Articles by Bo Mackison

Remembering Moments

Zolpidem Buy Online Remembering Moments © 2011 Bo Mackison

Purchase Tramadol Without Prescription We do not remember days, we remember moments. ~ Cesare Pavese

source site Moments from the past few days:

  • Sitting in the darkness before the fist hint of dawn, tree lights on, absorbing the beauty of light and color.
  • Many moments spent adding tinsel to the tree, a strand at a time, and with each strand I expressed gratitude for one thing — big or small..
  • Telling my kids how I added tinsel to the tree this year, and then noting how they followed my example by saying a “thank you” every time they replaced an errant piece of tinsel from carpet to tree.
  • Following a long-standing family tradition, each person made hors d’oeuvres for the Christmas Eve table. No sit down dinner for us. The Christmas table is always a part of the entire evening. We opened presents, visited, slowly ate a delicacy or two from the table, revisited memories from Christmases past. We took our time and enjoyed ourselves.
    • When my kids were much younger, there was a variety of offerings on our table — mozzarella sticks from the freezer case at the nearby grocery, meatballs from the same freezer case, cheese and crackers. We greeted each person’s contribution with enthusiasm and love.
    • This year, the kids are all practiced veterans in their own kitchens, so we had true delicacies prepared with their hands and their love — Asian shrimp balls, pot stickers, homemade meatballs, oysters on the half shell and sauces, a plate of delicate Christmas cookies, and more. What pleasure to see how they have matured in the thought and preparation of their culinary offerings.
  • As I wrapped each present this year, I took my time. I thought of the intended recipient of each gift and sent an intention into the Universe for that person. For example:
    • If the gift was kitchen-oriented, I asked that they experience a sense of accomplishment while preparing food for their loved ones and an attitude of gratefulness for their food.
    • If the gift was a humorous book, I asked that they experience lots of joy and laughter in their lives, not only while enjoying the cartoons, but throughout their days. It made wrapping gifts a deliciously uplifting time.
  • A walk around the neighborhood with Sherpa, enjoying nature in the balmy December weather, and chatting about the day’s small events which, when totaled, make up the precious gift of our life together.

https://www.52editions.com/introduction/ This truly was a season to be grateful for all the goodness that surrounds us, and a time to show our appreciation to family, friends, acquaintances, helpers — to all who touch our lives and humanize our existence.

watch —————-

https://thesentinelgroup.com/about-us/ Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is taking time today to give thanks for the little things and the big things in her life.

Grandma’s Ornament

Grandma's Ornament circa 1920

source link Grandma's Ornament circa 1920 © 2011 Bo Mackison

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

click  “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

https://www.jacobysaustin.com/menus/brunch/ May you and yours have the best celebration ever, no matter whatever you may be celebrating.

https://www.parolacce.org/merda2/ p.s. I hear Santa is coming to visit all the good boys and girls. Will he stop at follow link your house?

https://drbatayneh.com/glaucoma/ —————

click here Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She will be spending family time around the Christmas tree, telling old stories and sharing holiday spirit.

https://anthonynewmancamps.com/sports-camps/

First Snowfall

First Snow on Strickers Pond

Tramadol Online Purchase First Snow on Strickers Pond © 2011 Bo Mackison

https://hymnsandhome.com/thrifting-vintage/ Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is …
Touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart,
all of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
and life itself is grace. ~ Frederick Buechner

https://www.beyondagencyprofits.com/loom-videos/ The snow drifted from the skies this morning. I could make out the swirling white even in the darkness before dawn. As the day began, as the sky lightened to a slate gray, there was just enough snow to cover the ground, the roads, the outlines of the branches. By noon the sidewalks, driveways, and streets were free of snow and as the day continued to warm most of the snow melted into the grass. Only clumps of the white stuff remain.

follow link Madison has had an average of 15″ of snow by this time of the year for at least the last five years. Often the accumulation by the New Year is over the twenty inch mark. We have usually had our first weather warnings and blizzard planning by now. But not this year.

https://www.52editions.com/absence/ It is looking unlikely that there will be a white Christmas 2011. Better traveling weather. That’s a good thing.

https://thelonelycreative.com/photography-gallery/ But I’m glad I was able to photograph the pond dressed in white. It may be all the snow I see this year. In a few weeks, I’ll be traveling to Arizona to prepare for the upcoming art shows.

https://www.ztpackaging.com/ribbons-2/ ——————

Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She took photographs in the snow, sat in the living room with the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree for company and meditated, and then picked up family at the airport – almost everyone is home for the holidays.  Now I am really listening to life!

