{"id":2031,"date":"2020-06-05T03:25:24","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T03:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/?p=2031"},"modified":"2024-06-04T20:33:55","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T20:33:55","slug":"whats-happening-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/?p=2031","title":{"rendered":"What’s Going On?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"“Oh honey, this world is going to heck in a handbasket!” I can almost hear my mom uttering the phrase.<\/p>\n

Headlines recount innumerable losses incurred by Covid-19 — loss of life, trust, employment, social interaction, sanity. Now, protests and violence against police brutality.\u00a0Too true, too much – I gotta shift focus. Grab a sanguine spin. What have I gained, what have I learned that’s been positive in these past few months of solitude? Let me think about that<\/em> reality…<\/p>\n

Well, I’ve gained a daily tai chi chih and meditation practice. I think it helps. Am I calmer? I don’t know. I don’t find myself saying, “oh shit,” as often, if that means anything.<\/p>\n

I’ve gained reward through observation. I got to witness (and video) an oak titmouse flying to and fro my \u00a0birdhouse (created by artist Julie Higgins)! Listen for the sweet symphony of chirping birdies (beneath the crow’s caw) after mama arrives to nourish… \u00a0 \u00a0VIDEO: \u00a0\u00a0Bird<\/a><\/p>\n

I discovered an outdoor gym of biking and hiking trails, and the natural beauty therein…<\/p>\n

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I’m high<\/p><\/div>\n

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Bird’s eye view<\/p><\/div>\n

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A Closed Open Road<\/p><\/div>\n

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Like a Monet<\/p>\n

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I’ve learned a few notes of,\u00a0“When the Saints (try to) Go Marching In” on a harmonica that’s been moved from drawer to drawer for over twenty years.<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/travelbeing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/New-Recording-17.m4a<\/a><\/audio>\n

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I’ve learned to refrain from feeding birds. After filling a birdhouse with seed, word got around and my backyard was like a scene in that Hitchcock movie. The Birds were everywhere. They began dipping in the bird bath I bought to house a solar water fountain. That was sweet until I observed droppings in the bowl. You don’t bathe in poop water. I simply cannot condone that behavior, so I’ve stopped feeding the birds.<\/p>\n

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Birds Awaiting<\/p><\/div>\n

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Poop Bathing<\/p><\/div>\n

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I’ve gained a respect for gardening. With distant travel in the distance, I thought to give a garden a go- go. What was I thinking?! Even in my fertile prime, I never had that maternal urge. And plants are live organisms — alive, healthy and green (when purchased). They depend on you for survival. Just like children. And pets.<\/p>\n

Consequently, I’ve learned what an aphid is. It’s a pest that’s devouring my basil. Tomatoes. Kale. And my Penis Pepper Plant, dagnabbit. I really wanted to watch that thing grow.<\/p>\n

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The penis in my yard<\/p><\/div>\n

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Up from down below, a lil’ tomato<\/p><\/div>\n

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I am reminded that family and friendship…is like a garden. We all need tending to. A phone call. A letter. A touch. Neglect is demise. Nurturing is life.<\/p>\n

What have you<\/em> gained or learned in these last few months?!<\/p>\n

“C’mon talk to me
\nSo you can see
\nWhat’s going on
\nTell me, what’s going on?<\/p>\n

For only love can conquer hate
\nYou know we’ve got to find a way
\nTo bring some lovin’ here today” – Marvin Gaye<\/div>\n
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“Well maybe it is just the time of year<\/div>\n
Or maybe it’s the time of man
\nI don’t know…<\/div>\n

But you know life is for learning…
\nAnd we’ve got to get ourselves
\nBack to the garden” – Joni Mitchell<\/p>\n

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“Oh honey, this world is going to heck in a handbasket!” I can almost hear my mom uttering the phrase. Headlines recount innumerable …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-54"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2031"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2111,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031\/revisions\/2111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}