positive relationships?

Are those mindful choices? 
(I like Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness. “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way. On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”)

Who puts down my creative ideas?
Who drains 'the life out of me'?
Who encourages, expands, and helps me be all I can be?

Am I listening to creative, alive, intelligent, positive, loving people? Or am I listening to constant whiners, gossips, and nay sayers?

These are important questions to revisit on our shared journey.

Keep what is good and helpful.
Keep what belongs on your positive life path.
Flush the rest.

I can pick a lot about my world each day and most the time I forget to even pick.
I just react out of habit.
I need to pause and think.

My goal tomorrow is to pause, think, and then select the best I can pick and discard what doesn't make things better.

Join me. Make it your goal as well.

Come back tomorrow to see/read about my experiment and share your experience.
I'd love to know what happens.

Rethink Everything!

Hyundai has thrown down a challenge.


Ripley's Aquarium

Posted on 8:45 AM by jr cline | 0 comments






We had a wonderful time at the aquarium and driving around in the Great Smokey Mountains.  


On the road

Posted on 8:02 PM by jr cline | 3 comments



 So what did I do today?
I stopped in Ohatchee to pick up some Boost Hone.  
j/k  I have no clue what that could possibly be.


Next, I went over the rainbow.


And landed at this lovely new rest stop.


It was so new the restroom signs were hand written.

Zoom Zoom  Zoom to the wonderland that is Niota.
Niota is an interesting place that I prefer to visit in the full light of day.


There is a unique juxtaposition of choices there.


When exiting the freeway at Niota, there is a huge church is on the left of the freeway and the adult video store is on the right.


Do you have a preference?

Further along, I came to Sweetwater Valley Farm.
Cheese, Cows, WOW!


Continuing up the drive, I parked at the cheese store.  
I love cheese.


They make and sell lots of different flavors of cheese there.


I purchase five different flavors.  Yum Yum

At long last, the mighty Kia/space/time machine 


came to a stop for the day in front of


I needed some sustenance and walked next door to


and enjoyed some southern BBQ.

Enough excitement for one day.  
Time to think about sleeping.

Orchid Daze Part 2

Posted on 7:38 AM by jr cline | 1 comments

Passing through the lobby, I entered the Tropical Rotunda.


“The equatorial regions of the world occupy around 10 percent of Earth's surface and contain more than half of the world's plant and animal species. The Tropical Rotunda has hundreds of species from these tropical regions.” ~ Atlanta Botanical Garden
"The tropical conservatory is alive not only with plant collections but also with many animals. This successful cohabitation is indicative of horticultural practices that encourage a healthy and balanced ecosystem.

Various species of quail patrol the under-story brush seeking insects and greenery on which to feed." ~ Atlanta Botanical Garden

They are wary of visitors, but this one was distracted with its dust bath and I was able to snap a couple of quick shots.

I had great fun taking pictures in the Tropical Rotunda and could have stayed there for hours. 

Maybe another day.  It was time to move on, the orchids beckoned.

Orchid Daze Part 3 coming soon
(Orchid Daze Part 1)

Playing catch up

Posted on 9:42 PM by jr cline | 0 comments

I'm behind on noticings and 50/50 photos so here are the best of the most recent.

50/50 Day 20


50/50 Day 21



50/50 Day 22



Noticings




EMPS #80: Animals

Posted on 9:11 AM by jr cline | 5 comments

I went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Saturday.  
While I was there, I ran across these two lovely little frogs.




If you want to play, visit Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot

Orchid Daze part 1

Posted on 8:36 AM by jr cline | 0 comments

I drove over to Douglasville Georgia on Friday afternoon and spent the night in a La Quinta Inn. It was quite nice. The bed was really comfortable. Since it was raining all day, I didn’t really take many photos on Friday.

Saturday morning I looked out my second floor window and outside I saw the local authority’s special operations van parked at the entrance to the hotel. I thought about going down to take photos, but decided I’d just stay in my room in case there was gunfire. I never did find out what was going on and I never heard any guns or other loud noises.

After a pretty good, free continental breakfast (coffee, bagel and cream cheese, and a breakfast burrito) I set out for Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Admission to the garden is $15 for adults and parking costs $2 an hour. They have remodeled the garden facilities quite a bit since I was there last year and it is really nice.

After getting my ticket, I meandered along the pathways to the Fuqua Conservatory.


Along the way, I encountered some nice people, this lovely glass sculpture,


and a couple of interesting frogs sitting on park benches.

In the lobby of the conservatory,
I happened upon three of their more colorful cousins.




And some hints of what was to come.



Have an awesome day!