the sound of wings

During a recent zoo visit, I voyaged into the Epicenter of Madness - the new Children's Zoo. It's actually set up nicely... certainly better than the nearly non-existent one of the past. (Except, their "read these descriptions of the animals to the tune of Mary Had A Little Lamb" thing was incredibly annoying because the one I tried didn't even have the same number of syllables. Not that I wanted to try with all of them anyway.)

One of the things that delighted me actually existed before at the zoo, but it had limited hours and I had never tried it out. I bought myself two containers of nectar. I then tried out the Lorikeet exhibit. It wasn't busy at all (yay!).

I opened the nectar with careful help.

Then I was covered with birds. On my arms, on my shoulders, on my head.

Being that I'm all about prim, I was...

gleefully delighted!

Afterward, I took photos of some of my buddies -

happy mom's day

I'm not someone who thinks that Mother's Day is a bogus holiday. While I don't at all think every woman has to be a mom to have a meaningful existence, motherhood is still a powerful transition. It's a big deal, so putting a day on the calendar in honor seems perfectly appropriate to me.

"Having a baby is an opportunity to transform a life, because in the moments of labor and birth all the forces of the universe are flowing through a woman’s body…" (Sister MorningStar)

In celebration of Mother's Day, two photos of my daughter, taken in May 2009 at our backyard picnic.

One of my oldest son taken then too (with his incredible eyes).

Last, but not least - our latest (and final!) addition at his first Easter (2010).

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And finally, a poem I wrote for Ari Ella -

Ella, "Beautiful Fairy"

I can see in your eyes
that same whisper
that drives me,
that makes me sneak past the doorway
that divides here from there,
that pulls me into the greens of trees
and silvers of midnight

your eyes sparkle and cha-cha
and peer at the world through
a veil of wonder, mystery,
presence

you are a living fairy

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Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there. And for everyone else, just remember, your mom probably really did try... it's not an easy path! ;)

spring hellos

Close your eyes, place the shell against your ear, and feel the water slam into your bare feet. Okay, no. I've yet to find seashells in Oklahoma big enough to capture that experience. But these little ones are still fun to spot at the Martin Nature Center in North OKC. :)

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I'm not sure what my reasons are for not posting here in so long. I suppose I could come up with a few. For example:

However, that would be just an excuse. I plan to start posting again regularly. So... hello! ;)

melting into the scenery

Another place I enjoy in the Tulsa area is the Mary Oxley Nature Center in the NE part of the city. Meadows, forests, marsh, pond. Peacefulness, many trails, vibrant red dragonflies, fluttery sunny butterflies, and eye-gazing frogs. A good energy for an afternoon of exploration. :)

the veil of light between us

Over the weekend, we traveled to the Tulsa area, about 1 1/2 hours NE of OKC. One place we visited was the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks (just west of Tulsa). This photo is of a shark floating overhead. It's a magical sensation and experience... and the dome has an amazing echo, which made me wish they rented it out for song and chant. :o :)

lost in the meadow

Martin Nature Center in North OKC is a beautiful, serene retreat. These photos are from September. My daughter decided that even for a nature walk, she needed to pack up a purse. It had odd items, such as a new container of tooth powder that she took from the house on the sly. Never know when you might need that.

The nature center has a blend of scenery, but this is the heart of the meadow - grasses and flowers and creatures tangled together, soaking in sunlight.

