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Light Is Food For The Soul…
Jake's lost soul... When Jake thinks of light, his mind's eye sees the depth of the Universe. Drifting away from a day to day life of cluttered nonsense helped him to live in the moment. It was a mindfulness place to see life more clearly. As a child, Jake's...
Who is Mike W? A Tale of Hope…
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WOudUtDyHCHEUYtCiEsLm New best friend... Meet Mike W. "Wazo" for short. He is my new best friend from Sparky AI Studios Inc. After a long search, I found him homeless on the streets of Portland, Oregon. Wazo was recently fired by Eloni...
Veterans Day Remembrance… USS Bellegrove LSD2 1943-45 Pacific War
Vernon H Sparks, next Pacific War duty, as a newly appointed Chief Boatswains Mate (BMC), would be the USS Bellegrove LSD2. Vernon dreamed, worked hard. Vernon proved himself as warrior, the best of the best at sea and on land.
Healing My Bones & Soul In The Sonora Heat…
https://www.verywellhealth.com/best-climate-for-arthritis-5094272 The Sonora heals my bones & soul... "Here's what we can clear up and declare as true: Weather does not affect the course of arthritis. However, it may have some impact on arthritis symptoms in some...
Native American Voices From The Past Teach Us…
Learning from the past... Image: Cahokia, among the most sophisticated cities in the world. https://www.facebook.com/100075492804898/posts/175674818292277/?flite=scwspnss NO FRONTIER. "There never was a frontier in what we call the United States of America and...
Why Furry Loved Ones Leave Us Too Soon…
Simba https://survivethriveptsd.org/simba-over-the-rainbow-bridge-11-23-21-born-2002-wenatchee-wa/ Guest post from... https://www.facebook.com/extremelyweirdofficial/ WHY DOGS LIVE LESS THAN HUMAN!!! Here's the surprising answer of a 6 year old child. Being a...
The Balmy Sonora Winds Heal My Soul…
Sun City Festival (Buckeye), Ariz. New digs... https://youtu.be/RNu3m0bj5FM Healing my soul... We did it, we made it happen, Judy 'n me. "Are we too old," I asked Judy as we were preparing to leave the Central Oregon Coast. She paused for what seemed like a deep dive...
Running Away From PTSD…
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/one-time-rising-star-jason-kander-won-battle-ptsd-return-politics Running 24/7! Running from intrusive thoughts and demons all my life is a horrific mental health challenge, in my view. And, I'm not alone. Millions of people suffer...
When It Rains The Sonora Sings To Me…
https://youtu.be/nko6PPy_9_Y When it rains the desert sings... Texas Sage "Actually harmful to the touch. The stinging caterpillars have stiff poisonous hairs or spines on their bod- ies that are connected to poison glands. When a person comes into contact with...
Billy Bobcat’s Neighborhood…
"Billy Bobcat" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat "The bobcat (Lynx rufus), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United...
The Monsoons Comin’ So What Does That Mean?
Ominous low clouds form with significant moisture, lightning & wind creating dust storms in the valley. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/monsoon/ https://www.weather.gov/fgz/Monsoon...
The Sonora Speaks To Me…
https://www.wtmconservancy.org/about-us/local-history/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona-Sonora_Desert_Museum Desert Flora and fauna "These plants include: yuccas, ocotillo, turpentine bush, prickly pears, false mesquite, sotol, ephedras, agaves and brittlebush....
Changing Up My Game Is A Life Saver!
https://bethesdahealth.org/blog/2019/06/19/7-ways-to-improve-quality-of-life-for-seniors/ Sonora blooms... Create a Sense of Purpose. ...Recognize and Treat Signs of Depression. ...Find Usefulness in Daily Tasks. ...Make Connections to Improve Quality of Life for...
Honoring Freedom & Sacrifice on Independence Day…
https://youtu.be/9wB6i7i7fKU “Passion meets technology in the search for downed aircraft in the South Pacific. The BentProp Project is a group of volunteers who search for and help repatriate missing World War II Airmen. Their searches were long and arduous until they...
Warm, Even Hot Weather Is Saving My Life…and a new pal…
Inflammation and Depression "We know that pain and disability are linked to depression in arthritis, but a developing theory is that inflammation also plays a role. A study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reviewed levels of...
Lynn Hanna’s Spirit Lives On Forever…
Lynn Hanna, the Sailor's Sailor. RIP... https://survivethriveptsd.org/thank-dear-friends-who-make-a-huge-difference-in-your-life-and-in-the-lives-of-others/ https://www.sailusa11.com/ https://youtu.be/QFzApC0Y278 In the hearts & souls of all who loved him... I'm...
