Blog | laura bachynski

0 The Ugly-Beautiful

April 5, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

PAUL GAUGUIN ONCE SAID , ” LE LAID PEUT ÊTRE BEAU ” … THE UGLY CAN BE BEAUTIFUL.

THE GERMANS SAY : ” HÜBSCH-HÄSSLICH. ” THE UGLY BEAUTIFUL. CAN DARK GIVE BIRTH TO LIFE? I KNOW THAT SUFFERING CAN DELIVER GRACE. MINE NOT AS MUCH AS MANY PEOPLE . AND YET. I CAN ATTEST TO THIS.

THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF THIS PALM SUNDAY AS I LOOK AT THE CROSS. SOMETHING UGLY HAS BECOME SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. A HORRIBLE SUFFERING HAS LED TO UNIMAGINABLE PEACE AND BEAUTY.

I FOUND THIS POEM THIS MORNING BY MARSHALL SOWELL.

THE BEAUTIFUL UGLY

What are we to define ugly?

Ugly is just another form of beauty,

Without ugly we would have much less,

Because even the ugliest thing has helped something.

From the diseased Man,

To the fish at the bottom of the sea,

Ugly has helped find cures,

Ugly has solved mysteries.

And what has a Popular done?

Strut down the hallway,

Wearing the latest fads that don’t stay

Their beautiful popularity, has only made those feel more ugly.

Who are we to define ugly?

Look around, what do you see?

You may see an ugly person,

But your friend may see the beautiful love of their life.

Ugly and beauty have something in common,

A beating heart, a brain, a soul,

Both want to live, both want to love,

And both have feelings that can get hurt.

When you hurt someone’s feelings,

You hurt who they are,

Their opinions, their wants, their needs, their desires,

Yet, these are all beautiful to this someone.

Are they so different?

If ugly and beauty have,

Such common traits,

Are they the same?

Couldn’t ugly just be,

Another form of beauty?

A form not yet recognized by society,

Maybe even not recognized by those who are…

Where is ugly for us to find,

Hopefully nowhere and everywhere,

Because if ugly and beauty are the same thing,

Then you should find it everywhere and nowhere.

This is the beauty of ugly,

Ugly is beautiful,

Is ugly appearances? The eyes, hair, or feet? Or is that beauty?

Is it the heart, how it beats, how it hurts, is that ugly or beauty?

Ugly is just a word,

A word to describe how you look,

Or how you feel, or how you talk…

And people feel ashamed.

Society has taken this word,

This adjective and caused harm,

They may cause harm out of fear,

Or out of sorrow.

Do not feel sorry for them,

Help them,

Care for them,

Do whatever it takes to help them feel beautiful.

Once you have helped the ugly,

The less fortunate, the forgotten,

You will see the beauty in them,

And find the beauty in yourself.

Pain, is it ugly or is it beautiful?

Pain to lose a love one is ugly,

Pain to have hate for one another is ugly,

Pain to see those kill each other because of their belief is ugly.

But ugly, pain is beautiful,

Isn’t the birth of a child ugly, beautiful pain?

Isn’t the fight for freedom ugly?

But the outcome is beautiful, but painfully ugly.

Open your eyes to the world,

Find the ugly, and embrace its beauty,

Find the beauty and except the ugly,

Once you do this you will see.

Once the playing field has been leveled,

When all of this is said and done,

Ugly and beauty will no longer fight,

The fighting will stop.

It will stop because people shall realize,

What they have done, and the consequences of doing it,

They will see the beauty in the ugly and the ugly in the beauty,

And there will be no opposites.

When there are no opposites,

We will no longer judge one another,

We shall help and care for all,

And the pain we have will go away, no more ugly.

The ugliness will stop,

The betrayal will end,

The hate will be no more,

There will be no more pain in this world, only beauty.

A world with no suffering, seems beautiful,

But if there is no ugly, is there still beauty?

Yes and no,

We will see the ugly and beauty in everything.

Doesn’t every beautiful thing change in some way?

A way that it’s not at its full beauty anymore,

Could it be death?

