Gonna Take a Merely-Mental Journey

This has been a rotten week. One of those weeks where if the world at large mess isn't enough there is always everyday life. The little things.  One of those weeks when the kids are contrary and strangers are rude. When nothing ever seems to get finished. When appliances and technology malfunction. When you find a hole in your yellow scrubbing gloves. After you stick your hand in the water full of lysol cleaner.  Where perfectly trained dogs randomly deside to eat walls and poo on the floor and the cats fight with each other. The kind of week where you wake up and are glad it's a whole new day. Until about noon when you are ready to say, 'next please.'

We are having severe thunder storms and tons of rain which actually makes me happy becauseI love that kind of weather and I refuse to leave my house today unless it catches on fire. Except of course Biggest and DecentGuy are taking Littlest on a trip and they will be out on the roads in it all day. So, with clear visions of overturned vehicles and smash-ups caused by the weather courtesy of the evening news dancing in my head, I will be worried about them. All Day.

 I thought about writing a post called 'I am Grumpy. Hear me grumble but instead I decided to take a little trip. In my head. Coming?

What will I bring?

Some music. I always have a favorite song of the moment but This Song is the Song Of My Life. I have never put it on my blog because I was waiting for a special occasion but it occurs to me that I don't wait for an occasion to listen to it. It is there for me always. Especially on weeks like this it has soothed my soul. This song is my friend. In keeping with this week it has been a real PITA getting some version on here. This one has nothing to watch which is good.





Ah, something to read maybe!

One or maybe all of these books by Joyce Carol Oates. The links lead to summaries that I don't think really do them justice. I couldn't find a review that seemed to really hit it exactly right. They are wonderfully twisted and so easy to get lost in. They have my #1 criteria for a favorite book. A damn good story.

Bellefleur

Mysteries Of Winterthurn

A Bloodsmoor Romance

This trip will be outdoors so we need a picnic. What will I bring?
Bologna and Frito sandwiches. Only I will pronounce it baloney and eat it without mustard or mayonaise because I don't like mustard or mayonaise. Part of a Mental Journey is escaping adult cares so I will eat like a child. How does it sound? Disgusting? They are delicious. And always taste best when you have that particular 'been outdoors all day' kind of hunger.

This isn't about the pictures themselves. My skills are nil and I didn't take all of these. Anyone in my family could have taken any of them. We don't keep track. It's about remembering and experiencing.


Where am I going in my head? Easy. Here.

Ready? You can smell the green as you walk in.

As we travel we will be on the look out for these.

And these. We must be cautious.

But if we are aware of our surroundings we will be safe.

And then we will find it.

Maybe we can follow this woman and girl

whom I have,um, never seen before in my life...

up this trail.

And find this.

And this.

Can you hear the water rushing?

The sound fills up everything bouncing off the rock walls.

It's amazingly cool even on the hottest days. You can smell moist life all around you.

 It is the smell of the riches of the earth.

After awhile I will end up here.

That rock is as cool as if it had been taken out of the fridge.

I will sit here and listen to the river flowing past.

I will listen to the birds and watch the butterflies.

Tiny blue ones and giant yellow ones swooping on the draft.

I will look up at a canopy of fresh greenery.

I will feel the carpet of moss beneath my feet.

I will hold wet stones in my hand and know the earth.

I will turn them back in forth in the sneaking sunbeams

 watch the mica flash like jewels.

I will lower my fingers and let the water run through them

until they begin to grow numb with cold.

Then I will sit silently with my eyes closed and breath.

The breath of life

And hear the song of the earth around me

The tune of creation

Well, I am feeling better. I even forgot about the books. I'll save those for bedtime : )

Where would you go on your Merely Mental Journey? What would you take with you?



© 2011 All Rights Reserved