terrible poet & pixelated quill

(Image credit: St. Olga of Alaska Orthodox Mission in Cadeyville, NY Facebook Profile image.) I read a lot and for the last three months I've been reading about Church history, the early Church and Desert Fathers, the Bible and learning about the Saints.  The first few I learned about will always be with me. Saint Olga, Saint Herman, and Saint Innocent were among the first as I sought to increase my understanding of the Ancient Faith that started with the Apostles who walked with Christ and persists to our present day in full apostolic succession. The first Official Mission of the Orthodox Christian Church in Alaska was established on September 24th, 1794 in Kodiak, Alaska. This mission was established by eight monks from Russia. They baptized thousands of native Alaskans while actively defending indigenous rights against exploitation by Russian fur traders.  The Early Saints of Alaska:  Saint Herman (c. 1756-1837) was a monk known as the Gentle Protector. He...

Lord help us!  Lord have mercy on the land of Your hand, and have mercy on us, who squandered the garden that feeds our breath.  Lord have mercy on the waters that remember Your Name, and have mercy on us, who took the fountain of life for granted.  Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.  Lord help us.  We look upon the ruin our hands have made, and humble ourselves in repentance.  Heal the land, Merciful Lord.  Have mercy on the water, soil, and wind that whispers Your Name in its breeze. Have mercy on every green sprout and creature of earth and sea. They turn like wheels within a wheel— hold their fragile balance in Your Right hand.  Open our eyes to see the beauty and holiness of Your creation.  Open our ears to hear the chorus of Your creation glorifying Your Name.  Teach us to walk softly upon this land, and to tend it with great care as good stewards.  Have mercy on us on the last day.  Lord help ...

Are you a nature lover? It's ok if you don't, not every person is a lover of the great outdoors.  The reality we all share is we can't live without it.  Some appreciate and love being outdoors. Others just go about their day not giving it much thought as they walk from the car to their house.  We're all in it to some degree every single day.  Even in landscaped cities, the sun shines on all just as the rain falls.  Nature supports all life without preference to human beliefs and ideologies. Nature is bountiful, beautiful and can also be treacherous. Nature is a survivor and can survive and thrive without us.  We cannot survive or thrive without nature.  We need clean air, water, healthy soil and thriving ecosystems. After missing several growing seasons, I picked up gardening again this year. The urge to embrace slow living practices (i.e. doing a lot of things like our grandparents did) has been growing in me for awhile now. Fermenting veg...

complex the problem

mountain ranges merge

surveying duality,

surveying

I put forth the notion of how humanity has turned such a simple concept of love into pure folly.

where light       resides

bellwether hues—

curiosity

this solitude of silence has become a way of life for me...

My motto-

women weaving shadows, sealing light

Please don't holler,

What is indivisible?

recollecting childhood memories

Oh! sweet splendid lush needles,

Dear Child,

mornings past recalled,

new stars born bright

Are our lives by our own design & agreements?

Here we are at ninety nine.

grief is such a cruel tide,

✨✨✨ When the rabbit hole

Is mainstream's slipstream  the place to be?

wise praying mantis

Sempiternal Source of All that Is,

imagine yourself

Music is a balm for our souls

passion is treasure,

do gently fulfill

                        I've been a point ahead,