#2019

Whoot! Here we go, 2019. I don’t have any idea what 2019 will bring but this year, I hope that it is bubblier than a sprite with ice on a hot day.  I dream that it will bring clarity, adventure, and wonder. This year let us set our hearts to…

#Notice2019

What are we seeing? The other day I was driving down a dark city road in the black of rush hour. There was a large owl sitting on the sidewalk watching the cars drive by. It looked as if it was mesmerized by the lights, sounds, and effects of our lives. It noticed us. I am hoping that this year will be one of simply noticing like the owl. With curiosity may I notice movement, life, and experience everywhere!

#Care2019

What are we caring for? This fall I gave a number of my friends succulent plants. Giving a succulent to someone is dangerous. Overwatering is bad stuff and sometimes is uncontrollable because of an intense desire to help. I find this with people, too. Effective help is needed. This year I want to grow intentionally with ever meaningful acts of love.

#Sparkle2019

Where do we shine? Recently, on my way to a bright and beautiful event, I saw the most insane car. It was pink with the super-intense sparkle everywhere. With bright living we break through the mundane and brighten the world, which is really cool. I wonder, maybe some of the best sparkle is projected outward from the inside? Could the best be invisible? I don’t know, I liked the car, I really did; but it made me think of inner beauty. This year is a good one to sparkle inside and out!

#Press2019

How will we get there? My faithful car (it does NOT have sparkles!) has 215K miles. It is long past being the “cool car” (if it ever was) and only a couple of the doors are working, yet it does one thing. It still runs -

and seats 7 people so the crew and friends can come along. Sometimes, I notice that the mileage of our lives comes from maintenance and perseverance. I have learned to fight the flaws, too, when necessary. Yet, through it all, I have also learned simplicity as I have sought to go the extra mile in an old rig. This year let’s continue in grace, perseverance, and simplicity, pressing forward!

#Fill2019

Eat. Pray. Worship. Feel awe. Live! This past year I have discovered a love for modern art (SF Modern Art Museum) and a new fave coffee shop. Sometimes sources of inspiration can change like modern art and my favorite drink; sometimes they just can’t like faith. For me, I find Jesus to be really awesome, at filling me up. My church reminds me of that. The most important thing is that our 2019 tank is running at full.

Oh, what a dream it would be for 2019 to be all that we dream that it will be. Whatever is on your list I hope that it is “just right.” That there would be an elegance from an inner sparkle and an outer shine. That we would be successful and adequate in caring and our hearts would overflow for the world around us. So, let’s pursue 2019 with the audacity of a sparkly pink car and let’s watch 2019 like an owl to gather all that it has to offer us, one day at a time. 

Happy New Year!

A San Francisco Cable Car Ride

Feeling nostalgic this fall? Why don’t you ease on down the road in a SF Cable Car? On a recent trip to San Fran I rode the cable cars. It was a great way to see the city. To say the least, San Francisco is all hill. The Nebraska corn fields are nowhere in sight. Having a historic cable car to ride added to the over-all adventure.

The cable cars opened for business in the ripe year of 1873. A gentleman named Andrew Hallidie saw horses slipping down the steep cobblestone streets of San Fran. He even saw some horses die because of the danger of wet streets while pulling carts. Hallidie wondered if a car could get pulled by something safer and more efficient. 

Progress. 

The cable cars have a hearty cable that pulls them along from under the street. These cables are really long, spanning the length of the street. The car is controlled by a driver that decides when it should grab onto the cable and when to brake. Thus, it is a “cable car.”

It was fun to take the different cable car lines and explore the city. Using the cable cars, we were able to get to Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, and Chinatown, among other places. Driving down Lombard Street was pretty awesome, too. 

All in all, the cable cars do a great job of moving people around. San Francisco is such a fun city to see the sights,

experience the arts, get outside, and become more fashionable (the shopping is great!). The whole city was inspiring! I especially enjoyed the Modern Art Museum. The Golden Gate Bridge is an obvious must-see. 

Overall, being a tourist in San Francisco was awesome, and the Cable Cars were a really unique part of the experience.

Are We Saving the Puget Sound or Are We Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic?

