Confronting Our Fears

Yesterday we were at Lake Banook in the city of Dartmouth (which is across the harbour

from Halifax) at a public beach. We met Mim, my sister and her dog, Maggie.

We had a great time for over an hour. At one point I could hear a plane overhead 

and looked up.It appeared to be circling around the city to approach the airport for a landing.

It looked magnificent up there flying with the clouds and blue sky.

It got me thinking about my fear of flying which I've had most of my life.

I have and will fly again but you wouldn't believe what I put myself through

before I even get on the plane!

Where did this fear come from? Was it a learned behavior, as my mother would never fly 

and never did. Or is it a 'control thing', which is very possible as I like to have control.

Just a passing thought or two as I glance up into the bright blue sky yesterday afternoon.

Contemplative Monday

The following quote is taken from 'Heart Advice, Weekly Quotes From Pema Chodron'.

THE EMPTY BOAT

"There's a Zen story in which a man is enjoying himself on a river at dusk.

He sees another boat coming down the river toward him. At first it seems so nice to him

that someone else is also enjoying the river on a nice summer evening.

Then he realizes that the boat is coming right toward him,

faster and faster. He begins to yell, "Hey, hey, watch out!

For Pete's sake, turn aside!" 

But the boat just comes right at him, faster and faster.

By this time he's standing up in his boat, 

screaming and shaking his fist, 

and then the boat smashes right into him. He sees that it's an empty boat.

This is the classic story of our whole life situation.

There are a lot of empty boats out there. 

We're always screaming and shaking our fists at them.

Instead, we could let them stop our minds. 

Even if they only stop our mind for 1.1 seconds, we can rest in that little gap.

When the story line starts, we can do the tonglen (**) practice

 of exchanging ourselves for others.

In this way everything we meet has the potential to help us cultivate compassion

and reconnect with the spacious, open quality of our mind."

** tonglen.....'The tonglen practice is a method for connecting with suffering---ours and that which is all around us----everywhere we go. It is a method of overcoming fear of suffering and for dissolving the tightness of our heart. Primarily it is a method for awakening the compassion that is inherent in all of us, no matter how cruel or cold we might seem to be.' 

(from Shambhala.org  by Pema Chodron) 

Eclectic Tastes

Sometimes you just have to have a 'little Tina' 

to clear out those cobwebs!!

Fasten your seat belts because here she comes!!!.....

Saturday Morning Post

This week had seven days.......

'Coast is clear Jim, come on up!'

Sophie LOVES to pose.....

Nova Scotia's official flower, the Mayflower.

He's the 'King Of the Castle'....

Through the gazebo.

Sophie waiting patiently (sort of) for Dad to return from Bocci ball.

Now THAT was a good shake Soph!!

This mud puddle was 'two tone' and I didn't know why.

Old barn through the trees.

Ron worked here back in 1973-74...the Wolfville Post Office.

Window with flag of British Columbia.

Glass of water.....

Looking for eagles here on Friday......no luck.

Cyclist on country road.

And 'Why did the pheasant cross the road?'

A Rough Week For My Niece

My niece Elaine is having a very rough time this week. She has been hospitalized due to

complications from her first chemo treatment for breast cancer.

Some important 'levels' were completely out of whack. She is being as strong as she can be.

She will be in hospital until they see some improvement.

If you don't mind could you send her positive energy,

prayers, light and good thoughts?

Thank you.

Everything Has A Purpose

This spring, so far at least, hasn't been a colourful one. Everything is very slow 'to show'.

So when I happened upon this mustard coloured moss the other day

it stuck out like a sore thumb....a pretty sore thumb!

Especially with it contrasting with the pale gray lichen, 

they worked very well together I thought. 

Then I came upon this tree stump that was serving as a 'nursing log'....providing a good 

environment to not only the moss but also numerous other plants and insects.

Even on our small property we try to 'give back' to nature by leaving small fallen trees behind

to rot and nourish the environment.

Gone Fishing

While walking the 'Northwest Arm' trail at the park on Monday I could hear a lot of squealing.

I looked out and saw that it was a flock of seagulls having their late afternoon snack.

A local fisherman had come in and by the looks of it was cleaning his 'catch'.

And the seagulls were the beneficiaries of the entrails.

 I remember when I was a kid, a neighbour would bring myself and a friend through this 

stretch of water and out beyond the harbour to catch haddock.

The seagulls would 'sit and wait' until we began to clean the fish.

Then the squealing would begin!! We would throw the entrails into the air 

and it would never hit the water. There was a hierarchy amongst them.

The oldest and the strongest would get their share first, then the weaker and the youngsters.

The way it should be, right? 

By the time I made it to the top of the trail, it appeared the fisherman was done.

He made an 'about turn' and headed for home. Which I assumed was not too far from here.

Fishing season has begun once again I Nova Scotia.