About Me
- Name: Joan
- Location: Suburban Minneapolis, MN
Retired, I'm living with medical challenges. I am focussed on continuing my personal growth and savoring the moment. Personality type: INTJ
Links
- Hoarded Ordinaries
- Daily Zen Meditation
- Journal of A Writing Man
- Conscious-Living Poetry
- A Mindful Life
- Slow Reads
- The Middlewesterner
- Beginner's Mind
- Cassandra Pages
- Older and Growing
- Pesky the Rat
- The Blue Lemur
- The Vernacular Body Laupe Community
- Kitchen Logic
- Via Negativa
- Velveteen Rabbi
- Onionboy
- Beneath Buddha's Eyes
- London and the North
- Heart at Work
- Soul Food Cafe
- Whiskey River
- Animated Stardust
- Nomen est Numen
- A Life in Wales
- Zen Chick
- Sharp Sand
- Bird on the Moon
- Stepping Stones
- The Wondering Jew
- Musings of an Amateur Diva
- Kalilily Time
- Funny the World
- Edit-Me
- Edit-Me
- Edit-Me
- Edit-Me
- Edit-Me
- Edit-Me
Archives
- September 2004
- October 2004
- November 2004
- January 2005
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Honoring Change
The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. -- Unknown
About six weeks ago, my Red Hat Society chapter visited the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Linked), a 1700-acre treasure of natual beauty located on the eastern fringe of the Twin Cities. The mission of the Arboretum is to educate, develop new plant varieties for Minnesota's extreme climate and to give enjoyment to the public. There is an excellent Visitors Center and lunchroom, as well as a motorized tram, the "Trumpet Creeper", that takes visitors on a guided tour of the grounds.
I realized that day that, although I had been there 15 to 20 times in my life, my visits were at random seasons of the year. With all the changes and transitions in my life at this time, I made the decision to vist there monthly. I wish to witness and honor the changes that occur throughout each month of the year. My good friend, G, wished to experience this as well, and she will be my companion and helper during these visits.
Today the two of us met for an excellent lunch, then boarded the tram for the tour. There were so many more flowers in bloom than in late May, with the emphasis this year on the primary colors, plus orange. The smoke bushes were crowned with the hazy soft orange aureoles of their blooms. Many trees have started to develop their distinctive fruits, and I especially noted the chestnuts, the eucalyptus and the apricot trees.
I chose to "tune out" the tour leader's spoken words and focus instead on the different visual sensations, holding an attitude of peace, attending to the changes and letting the impressions float past me.
In contrast to the current rampant societal proclivity to violate and "use up" our earth, the Arboretum preserves and conserves these treasures of trees, bushes and plants. Their plans for development and enhancement reach far into the future.
We returned to the Visitors Center and enjoyed a cafe mocha and delicious muffins.
It was a terribly hot day, with temperatures varying around the 90-degree mark, and I am feeling quite physically depleted tonight. My heart is filled, however. Our next visit will be in mid-August. Link
About six weeks ago, my Red Hat Society chapter visited the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Linked), a 1700-acre treasure of natual beauty located on the eastern fringe of the Twin Cities. The mission of the Arboretum is to educate, develop new plant varieties for Minnesota's extreme climate and to give enjoyment to the public. There is an excellent Visitors Center and lunchroom, as well as a motorized tram, the "Trumpet Creeper", that takes visitors on a guided tour of the grounds.
I realized that day that, although I had been there 15 to 20 times in my life, my visits were at random seasons of the year. With all the changes and transitions in my life at this time, I made the decision to vist there monthly. I wish to witness and honor the changes that occur throughout each month of the year. My good friend, G, wished to experience this as well, and she will be my companion and helper during these visits.
Today the two of us met for an excellent lunch, then boarded the tram for the tour. There were so many more flowers in bloom than in late May, with the emphasis this year on the primary colors, plus orange. The smoke bushes were crowned with the hazy soft orange aureoles of their blooms. Many trees have started to develop their distinctive fruits, and I especially noted the chestnuts, the eucalyptus and the apricot trees.
I chose to "tune out" the tour leader's spoken words and focus instead on the different visual sensations, holding an attitude of peace, attending to the changes and letting the impressions float past me.
In contrast to the current rampant societal proclivity to violate and "use up" our earth, the Arboretum preserves and conserves these treasures of trees, bushes and plants. Their plans for development and enhancement reach far into the future.
We returned to the Visitors Center and enjoyed a cafe mocha and delicious muffins.
It was a terribly hot day, with temperatures varying around the 90-degree mark, and I am feeling quite physically depleted tonight. My heart is filled, however. Our next visit will be in mid-August. Link
