I am not writing. I am relaxing!
There was a time -when looking upon trees – that I wanted nothing more than to climb to the highest branches, or curl up beneath with a good book. (Part of that was a long time ago.)
I am soaking up every minute I have of these peaceful mornings. Thank goodness for the trees and the birds, and the books.
“Practicing faith promises that we will begin to feel successful in all our experiences because we are walking through them peacefully, trusting that God is at hand. Believing in God, being truly faithful, can be the greatest success of our lives.”
Karen Casey
This little blue book was picked up and purchased when I needed it most. If I had opened the front cover and realized it was written for those struggling with ‘addictions’ I would have thought it didn’t apply to me, and foolishly, I would have set it aside. It is a wonderful guide to seeing life clearly, dealing with the highs and lows that come our way – the uncertainty of life. It teaches that we must trust that everything is as it should be, and that all along our travel through this life, there must be lessons. ~ After all, that is the whole point- isn’t it?
Carve out a few minutes every day just for yourself. It has been too long since I last sat quietly in this room & I have missed it.
Make quiet time for yourself in a space that makes you happy.
This room is me. I enjoy the bright light, my plants, books, my humble breakfast of peanut butter & saltine crackers, a too strong cappuccino, and soft classical cello.
Go find your place, take your time & be happy ~ and of course, grateful.
https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Travel when you can – hop a flight, ride the train, or just step out of your own back door and roam! Join me for a week roaming New York City & reflecting on growing up in the rural South! amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozl…
What is in a Sunday morning?
Peace, quiet reflection, prayer, appreciation…
#elizabethmozley #wesharethesamesky https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley-McGrady/e/B00J7KJWIU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
In Out of Africa, after listening to a beautifully spun story, Denys Finch Hatton asks Baroness Karen von Blixen if she has traveled to the places in her tale. Regretfully, she admits that until her purchase of a farm in the Ngong Hills of Africa, she had been only an armchair traveler.
Wandering exploration and travel by armchair are two very different things. But we cannot label one as better than the other for science proves that escape within something enjoyed, especially books, brings a great relief of stress, moving one beyond the day-to-day components of life.
But oh, the joy of real travel! There is something glorious in the discovery of a new place –and there is the knowledge that when one returns home, they are somehow changed for the better. Just as a student’s growth is visible to the knowing eye of the teacher when they return from summer vacation, others notice the change in a friend who returns from sabbatical.
Travel gives birth to new thoughts, and reflections on memories perhaps otherwise forgotten; moreover it fosters creativity. In seeing more, we become more; in experiencing another culture, our souls stretch and grow. Moving beyond the steadfastness of our present lives, we once again recognize that we are more than our profession, more than a parent, someone’s child, or sibling.
The images we retain from a meaningful trip are colored by the emotions we experience when traveling. While we cannot possibly recollect it all in great detail, we bring back with us snippets, souvenirs of sorts –be it an appreciated object, purchased or found; notes on a napkin or postcard; photographs.
Then when the time between travels grows too long, we seek out the objects that they might transplant us to that special place again.
Go~ make plans, fill the heart with anticipation!
*****
ELIZABETH MOZLEY
@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread
And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley
We Share the Same Sky, a memoir
https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU
Yesterday while visiting with my son, Isaac, seemingly out of the blue he stated, “You’ve lost your center”. It surprised me because I knew how I felt but didn’t realize it was so visible to others. He asked if I knew why. And, in a way I do know why. But, I gave the standard answer “I’ve just got a lot going on”. Which is truthful but isn’t accurate.
Even as I responded he was smiling. “It isn’t important what knocked you off your center; what’s important is getting back to it.”
Before going any further, let me clarify that when I write “my center” I’m referring to that happy, calm, content, amazing feeling you get when you are where you are supposed to be in your head, when your way of thinking is conducive to living a pleasing life.
Finding that calm isn’t always so easy. Over the past handful of years I can remember only a few periods of time that I captured it and actually held onto it for a substantial period of time. My son and I discussed this as well. And he then asked me the guiding questions I’ve always directed at him and his sister, “What did you do to get there?” The question was followed by a gentle nudge. “Do those things again. You’ve stopped doing them; your head is in the wrong place,” he reminded me.
We all know this: Unless you are a Buddhist monk living apart from the world, you’ve got to be able to accept that you’re going to lose focus in the day-to-day -especially if you are surrounded by others. But what if it is also that you’re spending the majority of your time alone? And I realized as we sat and talked that although I work hard at maintaining that sense of peace while I am working throughout my teaching year, I am not giving it the attention it needs when I am off. I had mistakenly thought that it required no work, because after all, I am alone. And shouldn’t it just come naturally then?
