Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Saturday, January 9, 2016

Reclaiming Me and Moving Forward~




Sunrise with a Red-Tailed Hawk perched~
It has had nothing to do with the first of the year, or the making of resolutions, for I don't do them.  I try to set goals and this year it HAS to be LIFE CHANGING, or I will be in some worse troubles health-wise down the line.   This is Not going to be easy for me and I would appreciate as many good thoughts going up on my behalf as possible and I am thanking you in advance!  I am not sure if I have been in a depression, or a very low state, but I have not been able to function normally at all.  I have always had troubles sleeping and the past month has been daunting for me.  Then the stress that others have placed on me and my own, it too is enough to bring the best of us down.  
My dear friend Sandy whom had never been to the Big Four Railroad Bridge joined me for a walk across the other day.  It is now a walking bridge that crosses the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky over into Jeffersonville, Indiana, and this would be my fourth time to cross, and I was happy to show her what it was like.  The temperature that morning began at 23' and yet the sunshine was brilliant and so we continued forward.  
It was such a lovely time~


Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

&

Stewart for:
   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/





My dear friend Sandy Thomas~


The brand new Lincoln (suspension) Bridge along side the older Kennedy Bridge beyond it above with the Big Four below~


A tug boat pushes along huge barges loaded with coal~




Looking at the Big Four from the Indiana side of the river~







We stopped on the Indiana side of the river to regain our strength with lots of good coffee and a lovely brunch at the Olive Leaf Bistro~






Well of course there was ;) ... 
As we were just about back on the Kentucky side of the bridge a lovely Coopers Hawk flew over and landed right above us to perch and look about for a few minutes~




Me and my Sweet Silveit.  She turns 3 today January 9th.  We love her so~


The lovely little American Kestrels have been quite plentiful just about everywhere I go and a pair is working the country lane just across the interstate from where we live.  My home still has some Christmas adornments yet to put away and evidently we are not the only ones, as these were taken this week in our community. Female above and male below~






The handsome White-tailed buck below was at the Anchorage Trail a few days ago and just stood and looked at me as I took a few photos.  The sun was just rising higher above~


Red-Fox Squirrels and Gray have been busy loading in supplies for the long Winter months.  A domestic cat hunts for Field Mice and a gentleman rides his horse in my horse country.  The Red-Shouldered Hawk and American Robin were warming themselves in the morning sunshine~







The first image is as we traveled to market before sunset and the last two were on our return at sunset.  Have a blessed week, and thank you so much for everything.
These were not taken with my Nikon 7000, but my cell phone camera...not too shabby~




28 comments:

  1. Amazing aspects of life and nature, too! Great diversity, lots of birds, roads and thoughts! Have a blessed week, too! And a wonderful New Year, 2016! Warm greetings of january!

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  2. I hope you can work yourself to a happier place. I got to a better place by giving up wheat, sugar and artificial additives. Cured my gut problems, mostly cured my depression, and stopped my arthritis pain while I also lost some weight. I have not been walking each day and doing weight lifting but started to get back to that today. Exercise also helps my mood and my sleep.

    But you can still see beauty everywhere and that, in itself, helps you live in the moment.

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  3. Awsome pictures of the bridge and of nature!
    I've just read in a blog that counting memories and not sheep, helps falling asleep. Maybe that blogger has it right.
    Happy New Year!

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  4. Hello, Mary! I do hope and pray that you feel better soon. Spending time with nature and taking your beautiful photos is a peaceful time well spent. Awesome shots of the hawks, kestrel, horses and your beautiful dog. Happy Sunday, enjoy your new week!

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  5. I love bridges (and clouds, and trees, and...)

    Happy birthday, Silveit

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  6. I hope you have a much better year to come. Walking in such beautiful scenery with birds for company can only improve the spirit. You have created some wonderful mosaics.

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  7. They are amazing images, the naturalness is beautiful, I love them.

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  8. Mary, these are wonderful photos! First, of course, the one of you and Silveit, which my predictive text wants to change to Solve it. And those bridges! I so enjoyed each shot. My favorite might actually have been the barge. Thank you for sharing these. It sounds like a lovely walk with your friend. I hope things are looking up for you in this new year.

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  9. Beautiful images Mary, but the most important thing is take care of you, and the rest will take care of itself. You are the most important person to YOU! Take time out, be with yourself, look into your soul to find what you need, and your soul will answer. I wish I could walk through the forest with you, but instead I send my hugs from Australia. Take care xx

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  10. I hope you find a way to heal ! At least you have some sunshine (cold sun, but at least it isn't gray) and you walked! And you had a good day with a good friend....those are all things that would (did) help to heal my low mood. The sunshine bit is why we are here instead of in Oregon.). But everyone's low mood is from a different cause ... I know you'll find the way out of yours. Be well! Your pictures briought me joy today, as they always do!

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  11. Hello, Mary. I have always enjoyed your bird photography. I especially like the Kestrels. We have them here; in fact, the neighbor has a nesting box in the pasture next to us, so we see them flying about. Now to see a close-up shot shows just how beautiful they really are. Living on the prairie of Northern Colorado, we do have such magnificent bridges. The deer photo is absolutely amazing, too. And all with an iPhone. I just upgraded my iPhone and find that the camera is exceptional. It has that "live" feature that captures a bit of motion in the photos. Love that. I do hope you get to feeling better. I have suffered from the lack of sleep, but seem to be doing better now. I am trying very hard to eliminate sugar in as many forms as possible and I am feeling a bit better. Sometimes we go through passing phases. Walking with friends will surely help.

