Of Light And Believing - Missoula, Montana

 "When the days were at their darkest, I couldn't imagine believing in light again. 
But as with all natural things, I suppose, my faith is returning, and I find that my heart and my head need to be put to use again."
"I can't imagine being so certain in my belief," Sorrel said. "I'm jealous, I suppose, of yours."...
"Your faith couldn't be much stronger, my little gardener, you just don't give it a name."
-From The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick, p. 271

Hatched - Missoula, Montana

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: 
  it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly
   while remaining an egg. 
We are like eggs at present. 
And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. 
We must be hatched or go bad. ” 
- C. S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity, (p. 198-199, or 170-171, depending on edition)

Wide Open - Missoula, Montana

“When the soul throws its windows wide open, letting in the sunshine, and presenting to all who see it the evidence of its gladness, it is not only happy, but it has an unspeakable power of doing good.“

-Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924)

Fleeting Still - Missoula, Montana

“It's a moment that I'm after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment.”

-Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009)

Shadow Kin - Missoula, Montana

"Hard is hard - there is no measuring stick - 
and sadness too often comes right in as
the shadow kin of joy."
-From The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick, page 78

On Breathing Dust - Roadside in Missoula, Montana

"He knew he was in the presence of two Eldila.... "Look on him , beloved, and love him", said the first. 
"He is indeed but breathing dust and a careless touch would unmake him." "

-from Perelandra, by C. S. Lewis, transition into Ch 16

 Crouched at the edge of the road (&, yes, paying attention so as not to get run over!), I think, "How much more fragile are we, with all our complex internal systems grounded in original dust, than this tiny, intricate winged creature come to rest on the edge of a mud puddle?".

Flying Garden Guests - Missoula, MT

Omigosh - please be distracted with me and go play the June 10, 2018, Google Doodle game!

Airborne garden gnomes and a trebuchet  - what’s not to love?!
(Besides my high score of 811 - & that with the biggest gnome of them all!)
Click here - and kiss the next 20 minutes goodbye....

Now every day can be Gardening Day - and not just in Germany!

Blossoms And Risk - Missoula, Montana

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
― Anaïs Nin (1903-1977)
(Note: Quote source is iffy, according to this Disputed section in WikiQuote.)