I’ve this thing I do called Day One. I use it any time I need to work on some personal goal. When I understand there is something within myself that I need to work on, I contemplate what changes need to be made. Then I make a list that includes what I’m doing wrong and what I can do to improve. Once I’ve identified my weaknesses and outlined my plan, I begin working toward it. That is Day One. The first year I did this was when I learned to be kind to myself. I kept beating myself up every time I found myself sliding backward or just not making any gains at all. That’s when I created the “you can have as many Day Ones as you need without feeling guilty” rule.
So, I sit here making my list of the things I’m usually doing when I’ve captured my calm. They are so simple that one would think they are unimportant. Funny thing is that once I’ve gained that feeling of bliss, I start dropping these little things. We all do. We begin actively seeking out what we need to better our lives and then when life levels out, we feel better and jump back into the same hectic, full-speed-ahead lifestyle and Leave Those Things Behind.
Things I Will Do Today (or How I will Begin My Days)–based on the guiding question posed by my son, “What did you do to get there?”
So…
Today
Is
Day
One
Wish me luck!
****
ELIZABETH MOZLEY
@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread
And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley
We Share the Same Sky, a memoir
https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU
Why else would I leave 130 wild, eleven/twelve year old students and head for the hills of Eastaboga, Alabama?
That’s not exactly true. I am drawn to the countryside like a bee to… 😉 The entire day, I thought of little else. My father, the herbalist in the family has long lauded its praise. He insists that local honey is best for all that ails you.
Even if it wasn’t healthy, what’s not to love?!
I met up with Justin Hill of Eastaboga Bee Company this afternoon after having missed him at Oxford’s fall festival & then again at the Anniston Farmer’s Market. I first learned of his business on Twitter and was shocked to find there was a bee company so close to home. When I called, a young man with the most beautiful Southern drawl answered the phone and graciously offered to show me his farm.
“If you get here early, I’ll let you help me feed the cows,” he promised.
I turned off Mudd Street and traveled down a long dirt road, wondering if perhaps I was in the wrong place. I parked out front, knocked at the door and paused before going back to wait at the car. Brilliant Alabama sun shone down. Even in October it can be stifling here in the South. Surrounding fields, acre upon acre of pastureland, rolled like waves, steadily climbing and steepening behind the home place. In the distance, I could just make out a white super; the air around it shimmered with movement. I stood and filled my eyes –Alabama is such a beautiful place! The tension created from being indoors all day began to slip away.
I’d just begun to wonder if I’d been forgotten when I heard the far off sound of a motor. Puffs of smoke rose across the pasture. It was Justin driving a Polaris 570 Ranger. He pulled up, drawled, “Climb in” and gladly, I did as I was told. We quickly introduced ourselves, exchanged pleasantries, then rode, talked of bees … and fed the cows! I shared my spot with Jake, Justin’s dog. (He reminded me so much of my childhood bird dog, Lemon, that I wanted to take him home!) Jake looked at him, obviously puzzled by the change in their daily feeding schedule. Justin, a 4th generation farmer, works his family’s 300 acre cattle farm.
Justin pulled over to show me a hardwood where he had captured a swarm the previous season. I told Justin that before meeting, I searched the internet for current information on honeybees, apiary regulations and current statistics on Colony Collapse Disorder. I had no idea that every hive had to be registered, or that beekeepers were required to submit a map marking all of their hives. Justin patiently explained the ins and outs of his business and corrected several misconceptions I had about beekeeping.
He pulled us closer to a nearby group of supers. The bees carried on with their work, unfazed by the sound of the engine. He explained that the black bees I helped rob in my younger years were not English bees, but rather Italian bees. These were obviously much calmer. I asked about the various colors of honey and he described being able to taste the difference in them based on the bees’ food source or when the honey was robbed from the hive. We discussed at length the necessity of feeding new or struggling hives. I discovered he currently tends over eighty supers! In 2013 and 2014, Justin was chosen for the Outstanding Young Farm Family in the Bee & Honey Division at the Young Farmers Leadership Conference.
Before leaving, Justin invited me in to sample his new Honey Mustard and loaded me up with a handful of products available from the company’s website: Honey Hand Sanitizer, emollient hand & body lotions containing beeswax and shea butter, soaps, a honey infused lip balm and a leather conditioner comprised of both lanolin and beeswax.
In the coming season, the company is also scheduled to come out with a Honey Vinegar Sauce/Marinade… and Mead! Justin’s degree in marketing from JSU is obviously coming in handy. However, his ingenuity and a hard work ethic are just something he was born with!