Change in appearance?

A tree can change,

Doesn’t a tree lose all its leaves in the beauty of winter?

So which is ugly?

The now naked tree or the cold harsh winter.

Everything is beautiful,

Everything is ugly,

Everything is different,

Everything is the same.

Once you find the ugly in the beauty,

The beauty in the ugly, you will see better,

There will be no opposites,

Only equality, the beautiful ugly.

2 Clouds

April 4, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

THE NEWS TODAY CAN BE LIKE DARK CLOUDS THAT HOVER OVER MY DAY.

EVERYDAY MORE DEATHS FROM THIS ( SO FAR) UNSTOPPABLE VIRUS. EVERYDAY WE ARE APART FROM THOSE WE LOVE OUTSIDE OF OUR OWN HOUSE. AND EVERYDAY ANOTHER BUSINESS CLOSES, ANOTHER PERSON GRIEVES.

SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE THE CLOUDS HAVE WEIGHT AS THEY PRESS DOWN ON MY SHOULDERS. AND SOMETIMES I CAN’T SEE CLEARLY BECAUSE MY EYES ARE CLOUDED OVER FROM TEARS AND WORRY.

MT. 6:22-23 ” IF YOUR EYES ARE GOOD YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF LIGHT. IF THOUGH THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU IS DARKNESS HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS !”

AND THEN I REMEMBER TO LOOK UP. CLOUDS CAN BE BEAUTIFUL.

THEY SOMETIMES BRING HEALING RAIN FOR OUR CROPS. TODAY THEY SIFT DOWN A SOFT QUILT OF SNOW OVER MY TOWN.

WHAT I TRY TO REMEMBER IS THAT ABOVE THE CLOUDS THE LIGHT NEVER STOPS SHINING. IT IS ALWAYS THERE EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T SEE IT.

THIS IS SUPPOSE IS FAITH. THAT THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE CLOUDS THEMSELVES AND THERE IS ALSO HOPE THAT THE CLOUDS WILL SOON DISAPPEAR WHEN IT IS TIME FOR THE SUN TO MAKE ITS PRESENCE KNOWN.

I’M GOING TO LOOK FOR THAT BEAUTY TODAY.

2 Inspired to Create

April 3, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

HERE IS MY LATEST WORK.

IN MY OLD LIFE BEFORE ISOLATION ( DID I REALLY JUST WRITE THAT?) I WOULD MEET UP WITH MY AQUAFIT GROUP MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAYS ,AFTER OUR CLASS, AT MCDONALD’S FOR A CUP OF COFFEE AND A CHAT.

ONE DAY I NOTICED THIS (HOMELESS?) MAN SITTING NEAR A WINDOW AND I THOUGHT HE LOOKED WONDERFUL IN THE SOFT LIGHTING. HE DIDN’T LOOK APPROACHABLE SO I MUST ADMIT I SURREPTITIOUSLY TOOK HIS PHOTO IN THE HOPES I COULD PAINT IT SOMEDAY.

I WAS HOPING TO GIVE IT A BIT OF AN ‘OLD MASTERS’ KIND OF STYLE.

ANYWAY, I AM HAPPY WITH HOW IT TURNED OUT.

I SEE A LOT OF FOLKS ONLINE WHO ARE BORED SILLY AND MAKING VIDEOS OF THEMSELVES ROLLING THEIR EYES, ETC. HA HA.

IF THAT’S YOU…TRY DOING SOMETHING CREATIVE TODAY. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A PAINTING. RESEARCH SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT SEEM FUN TO YOU. HOW ABOUT MAKING YOUR OWN CARD TODAY AND SENDING IT TO SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NEED AN UPLIFTING WORD? YOU GET THE IDEA.

GET INSPIRED TO CREATE ! WE ALL HAVE GIFTS WITH WHICH TO SHARE.

2 When Life Gives You Snow Make Snowmen!

April 2, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

SO THIS IS HOW MY NEIGHBOURHOOD LOOKED ON APRIL 1ST, 2020….AND THAT’S NO JOKE!