It used to be that my family could catch cod at our favorite fishing spot in the Puget Sound and I remember seeing swarms of orcas fly through the water in their pods in the mid-sound as well. It used to be that I would see starfish and geoduck flourishing on the beaches of the sound. Now the starfish are gone and the geoduck have been over-harvested. These days things are different in the Sound; Something must be done. 

I have had to call the poachers hotline about boats with fishermen and harvesting behavior that concern me. Like so many, this summer I grieved after the loss of the Orca Talequah’s (J35) baby. She carried it over 1,000 miles in 17 days. My entire view of grief was challenged and I ached along with her. I could see that deep grief takes time and effort. It was like she was screaming at the top of her lungs. She was crying out for her family and the future of her endangered species. She clung to her lifeless baby and wouldn’t let go until it disintegrated into the sea.

Then this past week I grieved again the loss of Scarlett (J50) a rambunctious 3 ½ year old who starved to death. I felt hopeless. Yet, after attending the NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Association) Fisheries Public Meeting today at the University of Washington, my concern turns to the greater realities as I learned from others and I reflect upon the information presented.

There is an entire ecosystem at risk!

I watch with a careful eye on my favorite coastline for signs

that things are going to be okay, but a feeling lingers within me that things aren’t. Nature itself seems weak. The tides seem red. Too often the water seems filmy and murky. To be honest, I am concerned for the entire community of the grand Salish Sea and the sweet Puget Sound.

What can be done?

+Pollutants are a real problem. Stop polluting.

+The damming of rivers has to stop. Breech the Snake River Dam.

+Orcas need foraging areas for harvesting. Increase the distance that boats need to stay away from Orcas. Implement forage areas.

+We need increased regulations for Native American fishing, sport fishing, and commercial fishing. People don’t need chinook salmon to live but Orcas do. To speak for all of the Sound, there just isn’t enough food and resources for many of the fish and wildlife in the Sound. More Fishing Regulation.

At the meeting today, I was asked this question: “Are we rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?” My answer is yes. After reflection I feel that we need to take action. Let’s call out to NOAA, Pacific Fisheries Management/Pacific Fisheries Council, and the Inslee Administration to make change. 

(Side Note: Locally, I ask, does the city of Seattle really need to release their treated sewage into the Sound? The Seattle West Point water plant sends it 240 feet under water.)

Let’s really see things for what they are. By restricting harvest, cutting pollutants, breeching dams, making good thought-out choices, and creating foraging areas the ecosystem will return. The Black Fish (Duwamish term for orca), cod, salmon, and the geoduck population will recover. What are we waiting for? Let’s start in a new direction and push ahead for sake for the Puget Sound of tomorrow. Rearranging deck chairs is not a good plan for the environment in this dire time.

Ocra J35 and Her Mother Love

An Orca named J35 is my hero. You’ve probably heard about her. She’s a hero to me because her mother’s heart goes beyond my wildest imaginations. 

My heart goes out to the Orca as she grieves the loss of her sweet baby. This morning I rushed to my computer for an update. I have been counting the days that J35 has been carrying her 400 lb. deceased baby Orca.  She pushes it through the water, unwilling to part with her baby. If the body of her baby sinks she dives down or drifts in the current under water and she pushes her baby up to the surface. She has carried it now for 5 days as I write this. 

All this said, we mothers know what it means that she has been carrying this baby for her 17 months (!) of gestation. This is unity of being. A life of total dependency and real intimacy. Being pregnant, I imagine, gave her hope for her species because one whale in her pod is starving to death, and their numbers have shrunk over the years. She already has one son that she gave birth to in 2010 and he lives with her in the J pod. She knew what was supposed to happen after her little one's birth. So sad.

Orcas struggle with the loss of food in the waters and other environmental risks. Truly we need to do all that we can to preserve animal life. Every baby brings hope for the future, every life matters, and there is nothing more precious than a newborn. 

Two years ago I wrote a blog about a Juvenile Humpback whale, which died in the Puget Sound and was washed up on shore. I was there when it was breathing its last. I was there that day wanting and praying for a miracle. My love for the wild of Puget Sound runs so deep. This week my prayers have been turned to the sweet grieving heart of J35. While at the same time my own mother’s heart and values have been awakened as I have watched her struggle to let go.

