This, that, and the other thing

Reflections on ice

Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you’re just a reflection of him?

~ Bill Watterson

Reverie

I have a smattering of images and a scattering of thoughts to share today.  It’s going to be one of those hodgepodge posts, the kind where I’m not sure where to start, where to go, or where to end.  To be honest, those are usually my favorites because I sometimes like meandering and wandering with no particular destination in mind.

Impersonation

A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature.  It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.

~ Henry David Thoreau

I was sitting at the table this morning, facing the pond (why do we call it a pond?  at what point would it be called a lake?), flipping through my journal as I listened to the rain, my attention divided between the flipping, the reading about the past, and the listening to the rhythmic sounds of water pouring from the sky.  For a moment I thought, “Nothing’s changed.”  Then the music of the rain soaked into my awareness and I realized, “Everything’s changed.”

Yesterday’s frost

Meditation challenge

Day 111.  It’s going well.  I have days when I’m lazy or rushed, and only sit for five or ten minutes, but I consider five or ten minutes to be better than none at all.  The biggest challenge of this challenge is similar to that of my year of daily yoga practice:  How do I explain what I experience?  Where are the words, the labels, for when the body seems to disappear and I am the breath, expanding and contracting, the inhale and the exhale?  Is there a way to convey the sense of being emptied and then filled?

Today’s rain

2013:  The Year of Love

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

~ Mother Teresa

Love.  ♥  It’s a small word — only four letters — for such a big thing.  It is a big word or theme to live with, and I wondered where to start.  Reading Mother Teresa’s words, I decided a smile is a wonderful place to start.  Smile big, smile sincerely, smile often.  It feels good to smile.  Try it.  Go ahead.  I’ll wait.

Don’t you feel better now?  ☺

You may or may not have noticed that the quotes I use over there on the side (under my Gravatar) have all been about love since I decided on Love as my word for the year.  I’m not sure I’ll have enough (or find enough) quotes on love to get through the year, but it does seem as though a lot of folks have had a lot to say about the subject so I’ll be surprised if I don’t.  I like having the little daily reminder when I change out the quote each day or almost each day.  Some days are too rushed to change the header and the quote.

Daydreaming

Lousy Bowling

If I had been on ‘Bowling for Dollars,’ I’d wind up owing them money.

~ Ricki Lake

I’m loving it.  It is so much fun.  My game has not improved much, but there is some improvement.  This week I started our first game with a couple of strikes.  Don’t be too impressed.  I followed that up with quite a few gutter balls.  M and I are currently in third place.  Don’t be too impressed with that, either.  After everything settled (people quit or people just didn’t bother to show up at all the first few weeks), we were left with only four teams.  We might be in last place after this week’s round.

The Mr.

Another challenge?

A friend recently invited us to join her on the RTC Sojourn 2013.  It’s a Rail-To-Trails Conservancy bike ride, 145 miles over the course of five days with an average daily mileage of 30-40 miles.  My first thought was, “It sounds like fun!”  My second thought was, “30-40 miles per day??!  Not sure I can do that.”  If I had to jump on my bike right now and do it, of course I couldn’t.  I might make it one day if I had to (assuming my life depended on it or it was to save someone I love), but for five days in a row?  No.  Not likely.  Unless the life of a loved one or my life really did depend on it.  I’m sure that would change my attitude.

The Mrs.

With discipline and training, I could do it.  It would be a great challenge.  M and I are seriously considering it.  We’ll have to wait a little bit to see what’s coming up in June, but in the meantime, we can go ahead and train when the weather permits us to ride our bicycles, and when it doesn’t, I’ve found working out on the elliptical helps a lot with my cycling by strengthening my legs.

The beautiful couple basking in the sun

Well, I think that’s about it from me and from the Bogs on this strangely spring-like Friday.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  And a big thank you for all your comments and likes and such.  I’m honored that you want to spend time here in the Bogs with me.  Have a delightful weekend!

Rainy day blues

Above all, challenge yourself.  You may well surprise yourself at what strengths you have, what you can accomplish.

~ Cecile M. Springer

Twists and turns

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