I USED TO TAKE A GREAT BUT SIMPLE PLEASURE IN OPENING THE MORNING PAPER TO READ THE LATEST NEWS. IT TAKES TIME TO READ A NEWSPAPER AND THIS SLOWED ME DOWN A BIT. I MADE A CUP OF TEA, OPENED TO THE FIRST PAGE AND I COULD FEEL MY DAY BEGIN WITH A PEACEFUL INTEREST.

NOW I OPEN THE PAMPHLET THIN PAPER AND READ THE SAME HEADLINES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN : ” COVID-19 DEATH TOLL. COVID-19 LACK OF READINESS. COVID-19 NEW CASES. COVID-19 SPREADING FAST. “ AND ON AND ON THE STORIES REPEAT UNTIL I AM NO LONGER CALM BUT FILLED WITH A MILD ANXIETY AND VOICE THAT WANTS TO WHISPER IN MY EAR , “BE AFRAID”.

AND THEN I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND I SEE MY EDMONTON WORLD WEIGHTED DOWN BY SNOW. AND I FEEL COLD. AND MY VISION BLURS AS A TEAR ESCAPES.

WE BUNDLED UP , MY HUSBAND AND I , AND WENT FOR A WALK. I LOVE HOW THE SUN DANCES LIKE DIAMONDS ON THE SNOW. THERE ARE ICICLES EVERYWHERE DRIPPING DOWN LIKE FLAPPER FRINGE.

WE PASS A LARGE, PERSONAL LAWN SIGN PROCLAIMING THAT OUR CITY WILL BEAT THIS THING. A CHILD’S SNOWMAN LOOKS UP TO THE SKY… OUR GLORIOUS CERULEAN SKY THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IS CLEAR DESPITE THE WINTER SNOWS -AND I KNOW THAT I AM ONE OF THE BLESSED ONES. I HAVE A WARM, BEAUTIFUL HOME TO RETURN TO AFTER THIS WALK. SO MANY OTHERS IN MY CITY DO NOT HAVE EVEN THIS.

AND I REMEMBER TO TAKE STOCK OF MY MANY MANY BLESSINGS . IT IS AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES REALLY. AND MY FIRST THREE ON MY GRATEFUL LIST ARE FOR MY GOD, MY HUSBAND, AND MY FAMILY.

I NEED TO GO TO MY ‘INNER ROOM’ AND SHUT OUT ALL OF THIS NEGATIVE NOISE IN MY HEAD. BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE : ‘ GOD’S GOT THIS ‘ !

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

0 Acts of Kindness

April 1, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

IT IS EASY TO GIVE IN TO FEAR. I FIND MYSELF DOING IT MYSELF. MY INBOX SEEMS TO HAVE A NEW COVID-19 STORY EVERYDAY AND EVEN THE CORONAVIRUS JOKES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY SHARED KEEP THIS DREADED DISEASE IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.

BUT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AS THEY SAY. AND THE MORE I KNOW THE MORE I CAN ARM MYSELF AND PROTECT MY FAMILY IF I CAN.

AND OF COURSE THE BEST PROTECTION I CAN GIVE COMES IN THE FORM OF PRAYER. I PRAY A LOT. AND ….I HAVE THE TIME TO DO THIS !

ANOTHER THING I FIND MYSELF DOING IS SOMETHING I HAVEN’T REALLY FELT LIKE DOING SINCE I WAS A YOUNG MUM… ‘NESTING’ . I DON’T HAVE A NEW BABY COMING BUT I HAVE A STRONG URGE TO PREPARE OUR HOME FOR A LONG STAY. I FIND MYSELF BAKING. I HAVEN’T WANTED TO BAKE UNLESS IT’S A SPECIAL OCCASION (LIKE CHRISTMAS, ETC.) BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS WORRIED THAT I WILL EAT TOO MUCH OF IT . HA HA.