J35 your passion for your baby truly touches my heart. Oh that we would all share your passion for our infants, children, and community. Our babies matter. Nature matters. Would the mother’s heart in us rise up and can we cherish our young in life and death? 

Clearly, this grief is raw and real in the animal world. 

Tomorrow morning I will wake up to check on J35 and to see if she is still pushing her baby in the water. Whether she has let go or not I will forever admire her for her indescribable love and unwillingness to not harden her heart toward her dead baby and grieve with such unrestrained passion.

Kate Spade - Lived Color Fully

What makes you smile? For many people the Kate Spade brand has made the list. Although, the company has been sold it still is going in the direction that it was set by its name-sake. Her purses are inspiring. I, for one, love the upbeat look of Kate Spade. It is nice having a purse for all of life - just about everything from the sidelines as a basketball mom to rushing off to work. Walking into the store is a bright and energy-giving experience.The brand doesn’t tip-toe around and shyly express it’s thoughts. Its look is bold and airy. Its polka dots and stripes are whimsical. This is truly a happy brand for me and many others. So many wait with anticipation to see what the Spade's new brand, Frances Valentine, will reveal about life and style.

I walked through the Kate Spade store this past Sunday while my kids participated in a mall scavenger hunt birthday party. It was fun to look and see bits and pieces of style, like visiting an art gallery. I tried on purses and was especially happy with their bright pink cross-body (hello wish list)! Then, a few days later, I was at the mall again. (I am not usually there that often, I promise!) From a store called White House Black Market, my eyes looked across the walkway at the Kate Spade store on the day of her death. 

I couldn’t go that day. 

My happy vibes faded to grief. Joy to Pain. It is a puzzle to me how these things happen. She had such great success and beauty. She had great wealth and industry impact. Her death is such a tragedy. As I looked at her news stories I thought, she looks like she could be the mom next door.

Suicide can happen to anyone; it even happened last month to a senior at my son’s school. This precious boy was accepted to a top University and had meaningful friendships. We are frail, prone to pain, suffer and lose our way. Some warning signs include: talking about wanting to die, buying a gun or hoarding medicines, insomnia, and losing interest in things and becoming withdrawn with family and friends (American Foundation of Suicide Prevention). Calling the hotline, 800-273-8255, is one way to get help. 

Suicide is an evil villain.

May beauty rise in the midst of this tragedy! May new colors be embraced as we live color fully. I am going to continue admiring the legacy of art and visual happiness that the Kate Spade brand portrays. I will continue to keep Kate Spade bits and pieces on my wish list. 

Yet, as I do, I will be more aware of the threat of suicide. As I wear this brand I will keep in mind that all people are vulnerable. May grace surround those that love her as well as other suicide victims and may Comfort truly reside with all of us in times of grief and loss.

“Bear one another’s burdens.” Galatians 6:2

Smith Tower Frappuccino

I was in pursuit of a Starbucks Frappuccino on a hot day, during my jury duty break. Walking down the sidewalk I strolled into the Smith Tower near Pioneer Square in Seattle. Clearly, I didn’t look up before I entered! 

I had wanted to visit the tower for many years as it sits peculiarly cute as a part of the Seattle Skyline. It has the look of an old building with its own particular tale to tell. Finally, I was afforded the opportunity to go, quite out of the blue. So I bought a ticket for $12 and started towards the elevator.

After going inside I discovered that the historic building still has an elevator operator. After I commented on how fast the elevator went she mentioned to me that she rides the elevator five hours a day and has done so for two years. That is quite a job!

Back in 1914, the Smith Tower was completed with 38 floors. When it was built it was the tallest building in the west. It was thought-provoking to reflect upon a Seattle without the skyscrapers that it now has and without even the iconic Space Needle.

The neoclassical architecture from which it springs has particular windows that are similar to that of the White House. The Tower is not overly ornate but is functional and practical with linear and planar simplicity. I like the way that some of the building is a shorter height while the other portion is very tall. Clearly, building this was quite a feat to build way back then. I would have not wanted to be on the scaffolding.

