frida find

last weekend i was in a used bookstore and bought this book of postcards for just $2.50!

i am so intrigued with all things frida. a couple of years ago my friend, kl, and i got to visit her home in mexico city and i was so mesmerized by the way her spirit was felt in every part of it. her husband, the artist diego rivera, described her work as being "as lovable as a beautiful smile and as cruel as all the bitterness of life." i am planning to send these postcards to the fabulous women in my life to let them know how much they mean to me.

a moment

the following was written in my journal on july 25, 2011, en-route from prescott, az to the grand canyon:

it was a moment, one of those "stop right there!" realizations: we were driving north on a two lane road and i could see blue sky, clouds, and trees. the composition was pleasing, beautiful in a soul-comforting way. so save awesomeness for someone else - i'll take this scenery over any "wonder of the world." i settled back in the passenger seat and traveled with this landscape as far as it would take us. this life coaxes us to reach for elusive gems, to want it all, to expect more from yourself and our experience here. but sometimes it is ok to say, "this is more than enough."

the grand canyon

i wrote the following in my journal while at the grand canyon, july 26:

the canyon reaches up and speaks slowly. she has time, she owns time. her messages are soft but she has so much to say. i let her take me in, i sink gratefully into her presence. it is a familiar feeling - the same motherly love i felt in africa. we walked along the rim, watching darkness snuggle against next to the rock walls within her. one of the many reoccurring cycles here, the transition from day to night is near complete. tomorrow she will gracefully endure heat and crowds, her peaceful demeanor unfazed. i feel so fortunate too share in her space.

lake manyana

the following is an excerpt from my africa travel journal:

i am in heaven right now sitting outside the manyara serna lodge in tanzania. the temperature is just right, the view is divine and ever-changing. i can see the vast lake manyara down below, which gathers its water from inside the earth. the sky is edging toward evening and seems endless. i can hear the peaceful conversations of birds and baboons. someone is playing drums in the distance. a thatched roof hut is waiting for me, clean and cozy, complete with mosquito netting canopies above each bed. i am experiencing one of those rare perfect moments.

june 29, 2011

africa's voice

the following is an excerpt from my africa travel journal:

africa spoke to me in hushed tones through waving grasses, trees that reach, and the monotonous breathing of lounging lions. the message is clear - stop looking and enjoy what you have and are currently experiencing. this she said at the heart level. i took it in layer by layer, knowing what a rare opportunity i was present for... i will honor it, hold her advice close to my heart, and live it each day.

july 2011

ngorongoro crater

the following is an excerpt from my africa travel journal:

this morning the crater was filled with mist like a steaming cauldron but now the clouds just hang over the edge for a peek inside. in another time this was a place of extreme activity, the earth opening up and pouring inside out. now it is calm, full of life. the rocks remember, the surrounding sides remember, for it was not that long ago for them. today the dirt roads are lined with safari jeeps, seeking the treasures of animal sightings and perfectly framed shots. darting here and there, raising dust and surpassing the expectations of so many tourists.

july 2011

tanzania

photo by kaylynn neal

rhinoceros

photo by kaylynn neal

the following is an excerpt from my africa travel journal:

rhinoceros, even your name evokes the prehistoric. all alone in a sea of grass, your back rising like a mountain range silhouette. your skin is poured lava crust, not organic looking at all. your ears fell short of your head and landed on your neck. steely eyes, far from warm, go well with the spike-like protrusion on your snout. you are not a beauty but such the prize. munching your breakfast, you raise your head and shutters snap. elusive, you are one of very few. in your presence, we are aware as the future holds its breath.

ngorongoro crater, tanzania

july 2011