Entering the Dragonfly's Domain

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

In the realm of the dragonflies…
Consciousness heightens…
Perceptions alter…
Imagination comes unfettered…
The center of the Universe shifts…

This post is a continuation from yesterday, July 23, "Drifting Into Solitude" from Crescent Bend Nature Park.

Drifting Into Solitutde

Monday, July 23, 2012

Crescent Bend Nature Park

Today's photos:

One has to begin somewhere…
A multitude of butterflies initially led me along the path…
Drifting further and furtherer into the refreshing depths of solitude…

"Every Second Of Every Day Is A Gift" A Special Tribute to Jessica Ghawi

Friday, July 20, 2012

McAllister Park, Mud Creek Loop Trail

Today's photos:

Friday when I left for my walk, the news of the mass shooting at the theater in Aurora, Colorado was filling the media coverage. I had heard that one of the victims was a San Antonio native named Jessica Ghawi and that she had survived the shooting at Eaton Center Mall in Toronto this past June. My psyche was (and still is) trying to process all this information.

I did not know Ms. Ghawi, but I am impressed and deeply touched by everything I have read and heard about her. After reading her own blog post, "Late Night Thoughts on the Eaton Center Shooting," I realized that her conclusion expresses my own reaction to having survived a near fatal septic infection four years ago. And it goes straight to the heart of what While on a Walk is all about. So, this post is dedicated to the memory of Jessica Ghawi.

"I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday [June 2, 2012].  … I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath.

"I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing. So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift. After Saturday evening, I know I truly understand how blessed I am for each second I am given."  -  Jessica Ghawi,  June 5, 2012

Thorns And Flowers Amid The Rocks

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Unlike the Opuntia (prickly pear cacti) which are generally easy to see, there are very many cacti in Texas that grow close to the ground and tend to blend into the terrain. Except when they are in bloom. Then their flowers light up the landscape with vivid color. It appears almost as if there were flames coming out of the ground. 

On my walk in Eisenhower Park on Wednesday, May 16, the cacti were blooming profusely amid the rocky terrain. The first two photos of the cacti with the light purple flowers are Lace Hedgehog Cactus, a.k.a. Purple Candle (Echinocereus reichenbachii). There were only a few of these scattered about. But everywhere I looked, there were the cacti with the yellow flowers: the Pineapple Cactus (Coryphantha sulcata):