clear sailing

"i can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. the problem is that i can't find anybody who can tell me what they want." -- mark twain

life isn't always a bed of roses but today is special.  a PT just moved to town and is now an ATS employee to work part time. (i can get back on the road again!) also the winds for the NCC100 (i leave tomorrow) are forecast ESE 8 which should be as good as it gets!  now hopefully clear sailing (or paddling).

countdown

"enjoy the day, trusting very little to the morrow." -- horace, carmina

can you find the hummingbird feasting on the blooms in this chicago botanical center garden?  their high speed quest for nutrition before a long trip south was fascinating to watch.  the incans of peru carved pictures of hummingbirds into the nazca lines above lima.  now if only i could shift into high gear to finish our race without a long drawn out journey.  the countdown has begun... t minus 7 days and approaching quickly.  

golden moments

"the golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we are nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. -- george eliot

 the japanese garden of the chicago botanical center showed that the pathway of two can become one.  the wonderful view of nature was stunning and the work of experienced hands brought it into clear focus.

 gerd and anja came all the way from deutschland to test our german language skills and spend a delightful two days with a side trip to the chicago botanical gardens. 

morning paddles on prairie creek reservoir during last week's ctp reminded me, as did a session with a grieving child, that we are not alone.  our departed loved ones follow us daily in our contribution to this troubled world, and can be found in the morning sunrise.

red rock without roll

"a smooth sea never made a skillful mariner." -- english proverb

 saturday six hours of paddling on rough seas was a test, but good preparation for the NCC100 on 9/28.  sunday was lighter but still rolling from the west.  taking a break in a favorite cove found myriads of monarchs floating in and out of the flowers fed by an elk rock stream.

this poor creature stood sentinel over the beach, almost like something out of Lord of the Flies.