Really, How Big is Life?

IN THE FAR DISTANCE️
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To grasp how big life really is, one must:

Drink oceans of understanding,
Climb mountains of insight,
Trench terrains of awareness,
Breath rivers of experience, plus
Soak -up starburst of heavenly enlightenment.

Or just go for a hike in the wilderness of Alaska.

I promise, your mind, heart, body, soul and spirit
will be drench with all the above that you
will sleep like a child, who’d played all day
and for most of the night.
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🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️

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Glimmering Glee

BACK ON MARCH 30 – It was a beautiful sunny day in Anchorage, Alaska and all I wanted was to feel the sun’s warmth as the chilled air-cooled my face.

Believe me, on this day, this trail was busy with walkers, bikers and cross-country skiers. Oh, I almost forgot, also man’s best friend, doggies. It was safe, yet I remain alert.The peace and tranquility in the Alaska’s outdoors is addicting. I can’t ever get enough. On this day, I couldn’t wait to find a place to lose myself in. Mentally speaking.

 

The beauty this trail revealed created bubbles of happiness inside me. If I could have, I would have giggled as I twirled. I would have spun until the ground would have become unstable.

But, I didn’t.

I did feel drunk from the purest blue sky, that I thought I heard the spread out tree arms clap faster and faster as if to encourage me to go ahead spin and set my soul free. 

Even though I only imagined, my soul did become filled with glee from the glimmering snow. I felt very much like a child as I roamed, photograph and dreamed by myself, but never once did I feel alone.

I hope you enjoyed this place like I did.

A Plan Without A Destination can Lead to God

A strategy is a mapped out plan to arrive at the desire destination or result. But, a plan without a destination needs no strategy, for one roams where ever one’s heart leads.

Nature helps me when ever I have a troubled soul, a hurting heart and a doubting mind. When I’m stressed, worried or concerned, a walk, a hike or a drive out in creation calms me as I spend some quiet time.

My husband hands me the keys to the car and says, “Let’s go for a drive.”

When I sit in the driver’s seat, I have the privilege to go where ever I please,and there is no need for a plan. Go with the flow of what nature reveals, is the only thing I keep in mind. My heart leads me until I’m content or time runs out. It matters not where the starting point is, north, east, south or west as long as it leads me out-of-town.

Once I’m on the road, I feel as if I’m on the highway of freedom.

My roaming gives me choices.

If a road peeks my interest, I’ll take the turn. If animal appears, I slow down, drive as close as I can without alarming the wild animal, unless it’s a bear, then I keep a safe distance. But, if the scenery melts my heart, I’ll stop  on the side of the road, get out of the car and explore.

 

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In nature, it’s where my heart sings and my souls spread’s its wings.

I float away and the world disappears with its troubles while I photograph what I’ve seen, where I’ve been and what caused my spirit to soar like an eagle. Moments like these, I take time to linger for I know God’s presences is all around me.

A well planned strategy doesn’t have to exist to find God.

With a searching heart

God can be found

It matter not the road one is on

He will meet you

Either at a turned, or a stopped, or on the drive

There and then

His rest will come and fill you with Peace

A Shocking Winter

December, 2017, in Anchorage, Alaska was considered a warm winter month. And, it was. It reached 48 degrees Fahrenheit with little snow on the ground compared to previous years, while the lower forty-eight experienced winters storm like none recorded. Plus, in early January, a shocking freezing winter hit the eastern states.

Now back while I was in Anchorage on December 27th, I decided to take my daughter hiking to see the carcass of a young whale. The high was 16 degrees Fahrenheit. It wasn’t the temperature that kept us inside but a thick fog, which lingered most of the day.

 When the sun came out we took off to Kincaide Park, only to find out the fog had not lifted everywhere. At the places where it had raised, the beauty of the hoarfrost land made everything look like a fairytale, winter wonderland. It was magical. While we were outside, it dropped at least five degrees. It was cold to say the least.

