June 24, 2017

June 24, 2017

   All photos are mine unless otherwise noted. All images started their life in the camera and grew from there.

   To see images full frame click on any photo.

All comments are mine unless noted.

    The first five images were taken last week in Acadia National Park, the rest were shot on Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes. It is an island attached by an 8 mile long bridge, the longest span across ice covered waters in the world. We were there a few weeks ago on a ten day trip - ice in the bay under the bridge comes in November.
   

I was snow

I melted in Your rays

The earth drank me

Now mist and pure spirit

I climb back to the Sun.

                                                                            Rumi

What beauty is hidden in the grass

Whose presence in the world is only glanced at ....

But in the Eternal Presence

The orchard is seen in all it's glory by those who look

Through God's eyes,

I have heard it all my life,

A voice calling a name I recognized as my own.

Sometimes it comes as a soft-bellied whisper.

Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency.

But always it says: Wake up, my love. You are walking asleep.

There's no safety in that.

                                                               Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Look deeply dear friend,

Tell me what you see so I may become

Part of you,  and as we

Become part of the mystery that surrounds us.

Christmas in June 

Strung with the lights of the Season.

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Images from Prince Edward Island -

"Catch me if you can!"

(The Jack Russell Terrier of the horse world.)

The Ocean is a metaphor for God.

To get to Love's Home

Follow the path to the luminescent bridge

Walk across, find a boat and row out to a spot

Where you can fall into the One who is  eternally calling your name.

There is a story here .....

Married for 42 years she died in 2006,

Ten years later her husband passed through the veil.

Waiting on the other side for her lifelong love, she took his hand

and together they walked into the Light.

   We spent several hours with a Falconer who let Lee and myself handle one of the birds indoors and then took us outdoors where the Harris Hawk below flew to both of us as we each held a snack for its enjoyment. A most special afternoon!

A truly remarkable moment.

Through the fields of dandelions there is a path

Which I will ask you to walk on this sunlight day ....

My hope is that you will tell me where it took you.

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More Cow Humor: 

    (Taken in P.E.I. after the hawk adventure.)

Until the next post, peace,

      Bill Lagerstrom

June 10, 2017

June 10, 2017

    It has been awhile since the last post as a lot has happened in the last months, more that I will elaborate on. For those of you who look forward to my offerings - my apologies.

    To see images full screen click on any photo.

    All comments are mine.

    All images in this post are taken by Lee White, my wife, and myself. Lee kept on asking me for my camera as we toured Dale Chihuly's show at the Bronx Botanical Gardens taken a few weeks ago in New York City.  In the mix it is too hard to separate what belongs to who, so we both lay claim to the photos in this project. Lee is becoming quite an artist not only with photography but with watercolor paintings as well. Much applause from me to her accomplishments.

    A week ago we put the photos in this post on the walls of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Brewer Maine. They are a celebration of Pentecost, the coming of God's Spirit according to the new Testament. They are images of the Master Glass Artist who placed these holders of  her Beauty in our hearts.

   The premise of our interpretation of his work is that we are vessels for the Gifts of our Creator and that we can visualize these Gifts perhaps by seeing them as holders of wonder placed in our hearts, the container we all have. 

   The description of this offering on the walls of St. Patrick's is at the end of the images.

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"We are all vessels 

for the Beautiful Face of God"

- Holding the Gifts of the Spirit -

Photography by

Lee F. White

and

Bill Lagerstrom

All beauty is metaphor 

for the truth of what is inside everyone.

Our task in life is to find and see 

the beautiful creation we are.

    Spirit of the Living God

    Fall again on me.

    Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

    Spirit of the Living God,

    Fall again on me.

 Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

       Spirit of the Living God,

       Be here in me again.

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Everything we see is Gift.

Everything is given its innate beauty

by the Creator's Spirit

I will go anyplace on earth

just to see your Face.

   An example of many of the works displayed at the Botanical Gardens both indoors and outdoors.

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- Pentecost –

  Keeping the center of ourself empty, the Spirit can enter and heal.

   We are vessels made by God of the finest of materials designed to hold the Gifts of God's Spirit revealed in all their beauty. Freely given and freely accepted they become who we are, who we present ourselves to truly be.

   Once we recognize our own wondrous being as having the Image of God fully implanted in us, we will be able to see others imbued with the same presence of the Spirit, flowing in and through everyone we come in contact with.

   As we sail our vessel laden with the Spirit's gifts on the seas of life and we meet others who carry their cargo of the treasures they received, community will naturally form in a single boat holding our collective beauty. We will journey with the sure knowledge of who we have become and show ourselves without ego to any who are attracted by our open hearts, welcoming them to sail with us on life's waters.

   The many Gifts of the Spirit are what we share with each other as we travel together as friends and as children of God bonded in loving, always growing relationships..

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   The images of the walls of St. Patrick's this Pentecost are offered by Bill Lagerstrom and Lee White taken of several creations by Dale Chihuly, an artist who works exclusively in glass. They are from his huge show at the New York Botanical Gardens in New York City during April 2017.

    In the coming weeks allow yourself to let the beauty within to reverberate with the images presented.

 

   "Breathtaking works of art that dazzle with color, light, and form.” As are we all.

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Some humor:

Signs of the Times.

Peace,

    Bill Lagerstrom

   

April 4, 2017

April 4, 2017

   All images are mine unless otherwise noted.

   To see photos full screen click on any image.

     I'm Tired of winter this year and still several days of light snow for the last two weeks. Plus I have a miserable cold but that is getting better. Rather than show images taken in the last few weeks I took a look at photos taken last Summer in the Southwest, Nevada, Utah and Arizona at Monument Valley, Grand Canyon and a flowering cactus somewhere in the vast desert lands we saw for a month. These photos are for me a respite from the weather and feeling bad. 

   Here is something truly lovely to listen to while viewing this post. It is called "Ancient Love."

       https://app.box.com/s/el2zd844aaz1arbocxq2

Early morning and the sun kisses

the tips of the mesas and plateaus in the Grand Canyon.

A few minutes later the scene changes

this is the way of the land wherever one is.

Keep both eyes open to the Light,

the rewards are wonderful gifts from God.

As the morning brightens all life wakens to greet the new day.

Even long expired trees have enough life 

to turn and meet the Source of all that is.

Soon early risers come to the Canyon rim .....

and here is the sight that welcomes their day.

When you see a place that overwhelms the senses,

jars the heart bringing tears to one's eyes,

memory will never forget the things that Creation offered.

Let's go for a short walk.

From here to Phantom Ranch in the Canyons bottom

is about 10 miles down, and a seeming lifetime to climb back up

on the Bright Angel Trail..

The Rim Trail goes many miles and then some.

Yes, we take memories away from the Canyon,

and we also leave our image on the rocks for as long

as they remain in a two way dialog between us. 

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Memories in the making.

It does rain in the desert environs usually in the distance.

What more can one ask for?

Dusk arrives announcing the end of this day.

The Song of the Canyon never ceases to amaze this viewer.

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The cacti were blooming during the entire month we were there.

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Some humor:

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