My sweet Boxer dog Jaxon had me awake an hour before the alarm this morning.  I guess 4:30 AM is not early enough for him.  I did try going back to bed to relish in that last hour of comfort in my cocoon.  My brain was not going to have it.  Last night, I got my acceptance email into Strongest You Coaching from my coach with a list of expectations for both of us, and my list of next steps!

The weekend flew by, which is an all too common occurrence.  I noticed the morning light does not come quite as early.  A few random leaves are starting to fall from the big maple tree in the front yard.  This week, the school buses will start to run.  Summer is winding down.

I am sitting in a hospital.  A friend called and asked if I would be his transport for a minor procedure today.  All is going well.  I am waiting.  The sun is shining through giant windows in the sitting area.  My mind is flowing back to a sunny day spent last month with my friend Rainbow in British Columbia.

Happy Summer Solstice! 

This is can be a bittersweet day in the year.  The first day of summer, which means the countdown is ON.  This marks the longest day in the year, which means little by little, the day start getting shorter.  Although solstice has pagan origins related to fertility and harvest, it is a reminder to me that it is a day of light.

When I was working my traditional job, I lamented that I did not always have time to do the things I wanted to do.  Work, and the commute to and from, consumed the weekdays.  Chores around the homestead, time with family, and an occasional outing took up the weekend.  In the last few years I worked there was never time for more than that. 

This past weekend I took a road trip to visit an old friend.  It was a long drive up to the Adirondacks of New York.  Despite the many miles, it was a relatively easy drive.   Despite the incessant rain, it was a fantastic visit.  There was no fishing, no hiking, and no camping.  However, it was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with my friend.

Time passes.  Life happens.  If we are lucky, we wander through it with a few friends who accept us exactly as we are, and we them.  I am so blessed to have people in my world that are exactly that type of friend.

I missed writing last week.  My head has been a sea of thoughts…flashcards… moving from one thing to the other at the speed of light.  Over the past few weeks, I have had trouble focusing on any one particular thing.  I have not been sleeping well at night.  I realized this weekend I have been struggling with the question:

What is my purpose?

I love learning.  My journey into photography has been a huge learning curve.  There has been much joy; and with all things new, there has been frustration.  My camera is certainly more sophisticated than I am, and has more potential than I can imagine.  Rather than try to learn everything in one fell swoop, I have tried to bite off tiny pieces at a time.  My friend in Low Places has been my greatest teacher/coach, giving me small lessons along the way to make my learning practical.  This week, I have spent time learning more about auto focus.

As I have shared many times before, I like my routines.  My day-to-day makes me feel secure.  I think many of us are like that in some way or another.  There is a rhythm to routine.  However, it can also become a trap.

I can get stuck in the comfort zone.

When I am flowing through my days without effort, I do not push myself.  When I do not push myself, nothing changes.  I am not saying every day needs to be a full-court press to conquering the world.  However, making even small changes in my routine stimulates me to grow and expand the world around me.

This past weekend Hubby and I traveled south to visit our friends at Rider’s Backfield Farm.  They have been friends of mine for nearly 30 years and spending time in their home is just like being in my own.  They live right along the Blue Ridge Mountains with an amazing view.  We ate good food, drank good drink, and celebrated a birthday with a homemade German chocolate cake.