Here are some photos I took on our hike.

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The carcass of the whale appeared to be part of the landscape. But, the smell told you otherwise. The dead whale got washed to shore back in September. If you care to see a video of the day the whale was found click, here.

Hope the pictures or the video didn’t shock you too much.

If you ever visit Alaska in the winter, is best to come prepare for the unexpected hoarfrost weather or dead whale carcasses.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Crowd

HEY!!! WATCH OUT WHERE YOU’RE STEPPING!

One never knows what worlds exist if one doesn’t take time to stop and take a look.

Below my feet.

As hard as I tried to not step on the smallness of the crowed shells, crunching sounds still came from below my foot.

I came to a halt, as if I heard, “Hey, watch where you’re stepping,” and bent over.

For a moment, I saw myself like Godzilla passing through Tokyo.

When I zoomed in on my phone camera, left me in total wonder.

The scene sucked me away from my world, shrink me to a tiny size and I entered a place I’ve never seen before.

Intricate details, distinguishing colors and uniquely shaped homes revealed a beautiful world, which I was about to collapsed and destroy in one step.

Just like my steps, I must be careful with my words, written or said. Once the action of my printed words or spoken have occurred, they land in people’s minds and hearts. My words will either destroy a world or help rebuilt one.

My hope is for my words to bring healing and possibly repair a destructed life.

Let’s be careful were we trot, not only with our feet, but with our words.

Photos taken in Ketchikan, Alaska

Nancy Merrill Photography Weekly Challenge ~ Crowd

Paths of Self Discovery

Along the path you will discover that you too can flee away from danger. Listen and be aware.

When one must turn back along the path take time to reflect. Keep the good and leave the bad.

Choices exist of where to walk on any path. Either choice brought you from and took you to the same place, the uniqueness of who you are.

Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge

 

 

Blissful

In spite of
Rising fog
Cloudy sky
Tiny Snowflakes
The Mountain range
Peeked across the sky
While the half-moon 
Shined like a Morning star

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Winsome Beauty

❄💙❄💙❄💙❄💙❄💙❄💙❄💙❄💙❄

Absent But Not Gone

On a frozen bench

I found my heart

It faced tomorrow

where moments

come from

While it held

Past memories

 It showed me

How there’s plenty

room for more

to materialize

It has been several days since I’ve posted anything, only because I’ve been spending time with my daughter. She turned twenty-three years-old this week and she still captivates my motherly heart.

Even though, we both would have loved to stay indoors, next to a cozy fire, we ventured out on a foggy, cold day and hiked the hoarfrost land.

When she returns to her work, in Seattle, Washington she will be absent from my life, but never gone from my heart.

I’ve frozen these past days the Lord allowed me to have with her.  In the future, I’ll take a moment, like an ice-cube, from this week, thaw it out and relive the memory of our exploration as I drink from my past.

In spite of the cold, freezing day in Anchorage, Alaska and it’s ice, slippery paths, we talked, laughed, and giggled the whole way, especially when we slipped and slid down the slanting path to the beach.

Here are a few  photos of her in the Kincaid park, a winter wonderland in Anchorage, Alaska. At the end are photos of a baby whale carcass. Which she wanted to see.

The young whale was washed to shore in late September. Now the carcass looks like deformed frozen stones. Once, one get’s close to the decomposing form one can see it was a whale, a spiritual being for the Native Alaskan tribes.

Explore With Me – 2017 Favorites

In my travels, I get to see many wonderful places and exquisite beauty. These photos are just a few. Follow me on Instagram if you like to see more.

Point Wilson Light house -Fort Worden State Park

Port Townsend, Washington

Silverdale, Washington

Brownsville, Washington

Anchorage, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

 

Far Yet Close

The mountains scale down the size of the cabins and pin point our next stop.

My first snow excursion in Alaska. A taste of winter delight. If only I had brought some wine, it would have been the cherry on a perfect day.