{Toy Soldier}

“Good morning, Revolution: You're the very best friend I ever had. We gonna pal around together from now on” ― Langston Hughes

{Playing the Blues}

“There's no one thing that's true. It's all true.” ― Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls

{Green Acres}

“A kind of light spread out from her. And everything changed color. And the world opened out. And a day was good to awaken to. And there were no limits to anything. And the people of the world were good and handsome. And I was not afraid any more.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden I could have spent a long time on this amazing farm...the old, white house, acres of green and gold...sassy and sweet little girls playing creekside, summer warmth and sun...golden hour photography light...old friends. And then the cows. Oh the cows were everywhere. Eating, resting... staring us down...hesitant at first but clearly interested in what we were doing behind the fence. I could picture each of these cows with a distinct personality in the herd. Hanging with their cow friends, deciding which patch of grass was the freshest...and probably discussing the weather and how their feet hurt from standing. (lots of Back in the Barnyard watching when my kiddos were young!) It was fun to watch the kids interact with the cows. They were their pets much like a dog or a cat would be in the City. The girls would both ride their bikes, play and then suddenly stop, redirect and check in with the cows. Each on their side of the fence, momentarily acknowledging the other. Then heading back to their wide open pastures.

{A River Runs Through It}

“We catched fish, and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn’t ever feel like talking loud, and it warn’t often that we laughed, only a kind of low chuckle. We had mighty good weather, as a general thing, and nothing ever happened to us at all, that night, nor the next, nor the next.” ― Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

{Nighlights}

“I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories... water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype There are so many warm memories I have of hot, humid summer nights spent enjoying the outside with friends. Lots of ghosts in the graveyard and hide and go seek. We'd gather together to pick who is "it", then sprint away to find the perfect hiding spot. The sun would leave us and then came the fireflies. Everywhere, I remember, marveling as they let out their tiny burst of light. They seemed to consume the whole backyard. Hidden from view, it was quiet and dark. Peaceful and Beautiful. The other night I noticed them again. A hot, humid July night in the country. It was magical and I tried hard to capture them with my camera. These picture are a sad attempt to capture the moment. Perhaps, a slower shutter speed? I'm not sure but I gave up after awhile and decided to just enjoy the wonderful nightlife.

{Dreamcatchers}

"Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable"-Mary Oliver

{Cosmos}

"I think she always nursed a small mad hope."-Vladimir Nabokov

{Self-Expression}

“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn't understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.” ― Cynthia Occelli It's coming into Zinnia time and boy this makes me happy. In keeping with my love of odd flowers, the Zinnia fits right in with the rest. And the colors of these flowers, are bright, bold....expressive. There is a coffee shop I adore in Minneapolis and part of the reason is it's location. One particular house nearby always has an abundance of Zinnia adorning the lawn. I waste my time leisurely walking, enjoying them during this season. This has been a shout out and hopefully an encouragement to notice something lovely. To Zinnias!

{Amusement}

"There is nothing wrong with loving the crap out of everything. Negative people find their walls. So never apologize for you enthusiasm. Never. Ever. Never."-Ryan Adams