the day-blind stars: all still there, waiting.

My mind has been spinning lately.

(Yes, all brought about tangentially by the tv show Glee, though more specifically Chris Colfer. Shut up. He’s a ridiculously amazing person, grounded and wise for his age, playful, honest, and determined. Certainly plenty of amazing people in my own life share these qualities, but I can honestly say that there is no other public figure like him.)

What do I do when that happens? (Other than be up in the middle of the night, evidently.) I pull out my old personal journals, because I have been here before, and I know I'll re-find myself in the pages.

And sure enough.  Among tons of notes about life and love were these three gems:

“Beauty provides the possibility of a nature that is both sensuous and rational.” -Schiller
“Those who do not venture out beyond actuality will never capture truth.” -Schiller
“You are the only person I know who could have a picture of Disney’s Pocahontas *and* a chart of the stock market, on the same wall. And understand and appreciate both of them.” - from my dear, dear friend Emily

The thing that makes me who I am is this ability to encompass both the analytical and the ecstatic. And boy, do I get in trouble when I fall too far on one side or the other. My twenties were pretty much all about attempting to jettison the ecstatic, spiritual, emotional side of myself. Every existential quandary I have ever had has only been navigated by picking my way through the forest (often literally) to re-find that part of my character.

What do I want from my life? To leave the world better for me having been here. My work gives me a great platform to connect with people and help them be who they are. I’m not going to shy away from big ideas to make an even bigger impact. How, exactly? That’s where I’m not precisely sure. I’m sitting in openness, and as inspiration hits, I’m paying attention, and ready to work.

And when they say that
The moon shone like day...
Well, I've seen it.
I've seen fields of silver
and forests of black velvet
I've seen mountains
cut against a deep azure sky
sprinkled with crystals.
I've seen mist
descending on the valleys
clouds cloaking the mountains
and snow
glow on the hills.
And there are lakes that
glisten like dark mirrors
reflecting that world
as though
The image were the reality.

Click for instant serenity:
http://photo-amore.livejournal.com/20003.html

Lovely.

- snowflakes

- crows gathering in the trees at dusk across the street from my office, until there are so many that the silhouette looks summer trees full of leaves fluttering in the wind.

 ...and so I want mine to include the map shop in Hellboy II.  Which TOTALLY ROCKS.  (The map-shop building, not the movie. Maps are optional, though that'd be cool too.)  Seriously, B was cracking up because I had this sort of involuntary squee. 

Teh internets are not finding me a photo to show you, though.

Also, since I never have context to say this, can I say HOW ANNOYING it is that Alt-E / F on wikipedia puts your cursor in their loser-head search box, instead of in a real search box to search the page?  Standards, people, standards.
/tangent.

Today I saw a raven or crow on top of a tall telephone poll, standing with its wings stretched out to their full length. It seemed like odd behavior - I've seen waterbirds do that to dry their wings, but today is a dry day - but it looked so majestic.

(tangentially related- I had wanted a few weeks ago to change my lj name to "withwings" or something but it was taken.)

Alas, Tahquamenon Falls with otterkin     was not to be. So instead, I explored our *local* wilds: Waterloo Recreation Area and environs, under the theory that your vacation is what you make of it.  (I also cooked a smore for myself over a candle last night. Yes, true.) 

Highlights:
* Bog Trail (from the Discovery Center) - always a favorite of mine, mature forest, a boardwalk view to a bog, and tons of cool things to look at. It's *not* just about the bog, I swear. (But I would be lying if I didn't say that bogs are freaking awesome.)
* Park Lyndon North, the "Yellow Trail" - most of the trail is fine but doesn't really call to me, but there's an idyllic oak grove that makes the hike totally worth it for me.
* Lake viewing - trying to find which boating lakes could also support non-boating use - like a canvas chair and a book. :)  After looking at Mill Lake, Cedar Lake, and Doyle Lake, Doyle Lake wins! (less traveled, has a small pier)
* Oak Woods Trail (from the Discovery Center) - nice trail with views of lakes and marshes
* Cedar Lake Esker Trail - Yes, I *did* find the connector between the Cedar Lake boat access and the Discovery Center's Spring Pond Trail. Sweet! (I'm always excited when there's a slight risk of getting-lost-itudeness that is avoided - go me. I was also not hit by lightning while hiking on an esker as a storm blew in, so bonus-score.)
* Bog Trail to Cedar Lake - And yes, I found the connector between these two. Cedar Lake Outdoor Center has some good picnic spots w/views of Cedar Lake.
* The Waterloo Springs - Totally awesome & worth exploring, but not - repeat, not - while it is a complete mosquito-zone. Yikes. Note to self: Return in not-June.

Best gift, and you should get one, too: State parks pass, a whopping $24 per year, gets you access to all these fun places and more, and then you can just go on a whim!

What are your favorite nearby walks, hikes, and/or nature spots? 

 

 

 

t rying ... to ... focus...

Gack! Can't do it. The rest of the world is too interesting.
Here are some saw-whet owls:
http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Aegolius&species=acadicus

 The snow today (at least at the time & place I was looking) is thick round disks, instead of the lacey, delicate kind. (That was last night.)  I also saw a couple that were symmetrical on 12 points, not just 6.

And I think I saw one of these snowflake "spools" - a first for me!
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/w031223d046.jpg 

Snow is cool! Working on a snowy Friday is lame!  :)