Dreams

Dreams are as unique as we are, some make no sense, some are daunting and yet it seems we are always trying to decipher what the dream means. Sometimes there is no answer. We may have repetitive dreams, rather annoying, is our mind trying to tell us something or is it a way of "unloading". Startling dreams that wake us in the night. Pleasant dreams that lull us into a peaceful place. There are many theories about dreams,,,,, Freud verses Jung for instance. All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible. T. E. Lawrence Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake. Henry David Thoreau "It is on the whole probably that we continually dream, but that consciousness makes such a noise that we do not hear it." Carl Jung " Dreams are the Royal Road to the Unconscious" Sigmund Freud

life is a journey, not a destiny.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, The gladness of Christmas give you hope, The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

Spirit

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again."

Not every picture tells its own story but every picture has a story behind it.

The meaning of life

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? One of Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin's most famous paintings. The meaning of life The meaning of life is deeply mixed with the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, consciousness, and happiness, and touches on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, conceptions of God, the existence of God, the soul, and the afterlife. Scientific contributions are more indirect; by describing the empirical facts about the universe, science provides some context and sets parameters for conversations on related topics. An alternative, human-centric, and not a cosmic/religious approach is the question "What is the meaning of my life?" The value of the question pertaining to the purpose of life may coincide with the achievement of ultimate reality, or a feeling of oneness, or a feeling of sacredness.

No,,,,,,

The word "NO" can UN-congest the mind. I am getting better at it. I feel the guilt for a while, but the weight that is off my shoulders is far better than a few pangs of guilt.

Wreath lore

A wreath goes back to ancient times and was a symbol of royalty. A wreath was called a diadem, a Greek word meaning “a thing bound around.” As other countries noticed the wreaths eventually “crowns” were created. The word crown derives from the Latin word corona, which means garland or wreath. Today, wreaths are used as holiday adornments or ornaments as attractive welcoming decorations for our front doors, even as center pieces. Feel as Royalty as you make your wreath and let it symbolize a crown as you display it in remembrance of the King who was born. Another lore The wreath dates back at least to ancient Greece. It was associated with Apollo, the Greek god of health and life. One of its first recorded uses was 2,500-2,600 years ago, at the Pythian games. The Pythian games were the ancient model to the modern-day Olympic games. But winners weren't given medals. Instead, they were given laurel wreaths, as symbolic crowns of victory.

Passions

Love your passions and live your life. Don’t let your passions turn into obsessions. “Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.” Lao Tzu

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for If i made a list it would reach the floor God has blessed me through all the hard times Never wavering with his love always kind So as i say a prayer of thanks for his love He knows how grateful i am for his blessings from above Rosemary

Fool The Eye

Trompe l'oeil is a fascinating "method of art" it is a french phrase which means "to fool the eye". This is a technique used by artists to trick the viewer into believing that they are seeing something three-dimensional before them. It takes great talent and much practice to achieve this method. I remember the first one i attempted, playing the lights and darks, working for hours, but alas i gave in to my frustration. The time after that and the time after that, it got better. I did a small mural on a wall at the end of a hallway. Folks thought it was great, but i knew it was not as i would have liked it to be, but then they didn't see what i saw. This picture is a magnificent Trompe l'oeil.

Life

If life was all happiness and joy we wouldn’t know what happiness and joy were, as we’d have nothing to compare them to. If we never made mistakes, how would we know we were even learning anything? What would a life be without the experience of learning? What would it amount to?

Perceptions

We fill in a lot of blanks with our minds. If we have incomplete perceptions, which we practically always do to a certain extent, our minds fill in the rest. Perceptions vary from person to person. Different people perceive different things about the same situation. But more than that, we assign different meanings to what we perceive. And the meanings might change for a certain person. One might change one's perspective or simply make things mean something else. There is no fixed meaning to anything. You can always change perspectives and change meanings. Why not change them to what you prefer them to be.

