Opening Doors #ThursdayDoors #ForeverNever Dawn of the Dream Series Excerpt

Hi Everyone,

I hope your respective weeks have gone well and I apologize for being absent much of the time lately. I try to pop in on blogs while working on the final stages of getting my book published. To that end, I must give a heartfelt thanks to our Grand Poobah of #Thursday Doors, Dan Antion of No Facilities . Most all of you who follow either of my blogs already know Dan well. If not, please visit his site for some amazing posts and to meet other wonderfully talented bloggers. Dan is great at bringing people together for doorscursions or just to have a beer on Saturdays and contemplate Stream of Consciousness matters. Dan has helped me and so many of us when we’ve needed it, always without complaint. I am creative but struggle with my technical aspects, mostly because these things make my head hurt. Thanks Dan! 

Be sure to check the links on his blog to his Dreamers’ Alliance series. His first three books are intriguing and fun, following school friends as they journey from awkwardly different and ostracized to sought after for their unique abilities. I can’t wait for the fourth book in this series to be published.

Since I am very close to at last publishing my first book in what has morphed into a series, I wanted to offer a nod to our doors prompt with an excerpt from the book. There are quite a few doors within my story, though not necessarily the ordinary kind. In this piece, a long closed door is being nudged open once more, offering the Protectors of the world of Domhan a chance for salvation while leaving it vulnerable to possible destruction. 

The Door

With a mighty knock and turn of the key 

they open the door in the cave by the sea..

… The Sorceress reached into her soul for the power that was her birthright. She released all judgment to bask in the embrace of unconditional love, knowing that only within perfect love could they awaken the stone’s power to open the portal. She recognized the conflict in her soul for the unnecessary chaos it was. Together they raised this vibration of perfect love until it flowed from them in radiant shards that ignited the stones. The blue crystal flickered to life, pulsing steadily as the energy increased. The stones they held in their clasped hands grew hot, but Naofa locked fingers with his, making it impossible to drop them..

The gazing crystal surged in ocean hues of blue, green and gold, brilliant rolling waves of light moving over the pool and up the cavern walls. At the center of the dark pool a small vortex swirled to life, creating bright circular ripples that whirled around their source. The luminescent rings raced faster and faster, rising as a glowing spout above the water.

Naofa and Laoch were one with the light of the crystal, their figures reflected back on the pool’s surface as two bright stars. The energy between them radiated as they held a single thought. When they raised the call together, their voices echoed throughout the cavern.

“Blessed Mothers, hear our cry!

Lift the veil that covers the truth. 

Open our hearts to accept the truth. 

Guide our steps to protect the truth. 

Open the door that we may see!!”

Biodh solas ann! Let there be Light!

The glowing spout narrowed to a swirling pillar and the cave rumbled. They didn’t move when the rock beneath them trembled and the dark water splashed angrily against the spinning vortex that swallowed it greedily.

The whirlpool thundered... a massive column of water flowing straight up, then curled into a wave that hung over the empty pool, suspended, as though waiting to roll. Naofa raised her hand to the watery wall and the crystal righted itself, rising above her palm. The tempest of energy tore at their bodies as they stood to face the surge…

Stay tuned…

Top ‘O the Mornin’ to Ya! #ThursdayDoors

Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all! In keeping with the theme of the day as well as it being #Thursday Doors, I decided to combine the two and share some Irish inspired photos which do include some doors. I hope everyone has some rainbows in their day. Be sure to hop over to Dan Antion’s blog to see more great doors and meet some amazing bloggers.

I tink you’ll find yer green in there as well.

This season is almost past us now as we move into the dry weather.

Aha! Doors to the casitas. 

That balcony is also where Bello and Bella get their treats.

One of the hotels around our little neighborhood. 

🙂

What kind of St Patrick’s Day would it be without potatoes? 😱 This Andouille smoke sausage pan seared with seasoned potatoes was simple delish! 

St Patrick wasn’t Irish! He was British. 

