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All content on this blog is copyright protected.~ask permission to use my content (including re-blogging)Margaret Barry Settlement House
I am a perennial optimist
I Am Becoming the Me I Was Born To Be
As I journey through this part of my life I have discovered my next mountain. The key is to be the me I want to be in the world, as my gift back to God.-
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Tag Archives: nature
“If you don’t climb the mountain, you can’t see the view.”
I lift my eyes to the mountains from whence cometh my help Harvey Mackay wrote “If you don’t climb the mountain, you can’t see the view.” Phoenix is completely surrounded by mountains. So as I drive about on any given … Continue reading
Posted in faith/courage/miracles/hope, God, Nature, optimism
Tagged facing challenges, Faith, hope, Life, nature, Optimism
12 Comments
The contented soul is all alone with God
Have you ever had a sleepless night or a stressful week? I know, that’s a stupid question. I think this lovely poem by good old Robert Louis Stevenson provides an apt description of “getting away from the world” and “spending … Continue reading
Posted in faith/courage/miracles/hope
Tagged Faith, God, inspiration, Life, nature, prayer
2 Comments
God Really Does Have a Plan
Do you ever feel like a tiny boat made of leaves and twigs, and you are caught in a fast moving creek? God knows how to reach you and save you. Fear Not! ” God Has A Purpose for your … Continue reading
Seven Word Sundays
My friend Caddo has started something called Seven Word Sundays. This is like 5 Word Fridays and 6 Word Saturdays. I think I am kind of supposed to come up with (in this case) 7 words that describe “where I … Continue reading
Take Me to the Ocean, Lord
Whew. It was a week of ups and downs. It both invigorated and drained me. I know that you, too have had weeks like that! It doesn’t happen often, but I wrote a poem of sorts about it. (At least … Continue reading
Posted in Misc blogger activities
Tagged Faith, Friendship, inspiration, nature, ocean, relaxation
8 Comments
Your Mind And Heart Can Always Take You To Special Places
I think we all have our “happy places” don’t we? For me they are numerous: hands in the garden dirt and planting—or picking fruit and veggies; walking through a forest when the leaves are turning and some have fallen; watching … Continue reading
In the Peaceful Quiet, I Walk With God
I love imagery, music, metaphor, poetry, art, nature…all things beautiful. This lovely photo is one I have posted before. It is at the Riparian Preserve near our library. I like to look at the photo and imagine myself walking into … Continue reading
Posted in faith/courage/miracles/hope
Tagged Faith, God, Life, Morning has broken, nature
17 Comments
Bossed Around By a Fortune Cookie
Today is Friday and life is good. My son and I had some Chinese food for lunch today, and of course had fortune cookies for dessert. They are so much fun, and sometimes even give you food for thought. When … Continue reading
Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast
Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast. This photo was taken near where my niece and my sister-in-law play hockey at an indoor arena. I love how the colors and light, clouds, and shadow contrast in the gorgeous photo of the sky. I … Continue reading
God’s Love and Steadfastness is So Vast
We cannot outlast God. He is, of course more vast, more loving, more steadfast than we can ever be. When I saw the Grand Canyon I realized that compared to the size of God’s love, the Grand Canyon is like … Continue reading
Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful
Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful. Being near water always makes me feel peaceful. The water seems to take on God’s rhythm. That was the sensation I had as I walked around the lake in this photo. You can read more about … Continue reading
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged nature, postaweek2011, stress, weeklyphotochallenge
20 Comments
Weekly Photo Challenge: Winter
Weekly Photo Challenge: Winter. This is a photo of a dust storm from this summer here in the Phoenix area. We don’t get the amazing blizzards down here in Phoenix. I surely grew up with them, though, in MN and … Continue reading
Looking Out Across the Land
When I look out at the world in my journey through the day, sometimes I forget to really see it. Perhaps that is why my drawing class was so good for me. It helped me to see beyond my thoughts. … Continue reading
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged God, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, Sketches, quilts, photography
12 Comments
Look at the Lilies of the Field
This time of year things get hectic for me. On top of the usual hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and decorating, concerts at church, Christmas cards, baking, etc. I try so hard to focus on God. Where would I … Continue reading
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged God, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, Sketches, quilts, photography, stress
6 Comments
Pretty flowers on a December day
Weekly Photo Challenge: Waiting.12/2/11 I can wait all I want. But in Phoenix there will never be a huge pile of snow for sledding. However—yesterday it actually snowed in Scottsdale. That is a northern suburb of Phoenix—about 25 miles from … Continue reading
Oooo! I Can Draw Curved Shells!