Endless Journey

Endless Road

Endless Road © 2011 Bo Mackison

Her thoughts followed endless roads.
Her mind created endless ideas.
Her dreams told endless sagas, no story line.

She felt out of context.
Small things were struggles.
She could solve puzzles if she had enough time, though there was never enough time.

She took herself apart and put herself back together.
There were left over parts.
How would she re-attach the left over pieces?

She wondered who she would be — or what — in her next life.
She remained hopeful.
She forgot to sweep the floors or polish the mirrors.
Crumbs collected on the soles of her socks, but she never looked in the mirrors anyway.

Her words disturbed the peace when she spoke.
Her words were the impatient part and never waited for her brain.

She lost important papers.
She didn’t watch TV.
She didn’t follow recipes.
She didn’t follow rules, well, not all of the rules all of the time.

Rules were tricky.
Boundaries were tricky, too.
Was the grass greener on the other side of the fence?

She kept busy.
She wasn’t bored but she did get lonely.
She was no longer desperate. She knew
hope. She could hold it in her hands.

She had a camera.

She took pictures and hung them on her walls.

———————

Bo sometimes writes poems, seldom shares them. Winter solstice seemed like the right time to share this poem.

Lessons from the American Lotus

Sunlit Ice on Pond

American Lotus through Sunlit Ice © 2011 Bo Mackison

  Nature is a mirror held to our view so we can see the ongoing process of growth, renewal and transformation in our lives.

~ Mary Anne Brussatt

I love this east corner of Strickers Pond in Madison. It is the only part of the water that has these pond plants which I’ve photographed for a few weeks, and I just discovered what they are – American Lotus plants.

The American lotus is an emersed native – the roots of the plant are in the muddy bottom of the edges of lakes, and the stalks protrude from the water. Their leaves are circular; they do not have the familiar indentation that water-lily leaves have.

Before the stalks weaken and break in late fall, the plants look like open umbrellas, all together, rather like big-city commuters, hurrying home in a downpour.

Plants are fascinating to study throughout the seasons. I didn’t see these in bloom, but I’ve read they have large, plate-sized blossoms, bright yellow.

Sounds lovely, but I rather like them at this stage, in their winter existence stance. Some will keep standing, especially if the pond gets its typical snow fall. After a good storm, they’ll be supported by a foot or more of snow. Some of the stalks will be smashed to the surface by the ice storms that often precede the snow accumulation.

American Lotus Seedheads

American Lotus Seedheads © 2011 Bo Mackison

No matter, each plant already dropped its seed head, the seeds have loosened from the heavy protective pod, some settled in the pond’s muddy bottom waiting for winter to come and pass into spring, for the long dark to turn into days of lengthening light. Next spring a new crop of lotus will be waving their green high above the water and in summer a sea of yellow flowers will show off for the neighborhood.

These plants give me hope. Today they are brittle brown, broken, most are leaf-less. They stand in disarray. Yet, I still see a deep, rich beauty in them. I know the new plants will fascinate me when they rise from the water, and entrance me even more when they form a yellow floral carpet above the water.

There is a beauty throughout their life cycle. Just as I am learning that there is beauty in all of us, both in our up and down periods and throughout the cycle of our lives, too.

When I stand with my feet in the mud, broken, ashamed, worried about my future, I am beaten by the cold and winds of indifference and harsh words, even hateful words. But also by my sensitivity, my fear. I feel alone and vulnerable.

And I walk around the pond and I’m reminded of the promise of fresh growth, new experiences, deepening awareness — these thoughts hold me upright through the darkness. The light will return. The cycles will continue.

Seeds. Light. Water. Earth.

The cycle of life continues.

——————–

Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She anticipates the approaching winter solstice, and the promise of lengthening days.