03 July 2013

Soaring

For the past four years, I've attended a writers conference in Colorado Springs.  It's held in Glen Eyrie

castle situated near the Garden of the Gods.  There are few things that delight me more than walking around the grounds.  When the morning light eases into the day, it brings about wonderful tones and shadows. Song birds, wild turkeys, deer and a herd of big horn sheep are often seen.

It's impossible not to smile at that.

This year was especially wonderful. My room in the castle had a small balcony, and in a tree nearby was a robin we named Samantha. She was sitting on her nest, and she was at my eye level.  I couldn't see into the nest without some stellar gymnastic moves, but I did get a picture and I know there were at least two eggs. Samantha and I often had wee conversations during my stay.

I was finally able to join the "first draft club" and took with me a completed manuscript for a young adult novel. I didn't really start out with the intention of having something to submit for publication but it seems I might after all. It was wonderful to celebrate this success with others in the same club.  It was even better to be in a class when a friend got word that her book has moved along the publishing chain.  I loved the tremor of excitement that went through the room as we cheered her on. It's hard to get a book published these days, but she's doing it. I read an early draft, and I love her delightfully quirky character, Match MacGuillicuddy.  I'm pretty happy for him too.  If you have a pre-teen boy who loves adventure stories, watch for a book by Kay Day next year. I'm pretty sure he'll love meeting Match too.

The first morning, around 5:30 or so, I walked around the driveway loop. A deer trail parallels the road, and a young doe joined me.  We walked companionably for ten minutes or so, before her trail veered off.  She stopped to snack on a tree, and I realized how thin she is. Colorado Springs suffered from serious fires last year (this year too), and food must be scarce.

I was heading towards the eagle's nest for which the castle was named.  I'd already seen three fledglings as we drove in and I was anxious to photograph them with my new camera.  They are still too far away for me to capture them without a pro set-up, but it was still fun to try.

There had been much to think about on that first walk, particularly in regards to relationships.  I knew that I was facing a sad goodbye to a friend who has impacted my life in significant ways.  I was wrestling with this and it weighed heavily upon me.  There was no way to make things better, no avoiding the inevitable. I knew that it was affecting others too, and I struggled with how to be the best support for them. These thoughts bounced around in my head as I listened to the chickadees and robins wake up.

I started on the return loop home, my spirit unsettled. I looked up to one of the ridges, and thought I sighted an eagle perched there. I zoomed in for a picture, then looked at the picture on my camera, zooming in again.  Sure enough, a golden eagle was looking down at me too.  I raised my camera and refocused on the ridge.

At precisely that moment,  the bird took off. Doubts I'd had about attending this year vanished at that moment.

Sure, this picture is a bit blurry, but I don't care.  It captures one of those times when God spoke to me, a moment when I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

"I'm so glad you came," he said.  "Let's fly together".



14 May 2013

Weekend at the Lake

Sometimes it occurs to me that we don't travel often enough.  Most often, that is when I'm updating the blog to talk about a place we've just been.

This weekend found us at the lake with some very dear friends. It was a good time of rest for us both.   Oh there is healing power in laughing with those who love you, a special balm when parts of life have been difficult lately. My friend and I rejoiced in the gift that our husbands not only like each other, but each of us individually as well. Each of us has things to talk about and things to learn from the other three.  It's easy, and I'm learning that there is great blessing in such a relationship. It further delights me to witness how much they love each other, for I know some of the cost it took to find each other.

Coffees and breakfast casseroles, laughing at movies and because of old German gentlemen, enjoying the strains of familiar tunes delivered in a new way.  We caught up with loved ones, and were humbled by an elderly soul who prayed "Merciful Father, you are a God of surprises. Thank you for the unexpected blessing of sharing time with these friends today".

A God of surprises indeed. There was joy in the goslings, peace at dawn, comfort in faithful spring flowers and even more comfort in heart-felt conversations.

Some days, it's hard to imagine that life could be sweeter.


08 January 2013

Magnificent Mosaics

Our trip to Aachen was cold and miserable.  It was challenging to stay warm, my fingers cramped up all the time.   At least we found a mall where we could have coffee at McDonald's, and where we saw this big guy.  We had a lot of fun taking pictures with him.



Later though we walked into a church to get warm.  It was one of the best finds of the trip.  We found ourselves in the Palantine Chapel of the Aachen cathedral.  There are double arches in this area, and a high domed octagonal ceiling.  Every single surface is covered with beautiful mosaic work.  The subtleties in colour and in style were nothing short of incredible, and I could only imagine how long it had taken hundreds of workmen to find or make the tiles and craft the mosaics.  The dome itself has Christ on the throne, surrounded by 24 elders of the apocalypse.

We stayed here much longer than we needed for warmth. We stayed for the imagining of who may have designed the panels, and for appreciating the hours that went into crafting them around 1870-73.

Sometimes the best finds are those you stumble onto--and I'm so glad it was a cold and miserable day so we did.