Hiking the trails within the National Parks, National Forest, and National Conservation Areas can produce a feeling of irrelevancy for whatever is going on in the world. Standing motionless staring at enormous Ponderosa, Jeffery and Sugar Pine trees with Douglas, White, and Red Fir trees in the distance, within a forest of green blocking the sky from view. The silence is golden yet broken, with … Continue reading Leaf, needles, and a forest.”
Mighty is the sound of instruments to create the music of our desires from within our soul. Without the sound of instruments to create the music from our hearts, would humanity be calmer or would we be more violent? Mighty is the music of my life, surrounding my heart and soul of who I have become. The evolution of Music 1400 BC 2016 AD … Continue reading “Mighty is the music of our lives.”
Social media produces journalling crumbs of our past. Crumbs for those you chose to see the highs and lows of your life. Wisdom can be gained from the crumbs of our past. WordPress daily word prompt Continue reading “Social media crumbs”
Recreating a time from the past can be an adventure. Malcolm & Ethel Marshall, lived thirty-three wonderful years in a beautifully appointed retirement transitional housing community. They both retired at the ages of 67 and 65, and they are parents of three adult children, grandchildren and a couple of great-grandchildren. They were veterans of the US Army during World War 2, and they traveled the … Continue reading “A tentative short story.”
I was traveling south along Nevada route 95 when I wandered into Las Vegas to visit family and to check out Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. When I told my uncle of my, intentions, he thought Red Rock Casino where after a great buffet dinner, I toured the casino and discovered a sports bar with eighteen television projectors directed at a wall, combining three giant-screens, with … Continue reading “An iconic American road.”
As a child growing up, I always had Labrador Retrievers as pets, and one of my chores was picking up after the dog. When I became an adult, I swore never to get another dog to avoid picking up poo. My kids grew up with cats a lot easier to pick-up after. Several weeks ago I went to visit my father when his 15-year old … Continue reading “”Penchant for poo.”
I learned very early in my childhood before I started school that acting bad or being bad brought about a spanking or a scolding at the least. When I began school the report cards had a section labeled “disobeying,” and based on previous scoldings I knew never to have that box marked. One of my friends did, and he received the standard neighborhood parental discipline, … Continue reading “Disobey.”
The peculiarities of life and death manifest itself before, during, and after stressful painfilled tragic events. Personal reflections and contemplation about life, its meaning, and understanding its purpose are our thoughts during these times. Remembering the past, appreciating and enjoying the beauty of life itself is the goal we all can understand. Sympathetically remembering the past to learn from, and moving forward beyond the peculiarities … Continue reading “Sympathetic Peculiarities.”
The word “Overcome” is over used, because everyone’s daily life is filled with moments, hours, days, months, and years of challenges. Without challenges, life will become boring and lackadaisical, and who would want to survive such a life? Whenever feeling overwhelmed and challenged, always remember this time will soon pass. (M. J. Leake) WordPress daily word prompt Continue reading “Overcome.”
As a traveler, I have encountered many others who’s mentality like mine is filled with the anticipated experiences of the journey and destination. The journey has numerous crescendos of discovery around the next corner, whats over the hill, and viewing an infinite horizon filled hope and anticipation. “A finite mind limits their imagination to travel.” (M.J.Leake) WordPress daily word prompt Continue reading “Anticipated Crescendo.”
My travel mission was set to photograph the Bonneville Salt Flats with a refuel top off in the town called West Wendover, NV en-route to Reno NV. However, it’s been my custom to stop at the visitors center of all towns and communities. I was greeted by both of the two wonderful ladies in the photo below who informed me of their towns historic facts, its significance with … Continue reading “Elevating my knowledge of West Wendover NV.”
The structure of nature can sometimes have no structure at all. The Bonneville Salt Flats white sands are a living sight to witness. The white sands distinguish no structure, only a blindness of white. The smoky haze from western fires dims the mountain’s outline leaving a blindness of white as far as the eye can see. Only the distant sound of tires screaming along the … Continue reading “Structure,”
The word educate is applied to every travel destination I encounter. There is something to learn no matter how many times I have visited any location. In the US just about every community has some form of fall celebration, and many are called October festival to raise monies for charities local communities, but more directly it is a time to drink apple cider or beer. … Continue reading “Educated?”
My last posting “Enamored with nature,” apparently was my 1000th blog post on WordPress. 🙂 My priceless blog life began 2013 when I signed up for a WordPress site, but I was critically involved in my retired lifestyle and the incredible outdoor activities of Southwest Florida to focus or develop a daily schedule to write. 🙂 It was September 2014 when I participated in WordPress’s … Continue reading “I am Pricelessly, Critical, to Continue.”