Home Again! Living Our Dreams Again…
Home Again! Sun City Festival, Arizona Monsoons bring rain, thunder & lightning to the Sonora... Living, not dying in place... "Older adults who focus on what they can do and find rewarding, rather than any decline in abilities, are happier. According to a study...
Bocce’s Pizzaria Makes Me Smile…
I say it’s time to embrace retirement for both of us. We are ready for the next journey and chapter in a most amazing lifetime together as partners and best friends, Judy ‘n me.
The Magic Of Deadhorse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood, Arizona…
Judy communing with nature... /azstateparks.com/dead-horse https://pbase.com/dougsherman/state_park https://youtu.be/sgdw2UwM_Yo Forgy forging & chatting with Steve 'n Judy...
Seligman Route 66 Memories… Road To Sun City Festival
We left Las Vegas about a week ago after a beautiful visit with the kids. A huge reason for our decision for moving to Arizona is to be closer to family and old friends. It's time to retire and be in a healthier setting and culture of aging folks just like us. We...
Stop Look Listen To Your Mind ‘n Body…
When we meditate, we inject far-reaching and long-lasting benefits into our lives
“Moon Dog” @ The Mine Cafe in Jerome, Arizona
Jerome, Arizona https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome,_Arizona https://youtu.be/cZCsV6lq7Kw https://dogofthemoon.com/bio Dog of the Moon "Moon Dog" for short... Jennifer Epperson, Owner, Mine Cafe, Jerome, Arizona. Don't miss this special place! Some of the Mine Cafe...
D-Day Remembered As Hitler’s War On Europe…
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings Putin’s War looks like Hitler’s War to me… https://www.voanews.com/a/is-putin-the-new-hitler-/6476408.html "Like Hitler, Putin has amassed unquestionable power in Russia,...
Red Rock Canyon Spirits Speak To Me…
Red Rock Canyon spirits speak to me... https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-starmer-198a5243 Bill Starmer, Red Rock Canyon Docent Judy at the Red Rock Canyon Visitors Center...
Prim Spoke To Me Today…
Liam loves exploring & experiencing healthy delights to treasure... Prim keeps her eyes glued to her little bro Liam... A long journey After a long journey from Depoe Bay, with a few stops along the way, we finally made it to Las Vegas. This would be the best part...
“Woodstock 1969” Remember Kindness ‘n Love?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock "The festival has become widely regarded as a pivotal moment in popular music history as well as a defining event for the counterculture generation.[9][10]" "The counterculture of the 1960s was...
“Fleet of Flowers” Missed The Most…
https://survivethriveptsd.org/us-coast-guard-history-depoe-bay-oregon-fleet-of-flowers-returns-2/ New life, dreams & possibilities await us... https://survivethriveptsd.org/so-long-oregon-hello-arizona/ As I sit here at Macy's in Medford while Judy shops, my mind...
Memorial Day Means So Much More To Me Now…
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 Memorial Day means so much more to me these days at the prime age of 75. than anytime in my life. Since researching and writing my book in 2011, awareness of the lifelong suffering of severe trauma and PTSD has increased...
The Roddy Ranch Wedding Venue Makes Dreams Come True…
https://roddyranchevents.com/about-us/ https://youtu.be/EA_yH727C2Y I watched all week as Dan and Mary Beth Roddy worked tirelessly with great love and passion getting Roddy Ranch ready. It was time once again for another special wedding day on the Ranch. Every inch...
Hold’On See ‘n Hear Your Body & Soul…
This memorable tune takes me back more than a few decades to a time almost forgotten. After being reminded of my roots in music from the 60s/70s, I realize the true value of "Stop Look Listen" like no other time in my life. https://youtu.be/4nweodsX9HQ Stop! Look!...
Daryl, Daryle & Dimple Dot The Barn Kitties at Roddy Ranch…
Daryl, Daryle, or Dimple Dot? I don't know. Mary Beth Roddy knows each of the Barn Kitties well, and loves them all the same. Daryl 'n Daryle are twinsies, I'm told. Dimple Dot seems like the most independent, while Daryl follows. Daryle is a no show mostly, not sure...
Breathe & Dream at Silver Falls…
Steve taking a break... Judy strolling by... Park Overview People call it the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system, and once you visit, you know why. Silver Falls State Park is the kind of standout scenic treasure that puts Oregon firmly onto the...
So Long For Now Little Whale Cove…
https://youtu.be/tnT9iSTVFus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_Cove_(Oregon) https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pj6g7nhGKPksaMkp The Sparks beach cabin for 17 years living with sea birds, Gray Whales, Eagles & Oyster Catchers, and many other furry loved ones & wildlife...
Meet The Calapooia With Me…
https://www.calapooia.org/ "The Calapooia River is home to two species listed as “threatened” under the federal E Species Act: winter steelhead and spring C0hinook. The Calapooia watershed steelhead represent the uppermost distribution of steelhead in the...
