Fall is rising along Gossamer Trail 

 

 

Starting my third Fall season here in North Carolina, I remain truly amazed at the bursting of new blooms, sounds and sites that surpass the simple falling of leaves.

 

There is a blend here that fuses, what are for me, the more traditional elements of Fall; with a magical, mystical pallet of life and activity. A second-Spring of sorts...

 

I'm sure this is precisely what attracts so many to this part of the country; mixing familiarity with newness; a stimulating combination with the etxremes shaved off at the ends; no Fargo 'frigid' and conversely; no Mississippi 'melt-down'. The locals may take this for granted. The 'transplants'; particularly those from points north, find it delightfully delectable.

 

 

-From the first week of September; a sampling of Nature's treats along my backyard path. Enjoy!

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One must watch for the 'road signs' along the Gossamer Trail... they come in all shapes and sizes.

 

 

 

With Gossamer Trail clearly in sight...

 

 

 

 

 

It's likely September when the spectacular Golden Orb Weavers make their silk work known. This lady (Argiope Aurantia) has gotten quite used to Keeli and I checking in and taking her picture!     The zig-zaggy (cribellate) weave is a tell-tale to identifying her.

 

 

Each knat in that extra-sticky capture spiral is one less potential bite... on my neck or ankle.

 

Bon Appetite Girl! Eat hardy...

 

... along the Gossamer Trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

"When you pray

Do not pray to change that

which is about you...

or around you...

or surrounds you

 

 

 

Rather;

Pray to change that

which is within you...

 

 

 

and the sin you refuse to accept;

God has already

forgiven you."

 

 

                                                                                   GML  30 Aug 2014

Both Sides of the Story

(We need to hear...)

 

 

Last Sunday was a long run. For me, anyway. Twelve miles or so.

 

The Twin Cities Marathon is only a short six weeks away. Got to build up some miles and get the benefits of all these darn hills around here. I can rationalize those 12 miles comping out at a good 15 or more on the flats somewhere. So goes the mind of a distance runner...

 

About three miles to go, and with a mind-set that's generally focused and intent upon finishing, I realize I'm coming up upon two teens down the road a half mile ahead. Black, male teens... baggies, one with a ball-cap askew... and soon the smell of those relatively fragrant cigarillos getting stronger as I get closer...

 

They have no clue I'm upon them until I come aside. They get startled! What? Tall, White guy... fluorescent yellow singlet and red, white and blue flag shorts... Whoa!?!  Got the visual?

 

My mind goes to Ferguson. I realize it went there 100 yards prior and I was in a zone.

 

We're all connected...

 

One of the boys had head phones on. (nice ones) He said something. Some words of surprise with a street inflection. I turned and back-pedaled for a few steps...smiled and gave a hand wave of sorts..."Didn't mean to scare ya fellas.."

 

"Nice to see ya... have a nice day"... as I turned back around to see where I was running, trying not to wander out into the roadway and the Sunday morning church traffic.

 

I felt the tension. I wanted to. I needed to.

 

I can't speak for the boys. After a couple hundred yards, I was regretting not stopping to walk with them; engage them and see if they would respond. Maybe ask them about Ferguson. I decided to do it and turned around.

 

They were gone.

 

 

 

So this morning's run was a baby one. Four miles. The Tuesday run after a long Sunday run is a pretty good indicator of how the body is responding. Lactate build-up/dissipation stuff. The hips, soles of my feet, general snap to the muscles... I was pleased about how it started off. Got spider-silked (running through those proverbial bridge-strands across the path; usually between two trees or some areas of shrubbery) a couple good ones down along the path. That's part of the ritual now.

 

Nice and cool and since I would not drown out the ear buds with sweat, ran with tunes too. Nice time of year where the mornings are getting cooler and a bit less humid so music becomes an option again.

 

Phil Collins... a favorite...second tune comes up; a classic story anthem:

 

"Find yourself in the gutter in a lonely part of town
Where death waits in the darkness
With a weapon to cut some stranger down

Sleeping with an empty bottle
He's a sad and an empty hearted man
All he needs is a job and a little respect
So he can get out while he can...

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story"

 My mind-set is formed for the next 40 minutes. (And the rest of the day)

There's a vision that becomes a part of a deep need I feel to bring healing...

There is Officer Darren Wilson. He is one of two who know the truth. He is one of one that can tell it.
I'm feeling compelled after a mile and a half to reach out to him. To tell him, implore him, support him... to Tell the Truth... for all parties involved. And him. We need truth...

"A neighborhood peace is shattered
It's the middle of the night young faces hide in the shadows
While they watch their mother and father fight

He says she's been unfaithful
She says her love for him has gone
And the brother shrugs to his sister and says
"Looks like it's just us from now on"

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story"

Officer Wilson is approaching the seated mother of Michael Brown. She is in a long rose-colored dress draped to the floor. Their eyes meet... and their souls connect...from different sides of the story...opposing ends of the universe...

 

He drops to his knees like the weight of the world is rested upon his shoulders... the ground rumbles... and after a moment, drops his head into the mother's lap, the mother who just buried her son.

 

He begins to sob... and tells her how sorry he is... He had not intended to kill anyone that fateful day. Or any day. He only desired to do his job and make it home.

 

She is at first indifferent...looking upward and uneasy about the scene, the others surrounding her, the onlookers and amazed... Then her mothering instincts take over; she releases an eternal sigh as she looks down upon the grief-stricken man. As her entire body gravitates downward to his, as if through some resonant force, her hands move to each side of his head; they move down to each of his shoulders and she grasps then releases her strong hands in a way that tells him the hate and anger are being released... for ever... her fingers stroke the hair he has alongside his head and then caresses his neck. He feels the weight of the world lifted from him.

