Walk With Me/#Thursdaydoors

One of the great things about where we are living right now is the ability to walk just about anywhere safely. Many people walk or bike to work downtown, and there are 155 parks in the city! They range from a square of grass with a merry-go-round to multi acre parks with wildlife and education centers. The number of hiking trails is bountiful and all are well kept and used by many. Just walking the neighborhood and surrounding areas gets me a 2-4 mile hike in easily and, well, anyone who knows me understands that I would rather be out of doors any day. 

On these walks I have the opportunity to view and photograph lots of doors and I have! I just have been remiss in putting together posts. We are slowly getting things in order and I am trying to return to those things which I love. For today’s post I just wanted to share my walk with you which leads off with some great doors. On this day there seemed to be a theme in place and I let myself fall into step with it for a glorious walk. 

I love the door decorations. Bees definitely bring the feeling of peace to mind for me.

See what I mean about the ‘theme’? 👍🏻

A bunya friend can always be found darting across a lawn.

The squirrels are so ‘ginger’!

The park nearest to us is about a ten minute walk and has this great waterfall. It’s a peaceful place to sit, cool off and reflect. My grandson loves sitting here too. I picked up a couple of books for him at the little free library and did a preview reading.

I am always amazed that there is never a loss for subject matter in children’s books. 

These little free libraries are all over the city and there are even a couple of small free pantries where donated canned and dry goods can be shared.

I’ve been finding feathers daily which is my chosen spirit sign. I’m accepting them with gratitude. 🙏🏻

And so many different ones too! 

The second wave of beautiful Summer flower catches my eye and I have to stop for photos.

My friend here is finally getting its feathers back. Apparently the business yard where it hangs out was a good setting for a brawl with some dogs. It looked pretty rough for a couple of weeks. 

Tiny yellow blooms look like drops of sunshine on the ground

Most of the sidewalks are shaded so walking is comfortable.

My heart has a special niche for the tiny opportunists. They show their happy faces no matter who is looking.

Hubs and I walked this trail for a bit yesterday. A rare moment of catching me doing what I love most. No, I don’t think I usually stand so awkwardly. 🤭

How about these Blue Spruce trees? So many evergreens here make me want to bust out the decorations and lights and get a little holiday spirit going! 

Yep, another one. This one came from a bluejay to be sure. As if to amplify the differences in perception between the two of us, I was marveling at the feather sticking straight up in the grass beside my car door and he said, “Yeah, right next to a pile of old dog sh&*”. 

I think the message is clear. If you can look beyond the crap, there is always the promise of Spirit rising. 

Let me see if I can find one more door for you, just to keep this ‘legal’ for the Thursday Doors Prompt hosted by our friend Dan. Check out his blog for more great doors and to meet some terrific writers. 

This little bee house was built by the campus AG center for their garden. Just look at all those doors! 👏🏻

They gratefully do their work in the garden too. 

Next time I will share some photos of the garden. It really is a magical place. 

Please let’s work to keep it this way. ❤️🧡💕

Lost Time/#Thursdaydoors

 

Hello friends and our dedicated host Dan Antion of No Facilities ! I have been in and out of the blogosphere lately due to personal matters but I have, indeed, been taking photos. It is like breathing for me, my attempt to preserve special moments, beautiful life and keep memories alive. So, today I will present a series of doors, door-ish entryways and perhaps the gratuitous wild or beautiful thing, just to give you a smile. Most of these doors have been ‘collected’ since we arrived in Lincoln, either on excursions or long contemplative walks. I hope you enjoy them. Please visit Dan’s blog at the above link to see more great doors, meet some awesome fellow bloggers and join the doorscursion fun! 

This is the Nebraska state capitol building. It is playfully (sarcastically) known around here as ‘The penis of the plains’, and, obviously, the phrase needs no explanation. It is visible from everywhere in and around the city. But the inside....oh my. Marble, motifs, stained glass, sculpture, architecture and the spirit of those who settled the plains is unabashedly present. 

The domed ceilings are lined with mosaics that depict images of the settlers and indigenous peoples of the area

This is perhaps my favorite long hallway, and it stretches as far in the other direction. It feels very ‘studious’. The windows look down on the courtyard gardens below and the walls are lined with bronze busts of the influential political figures and tribal chiefs that shaped the growth of Nebraska. 

This is the view from one of several balcony areas throughout the Capitol. Exploring is easy and informative, but for me it is about the history and art. See all those doors?😉

Two of my favorite people admiring the doors of these antique phone booths.