After viewing and capturing photos of the natural beauty in Yellowstone National Park, I found the Flagg Ranch Campgrounds located along the John D Rockafeller Parkway in between Yellowstone National Park and five miles north of the Grand Teton National Park entrance. The campgrounds $40.00 fee was the steepest cost I had ever encountered for a tent site, so I found the nearby disperse (free) campsite … Continue reading “Enamored with Nature.”
Children who become teenagers and eventually adults are a wonderment of untold measurement. (M.J.Leake) As the days, months, years, and decades pass, with mothers day, fathers day, birthdays, and holidays gatherings the opportunity for love to be expressed is important. However, do not wait until the opportunity to say “I love you,” Make it happen during a face time call, a text message, voice mail message, … Continue reading “Rhyme or Reason?”
I love history, and consider myself an amateur historian of American History. So when I entered the Cody Wy visitors center to see what the area has to offer, my interest was sparked to learn of a nearby Japanese confinement memorial. I was eager to tour the site located 12-miles northeast of Cody Wy and with the directions downloaded into the GPS, I was on … Continue reading “Heart Mountnain, Japanese-American Confinement.”
Some retirees try to recall memories and thoughts of their adolescent and childhood years. If they are able, they spend the second chapter of their lives fulfilling those dreams of years past. (M.J.Leake) Reflecting on my 30 years of travel mostly via a motorcycle, I have encountered thousands of people who have used every type or form of transportation known. They were travelers conquering vast … Continue reading “Travel reflections in a Cody Wy Walmart lot.”
A retiree who accepts their status will become a happier person going forward into the second chapter of their lives. While many retirees remain in their past, never reflecting on their future. (M.J.Leake) As a child did I dreamed of flying or traveling around the world after reading about Amelia Earheart’s adventures and reading the Jules Vern’s novel “Around the world in 80 days?” My … Continue reading “My Homage to Travel Dreams.”
Depending on where you live planning a trip from your home to travel across town can easily be accomplished depending on where you live. In the major metropolitan cities along both the east and west coasts of American, it can be a challenge of a life time to travel 10-miles in less than a half hour depending on the time of day. So, after … Continue reading “Unfurl and Synchronized Traffic.”
Photos of the impressive Buffalo Bill Dam. Continue reading Buffalo Bill Cody Dam
Traveling through Cody Wyoming I was able to satisfy the WordPress photo challenge which asks for corners and intersections. This old red barn projects exceptional corners intersecting and surrounded by Sunflower circles. WordPress Photo Challenge Continue reading “Corners and Sunflowers.”
Millions of people gathered in the major location around the continental United States to witness a solar eclipse at varying degrees. I was fortunate to see two sunset and sunrises in one 24-hour period… As the darkness increased, there was a certain calmness in the air as the crowd of several thousand quieted to take in the beauty and solitude we were witnessing. These photos … Continue reading “Ooh, Shiny spot in the sky.”
As I journey willy-nilly further into the 2nd chapter of my life, this blog has now morphed into a documentary of my global nomadic overland expedition travels and adventures. For those who have followed me since the inception of my blog. Get ready for a new transformation as I become an “Overlander.” What is an “overlander?” An overlander is a person who travels continuously by … Continue reading “New Beginnings on Eclipse day.”
The carousel of life cycles through many stages hopefully surrounded by family, friends, culture, and an environment shaping your life forever. Along the way you develop desires, want’s and love’s, influenced by what you see and experience during your formative years. Sometimes, setting in place goals and expectations for the rest of your life. But, life’s carousel of marriage, children, death, divorce, new relationships, empty nesting, … Continue reading “Carousel of Life.”
Our eldest son Geoferry organized and paid for a private dining room in the exclusive up scale restaurant “Alain Ducasse,” inside the Dorchester hotel in downtown London to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Initially, I was against the event believing Geoffery should save his money, as I would be content with dinner at home with our Geoffery and ten or so family members hoping everyone … Continue reading “Humorous moxie.”
Six months ago, I was with twenty-one of my family members to watch my youngest great-granddaughter tandem parachute from a plane 12000 feet above the airport to celebrate her 21st birthday and entry into the US Army. My son and his wife Corinna were not happy, to say the least about their daughter taking such a risk. However only because she was entering the US … Continue reading “Dare-Devil Great Grandmother.”
