Phoenix in May

.

A press conference

Governor Brewer cast her yes vote on Prop 100 today,

Have you voted yet?

Happy Mother's Day

From my family I received a lovely book...

and candy sushi.

I woke up to breakfast in bed courtesy of Snowden, and was bestowed a mother daughter bracelet (not shown) by Grasshopper.

We had lunch at Abuelo's, a favorite restaurant and remembered family far away.

Happy Mother's Day

Work

Work is the worship of the Lord. Do not make any distinction between menial and respectable work.

- Swami Sivananda, Indian spiritual teacher and writer

The problems of our society

Who am I?

What is a family?

What are my talents?

Who will I become?

Can a utopia exist?

What is my utopia?

- a teacher

Flies

They are everywhere.

Summer fun - is it summer yet?

The answer is yes when the temperature goes above 80 degrees.

Living in Arizona

Here's a taste of what one sees while driving around ...

This is all best enjoyed while the temperatures are way below 100.

Mourning and Reflecting

The generation before mine continues to dwindle as one more person passes on.  I find myself reflecting on significant life events that involved the various people that left vacancies at the top of the family tree.  With sadness and loss also comes a resolve to continue to make something of myself, perhaps even with more freedom.

Seriously

Stop worrying about whose name gets in the paper and start doing something about rats, and day care, and low wages ... We must try to take our task more seriously and ourselves more lightly.

- Dorothy I. Height

To have influence

If you really want to be powerful, if you really want to be influential, then just serve.

- Rev. Willie Barrow

A gift from a daughter

Tucked away in the city

I am always amazed at the diversity of Tempe.

If you drive 1/4 mile west of a major road, you find this.

Horses.

Cattle.  This is Mr. Bull.

And chickens too.

I like spending time in this quite space where the mind wonders and the youngens play, draw, and speak with the animals.

Help

Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.

- Mother Teresa

The post Easter Post

A Sunday afternoon activity.

Happy Birthday Mother

She would have been 80 today.

Photo by Emily Taylor

Penso em ti sempre.

Things are growing in AZ

Outside the office window the Honeysuckle shades me from the soon to be blazing sun.

The Lysiloma tree is starting to come alive.  She is a late bloomer.

And after years of hoping for poppies, any poppies, these are adding color to my front yard.

Aloe that grows and grows, and can be transplanted easily.  These came from Carrie years ago,

I love being outside in the Spring.  In Mozambique we spend our days leisurly outdoors, with nothing but spontaneity as our friend.

A trip to the nursery

What is more precious than looking over plants and flowers.

The possibilities are imense and plans are being made.

About what?

click pic to enlarge

Friends

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing ... not healing, not curing ... that is a friend who cares.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen, from his book Out of Solitude

Biking on a Saturday afternoon

While the rain comes down on the East Coast, I enjoy a sunny day in the valley.

This is the time to be out, see the wildflowers grow and gasp and this tree in amazement.

I want one! Becky Saratoga and I cruised the neighborhood looking for lemons and pretty things to photograph.  Happy Spring!

Surroundings

This week in Arizona.

It's warming up!

Inner Harmony

She says it well.