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  12. Impressive bridges as well photos of nature, all the animals and the hawk!

    Some tips: I try to walk everyday min half an hour. Also melatonin helps me fall asleep. Coffee only in the morning. I hope you 'll soon feel better!

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  13. I enjoy watching boats and barges at work and interesting photos from your lovely walk Mary.
    Take care - I'm a very patchy sleeper too.
    Shane x

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  14. Loving those photos of the bridges! we live in the prairies, so there aren't very bridges around, and the ones we do have are "blink-and-you'll-miss-'em" tiny.
    All the best to you in your endeavor to get your health back on track. I made a huge push to that last year, and it has been life-changing! I only hope I can stay on my healthier path now.

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  15. Sending much love and hugs to you and what an adventure...love the cell phone photos...really gorgeous and you found just the perfect spot to have a bite to eat with a good friend...those connections are so important for us.

    Donna@GardensEyeView
    and LivingFromHappiness

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  16. Lovely bridge you and Sandy crossed for lunch, birds are always near you, aren't they?
    Sounds like you're in a rut Mary, something we all fall into from time to time and it can be hormonal. Take up a new hobby perhaps to pique your interest?
    Hope you find the thing that sparks you this year!

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  17. Taking care of yourself is so important. I hope you can find the balance you need. A good friend to spend time with and talk with is a great start. So glad you had this lovely outing with your friend. Gorgeous images of nature.

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  18. HI Mary Sorry to hear you have been under the weather but perhaps you might consider cutting out gluten adn sugar from your diet.My daughter cut these out adn it madde a big deses adn all the difference to her health.Love the bridges and all the birds.

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  19. Wonderful photos, Mary, both the urban and the wildlife ones.
    I hope you will have a good and healthy year 2016! It's great that you have lovely walks and are able to see the beauty around you and share it with others. I must add that in our family the acupressure mats have helped us relax and sleep better. (Do you know them? They don't have anything to do with Indian mysticism, the "needles" are of plastic and not very sharp. However, one must consider some health issues before starting to use them.)
    Now it's flurrying here. :)
    Take care!!

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  20. Wonderful photos! I wish I had some words of encouragement to help you with the funk you currently find yourself in, but at the moment, my mind is blank. Tea with chamomile might help you fall asleep. (Bigelow Sweet Dreams herb tea is one.)

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  21. Wonderful photos. It seems unusual to see urban photos on your blog! But I love seeing bridges and walking across is even better. My dorm room in nursing school overlooked the George Washington Bridge. But then the energy crisis arrived and they turned the arch lights off. I'm sorry you have not been well and hope you are able to reach your health goals this year. One step at a time. I appreciate your comments on my letter writing. I look forward to your post.

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  22. wow, that is some wonderful things you share :)

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  23. I am so sorry you have had so many problems this past year! I hope 2016 will find some relief for you! Love the bridge shots and of course all the wonderful nature shots. Great raptors and other birds and wildlife!

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  24. Hi Mary!
    I hope 2016 will bring better health to us both! My eye problems seem under control right now, which I am thankful for. I'm still healing but doing well. My husband and I wear FitBits now and we find the gadget a good motivator to get up and walk over 10,000 steps--5 miles a day. Walking is wonderful for the health, and I can see from your photos how this walk over the bridge with your friend put a big smile on your face, Mary! I hope whatever health problems you are fighting will be resolved well. {{ (Hugs}}}

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  25. What a glorious, eclectic array of images. LOVE the bridges...and the barge. The hawk on the ironworks is just downright awesome.

    And the very first photo just steals the show....inspiring!!

    Of course your dog at 3 years old a few days ago is so beautiful!!

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  26. PS...Mary, I just read your comment. Sorry that the comment block was difficult to load for you this morning. AND!!---I did post the finished owl sketch. That too probably didn't load for you...here's the link:

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjh1iY_fXj0/VpUDZrmBnsI/AAAAAAAAyBY/kKp8VraYjww/s1600/newsketch-share1.jpg

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  27. Hello Mary I am so sorry that you feel under the weather but I do so agree with your other friends on here. Spending time in the natural world and taking your beautiful photos is time well spent that will surely reap rewards. You must not let the cares of the world spoil your own happiness.

    I’m loving you photos from the bridge walk and brill shots of the hawks, kestrel and horses, not to mention your beautiful dog.

    We have our first snow of the winter in England, much more in the hills of Scotland but thankfully here on the coast we have a cold but snow-free day.

    Wishing you all the best for now as on Sunday we fly to Spain for a few days of winter sun.

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  28. Oh! My dear friend, my heart aches with this news of yours! Mary, we must look after ourselves, our psyche, our physical self, our hearts and our souls. And although loved ones can help, ultimately, in the end, it is up to us, I have learned.

    The first image of your beloved red-tailed hawk, perched on the tip of a treetop, against a moody, crimson sky, for me, brings to mind a feeling of bleakness, perhaps because I have experienced this sentiment myself, recently, and recognize its presence.

    Fortunately, thanks to family and friends, including our furry pals, like your sweet Silveit, frowns soon turn into smiles, just like yours, and skies show off happy hues in the horizon.

    Please take care of yourself, Mary. Praying that you are feeling better, my friend.

    Love and hugs,
    Poppy

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