There was a united symbolism as the band members walked from both sides of the stage to their seats for their premiere spring symphonic performance. Everyone in the audience eagerly stood to applaud their entry. Once seated, the female conductor entered onto the stage from the left bowed to the public then quickly turned and stepped onto the conductor’s stand. The band members snapped to … Continue reading “Spring Symphony!”
I awake with a foggy haze, covering my eyes, I stumble to my bathroom to begin my day. When I reach out for my toothbrush, I looked in the mirror my eyes opening to see my reflection in the mirror, and I smile when I remember, it is my day off. Still groggy but happy, I return to bed to find my haze of sleep. … Continue reading “Good Morning Foggy Haze.”
The term “explorer” has been attached to people like Ferdinand Magellan, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Lewis, and Clark and hundreds of others. Today’s traveler/explorers use terms like nomadic, wanderlust, digital nomads, and overlanding. Most people “Google” every destination imaginable and explore a continent, country, city, town, province, from the comfort of a chair and with access to street level views, it is possible to gain … Continue reading ” I begin my travels anew.”
Within some people is a gate closing off a lustful desire they refuse to open called travel. Lights of curiosity shine along the creases tempting your wishes, but fear and comfortable complacency secure the gate and the dream dormant within you. Talking about or taking action to fulfill your desire is often criticized and in some cases ridiculed by family and friends. So act upon … Continue reading ” Opening your gate of lustful desires to travel.”
A thoughtful writer can be a passenger with a quill and pen, tethered to a desk, plucking ideas of an original savage plot or caper with character arcs sailing along scampering and dashing to become personalities to love or hate. WordPress daily words Continue reading “A collection of July’s daily words.”
You are a magical mold of clay, forever developing to become what you want to be. Overcoming your fears allowing dreams to discover what is over the next hill or around the corner expanding the imagination of many thoughts and ideas shaping your magical clay mold. Reflecting upon your past, who you are, where you are going, molds your magical mold of clay for a … Continue reading “Patches covering magical molds of clay.”
It was a sunny Sunday morning as I waited in traffic for the light to change when the sounds of tires screeching interrupted my music. I instinctively peered into my rearview mirror to see a female on a bicycle dancing to music playing on her headphones unaware of the threatening sounds of injury as the skidding auto approached her bike. I scream aloud, “Watch out,” hoping … Continue reading “Serendipity.”
The human imagination has an unlimited capacity for creative ideas of any skill, form, and type beyond unknown insightful visions. Creatives can spend many years or a lifetime developing, and hone their creativity to satisfy the yearning of their insightful concepts and soul. For some creatives, their passions are not known immediately lying dormant within their emotions only ignited when exposed to a creativity their … Continue reading “Creatives, creativity, create.”
This week’s photo challenge is titled “Focus, ” and the photo I have submitted has several items of in and our of focus. The primary object, the bridge, with the setting sun, and the clouds above are in detail focus. The cars on the bridge, the head along the lower half of the frame, the tree tops under the bridge and the safety cages along … Continue reading “Focus.”
Many baby boomers remember the 1973 exhibition tennis match also known as the battle of sexes when Women’s tennis champion Billie Jean-King defeated male chauvinist Bobby Riggs. When Yvonne Hobart walked onto the European pickle-ball court, in Helsinki Finland for the championship to the applause of cheering fans, it was all 512 residents from Hallam, her little Village located in the Newark and Sherwood districts … Continue reading “Against all odds at any age.”
Love was my first impression and seeing you was a tender moment I will cherish forever. Our young hearts were tenderly innocent, but our passion filled the warmth of a thousand stars. Voicing our thoughts and memories to one another sprinkled with tender moments of love. Excited revelations appeared in my dreams of our future living happily ever after. WordPress daily word prompt Continue reading “Tenderly.”
Julius and Doretha Jefferson drove seven hours from Pittsburgh PA to West Point NY, to attend parents day at the US Army’s Military Academy. After a night in the local hotel, they awoke early for breakfast and took the short drive to the campus. They walk into the stadium, to climb the stairs into the stands with several hundred parents to witness their children enter … Continue reading “Crisp proud parents.”
There are many types of uniforms from school, scouts, military, civil service, and their omnipresence is visually striking capturing the attention of everyone. Uniforms are clothing representing an organization, a team, and for many who look upon, raising moral standards and expectations with respect. The optical sight of a uniform can have a negative and for many a positive effect, but it is the person … Continue reading “The Uniform.”