Imagination

To realize is to make an imagined thing real or concrete to oneself, to grasp fully its implications, to realize the extent of one's folly. Imagine, conceive, conceive of, realize refer to bringing something before the mind. To imagine is, literally, to form a mental image of something. To conceive is to form something by using one's imagination. The world view is the result of arranging perceptions into existing imagery by imagination. Imagination is needed to make sense of perceptions. Without imagination man would still be...well, that also takes imagination!

America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America's at the Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!

Jack Of All Trades

Jack of all trades and master of none is an old saying, but i would rather that than, Jack of all trades and master of only "ONE" In Mandarin they say, “All trades known, all trades dull”. The more poetic Cantonese version sounds like lyrics out of a Radio head song, “Surrounded by knives, none are sharp”. Estonia takes the most stern approach with their saying, “nine trades, the tenth one - starvation”. Pretty intense. I find that when I learn something new it also improves my other skills so "master" is not of importance.

Reasoning

The concept of rationality has its roots in a historic philosophical conception of human beings as creatures of reason. To act on the basis of reason is to act on the basis of reasons, which in turn implies a process of reasoning. An objectivist conception of rationality sees its essence as lying in the use of reasoning processes that conform to appropriate logical norms.

Outside The Box

A friend once told me, "Life is a journey" this is true, you never know where it is going to take you. Life is short, so take advantage while you can. Live "Outside the box" as in not the "Norm". Folks are creatures of habit. They always go out to dinner on Friday night, or always go to a certain place on vacation and so on. They never go outside the box. Until something happens as in an life altering illness as some i know, you think, "I should have, could have, wanted to, never tried, wish i had". Life is full of regrets, if you go outside the box, try new things, experience new adventures, if only small ones, maybe there will be less to regret. Make a "Bucket list" and try and see how many things you can check off. Take a fear and keep trying to conquer it. Tradition, as in, passing on, handing over, may become boring or your family may only do it as to please you. Let them go outside there box without guilt. Don't give up your dreams, life may alter them, or change direction, but never let go of it. If you are passionate as i am, in many ways, never let that go, it is who you are, what you love. Don't hold back on the hugs, saying i love you, never regret not telling your children, grandchildren and friends how much you love them. If you are not a verbal person, go outside the box and try. Little by little, "outside the box".

The Pots

The big pots i planted in spring what happiness did they bring Now the frost comes in the night when the sun comes they try to fight They try to spring up but weaker they are only a few leaves can make it that far I give them the most loving care but they continue to go bare No matter what i do they continue to die Nature is there Mother not I Rosemary

Art And Nature

God saw the need for beauty and created no two birds alike, no two flowers the same color, no two blades of grass identical. And so God created us, no two alike. Imagine, if you can, a world devoid of art. Creating, collecting, and admiring art is as old as humankind. We are intrigued by ancient drawings in caves and ornamentation found in buried cities. This is what artists do. They may or may not be conscious of God's creation, but they are aware of their need to try to capture the realities of life. Creation is a manifestation of God's passion to share himself. Artists can hold nature only for a fleeting moment, but they try to freeze that moment to evoke a reaction in the viewer. The response to God's role as the creator is a vital response by the artist. What artists put into works of art is fixed; what we put into our response to God as artists of our souls is an alive work of art.

Music

Music is in a way, a way to communicate, if only with yourself. It can make your spirits rise when you are down, take you to your best memories, or remind you of a person, place or thing. For me music is good for the soul.

The most beautiful things in the world are not seen nor touched. They are felt with the heart. —Helen Keller

Thoughts/Emotions

A person who holds a true belief will consider any opposing evidence, and will gladly allow their beliefs to stand trial. A person who holds a true belief does not want anything but the truth. Thoughts Our mental / psychic energy [time/space manifesting physical actions] allows us to focus our thoughts / concentration, focus the creative energy [aether] of the universe and direct it toward certain goals. Emotions Our emotions give us intensity, give us "power" and thus facilitate the focus of our thoughts and send signals and energy into the universe in a corresponding fashion. Our emotions charge our focus with energy, that energy then attracts corresponding energy from the universe and augments the creative process. So in a sense, whatever we are emotionally intense about will essentially create the subject of our focus that created the emotional intensity. This can be a wonderful thing, or a very terrible thing.

