Just Boots

No I can't outrun these roots, 

Even if I wanted to

'Cause they run too strong, run too deep

Cutting right through the heart of me

No it don't matter where I plant these boots

Can't outrun these roots

Sometimes, the roots of your raising

are so deep, you just can't outrun them

no matter where you are.  

I'm that way. 

I transplanted myself from California

to Ohio

because I thought I needed to be 

closer to my roots. 

Even here in Arizona,

I am still a country gal at heart!

And I wouldn't change a thing.

Boots!

Blame it all on my roots....

I showed up in boots.....

Forget Glass Slippers

This princess

wears boots!

You can kick anything

with the right boots!

A woman

can never own

too many boots!

I don't want a

knight in shining armor

just a man in boots and plaid!

Just havin' a little bit of fun

with my boots.

It was a rough week!

thank goodness the weekend was

a whole lot better.

Of course, when you start your

weekend leaving work early

on a Friday .... how bad can it get?

Be Inspired!

#BeInspired

Today, I chose the gym over a burger!

I really wanted the burger ... with fries!!!!

But I needed to burn off some excess energy

that work has created.   I work with a "motard"

and have been for five+ years now.  I trained him

from the beginning, but he's the type of personality

who knows it all, and on a whim will change policy

to suit his own needs/desires.  Even though I'm 

technically his supervisor, he marches to the beat

of the drummer inside his head who changes tunes

several times a day!  HA!  But I was seriously 

aggravated and needed to feel the burn.

Treadmill, Elliptical, weights, stretches and 

finished it off with another half mile on the treadmill.

My FitBit is loving me today!  over 13K steps!!

#Igotthis #NeverSayNever 

Amazing Sky!

In the bigger picture

we're just a

drop in the bucket.

Some days

the sky just amazes me!

Thunderstorm

"I am a being of 

Heaven and Earth, 

of thunder and lightning, 

of rain and wind, 

of the galaxies."

-Eden Ahbez

Another thunderstorm brewing up

and I love being outdoors

watching, listening,

feeling the wind and the rain,

feeling alive with the energy.

Ohh, and I got my new glasses

this week.  It's a love/hate thing

but I need them to read and work

New glasses can be a pain 

when they change the Rx ---

These made me a little queasy at first!

Checked Out

"Be brave enough

to live life

creatively."

--Alan Alda

On days when I struggle

(and they happen often!)

it's not always easy to

set your mind into a

creative mode.  It takes

work, effort, and

sometimes even habit.

Each day, I try to find

some creative form

of expression.

And along with this set

these checks are out!

ByeBye Pink

Bye Bye pink stuff!

Every now and then

I pick up things that might

be interesting for a photo.

I found that wearing them .....

wasn't very comfortable.

So in my quest for

minimalism

Out they go!






and with some major changes

at work this week,

I wasn't able to make it

to the gym once.

*sigh*

Doubling my efforts this week!

Unbreakable

When the dust settles

and you can finally look in the mirror.

At the woman.

Who survived through it all.

Through the failures.  Through the flaws.

You'll realize

That even as fragile as you are

You're still unbreakable.

Backs

I have always been drawn to clothing

that has an awesome or interesting back side.

I'm not exactly sure why. 

I like the back of this swimsuit!

Keep Shining

Let them judge you.  Let them misunderstand you.

Let them gossip about you.  Their opinions aren't your problem.

You stay kind, committed to love, and free in your authenticity.

No matter what they do or say, don't you dare doubt your worth

or the beauty of your truth.  Just keep on shining like you do.

-Scott Stabile

Have I mentioned

I collect teddy bears?

Not sure where the inspiration 

came from for this pose.

Recently found this quote

from Scott Stabile

and knew that it had to be included

on a body shot

because this is me

Be Yourself

Fly through your life with freedom

and soar beyond those voices that want to keep you down.

The absolute greatest thing you can ever be is yourself. 

-Scott Stabile

Hot & Stressed

Here in the Valley of the Sun

the summer sun can be intense

brilliant in its brightness

seductive when it sets

casting its hues of

pinks, reds and yellows



So, a little bit of backyard

with a little bit of Gal!






For those of us

stuck indoors

it's kinda like

having cabin fever!

Today, a taste of our first

monsoon - at 117 degrees,

add in a very hot wind

and some clouds that

barely sprinkle.

Add in a very stressful

work week, and yep,

you got it....

a gal who doesn't know what

to do with herself!

Beautiful Things

I just want to make

beautiful things

even if nobody cares.

I'm not sure who said that,

I saw it on a poster.  lol

But it's sort of what drives me.

I'm that way with my photos

and I'm that way with writing, too.


This summer, I'm combining those two

forms of creativity in my home life by

finding 3-4 photos that relate, then telling

the story, the memories, the moment.

Even if no one reads them, it's important

to me that they get written down.

I'm a huge genealogy freak, and have data,

dates, photos and assumptions about my ancestors,

and very little of the stories.

I want to leave a better legacy!

Yoga Morning

"I will pull myself out of bed today.

I have slept enough

I will face all this ugly

with every sense of beauty in my bones."

-mattfoleypoet

No gym today

there are chores to be done

so a little morning yoga

to stretch out the kinks

(yes, hello, Sadie!)

Every morning

we are born again.

What we do today

is what matters most.

-Buddha

My yoga form is far from perfect but it's a 

process, i won't get better if i don't practice!  

It's taken me 57 years to get into the shape

i'm in, changing that won't happen overnight! 

Two weeks into the gym routine, lost 3 lbs.  

Which can be gained right back with one very 

juicy Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger!

But that isn't what's important this time.

My goals are simply to become more

healthy.  My treadmill goal started with

1.5 miles in 30 minutes, now it's 27 mins.  

It's not much but it's progress!  

My Aunt got her wings yesterday; as she told me

she's completed her journey to heaven! 

Sending her all my thoughts and love today!

I will miss her dearly.