A Second Self

In my friend, I find a second self.  

~Isabel Norton~

A Greeting

I find myself at the extremity of a long beach.  

How gladly does the spirit leap forth, 

and suddenly enlarge its sense of being to the full extent of the broad, blue, sunny deep!  

A greeting and a homage to the Sea!  

I descend over its margin, and dip my hand into the wave that meets me, 

and bathe my brow.  

That far-resounding roar is the Ocean's voice of welcome.  

His salt breath brings a blessing along with it.  

~Nathaniel Hawthorne~

Strength

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.

~Anonymous~

Beauty and Joy

If we do not permit

 the Earth to produce 

beauty and joy,

 it will in the end

 not produce 

food either.
~Joseph Wood Krutch~

Beyond Horizons

A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed... 

It feels an impulsion... this is the place to go now.  

But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, 

and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.  

~Richard Bach~

Nature

Nature is not a place to visit, 

it is home.  
~Gary Snyder~

As It Was

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man 

than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. 

 ~Robert Lynd~

We Be Jammin

 

Each small task of everyday life

 is part of the total harmony 

of the universe.

~ St. Theresa of Lisieux ~

 

Thanks for the Strawberries

Boxx Berry Farm

School's Out For Summer!

You worked so hard and we are SO proud of you!

It has been such a pleasure to be your teachers.  

Know that you are loved and cherished.

School's out for summer kiddos!

Play hard, enjoy the sun, and love life!

Happy Summer Everyone!

~Becca and Susan~

Chains

So often time it happens, 

we all live our life in chains, 

and we never even know we

 have the key. 

 ~The Eagles~

We Love you Molly!

Free Spirits

Oh to be a child again.

Spirits free and soaring!

Friendship

Friendship is unnecessary, 

like philosophy, like art.... 

It has no survival value; 

rather it is one

 of those things that

 give value 

to survival. 

 ~C.S. Lewis~

Depicting Peace

If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, 

I would surely vote for the purr.  

~Barbara L. Diamond~

Courage

Courage is a peculiar 

kind of fear.  

~Charles Kennedy~

Happy Father's Day

I love my father as the stars — 

he's a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart. 

~Terri Guillemets~

Thank you to all the wonderful dads in our lives!

We love you so much!

~Becca, Susan, Beth, Sean, Kim, Sarah, and Shannon~

What you Have

Until you make peace with
who you are,
 you’ll never be content with
what you have.

~Doris Mortman~

Handprints

People we love leave hand prints on our heart.

Vegan

Veganism is not about giving anything up or losing anything;

 it is about gaining the peace within yourself 

that comes from embracing nonviolence 

and refusing to participate in the

 exploitation of the vulnerable

 ~Gary L. Francione~

Static Things

In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. 

In physical terms, I move through them; 

yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me. 

~John Fowles~

Mow

The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence,
but you still have to mow it.
~Anonymous~

Still Water

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
~Wendell Berry~

Forever

Mom,

I planted you Foxgloves.

I hope you like them.

I miss you

and 

Love you

so very much.

If the people we love are stolen from us,

 the way to have them live on is to 

never stop loving them. 

Buildings burn, people die, 

but real love is forever.

 ~The Crow~

How To Remain

Every child is an artist.  

The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.  

~Pablo Picasso~

Labels

Labels are for filing.  

Labels are for clothing.  

Labels are not for people.  

~Martina Navratilov~

Secret Places

We all have our secret places that are safe from the world.

Magic

 

Those who don't believe in magic

 will never find it.

~ Roald Dahl~

Drawn

I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better.  They fight for honor at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvelous instincts appear to know about death.  Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying.  ~George Bird Evans~

Your Friends

The world is a rose;

 smell it and pass it to

 your friends.

~ Persian Proverb~

On The Cusp

On the cusp between child and adult,

we watch you becoming this amazing man!

You are so loved buddy!

Just wanted you to know!

A Step

 

What saves a man is to take a step.  

Then another step.  

It is always the same step, 

but you have to take it. 

 ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry~