get up and go

Summer's End

2011-08-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, summer is coming to an end. I feel like the circle of the year closes a bit tighter as I get older, as if there isn't enough time to just relax and let the days quietly pass. I'm constantly in motion, going and doing. I'm working on how to make time go slower...and it isn't so much a psychics thing. Its more of a mental process, being in the moment and increasing an awareness to the present time. That is my goal for the beginning of this school year. Savor every moment. Stop and smell the flower and the tree and the breeze and of course the teenagers as they swarm into my classroom.

summer

2011-07-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

having a lovely summer...enjoying the time and space and freedom of no responsibility (kinda). Summer nights are my favorite time. The softness of light and the light air...watching the stars begin to twinkle and the sun set over the coastal range. Watching the bats begin their nightly acrobats and the owls silently glide overhead. Relaxing and inspirational.

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

was kinda hard. My first without my mom...however. I concentrated on what an amazing mom she was, and how blessed I am now to be a mother. Because the truth is, those who we really, really, really love are always with us. I hear their voices in my head, and when I really need it, their arms around me. It is true, and for me, helps me through difficult times. But mostly, I concentrated on those who are here, now, who hug me and make my life happy. And lucky for me, I have lots of people that do that.

Thesis Research!

2011-05-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Volunteers Needed!
Graduate Student Thesis Research Project
“Connection to Nature and Reduction of Isolation in Pain Patients”
Saturday, May 14, 2011
9:30am-1:30pm
Participation in this workshop entails outdoor awareness exercises, short walks, sitting and some writing. A follow-up questionnaire will be given as well.
We will meet at the Auburn Pain Rehabilitation Clinic 1121 Maidu Dr. Auburn, CA at 9:30, meet briefly in the conference room, and then go to Traylor Ranch, Penryn. Meeting will conclude there. Lunch included!
Please contact to reserve your place to participate!
Annette Udall
530-320-5127
audall@prescott.edu

technical difficulties

2011-04-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

why is it always so hard to do things you really want to do? I have so many thoughts, projects, dreams and yet I'm in spin cycle mode...literally laundry, cooking, driving, facebooking myself to distraction. If I could have an unobstructed 10 hours a day, would I be the next JK Rowling, or Chagall, or John Muir? Or would I wile away those extra hours on netflix like I already do, when I should be sleeping to charge up for the next days marathon of laundry, cooking, driving, facebooking? I resolve to spend at least 1 hour a day working towards my dream project. I'm going to do that for myself and finally commit to pursuing the 'dream' and actually make it a reality. I'm gonna bust through those technical difficulties and see what happens...

sunshine

2011-04-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

and poppies make this time of year my favorite. Spring brings a ripening, a budding and a growing into something beautiful and complete. Taking this to heart. xo

Friday...

2011-04-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today I finished a long term sub position at Colfax High School. Its amazing how attached you can get to students in such a short period of time. I really enjoyed the experience...the students were awesome! They gave me a handmade card with all their signatures...it reminded me of kindergarten. Very sweet! The best comment on the card was ...please don't leave, she beats us! Ha ha. Their regular teacher, coming back from a maternity leave, is stellar. I hope I get a chance to work with her in the future!

tomorrow...

2011-03-18T19:28:00.001-07:00

i'm very excited for my thesis research workshop. and i'm excited for it to be over. All this hard work is cramping my style...all of this research about connectedness to nature cuts into my time to actually connect to nature! Isn't it ironic...don't ya think?

ours is not to question why...

2011-03-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

but i have to admit...i do ask it. when i ask
why pain?

then i have to ask
why joy?

and
why suffering?

and that always leads to

why love?

i know the answer...and i'm comforted because it always begins and ends with love. love wins and i can find peace in that.

gratitude...

2011-03-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

today i am grateful to be a teacher....especially because i learn so much. the opportunities available for learning compassion, patience and gratitude are limitless.

the most glorious thing...