Wonderful Day

As i was sitting outside under a tree on this warm beautiful day, a slight breeze was whispering against my face. The leaves coming from the trees every now and then, i did not brush them off as they occasionally fell on me. It was so quiet, so peaceful, as always my mind wonders off. The "I Wonders" came flooding in. Some of the trees loosing more leaves faster than others. Some had more yellow leaves along with the still vibrant green ones. Nature knows what it's doing, leaving me wondering. I look up between a gap in the tree to look at the sky, into infinity and the "I Wonders" there. As the breeze picks up a bit and the leaves swirl for a moment, i remember when i could open the double gate at the side of the yard and let the leaves blow into the next lot, never having to rake them. Now a house is there with a fence although not close neighbors, still not allowing me to be lazy with the raking of leaves. As my mind wonders, i am thinking already of spring, when i can add more plants and maybe a couple of new trees, its a good thing we cross fenced this property or it could turn into a Forrest that would be more than i could take care of. Just as i am nodding off feeling the warmth of this day going deep into my bones i resist the temptation and get up, brush off the leaves and "Say To My Self, What A Wonderful Day"

Brain/Mind

There is much debate about the brain/mind. Some say it is the brain that is like a computer, and the mind is the software. Others say there is no connection at all, or that they work in conjunction with one another "feeding" of one another. This debate amongst scientist still goes on, and so does my curiosity.

Sign of the times

I was thinking today as i sometimes do about my young years not long after our family moved to California. In summer before seventh grade i met my best friend. We were a crazy twosome. We would have sleepovers, mostly at her house and some of the things we did, like going out at night in the summer in our "oh so cool" baby doll pajamas and running around the neighborhood looking in peoples houses if there lights were on so we could see in and laugh until we would lose our breath. Pitching a tent out of sheets over a clothes line and sleeping, well not much sleeping, on warm summer nights, again running the neighborhood, until one night we got caught! One of the neighbors heard us laughing and we were busted. We had to promise to clean her house so she wouldn't tell our parents. I say that to say this, what we thought as "bad", in comparison to nowadays was never bad, just mischievous. The things that go on "in the night" now are horrifying. How times do change. Like my Grandmother, she thought Elvis was the most shameful, explicit thing she had ever seen on television. She would not watch him on the ED Sullivan show, he was next to pornographic as it got. Even on the Ed Sullivan show they would not show him from the waist down,,,,,Oh yes have times changed. What would Grandma think now? I don't thing the poor soul could take it. Just as i think of things that go on now are so unthinkable,,,,,,,,yes times will always change in this way, and we say as she said, how can things get any worse. Trust me they will!

Look

Take a breath of clean fresh air for tomorrow it may not be there Look at the stars as they shine bright for some may die during the night Look at the ocean clear and blue for it may change to another hue Look at life for what it's worth for you never know tomorrows birth Look at yourself from within for you may not be happy when you look in Look at up at God for answers you want for what he offers cannot be bought Rosemary

Conscious/Unconscious Mind

An iceberg can serve as a useful metaphor to understand the unconscious mind, its relationship to the conscious mind and how the two parts of our mind can better work together. As an iceberg floats in the water, the huge mass of it remains below the surface.Only a small percentage of the whole iceberg is visible above the surface. In this way, the iceberg is like the mind. The conscious mind is what we notice above the surface while the unconscious mind, the largest and most powerful part, remains unseen below the surface.In our metaphor the small amount of iceberg above the surface represents the conscious mind; the huge mass below the surface, the unconscious mind. The unconscious mind holds all awareness that is not presently in the conscious mind. All memories, feelings and thoughts that are out of conscious awareness are by definition 'unconscious.' It is also called the subconscious and is known as the dreaming mind or deep mind.