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I've, obviously, been off in la la land. The one known as life, how strange. :) September and October were quite a strong blend of bliss and stress, growth and chaos. They were also quite photo-rich, whoops. I'm finding my footing again, and will start posting here daily.

awake beneath the flora

Also from the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Eyes that seem to see things, and he didn't particularly mind having random things growing all over him. Or, maybe he did and next time we'll see him eating his way out of that little tropical chaos. (Okay, or maybe not.)

sitting up high

Today, I went deep into tropical forests... or, well, seeing as how those aren't too common here in Oklahoma, the closest thing: the Myriad Botanical Gardens. :)

a dance of clouds

Yes, more from the lake (Hefner). I've been going with my children, and by myself, a lot. :)

I've also been a tad (only a tad?) less than daily here - I've just started kindergarten (homeschool) with my son, so we're getting settled into our rhythms.

moody lake

I went to the lake tonight. This photo was taken right before it started pouring. The wind was strong and when the rain started falling, the sensation against my face (eyes closed) was amazing. However, the short walk to the car soaked my clothes, and I could barely get the car door open from the strength of the wind against it. Pure natural power, and I was in heaven. (But glad I wasn't wearing something nearly-sheer. :o) My actual house, not too far away, didn't get a drop, so I was especially pleased to have experienced the beauty right by the water's edge.

sunset

Snuck away last night to watch the sunset by the lake. I always feel so connected and at peace by the water. I've decided to do this at least a couple times per week.

spiral spider

I believe this is a Black and Yellow Argiope, who has made the side of my house its home. What a vibrant creature! Rather glad they like gardens and not bathroom corners though...

water bliss

This morning, I took the kids to Lake Hefner. It was early, before 9, and was so quiet and peaceful. When sitting near the edge, the sky and water became one, the hues interlocking and blurring, the gentle waves having a meditative quality. I was in love.

twinkle, twinkle

When we went to the OKC Museum of Art earlier this month, we had fun with the modern art exhibits. This one had knobs to adjust the twinkling lights which my son made vibrant and dim again and again. :)

My Yogi Tea message last night was, "Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light." Somehow seems appropriate for this photo.

backyard 4

Grasshoppers are the totems for leaping forward, abundance, positive 'luck', taking chances. This one greeted us on our back screen.

my backyard 4

My son had an incredible amount of delight spotting this little fellow (miss?). :)

rainbow glass

Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art - I wouldn't mind having a hallway ceiling like this one... :)

my backyard 3

And this? Well, it's growing in a crack in the cement. Rather ambitious. There's that popular saying, "bloom where you're planted." I suppose "bloom where the wind takes you" works too - a lesson in thriving under less than optimal circumstances - or better yet, thriving because you've allowed the circumstances to be optimal just as they are.

my backyard 2

Photo from a few days ago.

So, we've had a break from the intense heat. Rain the last couple of days, highs in the mere 70s. But, summer isn't over - sunshine and 90+ return for the holiday weekend. Good thing because my cat is starting to get bummed out, and my son wants to make chalk footprints all over the back. Me? I like rainy breaks.

a silver lining of strength and renewal

This is a pretend-video-reel hanging from the Oklahoma History Center's ceiling.

I'm actually not sure what the picture on the left is - anyone know?

The one in the center is the Oklahoma National Memorial. "We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity." The website is http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/. When my Australian friend visited, she asked if it was a war memorial - so, just to clarify, it's for the April 19, 1995 federal building bombing. Yes, I remember exactly what I was doing, and no, I actually haven't been in the memorial - I find memorials, in general, to be quite beautiful, but way too sad for me.

The one on the right is tornado destruction from May 3, 1999. The bliss and horror of technology is that you get to see the huge formations (this was F5), watch their destruction, and see the path they plan to take. On the one hand, knowledge is power; on the other, it's just flat out scary - especially when few homes are built with basements. I distinctly remember its path was aimed right at my parents' home until it made a sudden move. Some of the houses rebuilt in this area - Moore, a suburb to OKC's south - were destroyed a second time a couple years later when a large tornado took a similar path. I'll stick with central / NW OKC, thank you very much. I've had to get in the closet, but only once in my life have I actually heard that Perfect Stillness, then Train Sound - and for that one, it wasn't F5, and I was in a neighbor's basement...

I suppose all places have sorrow in their histories. The sorrow also shows a place's inner strength and sense of community - which both of these events certainly did.