2011-03-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

the sun in my face, cool breeze, open trail.

my masterpiece

2011-03-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

there are few things to control in this life. at times i feel it spiraling around me, out of tangible reach. what i can do, what i can change is my life, my attitude, my influence, my inner world and desires. that is what i have to give to the world and i am working to make it beautiful.

appropriate for today...

2011-02-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

this is just the attitude i need to make it through some days. i know that life will, in the end, sort itself out. someday's, though, it just isn't ok. but i guess that is ok, too.

happy valentines day!

2011-02-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

this has always been one of my favorite days...I am a Valentine after all. My mom would make a lovely dinner and yummy dessert and we would celebrate. For a girl with that surname, life was a continual Valentine's day. :) Of course, many people didn't believe me. In fact today, while I was teaching, I told my class that used to be my last name. Ha ha! They didn't believe me. Oh well, I am and will always be a Valentine xo

thesis research

2011-01-30T21:06:00.001-08:00

Volunteers Needed!

Graduate Student Thesis Research Project

Be a part of groundbreaking research…

“Connection to Nature and Reduction of Isolation in Pain Patients”

Saturday, February 19, 2011

9:30am-12:30pm

This workshop includes outdoor awareness exercises, short walks, sitting and some writing. A follow-up questionnaire will be given as well.

We will meet at the clinic at 9:30, meet shortly in the conference room, and then go to
Traylor Ranch, Penryn. Meeting will conclude there. Lunch included!

Please contact to reserve your place to participate!

Annette Udall

530-320-5127

audall@prescott.edu

blog following...

2011-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

i've been thinking about the random few who end up reading the nonsense i actually get around to posting here. i should say its more of a weigh station in Winnemucca more than some place, like say, Elko which could be argued is a destination of sorts. have you ever seen the ruby mountains? or the hunters museum with stuffed heads of every animal in the world? seriously creepy. but i digress. what i mean to say is thanks for caring...or caring enough to raise your pinky to click on a button. i know thats alot. i mean its hurting me just to type this while the sun is shining and i should be laying out on my trampoline. there is really important work to be done, just not by me right now. and i finally found the stats button which points out those of you who do read...so a big shout out to south korea, because apparently i'm quite popular there. huzzah! lots of love to the rest of you as well....<3

the sounds of silence

2011-01-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

went on a silent hike with a group of strangers at Rodeo Beach, Sausilito. Was a very interesting and stunning experience. I'm looking forward to incorporating a bit of what I experienced into my own practice and hiking. I'm so blessed to have these many unique opportunities with cool and diverse people.

signs of life...

2011-01-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

beautiful, colorful finches at the feeder on my deck! Almost feels like spring today...just waiting for the daffodils to pop their gorgeous yellow heads up.

when the end comes...

2011-01-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

We never want to think about the end of our lives. I often contemplate what/when/where it will happen for me. And I'm not a morbid person. In fact, I have often thought that I am someone who loves life sooo much that I would be happy living forever! But since that isn't realistic, its good to be prepared. I often come across a song, or an image that I feel encapsulates who I am, who I want to be, and what I want people to think about me when I'm gone. I think it helps motivate me right now, to be that person. I think it freaks other people out, but it only spurs me to live in the moment, enjoy every minute and feel it all. I want to drink all of life in. So when I'm done, people will know that I've loved and been loved.

so happy!

2011-01-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

It really doesn't matter the season, I just love my family! This winter wonderland scene (with ginormous flakes in front ) makes me happy. We are all smiles...and there is no one poking us with a hot stick to do so. We just love each other; with our faults, quirks, farts and all. As I move into this new year, my number one resolution is to just love. Love each moment, because they so quickly pass. Love that Kate takes longer in the bathroom than the 3 of us combined. Love that Maddy gets herself up for seminary at 5am, she is just that good. Love that Brook works hard for us, and supports me in a way few other husband would ever do. I just want to love them better, and that is that. Oh, and get my Masters and a teaching job. Those two things wouldn't hurt either! <3

The gift of time

2011-01-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

This in-between time ... between New Years and school starting ... is delicious. Having time to breathe deep and enjoy moments of quiet and cuddling, and movies and eating and talking and playing. I have loved it! Turns out my job doesn't start until the beginning of February so yay! I get some time to take care of neglected household duties and pamper my loves. Maddy and Kate start school next week and so I will have even more time work on my Master's research and start writing. I'm optimistic that this year will be full of new experiences and opportunities!

2011...New year, new mantra

2011-01-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

endings can be beautiful...

2010-11-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

as I watch the object of my affection slowly sink into the west, the sky illuminates with spectacular shades of colors reflected against the clouds. I stand constantly in awe of the beauty of nature...it is for me love made visible.

life...

2010-06-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

is fragile. Handle it with care.

oh! the places you'll go...

2010-05-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

"your future is as boundless as the lofty heaven".
love my latest fortune!

cosmology

2010-04-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

refers to the study of the Universe in its totality as it now is and humanitys place in it. Thinking on a grade scale. Perspective really helps with the here and now.

resiliance

2010-04-20T10:02:00.001-07:00

the best thing

2010-03-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

about turning 40, or being alive for that matter, is my little family. How I adore them. This seaweed sign says it all. How lucky am I?

A-

its 39....

2010-03-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

riding into the sunset! Hello to a new decade!

happy birthday to me!

2010-03-25T23:16:00.001-07:00

I am turning 40. I suppose it isn't a big deal. It is just a number. However, it is a BIG number. I suspect what gives me pause is that whole "mid life" crisis thing. Yes, mortality looms larger as your age gets higher. There are some concerns...like "i'm too old to join the CIA and have the secret spy double life I've always wanted!" Silly me. I still feel like the world is my oyster and anything is possible. It is, I just run a little slower to the ice cream truck than I used to. Anywho, when I look at all I've done, the places I've been, my wonderful daughters, my fantastic husband, its been a wonderful ride. I would just like to have a whole lot more of it! So, in the end, I embrace the age, and who I am. So cheers to 40!

A-

laundry...

2010-03-11T15:52:00.001-08:00

why are you never done? Any why, skinny jeans, do you taunt me so? You need pliers to turn those things right side out. Yesterday it was onesies, today skinny jeans, tomorrow....well, tomorrow they will be gone. So I need to enjoy even this!

intention

2010-03-11T00:56:00.000-08:00

is the key. set the intention and then launch yourself off into the world. you might be surprised with what you find. I was!

the sound of silence

2010-03-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

this morning, all I hear is the rain on the roof. the kids are off to school, brook is off to work, the dog sleeps at my feet. its a lovely feeling, sitting in silence. i try to breathe deep and not think about the stack of work on my desk, or the impending classes that i need to have assignments ready for. as i look out my window i see birds flitting quickly from branch to branch, the green of pine boughs and the dynamic cloudy sky. on my windowsil, an abalone shell reminds me of the beach. pens are still. i am still.

confluence

2010-03-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

what do you think of when you hear the word "confluence"? It's actually the flowing or running together or junction of two rivers. The Latin root means "the act of flowing together". I've been pondering all the confluences in my life lately, and thinking specifically of starting a small business using all my skills. (ninja skills, karate skills, etc.) I might be on to something good! I'm excited about the future and what it might bring.

"we carry what is hidden as a gift to others"

today...

2010-03-04T09:53:00.001-08:00

i got paid to take a standardized test. How weird is that?

olympic dreams

2010-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

I believe that everyone has Olympic dreams...or maybe its just me. I always think someday I will happen upon a sport that I am so miraculously incredible at that I am at the top of the field and ready to go world wide (without all that pesky hard work and dedication). Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet. Thought maybe it would be snowboarding. Trust me, its not. Cross Country Skiing? Well, better than snowboarding, but I'm no Marit Bjoergen. Perhaps Ice Dancing? Brook doesn't even want to try with me. So what's a girl to do? Keep on dreaming, and watching stellar, and not-so-stellar performances by inspirational atheletes who do work hard and dream big. I'm all about dreaming big...and maybe next week I could give Curling a try.

Journey to...

2010-01-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

moistness. This weekend was spent in sweet reflection, hikes in the rain and learning about the "MAP OF THE PSYCHE". I know, it sounds a bit esoteric and scary, but it really resonates with the idea of wholeness and how that connects to our nature based soul. You might think it sounds like a bunch of hoo-hah, but it is my field of study, Ecopsychology. It's endlessly fascinating, so if you'd like to learn more about it, call me, text me, email me, facebook me, whatever. I could talk your ear off. Needless to say, its mainly about reconnecting with nature, living a compassionate life with all of God's creations...thats my line. They don't really say that in grad school, but they mean it. Best part, meeting interesting people in a beautiful environment and meeting my Grad Advisor, Gene Dilworth, for the first time. After a year of living with his voice in my head, it was nice to put a face to him. He is a gentle, insightful and wise man. He led the workshop with his sweetheart, Mary. They are both great people.

As a group we made this incredible Mandala, which is the first time I have ever done that. It is a physical representation, or microcosom of the conceptual map of the psyche (are you following? :) It really was a beautiful, enriching experience. Now I know you are thinking this girl is crazy. And thats ok by me.

Happy New Year! 2010

2010-01-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

This year came in with a bang...of my head against a toilet. No, I didn't party too hard. Just a bug that caught me off guard and 3 days and 5 pounds lost later...I feel ok. I think its good to start the new year off a bit humbled. Knowing that things could always be worse. So, with that tone of resignation, I say Happy New Year! I'm working to make this the best year yet. Several highlights to come this year: Turning 40! Getting my masters and teaching credential! Wahoo! Lots of hard work ahead, many adventures await.

Complete Wildness

2009-12-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, as I was taking my Utah dog for a long hike in some California snow, we happened upon something very exciting. We saw a coyote sauntering down the trail in front of us.

People often think I'm strange when I say I get excited when I see a wild animal. Don't I get scared? Don't I think I'm going to be eaten? No, I politely say. If humans were targets of wild animals, people would regularly be disappearing. To be honest, I'm more terrified of some crazed serial killer than I am of a mountain lion or a black bear. But I digress.

When I see a wild animal, I feel alive. I feel renewed. Somehow, knowing there are creatures living untouched and ungoverned by man makes me feel free. There are some things that aren't tamed, that aren't fenced in...that are living a life outside of our civilized sphere. To me, that sense of complete wildness brings a sense of joy. It reminds me of my place in God's creations. That the world is an enormous, wonderous place of which I am just a part.

Did you know they call coyotes "God's Dogs"? Well, I'm sure He was happy, watching me walking slowly in the quiet beauty of the canyon, watching His creations doing what they love.

True happiness

2009-12-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

doesn't come from external things. I know this. But can I just say a few things make me really happy? Of course, number one being my family. Fact. I love them with an eternal, undying love. Besides loving my family, however, I love live music. More specifically, I love David Gray. Why, you may ask? He is a fairly average looking, short Welshman. But there is magic in his music! I love its poetry, its tone, its atmosphere. There is insight, and passion and a sense of elation and creation.

I'm typically not so obsessed with celebrity or other musicians. However, he matters to me...in a way I can't say why. When he sings, he gives every part of himself to the music. And he wears tailored suits. Go figure. Its amazing he came to Sacramento, when I couldn't even get tickets to see him in San Francisco. I just respect and admire him for his tenacity and particularly for his passionate creative style. Merry Christmas to me!

that was easy...

2009-08-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

i figured it out. go figure. i am a figureouter type of girl.

interesting...

2009-08-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

my previous post somehow spurred Google Ads to post some seriously interesting ads...now my problem is how to undo what I have done. Namely un-ad my blog. I will try to figure that out. In the meantime, I will just post this cool picture I took while driving to Medford, Oregon to visit my bestest friends. Yes, it did snow on the top of Mt. Shasta very cool! It rained on the road which was a nice change of pace during a hot summer day. Can't wait to go again.

starry starry night

2009-08-12T08:34:00.001-07:00

In the night

Midnight quiet
I tiptoe outside to my aerie perch overlooking the vast valley
A shimmering sea of lights
Half moon
Illuminates the scope of eternities laid before me

Piney boughs at my head
Lush wet grass at my feet
The lowing of cattle
The rush of the stream
The luscious breeze on my waiting skin

I am a maiden, bound to the bow of a ship
“plowing the stars”
Eyes wide in anticipation of movement
Celestial navigation

The rush of travel
I grip to feel the weight of earth
I am a spinning star all my own
Wanting to take my place in the firmament

Journeys end, breathless I smell the boughs, feel the grass
And rise
Return to my bed and wait another day for my journey
In the night

god bless america and homemade shirts

2009-07-07T00:09:00.000-07:00

another amazing hometown 4th. spend the day with the glaziers...robert, debby, christian and lucy. we are so happy to have cousins so close! we ate, swam, watched the auburn parade and fireworks and had an all around relaxing, lovely day. doesn't get much better than this.

its that time again...

2009-06-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

time for another week of girls camp. it may seem strange, but i love it. it takes me back to the days when everything was right with the world. can i please return to those days? the days when a snipe hunt was the epitome of a great night out. when your big sister snunk into your tent and covered you head to toe in toilet paper. when your best friend would walk with you to the bathrooms in the middle of the night even though she was more scared than you. when your leaders had all the answers and you knew the name of every star. ahh...now i get to see Maddy enjoy it which brings another level of appreciation for me. but i can't help wishing i was 13 again, and that i was rehearsing a skit and song and making dutch oven dinners. and walking through the woods wondering when my real life would begin.

wondering why...

2009-06-19T16:37:00.001-07:00

by the shoe tree.

sometimes there is no answer.

sometimes there seems to be.

rainbows are created by the refracted light...yada yada yada.

i prefer to look at them and not try to understand why they are so amazing.

they just are.

moments of brilliance, moments of absurdity, art and profundity.

life is like that.

fleeting, amazing and then gone.

unless you're like the shoe tree which keeps getting bigger every year.

open your eyes and enjoy something amazing today.

2009-05-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 11, 2009
get your kicks...
Tandem with Kate
Random found object art in Prescott with one cool chick!
Russel Johnson's environmental art piece
Yucca AZ. Isn't this where they tested the bomb? Is that related to the belief in aliens? I'm just sayin...
Embedding myself in the art...can you feel the love
No Explanation needed.

Trip to Prescott...drive 3 hours. Sleep in Fresno (or "the burg") at Grandma Marlene's posh B and B. Wake up .... drive 9 hours. Drop stuff at The Motor Lodge..."hip, chic and comfortable!" Eat, sleep, play, learn, eat, sleep, play, learn. Tough stuff.

I was so much more laid back about the colloquia (a conference, actually, but someone likes fancy scholarly words) this time. In Feb. I stressed about the schedule, the people, the process. Of course that is how it is when its your "first time." Now, you would have thought I was an old timer. I've got the thing down, seriously. I like my friends, the place I'm staying, the environment, and also the fact that Kate, Mom, Patty and Lynn were there. That was cool. I really enjoy the connections that are made and the new ideas, information and processes I am learning. It informs the way I look at the world. Only 6 more to go!
Fun experiences: Tandem bike riding with Kate, 108 degrees in Needles, eating constantly, walking down Montezuma with Mom, Patty and Kate, Lemon Lavendar cookies from the Crossroads Cafe, having lots of bonding time with Kate in the car
Best class I went to all weekend: I actually went to a Thesis Presentation about Popular Songs and Disasters where the artist performed songs about floods, fires, train wrecks, blimp wrecks, Hurricane Katrina and the San Francisco Earthquake. He was so nervous, he kept drinking out of an empty coffee cup. Poor guy...but he did have mad guitar skills. Where else but at Prescott College? :-)
Other best class: Environmental Art. My favorite artist (period) is Andy Goldsworthy (check him out if you don't know him). A discussion/survey of history of said discipline and then headed outside to make some art of our own in the creek behind the school. Loved it. Seriously, I'm a complete lunatic and love having a community of learners that supports my lunacy.