Please visit the History. Com site for more details

I know I’ve played this song in recent times, but today this version, sung by these fine women, seems appropriate. 🍀

Super! #thursdaydoors

I’m behind my times this week but winging in to participate in the #Thursday Doors prompt, hosted by Dan Antion of No Facilities You should follow the link to his blog, see some amazing doors and meet other dedicated, talented bloggers. 

Here in paradise the vibe is always positive, one of the million things we love about it. Even the grocery markets have a cheerful front. I’m sure they are drawing from the ‘super’ in supermarkets and every small chain uses it in their name. Some are quite personal, making sure you know who’s in charge. 

🤔I wonder if he knows the extent of his associated fame….

TGIF everyone who still counts time by days of the week. 🤗❤️

Tropical Door 🚪 #Thursdaydoors

 Hi guys, 

As usual I have been in and out (no pun intended) of posting for the Doorscursions hosted by our good friend Dan Antion. Life for me lately has felt somewhat like a revolving door, stuck going round and round. Sometimes it seems like a manic funhouse, never knowing what you might see popping up around the next corner. Funhouses can be anything but fun if you don’t like surprises. Still, there are many placid, peaceful days as things settle into a more regular routine and we accomplish what needs to be done. 

I have some cool doors I photographed on my walks here which I will post eventually; but today I wanted to step back in time for a moment and share a door I may already have written about, although it was so long ago most of you wouldn’t have known me in that ‘life’. One of our tropical Central American lives was in Costa Rica, in 2014. It was a beautiful world and gave us a lifetime of wonderful memories and new friendships. 

There was so much in paradise to keep my mind, my eyes and my camera very busy! I am taking a moment now to share some gratuitous wildlife images with you as we step through that door to the past. 

This is me. With my best buddy snapping our reflection in the front glass door to the casa we lived in during our second trip to Costa Rica. Quepos was good to us! 

I had never seen, nor heard of, a Motmot bird before. We discovered this beauty while taking a random drive through the surrounding jungle

The photo below captures the drama that often shows up randomly when I view the microscopic world of blooms and bugs. It was a bit of bee on bug action!

The next beauty needs no introduction. A Rufus Hummingbird who allowed me to photograph for several long minutes while it feasted on nectar

There were a couple of spots to catch the parrots and parakeets, but I had to be quick! Seeing a flock dart overhead is always a delight. 

And speaking of tropical birds, these might be my all time favorite. From random moments of seeing them alongside the road while stuck behind traffic waiting for a work crew or animals crossing to stopping by the known places where they love to feed, each opportunity made my heart race. The Macaws are familial, playful and brilliant

Twinsies. His on the left, mine on the right. I miss Bavaria Light!

There was a wonderful place to photograph butterflies and bees called Baru Garden, attached to a rustic hotel/cabin venue. I spent hours there capturing the delicate beauty of these magical creatures. There was also a nice long hiking trail which ended up at a beach. 

Same butterfly, topside and underside. The owl butterfly uses its unique marking to ward off predators. 

She may look fearsome, but these banana spiders are Nature’s artists. The variety in Central America are quite large and breathtaking. I watched ‘Charlotte’ weaving her web over several days before she hatched some little ones. The web is also yellow and looks iridescent in the sunlight.

Okay, so if you have never had fresh coconut, well, you have never had good coconut! The water and the flesh of this often misunderstood treat are amazing. And to have a Tico hack one open at the beach and generously offer half of it to you is a true gift. 

We ran across this beautiful driftwood on the beaches of Dominical. But you dare not take any home. Costa Rica is very protective over the natural wood it produces. 

I took these photos in downtown Quepos while waiting for my hubs to conduct business with our landlord shortly after we arrived. These magnificent iguanas are all over Costa Rica. He was more than happy to allow me to get close, more interested in his treat than me. 

Prehistoric looking, yes? 

Well, that is it for now. I have hundreds of photos from our time in paradise. Maybe I can share more with you another day. Everyone have a great holiday weekend and be safe out there! 

Hugs!