If, like me, you are into honey and all its health benefits you must visit Eastaboga Bee Company’s website and check out the honey & the products: http://www.eastabogabeecompany.com
You can also find Justin on Twitter @EastabogaBeeCompany
Now, about that GREAT LOGO. The following excerpt is taken from Justin’s website. He said he didn’t mind me sharing it at all!
“The Tree & The Tractor”
How Heritage Became The Symbol Of Unwavering Quality….
What does an antique Oliver Tractor, with a tree growing through the middle of it, have in common with a bee company?
Justin Hill, Founder of the Eastaboga Bee Company, says it’s the opening chapter to the story of his family history.
“The love of farming in my family comes from generations back,” says Hill. “That Oliver Tractor with the tree growing out of it is the foremost symbol of my Great Grandfather, Elvin Hill. It marks the beginning of my family’s history of farming in Alabama.”
As the story goes, Elvin Hill farmed the lands across East Central Alabama in the late 1800s. After a long hard day of working the fields, Elvin parked his Oliver Tractor and returned home for dinner. Before the meal could be served, Elvin Hill suffered a fatal heart attack.
The grieving Hill family left that Oliver Tractor in the spot where Elvin had parked it. It served as a monument of sorts, which represents the last life act of a great man and the leader of the Hill family. As the months past, a small tree began to sprout from underneath. Through the years, the tree continued to grow, committing the Oliver Tractor to the very ground it was parked on.
Notes:
While colony loss has been noted and investigated for decades, the rise in numbers during 2006, 2007 (some beekeepers reported a loss of up to 80% of their colonies) created great concern for both apiculturists and agriculturalists. It was then that the term Colony Collapse Disorder was coined.
Due to the large drop in U.S. hives from mites, disease, harsh weather, insecticides, etc. many farmers now “rent” honeybees for pollination. Thus, migratory beekeeping has become crucial to U.S. agriculture. Many beekeepers earn more money from renting bees for pollination than for the production of honey. The business is both necessary and lucrative. However, researchers are currently investigating migratory beekeeping’s effect on spreading viruses and mites.
*****
ELIZABETH MOZLEY
@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread
And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley
We Share the Same Sky, a memoir
https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
I am equally envious and excited when I hear people taking off on adventures I have also yearned for. Example -for years I’ve longed to hike the Appalachian Trail. The AT runs from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine; is roughly 2,200 miles long and passes through 14 states.
I have watched every documentary I can find on the subject, and each time I sit for hours afterward trying to plot out the HOW. And, how is a huge thing! It takes 6 months to hike the trail from end to end. Six months –time away from family, jobs and paying the bills each month. It also costs about 4 thousand dollars to finance the hike. Finding a solution doesn’t seem possible. Perhaps it is something we will postpone until retirement –like icing on the cake!
The fever hit again this morning when I came across an article on Yahoo Travel. It is a great piece written by Julie Fast about the tragic loss of a friend and her quest along the Appalachian Trail. The Amazing People I Met While Hiking the Appalachian Trail Changed My Life. Julie Fast. Oct 06, 2014
Finding peace in nature helped me to heal. (Photo: Julie Fast)
However, as much as I long to hike the AT, my favorite film/documentary about just getting out and experiencing the world remains 180° SOUTH!
THE TRAILER http://www.180south.com/trailer.html
The film documents Jeff Johnson’s 2007 adventurous trek from California to Patagonia, a trip based on the earlier expedition of environmentalist Yvon Chouinard and his friend Doug Tomkins (founder of The North Face), taken in 1968. Johnson’s expedition is meshed with footage from the first one. A third component of the film is the inclusion of existing environmental issues discussed by Chouinard and Tomkins (almost 70 now) who continue to live their dream and relish a personal relationship with nature. Doug and his wife Kris own and live on a 2.2 million acre reserve in both Chile and Argentina where they concentrate on a “defense of nature”. http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org
The film is indescribably good. Appealing to both my love of the ocean and the mountains, it makes my heart yearn. When I’ve had a really bad day I listen to the soundtrack in my car. I’ve watched the documentary so many times that the association the music provides makes me happy within minutes. In my mind’s eye, I can see Rapa Nui!
I know exactly what I’m watching when I get home tonight –right after I make a huge cold cut sandwich~
*****
ELIZABETH MOZLEY
@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread
And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley
We Share the Same Sky, a memoir
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see the people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.” Anne Frank
Photo: Copyright © Hanz en Henriette Meulenbroeks: Outdek Amerika Nl
Elizabeth Mozley Partridge, Alabama Author 