Empty Spot

I was surprised to find an empty spot deep with in my heart Know one can fill it as it will be there until i depart It is not a cold one but warm with thoughts of mine So i should not complain for after all my heart is not broken just a little out of time. I did not expect this empty spot to appear It just came upon me but not with any fear This empty spot has a name for which i will keep still For no one can fill it no they never will I will keep this to myself and for no one needs to know It wouldn't help to share it where's it going to go So i will live with this empty spot and never complain It was filled with something good and that shall forever remain Rosemary I used to write poetry when i was in junior high school. I think it must have been just a way to get out my thoughts. Amateurish as it was and still is i would write them then later throw them in the trash. I hadn't written anything in years until i started making my own greeting cards. I felt my own words were more personal and fit the person i gave them to. Now i have this place to write them as they are my thoughts, just in a different format.

"It is not enough to have knowledge, one must also apply it. It is not enough to have wishes, one must also accomplish."

Verbalization

When a person is unable to communicate because they are suffering from an injury or disorder that makes speech impossible you can understand there frustration not being able to verbalize what they are thinking, but only sit in silence. Others that can very well verbalize what they thinking and feeling do not do so or maybe just "choose" not to. When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, maybe it's best to let him run. Rethinking: Maybe my expectations are unreasonable. Because i verbalize easily i cannot expect others to do the same! My deep caring, whys and "I wonders" and insecurity's make me unreasonable? Yes i think it's just "ME"

Thoughts

When you think about a pleasant event that took place in the past, your thoughts will turn positive and your emotions and images will reinforce each other. Thoughts like these can be further reinforced with emotions and images. The quality of our thoughts decides the quality of the outcomes we land up with. Thoughts have the power to materialize themselves because they are instrumental in channeling energy towards the physical or mental condition they are about. Do not get perturbed by your thoughts. Don't condemn or justify them. Don't try to control them. You may even get carried away by your thoughts. Have you ever thought about the fact that there is never a moment when you are not thinking that whatever happens in this world begins with a thought? So what you call as thought is just a certain reverberation which is happening all the time. Whatever the content of your garbage bin, that is the kind of thought that is going on. Don’t try to improve the quality of thought, you cannot. If you turn it off and turn it on... if it becomes a conscious process, then you would naturally choose what you want to think.

Once we accept the goodness of the universe,we naturally want to share it,realizing that as we give out of our energy,we make space for more to flow into us.

Feeling

Feeling is largely thought to be a mapping of a particular body state by the mind in which a mental image (map) is formed. Thus, feeling, in essence, is an idea. In turn, that idea resides within the person. This "mapping" of the body is composed of sensory feelings, called affects that are directly evoked by specific inputs from the internal self and/or external environment. They include such evaluative experiences as hunger, thirst, pain, and sweetness. Feelings are not neutral, but rather hedonic in that they are either positive or negative, such as pleasantness or unpleasantness. Unlike emotions, such as pride or anger, they occur in the absence of any complex cognitive processes.

A Question Answered

I have noticed for some time that the desert i came to live in has changed tremendously. When i first started coming here while building our house the sky was vibrant with blue, the whitest of clouds, the clean fresh air. As the years have gone by it is evident that those things are not as first perceived. I know the influx of people, building of many houses and shopping centers and manufacturing has taken it's toll, more cars, buses and trucks have taken away from what was. Knowing these things i presumed that was the reason for the changes. One thing i did not know was in the local newspaper yesterday, another lesson in "things you don't know" category. According to Lynne Fenstermaker, a scientist at the Desert Research Institute in Nevada, the Mojave Desert is absorbing more carbon dioxide than once thought. I didn't know it ever had! The Mojave Desert can absorb as much carbon dioxide as a temperate forest. Deserts make up more than 30 percent of the Earth's land surface. If all deserts were as absorbing as much as the Mojave, "then the amount of carbon dioxide taken up each year would match the amount emitted to the atmosphere globally through burning of fossil fuels". Carbon dioxide is absorbed both by plants and micro-organisms in the top layer of the soil. This "macrobiotic crust" contains lichens, mosses, and blue green algae. All of these do some type of photosynthesis, which turns carbon dioxide into sugar, which they can use for food. You wouldn't think the sparse vegetation on the desert would be able to take up so much carbon dioxide, but in an El Nino year, where the deserts get a large amount of rainfall, the population of annuals can be quite high. therefore the more plants the more carbon dioxide they inhale. That answered my "I wonder" question. We now have less vegetation because of the tremendous growth and the clearing off of the land. The only thing that you cannot move off of your property is the Joshua Trees, unless you have a permit and move it to another place to be planted, and there are always those that find a way around that. No more vibrant blue Sky's, the cleanest of air. It is still way better than most places, but through the pictures i have of now and then it is an obvious difference.