A tragedy brought us together, but serendipitous events spawned our meeting. My heart beats slowed in response to your beauty my eyes witnessed My voice stuttered as I introduce myself, yet I cannot remember anything else I said. But, I will forever remember your voice saying yes to meet for coffee after our work. We stole two hours of our sleep sharing a cup of … Continue reading “Distances and Images.”
Every band member in the marching and orchestra bands maintains a solidarity based on the instrument they have played their entire lives. Those who play the Trumpet, French Horns, Trombones, Baritone Horns, and Tuba considered themselves the essential rhythmic soul of the band. The woodwinds considered themselves the projected voice of the band giving rhythmic voice to the words of music. TA percussion section is … Continue reading ” The Band; Brass, Drums, and Reeds.”
To excel in what ever you want you must have desire and ambition to separate from those who wish to succeed utilizing a trace of ambition and a portion of desire. WordPress daily word prompt Continue reading “Portion.”
Over the centuries the village of Paliseul Belgium survived the horrors of the thirty-year war, several bouts with the ravages of the plague, and cholera. By the early 1800’s the village population of men dwindled from 67 to 8, and five of whom were in their late 40’s. Out of necessity, the eight village elders banded together with an idea to arranged marriages for their … Continue reading “A detonated heart mourns and grieves with tears of, sorrow, and despair for a lost love.”
Many years ago during my childhood, I was always my mother’s accompanier. If she went to a funeral, of a friend, I went. Evening events at the church, I went, and to pick up parts for my father’s gas station before auto parts stores delivered, I always went. I was 9 or 10 – years of age, on this one trip, traveling four-tenths of a … Continue reading “Radiating calm and coolness.”
Many people feel adrift in a mass marketing capitalistic world we all live within. However, some people or catapulted with a desire to wander nomadically. Wanderlust has been described by many as a form of spiritual mentality. It is usually suppressed but, can be reprieve born out of changes good or bad within their lives. A wandering nomad is infused with happiness when their daily … Continue reading “Survived to wander.”
A writers’ emotions are sparked and influenced by reading novels, their dreams, and many other inspirations. For the past two or three years, I have followed the online travel blogging adventures of two pair of couples who recently transitioned from RVing to begin their new adventures upon the ocean and waterways. Their adventures had me recalling my bucket list and journal writings of one day … Continue reading “Unmooring to Ascend.”
When I was asked to speak here today, I was reticent because for the past three years I have looked upon you all seated here as my family and we all have shared many hours of conversation debating every topic imaginable. I believe I received the nickname “Notorious,” for my frank and direct conversations with many of the students. I’m keenly aware that many of … Continue reading “Notorious Farce.”
After two months of preparations, working out at a gym and buying $987.94 worth of backpacking gear. We are on the John Muir trail in Northern California and have been hiking for two days. But, for the past two hours, we have sat on a precipice overlooking a valley into the Sierra Nevadas at just over 8000 feet. We were enjoying the unnerving silence of … Continue reading “I have no qualms on a precipice.”
After fourteen months of treatments for my illness, the doctor advised me that my fate was final and hospice would be my last destination. For several days I was filled with dreaded fear and depressed from the doom and gloom news, but decided not allow bad news to stop me from seeing Paris one last time. So with my health aid nurse in tow, we … Continue reading “A chateau’s final party and goodbye.”
Originally posted on theempathyqueen:
theempathyqueen View original post Continue reading Monday Motivation – Don’t Lose Faith in Humanity
Originally posted on MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO:
Intelligent people have fewer friends. The more real you are the fewer friends you have. Here’s why: 1. You’re liberated in your own speech, thoughts, and actions, which can be contrary to those of your “friends.” You have a strong mindset and values. Your mind isn’t limited and you always have something to say. You think differently to… Continue reading 9 Reasons Why Intelligent People Have Fewer Friends
Originally posted on Mum C writes:
One day The mist of this pain will blur As the reality of this living clears Minds will think of me as a cloud Which fell in a moment to give the thirsty rain Not as a thirsty whose tears quenched the dryness in other throats Under the drought of helplessness II One day This running heartbeat will… Continue reading OBLIVION
Beginning Again! Life after 55 in the desert: budget, health, joy
the adventures of two culinary explorers adrift on the high-seas of our great city, London, in search of an edible El Dorado.
AN AWESOME SOURCE OF ROMANTIC POETRY
From the depths of my heart~ to the Corner of my mind.
chronicles of an adventure seeker
Motivational & Inspirational Poems, Literature & Quotes Collection - By Vishal Dutia
- Chitkala
Looking for the Light- Reflections on the Everyday
Make Some History
tales from a life abroad