Watch Rhodies Bloom at Roddy Ranch…
https://www.swansonsnursery.com/blog/tag/rhodies Rhodies in the Spring touch all my senses, like most flowers do. My senses frame a picture of a magnificent bouquet, complete with colors we never see all at once. Rhodies stand out from all the rest. It appears to me....
The Roddy Ranch Retreat Heals My Soul…
https://roddyranchevents.com/ Mrs. White, The Gate Keeper Mrs. White Mrs. White greeted me at Mary Beth's secret garden gate, where I could see her engaged lovingly in her passion and art. This garden is like no other I"ve ever experienced in my lifetime. Veggies and...
Ankeny Wildlfe Refuge “Where The Birds Are”
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ankeny https://maps.app.goo.gl/yGNgprTskBqyrAQZ9 "Where the Birds AreFor experienced birders and newbies alike, national wildlife refuges are wonderful places to see birds in natural habitat. Visitor services specialist Mike Carlo shares his...
The Roddy Ranch Pee Pot Story…
https://roddyranchevents.com/about-us/ Chamber Pots were cool back then... https://antiques.lovetoknow.com/White_Chamber_Pot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pot "In many homes, chamber pots served an important but humble purpose in the days before indoor...
Sookie Came By To Say Hay Today…
Sookie made my day brighter today... Yesterday was a good day. Today was, well, a not so good day, until Sookie came by to say hay to me, while I was sitting on the porch. She touched my soul. Sookie sat there and grinned at me after looking back to see if Mary Beth...
Native American Flute Songs Lift Up My Soul…
http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/284 https://youtu.be/c5Sy-tODTJU 'The clear origins of the Native American Flute date back several thousand millennia to flutes made of bone, to petroglyphs, and oral history. Unclear “origins” involve the Spanish...
Sookie Suits Me Just Fine at Roddy Ranch…
https://trueblood.fandom.com/wiki/Sookie_Stackhouse https://youtu.be/2OVrWZ0vQiI Sookie sooths my soul. Sookie suits me just fine. Dan Roddy, "Dan the Man." owner, Roddy Ranch, Albany, Oregon https://roddyranchevents.com/about-us/ Making friends with Sylvia, Mo &...
Liam’s Smile On My Mind…
Liam’s smile shines on me everyday. My heart beats with joy. My soul meets his eyes. He speaks to me as if to say, “get going, Pops. It’s a new day, Pops!”
Moving Day! So Long Oregon Hello Arizona…
Cormorant take off! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant https://survivethriveptsd.org/i-left-my-heart-in-little-whale-cove-2005-2017/ Oregon changed me... These past 17 years on the Central Oregon Coast have been transformational for me, and my family too. It is...
Happy Mother’s Day to WWII Military Moms…
Marcella & Vernon Sparks 1941 The Military Wife and Mom click highlighted text for this excellent reference... "I waited. And waited. And then…I waited some more." ##### During the worst of WWII starting with Pearl Harbor, my mom didn't know if her husband,...
Saying Goodbye To Ricky Raccoon ‘n Kids…
https://survivethriveptsd.org/ricky-raccoon-and-the-kids-the-good-neighbors-of-little-whale-cove/ "Where ya goin' Steve?" I watched Ricky 'n Kids turn the corner behind the house on their private trail. They live and nest in private places too, but not under my house....
A “Sanctuary” in The White Tank Mountains…
https://youtu.be/1I55rTrDiGQ https://youtu.be/E6dttu6u53g The "Golden Years" of good health & new adventures... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Tank_Mountains Water? Yes! "The White Tank Mountains are a mountain range in...
Dust Tornados Bring Excitement From a Distance…
Dust Tornados Can Be Dangerous "They are comparable to tornadoes in that both are a weather phenomenon involving a vertically oriented rotating column of wind. Most tornadoes are associated with a larger parent circulation, the mesocyclone on the...
Did Sonora’s Hohocam Indians Develop Social Media First c300 BC?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohokam https://www.nps.gov/sagu/learn/historyculture/petroglyphs.htm https://www.nps.gov/sagu/learn/historyculture/petroglyphs.htm https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm Social Media 300BC It was the early Native American sketchings of the...
Buckskin Gulch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckskin_Gulch The medium is the message As I gaze at the artistic messaging of the sketchings, souls of long ago appear to me. I feel them as the early inhabits of the Sonora, making bounty from this desert paradise, in that time. The...
Leaving My Heart in Little Whale Cove 2005-2022
https://fb.watch/cBaFelbhPz/ https://survivethriveptsd.org/my-little-church-by-the-sea-at-little-whale-cove/ Meeting my soul The first time my eyes caught the power at the Cove, my soul returned to me. I felt God in that moment in the Fall of 2005. "I could heal now,"...
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