The courtyard

One of our favorite ‘little libraries’ with it’s little door to treasures.

Not sure what the party was for but they did the ‘possum freeze’ until I walked past. Friends of yours, Dan? 😉

A momentous message, although the sun was behind a few clouds. Oh, yes, there are doors on all those houses! 

HeeeeeHaaaaawww...🤭 Where’s the door to the barn? 

That door gave me some space and time to actually work on my book! 

This really cool door was one of two in the building although I’m not sure where they lead. Ande?

Hey, don’t bug me! Doors ahead...

I saw this sign after I got turned around on a hike and was a bit lost, but eventually I was headed in the right direction. 

I loved the presentation on this house with the angel wings in the window

This door entryway looks so welcoming!

The magical door to ‘side, side’, his favorite place.

I suppose it was the only thing anyone was willing to donate?🤦‍♀️🥴 That was back in my day and it was a dud car even new.  

This is the world’s largest time capsule, or so they claim. Due to be opened back up in 2025. Gentleman, start your engine! 😂😂

Now that’s a big covered wagon. With a door. Uh huh...

Now, I knew about Roomba. But lawn mowing Roomba? Whaaaa....? Yep, garage doors in that lucky household. Double! 

The entrance past the bridge to one of the many trails in and around the city. I hiked six miles that day! 

I just love this yellow door because...yellow! 

The door to adventure and the first day of preschool. ❤️❤️

I can’t be certain but this ravine turned into a dwelling on a bridge that I’m fairly certain has a door! 

Well, that’s it for now friends. Not sure when I will have time to post another round. I will be reposting a short story I wrote a few years back and I hope you have a moment to take look and give me some input. Meanwhile, I wish all of you the very best of Thursdays and every days. 

And, remember, don’t let the idiots get you down. 🤗💕

Cheryl

Don’t Give Up

 My blogging friend Pam managed to put into words through her poem today what I have been feeling. The past year has been excruciatingly painful, trying, challenging and disappointing in so many ways. She, like myself, has tried to cling to the positive, to true hope and faith in the tenacity of living because this is what determined humans do. 

I can’t speak for anyone else, but the physical and emotional trials alone don’t knock me off my feet. It is when my creative well runs dry that true depression comes knocking at my door. When I can’t find the words or sketch an image I feel like I am hanging over a great abyss with no hope but to plunge into the depths. 

While we did ‘escape’ to paradise here in Panama, it has been enjoyable only in bits and pieces due to an emergent health issue that came up for my husband. I know he came close to death at least once during all of this and I have never felt as alone as I did in the moment I realized I had to make decisions to help him. He is normally the leader, making plans and executing the details while I am consultant and laborer. Couple this with being in a foreign country where I am minimally able to speak the language while most of the medical people I had to work with spoke minimal to no English; and the pressure was nearly debilitating. 

My father, who passed away tragically and unnecessarily just four months ago, always taught me to pick myself up and dust myself off in the hard times. He told me to face the unknown with courage and without fear. It is an easier thing for a child to do when facing a vaccination than when facing life’s more daunting challenges. Still, I carry his credo with me and always plug forward, knowing things will work out somehow.  

What pulls me through the worst of times is to do something for others. People say to pamper myself, take a hot bath or buy something special; but what cheers me most of all is to give someone else a reason to smile. Doing things that bring joy to others really makes my heart glad. 

Soooo...I pulled out the art supplies I brought with me and, although the gorgeous nature just couldn’t inspire me to represent it on the page, our landlord’s youngest child was to be my inspiration. This family is such a joy to be around and their young daughter has the vibrance of a dozen children. She is vivacious, challenging, tireless, tenacious and fearless. I expect she will go far in life and I wanted her to have a remembrance of herself from someone who viewed her from the distance beyond family. 

This is Luna.

It took a few days to finish and is just my simple work, but creating this was a joy. Thank you Luna! 

Meanwhile, we ended up in town for another medical visit and soon the drizzling began while the sun shone brightly, so I instinctively looked back over my shoulder and there it was! 

The promise 

There is a phenomenon here in Boquete in the mountains known as the Bajareque. When the misting showers come and the sun shines there is a rainbow effect that is magnificent. I have yet to see the fully brilliant version that covers a valley but am quite content to be able to see the ones I have. 

As Josh says, 

“Don’t give up, because You. Are. Loved.”