Goodbye Summer

Although fall can be beautiful with its changing colors and the brisk smells, to me it is the start of cold weather, bare trees, wearing heavier clothing and don't get me started on the time change. The begenning of fall isn't so bad, but it is just a prelude to raking leaves, wrapping pipes and bringing in plants that can't take extreme weather. It seems such a long time until Spring returns. Im going to miss the balmy evenings, as i sit beside the fireplace in exchange. This is not to mention the fresh fruits and vegtables i enjoy emensley.

Learning Nature

For thousands of years humans have been learning the surrounding nature. Centuries ago, when people were completely dependent on natural phenomena, they used to know them better. Mainly these communities which lived on what they hunted or gathered had broad knowledge of nature. For example, American Indians from the Amazonian rainforest know hundreds of plant and animal species; each of them is given a separate name, they know where it can be found, and how it can be used in practice. Until recently, these people have lived like they used to live hundreds of year ago - without the knowledge of the newest technology but with outstanding knowledge of nature.

Age Is Just A Number

"I wonder" how "old" this waterfall is, how long has it been running day after day. Does it matter? Where does it come from, how did it end up here? Does it really matter? Age is only a number. Age brings with it experience and wisdom, and an improved way of looking at the world. Revel in it. Seize the day, and live every moment. Your life is in your hands. And if there are certain things you had always wanted to do, but feel it is too late now, remember, better late than never, better now than later! I turned 63 last week, that one day did not make me change how i look, feel or act. But i guess to some it must have seemed as it did. An acquaintance of mine said, i don't believe you and your husband,(whom is four years my senior) were zipping around the Forrest like Tarzan and Jane at your age. I fell silent with disbelief. What has age got to do with it, it's only a number. It sounds old when i say it, but if you don't feel it, or are able to do it then again does it matter? "Age is just a number".

Rain Forrest

What a feeling of freedom as you take a zip line through the Forrest, there were eight in all, the last one being 1,000 ft. down. You can see below you, waterfalls, streams and the abundance of the trees and shrubs. The smell of a Rain forest is quite a mixture of wet earth, water and numerous plants, like ginger, coffee and the smell of fungus as it grows and depending on what kind of fungus may kill a tree. Water laden moss you can wring out like a sponge. These massive canopy trees were used to conceal the troops, weapons and vehicles in World War 2. When it would start to rain we would not get wet as we were under the thick canopy trees. A seed from a birds nest fern found it's way onto a branch and began to grow into the limb. The rain forest is such a beautiful place to surround yourself in. The sounds of quiet peaceful nature.

Nature takes care of it's own

There is a fish in Cooks Cove in Hawaii that the divers have named Molly. She is old and covered with warts, unable to fend for herself. The "cleaner shrimp" make sure she is cleaned everyday, in her mouth they go to get bacteria and dead skin. With one gulp she could have her meal, but they never concern themselves because of what we call "trust". Fish bring her food, she has "guards" that protect her from any predator that may come along. She doesn't move around much as she is not able. There is another "culture" under the sea that runs a system of normalcy. They have senses, smell, noise, fear. They overlook the well being of there kindred. In protection of themselves they can turn colors, or make themselves invisible to predators that are not of there kindred. A diver was curious to see what would happen if he visited Molly and her "groupies" everyday. Would they adapt to him? Not only did they adapt to him, they adopted him, cleaning him, enjoying his presence while he was filming there "culture" A normal day underwater.

