Sitting in the sun while watching my daughter play soccer. The green turf gleaming in the bright light. Crisp autumn leaves blowing across the field. Date night with my husband. So wonderful to tuck my arm in his as we strolled through the brisk fall night. The train ride to Bellingham. Early morning quiet combined with excitement for the day ahead. A new adventure. A new friend.The morning was cloaked in darkness. Me, cocooned inside the metal tube. A perfect seat—window on the water side. Slowly moving past the landmarks I know so well. It is odd to see them from this viewpoint. A tourist in my own land ☺. Moving along the shoreline, the herons stand like sentries at their posts. I try to capture the elusive birds with my camera—an impossible task as the train speeds by. Today, however, I still see them in flight and standing guard. They are indelibly marked in my memory. A golden patch of my day.
My thoughts turn again to the snapshots of my mind like pieces of the quilt. The dark spots that grab for attention and the golden moments that shine like new morning light. All of the other times seem to blend together—some standing out a little more than others. We need them all to make the full blanket—the quilt that covers our heart—that keeps us warm & protects us from harm. The thread that brings us comfort and binds us together to make us who we are. I feel blessed to have a Technicolor life—full of golden moments, blue skies and, yes, even dark patches to punctuate my existence.So, I wonder: What colors punctuate your life these days? What is the thread that holds together the quilt of your life? Do tell, please.
photos taken 10.25.08 on the Amtrak to Bellingham (If you look closely, you can see one of the "elusive" herons in the top photo.)
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6 comments:
Love reading your colorful words and seeing your beautiful photos. B'ham is my college town and I miss it's amazing beauty. Thanks for a trip down memory lane!
a.
I love the train and surprisingly havent taken it since moving to Seattle, you have instilled a longing to make such a journey with your beautiful words.
andie--thank you so much for stopping by. i loved being in bellingham this weekend. it was one of the first times i have been able to just wander around and enjoy the beauty.
C--the ride was really wonderful. i was kind of sleepy but did not want to close my eyes and miss a thing!!! xoxo
Train rides at least twice a day for 20+ years were a few hours a day in my schedule. Seems strange that they're gone and natural also - your description of leisurely train travel was a nice reminder of my years on the train:)
xoxo
Lovely, Lucy :) It was so lovely to read your words, take me out of this self-absorption. The last thing I'm gonna do is start focussing on myself in your comments ;) I would much rather ponder purple, gold and aqua. Yummy :)
I've got this obsession with gold and turquoise at the moment. They just go together so well. Yummmmmmmm
SS & Sue--thanks for journeying alongside me!
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