As I grow and change my skills actually gain a little traction. Somehow my hand learns how to lift, touch, and move. When I took my drawing class and we were covering a new concept, I always hoped I would … Continue reading
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, Sketches, quilts, photography
6 Comments
Sketch Photo: Homesick for the Sea
When I am homesick for the sea I have some gorgeous photos on my wall of oceans at sunset. I must clarify that those are photos I did not take. Sometimes i need more immediacy than that. I am at … Continue reading
Pumpkin Girl Strikes Again
As I mentioned in my post on 11/26 I took a drawing class. Besides my other posts for the next few weeks I am going to post photos I took of my charcoal sketches. i was amazed that I could … Continue reading
Posted in Nature
Tagged Creativity, literature, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, Sketches, quilts, photography
8 Comments
The Joy of living Many Places
I was fortunate to move many times as I grew up. It stood me in good stead when I spent a semester in Italy in college. I bought a Eurail Pass and explored many countries (whether or not I could … Continue reading
God is SO Amazing [Dragonfly]
Some days I just have a bit of the doldrums. For part of today, that has been the case. Wasn’t feeling down or depressed or upset. But I needed to see something I had never seen before. I didn’t KNOW … Continue reading
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged God, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, weeklyphotochallenge
4 Comments
Weekly Photo Challenge: Wonder
Weekly Photo Challenge: Wonder. When I think of a photo of wonder I think of photos of sights that left you drop jaw amazed. I am not saying my photos are in and of themselves stunning. I am still not … Continue reading
Chesterton and me: My post #260
“Art, like mortality, consists of drawing the line somewhere”. G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) I would love to be able to say that I have read G. K. Chesterton’s work. I do have a number of his books on my Kindle, but … Continue reading
Posted in Misc blogger activities
Tagged art, charcoals, inspiration, Life, nature, onions, postaday2011, postaweek2011
5 Comments
Weekly Photo Challenge: Fall 9/23/11
Weekly Photo Challenge: Fall. Even though I am in the south now, I still get to enjoy a bit of fall colors and fall weather even if it is through photos sent to me!
When you need quiet time, where do you go? Postaday #250
When you need quiet time, where do you go? The “where I go’ depends on why I need quiet time. If I need quiet time in order to make a decision, I might go to my den and write, blog, or … Continue reading
Posted in Family Life and Issues
Tagged Faith, Friendship, God, nature, ocean, postaday2011, postaweek2011, relaxation, stress
3 Comments
Weekly Photo Challenge: Morning
Weekly Photo Challenge: Morning.
Posted in Sketches, quilts, photography
Tagged God, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, weeklyphotochallenge
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Worn
Weekly Photo Challenge: Worn. What could be more dramatically worn down than a meteorite? Quite other-wordly, I’d say!
Spring is different here
Spring is different here in the Southwest. Understand, I spent almost my entire life in the north, in snow country. Spring was an exuberant time there—when it was finally in the upper 40s to low 50s you felt an irresistable urge … Continue reading
Weekly Photo Challenge: Tiny 5/20/11
Weekly Photo Challenge: Tiny.
Posted in Nature
Tagged dragonfly perched on reed, nature, postaday2011, postaweek2011, weeklyphotochallenge
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Believe Anyway 