IN OUR CATHOLIC TRADITION IT IS THE SEASON OF LENT. THIS IS WHERE WE STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT ALL THAT JESUS SUFFERED FOR US AND WE CONTEMPLATE THIS FOR 40 DAYS. IT IS TRADITION TO ‘GIVE SOMETHING UP’ , TO FAST AND LET OUR THOUGHTS OF GOD FILL US UP INSTEAD. YOU CAN FAST FROM FOOD, WINE OR EVEN TELEVISION (OR MANY OTHER THINGS THAT DRAW YOUR ATTENTION) BUT ONE CAN ALSO DO SOMETHING EACH WEEK / DAY AS WELL.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING AN ACT OF KINDNESS? THIS IS VERY SIMPLE TO DO AND CAN BRING MUCH JOY TO THE ONE WHO RECEIVES AND THE ONE WHO GIVES!

I HAVE HAD SOME FUN DELIVERING WEE BAKING PACKAGES TO FOLKS AROUND MY NEIGHBOURHOOD. SOMETIMES I PUT A COUPLE OF COOKIES IN WITH SOME TEABAGS AND A NOTE, SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF SWEETS WITH A BOOK, BUT ALWAYS JUST SOMETHING INCLUDED TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL LESS ALONE. I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU.

I DON’T SEE ANYONE. EVERYTHING IS SANITIZED, I WEAR GLOVES, AND AFTER I PUT THE PARCEL ON THE DOORSTEP I DRIVE AWAY AND CALL/TEXT THEM TO GO TO THEIR PORCH FOR A SURPRISE.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY TO MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY? SOMETIMES JUST AN UNEXPECTED PHONE CALL IS ALL IT WOULD TAKE TO CHEER SOMEONE UP IN THESE SCARY TIMES. TRY IT !

0 Profound Message from Bill Gates

March 31, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

I hope you enjoy this too….

*What is the Corona/ Covid-19 Virus Really Teaching us?*

I’m a strong believer that there is a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens, whether that is what we perceive as being good or being bad.

As I meditate upon this, I want to share with you what I feel the Corona/ Covid-19 virus is really doing to us:

1) It is reminding us that we are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are. This disease treats us all equally, perhaps we should to. If you don’t believe me, just ask Tom Hanks.

2) It is reminding us that we are all connected and something that affects one person has an effect on another. It is reminding us that the false borders that we have put up have little value as this virus does not need a passport. It is reminding us, by oppressing us for a short time, of those in this world whose whole life is spent in oppression.

3) It is reminding us of how precious our health is and how we have moved to neglect it through eating nutrient poor manufactured food and drinking water that is contaminated with chemicals upon chemicals. If we don’t look after our health, we will, of course, get sick.

4) It is reminding us of the shortness of life and of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other, especially those who are old or sick. Our purpose is not to buy toilet roll.

5) It is reminding us of how materialistic our society has become and how, when in times of difficulty, we remember that it’s the essentials that we need (food, water, medicine) as opposed to the luxuries that we sometimes unnecessarily give value to.

6) It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how much we have neglected this. It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home and to strengthen our family unit.

7) It is reminding us that our true work is not our job, that is what we do, not what we were created to do. Our true work is to look after each other, to protect each other and to be of benefit to one another.

8) It is reminding us to keep our egos in check. It is reminding us that no matter how great we think we are or how great others think we are, a virus can bring our world to a standstill.

9) It is reminding us that the power of freewill is in our hands. We can choose to cooperate and help each other, to share, to give, to help and to support each other or we can choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only our self. Indeed, it is difficulties that bring out our true colors.

10) It is reminding us that we can be patient, or we can panic. We can either understand that this type of situation has happened many times before in history and will pass, or we can panic and see it as the end of the world and, consequently, cause ourselves more harm than good.

11) It is reminding us that this can either be an end or a new beginning. This can be a time of reflection and understanding, where we learn from our mistakes, or it can be the start of a cycle which will continue until we finally learn the lesson we are meant to.

12) It is reminding us that this Earth is sick. It is reminding us that we need to look at the rate of deforestation just as urgently as we look at the speed at which toilet rolls are disappearing off of shelves. We are sick because our home is sick.

