Through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the artist:
Give me leave to do my utmost.

-- Isak Dineson, 'Babette's Feast'

New Views from The St. Peter's Event

What a perfect evening this was.
There are more & more photos on the way (I'm sure.)
Here you see Steve Givens, I call him my brother. He's one of the best people I know - and talk about talent, he writes, sings, plays guitar, and inspires people across the globe.
Then, you see the Legend, Jeanne Trevor. If you have Jeanne for a friend, you have real treasure. You may have seen her on stage, or maybe you have one of her albums, or, perhaps you have attended one of her concerts. That smile of hers is genuine.

Soon, i hope to have photos of the musicians
and the radio personality
and our hosts for that evening.

We collected mounds of food for the pantry
And do-re-mi for the day care center

Well, it's suggested we use of talents for good
so, we do

It's difficult to choose a favorite this morning - Both of these speak to me

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, (attributed)

We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.
- - Eric Hoffer

Good Morning

Are you a Lewis Carrol Fan?
The "Red Queen" used to think several impossible things before breakfast.

Here are a couple of terrific quotes for the morning:

Nobody can be exactly like me. Sometimes even I have trouble doing it.
-- Tallulah Bankhead


If someone offers you a gift, and you decline to accept it, the other person still owns that gift. The same is true of insults and verbal attacks.
-- Steve Pavlina, How to Win an Argument, 08-31-05

One more thought - entirely possible - "Evening Lights" has been revived and will begin in it's "official" form the first Friday of September. You may remember it was the "internship" program pulled together in partnership with Rev. Sallie Fox and the board at Unity Church of Peace - to help me grow into a maggid. School is over, I'm "official" (thank you, everyone) - and with the best staff imaginable, "Evening Lights" has a new life in a new home. Of course, you are all invited. Stay Tuned for the "rest of the story."

Cheshire Grins to You All!

love & love,
g

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
-- Aldous Huxley, "Music at Night", 1931

One last stop before i put the camera away -

I wanted to share one more place with you today. I promise, after this the camera went back into the pack and I just goofed off (the way I generally do.)

This is called the butterfly house. I went there to sit in it for a while and pretend it was already in my own back yard. Some people came around the bend and recognized me. Their young son was with them so, he and I discussed our imaginary gardens.

He imagined that his garden had the same little "house" and a pond, with no rocks to fall off, some gold fish, water flowers, visiting dragonflies . . . by the way - his garden is filled with imaginary friends. They are SECRET friends - so, we do not know their names.

Me? I think it's great to imagine I could walk outside my door any day of the week and find so much beauty. But, I have to admit - just visiting the Garden is more than enough. AND - I don't have to imagine my friends. I'm blessed with you.

love & love,
g

Courtesy of the Garden

I've made a collage for the fun of it - but these photos are given to us by
the Missouri Botanical Garden. Did you know our Garden is celebrating its 150th anniversary????

Takes a Master Creator to do something this beautiful, hm?
Some people consider this flower Holy.

From the mud . . . .

In the Chinese Garden, there's this enormous flowering plant. Until this moment, i forgot they don't simply sit on top of the water like some of the paintings we see. Golly! These were almost as tall from the water as I am from the ground.
You remember the well known chant, (Nam yay ho renge kiyo - excuse my transliteration) - " from the mud the lotus grows" . . . do you?
Do you remember?
This is like from the mud the lotus explodes towards the heavens.

There are lotus blooms in the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden and English Garden. I couldn't really get close enough to do it justice for you. Fortunately the Garden allows us to post their professional photos, I'll do that for you next.

Seeking the Lotus . . .

My main mission was to see the lotus flowers in bloom. An email message went out a couple of days ago to let us know they were at their peak. There are so many stories, ideas and beliefs about these beautiful flowers that I decided I would go appreciate them in person. Who knows? Perhaps they have something special to tell me.

So, here's the gate to the Chinese Garden.

Today I was a lady with a mission . . .

The bus ride there was really fun. I met new people, and saw new sights. When i arrived, I took out the camera (thank you Melissa) and headed first of all back to the Ottoman Garden. Remember? I PROMISED to return to give you a little view.

Of course, today is a perfect day, the weather is positively blissful after the long heat wave of the last two weeks. But, no matter what the weather, the Garden is always a place of inspiration and refreshment for me.

Anyway, there's my ticket - and a couple of glimpses of the Ottoman Garden - Your Maggid FINALLY keeps her promise.

Mine . . . ALLL Mine . . (giggle)

Yes, of course, Rose Is Rose by Don Wimmer & Pat Brady

In summer, the song sings itself.
-- William Carlos Williams

One More Consideration
Well, maybe one or two thoughts . . .
It's finally beautiful outside and I am SO Grateful. In one moment I'm off to turn in my page turners card at the library. (Hurray!) And, I hope beyond hope I can get to the Gardens tomorrow to see the Lotus Flowers in Bloom and i hope I'm not too late, since the bulletin went out a day ago.

Here's the cool consideration.
When we judge, we set up a boundary between us and the judged.

When we judge harshly, we are only pointing out things we do not like about ourselves.

I gotta think about this a while.
If you have ideas - feel free to share them - I think I understand the basics concerning this Principle, but want to dive deeper . . perhaps you have the key.

Happy Beautiful Monday!

Shots from Finale at St. Peter's JazzFest

Not everyone is pictured in this collection. I hope more photos find their way. The event, the people, the music, the weather, the food & fellowship all made it a memorable evening.