From the observatory it was easy to see many of Seattle’s sites: the Great Wheel, a ferry coming into town in Elliott Bay, the Space Needle, and the Seahawks’ and Mariners’ Stadiums. To top it all off: Mt. Rainier was out that day as well. After seeing the awe-inspiring views I was indeed a happy tourist. 

Then, I remembered my mission at hand: 

Off to find my Frappuccino!

#Beautiful

Soft white pedals, singing birds, gorgeous skies, rich green grass, and dazzling white blossoms mark the start of spring each year in the Quad at the University of Washington.

Truly, they represent the exquisite beauty of nature!

With gratitude, this week I caught them in full bloom. This picturesque row of trees brings out the best of nature every spring at UW. They stand

strong in the midst of their backdrop of classic academic Gothic buildings. It is like standing inside of a painting.

People come from all around to see them and beckon the start of spring. Opening us to the hope of warmer days, a great reward after a long winter, which always makes me smile.

These trees were planted at UW in 1964. At the mature age of 54, in their own particular way, they give cadence to the transition of winter and spring seasons.

I grew a special appreciation for Cherry blossoms in Seoul, Korea. I was living in Seoul and was a bit homesick for my home in America. The day I strolled in the midst of the flowers of the

Changgyeonggug Palace I felt perfectly at home and was stunned by the delicate elegance of their beauty in mass, much like the UW Quad. Clearly, this beauty rings out throughout the world.

So, Happy Spring! Here comes the sun! Put away your rain boots (well maybe not yet). Get outside! And don’t forget to stop and smile when you see those stunning cherry blossoms. #beautiful

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature." Romans 1:20

Running 100 Miles of Dirt!

When running you can be truly free – uninhibited – there is no need for an engine to rumble along as your feet just go and the rest of your body follows along. Truly, stomping out the rhythmic cadence of running is freeing and empowering. As a finisher of two marathons, I have seen whole cities step-by-step. Truly, the best city tour ever. My friend Stefanie has moved off the streets to run in the woods. She is a trail runner. Her recent accident and journey to recovery is inspiring. Here is her story:

Stefanie was training for the Bear 100 miler. Yes, 100 miles in the woods on the dirt! The Bear is a late September race through the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah, the Bear River Range of Idaho, and runners finish at Bear Lake. 

Unfortunately, in the midst of her training, Stefanie fell on the trail coming down from one of her favorite peaks. She never falls, yet, pain ripped through her arm and knee as she hit the ground. She knew she had to get down the mountain and get medical help. This resulted in a severe elbow dislocation and a torn up knee.

She could barely walk or bend her knee for two weeks and spent six weeks in a hard plastic splint so her elbow would stabilize. Stefanie remembers sitting around home and crying a lot. It was rough – especially in those first few weeks. This was a huge blow to her backpacking and ultra racing plans: It seemed that her dreams had slipped away.

Her Doctor and Physical Therapist knew she had a goal to achieve only nine weeks after that nasty fall. Fighting through PTSD, Stefanie worked really hard in arm therapy to get her range of motion back and made quick progress, but she still ended up in an arm straightening splint (the "torture splint") that she forced herself to wear up until just a few hours before the Bear 100. She missed out on so much training and because of that she nearly backed out of the race, but in the end “dug deep” and went for it. 

Stefanie says, “I knew my arm would hurt, that my asthma would flare up in the cold night air, and my under-trained leg would develop a bad shin splint. I needed to battle through that race.”

It was painful but Stefanie fought her way through the Pines, golden Aspens, and red Maples step-by-step to miles one, two, 10, 60, 78, 99 and finally to the Finish Line. As she looks back, seeing so clearly her unanticipated pain and struggle, she realized that it was about more about the journey to overcoming injury than finishing her first 100 mile race. It was about these four things: 

Deepening relationships, 

Learning to lean on community, 

Building inner strength, and 

Dreaming up new goals.

These lessons, gleaned from her fall, help her to push forward and anticipate the future. Now she knows she has enough grit and heart to face the challenges of the race ahead: wherever that takes! 

I bet we have that grit and heart in us, too (even if we have serious doubts). If Stefanie can pull it off in such daunting circumstances so can we. Let's keep dreaming, build inner strength, take risks, and love people and be loved deeply. Maybe we will fall on our faces but that doesn't mean that the prize isn't ours in the end.