13) It is reminding us that after every difficulty, there is always ease. Life is cyclical, and this is just a phase in this great cycle. We do not need to panic; this too shall pass.

14) Whereas many see the Corona/ Covid-19 virus as a great disaster, I prefer to see it as a *great corrector*

It is sent to remind us of the important lessons that we seem to have forgotten and it is up to us if we will learn them or not.

0 Keep On Truckin’

March 30, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

I’M FEELING SO BLESSED THAT I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ART ROOM IN WHICH TO CREATE.

THIS WEEK I WORKED ON ANOTHER ADDITION FOR MY ‘WAYS TO GET THERE’ SHOW.

I TOOK A PHOTO OF THESE OLD TRUCKS IN FRONT OF STACKS AND STACKS OF WOOD LAST FALL ON OUR SPIRITLINE CANADIAN TOUR . THIS IMAGE WAS TAKEN NEAR COMBERMERE, ONTARIO.

I JUST LOVE PAINTING IMAGES OF OLD CARS AND TRUCKS. SOMEDAY , WHEN WE CAN GATHER AGAIN, I AM GOING TO HAVE A SHOW/SALE WITH ALL OF MY PAINTINGS THAT FEATURE VEHICLES : OLD TRUCKS, CARS, BICYCLES, TRAINS AND BOATS. (SO FAR I’M NOT INTO PAINTING AIRPLANES) .

80% OF MY PROCEEDS GO TO CHARITY. ( ONE OF MY FAVOURITE CHARITIES IS THE MARIAN CENTRE DOWNTOWN. WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE STILL FEEDING AND CLOTHING THE HOMELESS EVERYDAY? I PRAY THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE AND THE SAME GOES FOR ALL OF THEIR ‘GUESTS’.)

PERHAPS THIS TIME OF ISOLATION WILL BRING OUT YOUR CREATIVITY TOO ! WHAT WILL YOU CREATE?

0 Winter Picnic

March 29, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

ISOLATION: WEEK ONE.

ONCE IN A WHILE WE JUST CRAVE A ROAD TRIP. PERHAPS IT’S BECAUSE OF ALL OF THOSE KILOMETERS WE SPENT DRIVING ON OUR CANADIAN SPIRITLINE TOUR . BUT I DON’T THINK SO .

I GREW UP IN A FAMILY THAT OFTEN WENT ON ‘ SUNDAY DRIVES’ . MY FOLKS WOULD JUST PICK A DESTINATION , PLOP THE FIVE KIDS IN THE CAR ( NO SEATBELTS BACK THEN !) , AND OFF WE WENT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE TO SEE THE WORLD AROUND OUR LITTLE VILLAGE. WE ALL LOVED IT! SOMETIMES IT WOULD CULMINATE IN AN ICE CREAM CONE IN A SMALL TOWN . SOMETIMES WE WOULD END UP AT AN ANTIQUE STORE …WHICH STARTED MY LIFELONG LOVE OF COLLECTIBLES. BUT THERE WAS USUALLY AT LEAST 5 PART HARMONY GOING ON IN THE VEHICLE AND A LOT OF JOY.

TERRY AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO ON ONE OUTING A WEEK. WE WILL FIND A PLACE WHERE WE ARE ALONE AND PROBABLY HAVE A PICNIC.

THAT’S WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK. WE HEADED OUT EAST TOWARD OUR BELOVED ELK ISLAND PARK . ( ODDLY NAMED AS IT IS KNOWN FOR ITS ROAMING BUFFALO).

FOOLISHLY, WE DIDN’T REALIZE THAT ALL PROVINCIAL PARKS ARE NOW CLOSED. (THIS FEELS LIKE A ZOMBIE MOVIE). INSTEAD OF RETURNING HOME WE FORGED ON AND ENDED UP IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MUNDARE WHICH IS KNOWN AS BEING ‘THE HOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST SAUSAGE’.

I DIDN’T INCLUDE THE BLURRY PHOTO I TOOK OF TERRY NEAR THE BIG SAUSAGE… HA HA.