Cleaner Shrimp

Cleaner shrimp, small crustaceans that have been known to remove dead skin cells from the hands of patient divers and even particles from inside the divers’ mouths. Such shrimp provide an invaluable service on the reef by keeping other inhabitants clean and healthy; they clean the teeth and gills of moray eels, sharks and other fish and also rid these animals of dead and diseased skin, bacteria and parasites. Although there are other cleaner shrimp in Hawaii, the scarlet shrimp is the most active and is rather easy to identify. These crustaceans have a red back with a white striped running from head to tail. Like many cleaner shrimp, they have long white antennae that they wave to advertise their services. Sometimes, the shrimp do a little dance- also a form of advertisement. Like other cleaners on the reef, the scarlet cleaner shrimp set up a cleaning station on the reef where the fish line up and wait to be cleaned. Because of the important service they provide, the cleaner shrimp aren’t eaten by animals which would otherwise consider them a tasty meal. Scarlet cleaner shrimp are most commonly found off the leeward shores in crevices or holes below 40 feet. They are often living in the same holes as moray eels. As adults, they can reach up to 2 ½ inches. While most invertebrates are well camouflaged for life on the reef, to avoid becoming easy prey, scarlet cleaner shrimp gain an easy meal by drawing attention to themselves. They are beautiful to look at, but watching the cleaner shrimp in action is truly the entertaining part.

Captain Cooks Cove

Snorkeling is one of my "passions" On the way to Caption Cooks Cove there were waves crashing along the shore and in the cove was a perfect place to snorkel. Lots of history in this cove. The monument is in memory of Captain Cook. The story is fascinating as to how there got there and met his death.

Nature on the way to Hilo

Kilauea Volcano

On the way to Hilo airport for a helicopter ride over the Kilauea Volcano. The volcano was not flowing very well on our flight, but the one after us was, volcano's are so unpredictable from moment to moment. Just that morning 3 acres of land fell into the ocean making it murky for a few hours. Most of the flow is underground in tubes, places you can't see, but bubble to the surface when ever it wants. The other pictures are taken on the way to Hilo. The "wet" side.

Modes of transportation

They come and go so fast you have to try and catch them, not much time for picture taking.

Untouchable

This is untouchable beauty. You can't get to the waters edge from here unless you want to take the chance of getting cut to shreds on the lava rock. the sunset is"ok" there have been better ones, but have not had the camera at that time to capture them,,I will though!

Somethings....

There is some of the nature that you can't help but love, even though it is in an "unreal" setting.I snorkled with this sea turtle, we both got tired, and he went to sleep. There were eels and some fish in this lagoon, but nothing outstanding. The dolphins are kept in a "dolphin pool" for folks to swim with,not in natures format.

Grounds

Beauty, yes, but in my eyes "fake" beauty.

First Day

When we were on our way the our hotel i was shocked to see all the desert and lava rock. The first thing out of my mouth was this is so ugly, i know this side "Kona side" is arid but i live in the desert and this was beyond arid. When we got to the hotel my first reaction was "this is magnificent" but i was wrong on both counts. After you get a ways towards the Hilo side it is beautiful and when you realize that beauty can also be the way the lava comes from the mountains to the sea and see the paths they took, how can that be ugly, nature takes it's course. The hotel is magnificent, "but" it is so large and inconvenient to come and go anywhere. It has a "Disneyland" affect. After walking, or i should say hiking to get anywhere, you take to the futuristic tram or by boat. Going to breakfast is a feat in it's self. The grounds are perfectly groomed, the lagoons and saltwater pools are again to perfect. This is the Hilton Waikoloa Village ,,,,yes it is a "village" in every sense.Grand, yes "me" no.