October, Barbie, Bloggy Meetup, and Rosh Hashanah

Dear Sillies,

Happy October!

I adventured a bit further north toward Oregon this past weekend. 

Can you guess the name of this fabulous milkshake I ravaged? It's called "Barbie." Oh emm gee! As yummy as it is pinkified. It's from Yaks in Mount Shasta.

 I also elated in the privilege of another face-to-face bloggy meetup. Toni and I met at the fabulous blog of the fabulous Debra She Who Seeks. We live just an hour from each other and I'd planned on stopping in her hometown, so a Starbucks date it was. She's a fun and interesting dear heart. We had a great meetup. Yay for that!  

Northern northern Cali is beautiful, my Sillies. Siskiyou County, Trinity County, Shasta County. I thoroughly basked in it -- a little hiking, a lot of inhaling of fresh pine air, and the perfect ambiance for quiet contemplation.

When nature calls, lean into it, my friends.

One more note, Happy Rosh Hashanah, year 5785, to the Jewish people! Our New Year begins this eve. 

Much love and well wishes, friends. 

The Fires, Kindness, and etc.

Dear Caring Sillies,

I find myself going silent in times like this. As you likely know, massive portions of Northern CA have been destroyed and the destruction continues. The fires are 75 miles north of me, and I'm perfectly safe. Yet safety feels like an incredible luxury right now. Whenever my thoughts stray to the fires, they land at the sentiment that all I can do is be kind and generous to those in need.

Kindness. It's nothing and it's everything. (I'm re-posting an ole and revised poem).

NOTHING AND EVERYTHING

We grapple to find answers

When there are none to be found

Since trauma and destruction

Never stem from somewhere sound

We want to make wrong right somehow

But can't undo the pain

Of spirits crushed by tragedy

Mere words seem so inane

We can offer loving kindness

To those who fight to live

It's everything.

It's nothing.

It's all we have to give.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Onto fun and cheer ~ the astute and witty Joanne at Word Splash, WON my Giveaway Guessing Game. And she WON so QUICKLY! I didn't think anyone would guess that the blizzard and tornado warnings were in Denver Colorado. But they were. Congratulations, smart lady! 

Two more snapshots:

Wherein I found my zen (from a little chocolate shop in Idaho Springs, CO)

Castlewood Canyon - on the search for waterfalls, which I never found (thus, the half smile).

More to come ~ the highlight, visit with a special person...

On an altogether different, tacky and self-promotional note: The Trumpeter's New Clothes is FREE as an ebook today (7/31) through Saturday (8/4) HERE. 

Please be safe, be well, and treat yourselves kindly.

Love.

World's Best Street Name, Around My Town

My favorite street name...

                     A little, hard to find road in Magalia, just north of Paradise, CA.

It's the best way to go.
Been there?
Go gently, and keep a smile.

Northen California Road Trip: Sundays in My City

Hi, friends.
I drove through three Northern California counties this weekend, so I'm exhausted but anxious to show you some photos. This post also serves as a late entry for UnknownMami's Sundays in My City. Visit her site to tour the world of bloggers' hometowns. Spectacular scenes abound.

I promised you a photo of the cake at my friends' son's Bar Mitzvah. They did better than cake, though. They had an ice-cream sundae bar. Here's a smidgen of mine before I attacked it. If you look closely, you can read that I was seated with the losers (49ers Table).

Sorry, DuPont. All of Northern California feels your pain.

 

Charles Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa, CA  

It seemed like a good deal, but Lucy said, "I am not equipped to address problems of your magnitude." Then she screamed, "Go away! NOW!" I want my nickel back.

  

                                                                Clear Lake. Heavenly.

The Blue Lakes were part of Clear Lake until volcanic eruptions and subsequent landslides broke them into separate lakes...I'm not sure when. Tens of thousands of years ago? I dunno, but it's been a while. I have more pictures, but I'll end with these visions of a beautiful world - in honor of Martin Luther King.

Thanks for visiting.

Have a peaceful week.