WE DID END UP SEEING ABOUT 50-75 BUFFALO THIS DAY AND WE WERE DRESSED WARMLY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SIT OUTSIDE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS , EAT BAR-BE-QUED HOTDOGS , AND PLAY OUR GAME. YUP…WE STILL HAVE TONS OF SNOW OUT HERE. BUT WE STILL HAVE HOPE TOO. THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

0 New Normal

March 28, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

I SAW THIS REALLY INFORMATIVE VIDEO THAT I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.

TERRY AND I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING QUITE WELL WHEN WE DID OUR GROCERIES. WE PURCHASED A ‘PAINTER’S’ GLOVE BOX AND WEAR A PAIR OUT EVERY TIME. WE STAY WELL AWAY FROM OTHER SHOPPERS AND WHEN WE RETURN HOME WE DISCARD THE GLOVES, WASH ALL SURFACES TOUCHED AND REWASH OUR HANDS. THEN WE USE A MIXTURE OF BLEACH AND WATER TO SPRAY ALL NEWLY PURCHASED GROCERY CONTAINERS. WE RINSE OUR FRUIT AND VEGGIES.

BUT : AFTER SEEING THIS VIDEO WE TOOK OUT ALL OF THE FRUIT AND VEG WE HAD JUST ‘CLEANED’ AND SOAKED THEM ALL IN SOAPY WATER. THEN WE RINSED EACH PIECE AND DRYED THEM BEFORE PUTTING THEM AWAY.

LAST NIGHT TERRY SEWED THESE MASKS FOR ME. ( IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING) . SO NOW I WILL ALSO WEAR ONE AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AS WELL.

YESTERDAY, MY DEAR FRIEND LOST HIS BROTHER TO SUSPECTED COVID-19. ONE MINUTE HE WAS TAKEN OFF THE VENTILATOR BECAUSE HE WAS DOING SO WELL IN THE HOSPITAL AND THE NEXT …. WE’RE STILL IN SHOCK OVER IT . SO NOW THE CORONAVIRUS IS HITTING ‘HOME’ .

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES. IT’S NO JOKE.

0 River Valley Walk

March 27, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

MAN! HAS IT REALLY BEEN LESS THAN A WEEK THAT WE’VE BEEN ISOLATING?

IT IS SO WEIRD TO SEE SO MANY CARS PARKED IN FRONT OF HOMES BUT SEE NO PEOPLE ANYWHERE.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO MOVE COMFORTABLY IN MY BODY BECAUSE OF MY ARTHRITIS . THAT’S WHY MY AQUAFIT CLASSES WERE SO GOOD FOR ME. EVEN IF IT HURT TO DO SOME MOVEMENTS THE WATER TOOK SO MUCH PRESSURE OFF OF MY JOINTS AND IT MOSTLY FELT GREAT! SO HOW DO I STAY FIT WHEN THIS ISOLATION COULD TAKE MONTHS?

I AM TRYING TO GO FOR SHORT WALKS ( 45 MINUTES – HOUR) WHERE I WON’T SLIP ON THE ICE AND WHERE WE WON’T MEET UP WITH GROUPS OF PEOPLE. (YUP. PEOPLE CAN STILL BE FOUND IN GROUPS. LOOK AT THOSE TEENS PLAYING BASKETBALL OVER THERE….UGH.)

I ENJOYED MY RIVER VALLEY WALK . THE PATHWAYS WERE MOSTLY DRY OR PACKED SNOW AND THE VIEWS SO WINTER LOVELY. NICE TO WALK WITH MY HUSBAND,TERRY, WHO WANTS TO SEE TO IT THAT I AM SAFE BUT ALSO PROVIDES GREAT CONVERSATION AND COMPANY.

WE ONLY SAW A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN WALKS/RUNS BUT THEY GAVE US PLENTY OF SPACE. FUNNY HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE FORGETTING THAT YOU CAN STILL SMILE AND NOD OR SAY ‘HELLO’ . FEAR IS EVERYWHERE.

BUT SO IS BEAUTY.

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