Trip to Newcastle...drive 9 hours, sleep in Fresno wake up....drive 3 hours. Home sweet home.

the flying girl

2009-05-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

is me. go figure(yeah chagall!) the first time i saw this, i thought...there we are! i'm off, and brook is letting me fly, just not fly away. i appreciate him for that. really, he is the foundation of our happy life. and i get to have all my adventures with a safe place to land. i think he is amused by it, flights of fancy and all. this week, off to prescott az with kate for conference weekend. time to fly away!

my hero

2009-05-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

...he is the al jarreau to my neko case. 18 years--i'm the luckiest woman on the planet!

Just stop...

2009-05-01T09:41:00.001-07:00

growing up so fast! Maddy has blossomed (isn't that just an embarrasing mom word?) into a beautiful young woman, inside and out. I admire her quiet confidence, intelligence and compassion. She is a loyal friend, sister and daughter. She loves to read and discover new things...and is trying hard not to be a typical 'teenager'. Every once in a while, the urge to sulk hits, but she is so wonderful I have to cut her lots of slack. She starts Placer High School in August...amazing! I love you Madz!

Eat your heart out, Sephora!

2009-04-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Natural beauty has little to do with expensive packaging and high tech ingredients. Add a little color and water and Viola! Perfection. Kate and I got lucky on a perfect day at Cronin Ranch outside of Coloma, CA. This was the location for "Love Comes Softly" a Hallmark movie. It is about a 2 mile hike to the South Fork of the American river, one of my favorite places on the planet. Kate made some 'organic' makeup out of rocks and water. She is one of a kind!

i'm a bit of a freak

2009-04-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

for books. the sight, the smell, the feel, imagining where the story will take me. You say obsessed like its a bad thing.

maybe it's a little early,

2009-04-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

but this is my 40th b-day wish. We've all got to have something to look forward to, right? Wouldn't I look cool taking my Vespa to the trailhead?

mini me's

2009-04-12T23:53:00.000-07:00

i know i'm crazy, i just didn't know i'd pass it on so completely. its true, it runs in the family.

seahorse love

2009-04-12T21:46:00.000-07:00

secrets and light...all in a days work

The fun never ends

2009-04-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Having a blast with my sidekicks, loving the fresh air, brillant skies, and the lush greeness of spring.

Easter Adventures

2009-04-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

This has been a blessed week. A trip to San Francisco for chinese food, a jaunt to Big Sur, loving life in Carmel, Monterey, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. Having fun with my sidekicks (every adventurer needs a sidekick, I have two! Lucky me). The sky relected the joy we felt as we wiggled our toes in the sand and were in awe of nature's beauty. It never ceases to amaze and delight.

superfluous beauty

2008-12-11T20:54:00.000-08:00

Of all the grandeur in the world, of all the excess of nature, there is one place that stirs my soul like no other. Perhaps it is because Iknow it well, I feel at home there, part of me lives there and will always. I am obsessed with light on water.

balance

2008-10-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

trying to keep life in balance is a little like trying to keep life in balance
difficut
worthwhile
possible?
a continuous struggle between desire and responsiblity
passion and reason
between a rudder and a sail
but i have to admit--
i love the wind.

Spring Riot

2008-03-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

one day I'm half naked soaking up my favorite vitamin, D

next day I'm freezing inside with my socks on my hands

must be spring...my second fave time of year

its not me, its you

2008-03-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

its the truth...

i love the desert

it strips you of all pretention

ancient art

peace and serenity

red rocks and cactus

sand and water

wild geese

2008-02-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

"you do not have to be good...

whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things."

--mary oliver

snow geese gathering in a migratory field in the sacramento valley

happiness is...

2008-02-21T14:55:00.001-08:00

holding a giant check!

i love fake money.

and david gray.