 

And  she tells him it's going to be ok...'its going to be ok...thank you for telling me you're sorry'...She tells him she is sorry too... And a tear runs down her cheek and continues down the side of his face.

 

The world around them stops for a moment...bewildered, amazed and awe-struck...

 

And re-connected.

 

And the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here till you hear both sides

no no no...

 

In the vision, a mother and her son... above and behind...

 

It is about mothers and sons...



 

Here we are all gathered in what seems
To be the center of the storm
Neighbors once friendly now stand each side
Of the line that has been drawn

They've been fighting here for years
But now there's killing on the streets...
 

We always need to hear both sides of the story

 

 

 

And the lights are all on, the world is watching now
People looking for truth, we must not fail them now
Be sure, before we close our eyes
Don't walk away from here till you see both sides

 

oh no no no

 

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story

 

 

 both sides of the story...

 

 

Finishing the run this morning, there was a woman on the sidewalk coming toward me. Power-walking. Headphones on. a Black woman... Our eyes made contact as I approached and we both smiled and waved. Not enough.

 

I needed interaction. Engagement. I ran across the street in a non-threatening way. Smiled again. Put out my hand. And she took it. We connected. That's all. Both continued on our way.

 

Thinking how Nature's grandest storms begins with a flutter of a butterfly's wings... a ripple from a wind-blown grain of sand that initiates a tidal wave of amazing proportions... and how over 50,000 miles of running were always dependent on just a small step at a time... and then another.

 

I'm confident that the few cars that passed me before I turned onto Broadview to finish this morning could not distinguish the sweat... from the tears.

 

I could.

 

And if I could get a million people to share the vision, we could change the world forever. Maybe even 100,000 would do it. Could only take 1000...

 

Maybe just a little flutter. Can you feel it?

 

Can you hear the wind...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Portals to Heaven

Happened to bring the camera the other morning on the trail walk with Keeli. There was a special presence in the air... some late summer blooms and a magical interplay with the light and the mist...
Like tears of grace, the dew clung to the special places... of light and of love.

Found out later that morning that a very dear friend's mother had just passed. CJ was blessed with being at her side, joined by her daughter.

The last few months had been challenging. CJ cared for her mother in a beautiful way with dignity and grace. And faith. I'm quite sure her mother was so grateful and proud of the daughter she had raised and nurtured. Now, the cycle had come complete.

The revolution became the evolution.

These pictures are dedicated to you, my dear friend.

And to you, as well.

For we are all connected.

Forever and today.

 

 

SpiderLogic Defies Gravity...

 

And yet it acknowledges its existence. In fact, it down-right counts on it.

 

You recall Arabella and Anita? Of course! They were our first two spider-nauts (at least that we are aware of) that went up into space on the Shuttle in July of 1973. Sadly, after seeming to want to 'swim' in their weightless-ness and make webs of sub-standard silk, they 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' and passed directly to spider-vana. Sorry ladies... but what a ride!

 

(Note to PETA: they were well fed and watered)

 

When we launch a ball into the air, we have the faith in gravity that our ball will come back to it's intended landing spot and not just keep traveling upward to forever. We rely on gravity too.

 

And we must learn to defy it.

 

 In SpiderLogic, to defy gravity refers to selectively and consciously replacing undesirable weightiness with a light touch. Not to ignore or dis-respect but quite the contrary; to pay keen attention and apply humility. This necessitates discipline, competence and faith. Along with a smooth and softly flowing step.



 

The physics of gravity are quite simple to grasp. The stuff about attraction and massive bodies... Sir Newton and the apple. Force and mass and acceleration... Cool.

 

The psychology of gravity  and it's oft-accompanied illusions is another matter.

 

It can stifle, at least and crush at worst. It shortens the figurative stature of humans preventing them from reaching their true potential. Weighty stuff.

 



 The gravity of life and how it is handled has heavy consequences all the way to our hearts.
 

So we come back to the lessons of our earth-bound web-weavers. And in the spirit of Arabella and Anita, we take Ms. Charlotte for example. You DO remember Charlotte? And her lesson about the virtue of staying 'close to the ground'? Her teaching moment on the topic of humility employing her web art: HUMBLE was intended to be taken figuratively, not literally.



 

 

  Oh the paradox... Humility and Space travel.

 

She explained that Webster defined the word humble to include 'staying close to the ground'. But wait. Staying closed to the ground requires the gravity part right? Well, sort of.

 

Water uses gravity to power it's flow back to it's ultimate source and destination; the 'Sea'. Dam it or divert it but it will ultimately 'defy' the attempt.

 



 

Here - on tracks of silver gossamer; 'floating' effortlessly in the afternoon breeze... seemingly defying the Newton thing, the intuited take-aways from ancient sky-writing:

• Do not allow the physics to squelch your passion, vision and personal growth
• Acknowledge the illusory aspects of life and do not necessarily accept them all as your reality and
• Fly high as forever... yet remain close to the ground... NOW

 

And from the iconic road of Jack Kerouac:

 

"Be in love with your life. You're a Genius all the time"

 

For Love is the ultimate Genius that defies all earthly bonds. I recall it elevated a humble man from Galilee to his home.



 
 

 

Postscript to Ms. Charlotte:

Good call passing on the space shot. Rumor has it the humans gave the girls some of their filet mignon... unfortunately a bit too rich (read: heavy) for their humble tastes. Shoulda stuck to the flies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 

 

Tuning up your 'Web'...

 

 

So you think it's a stretch to conceive your life as a series of connections radiating out and anchored about much like the spider's?

 

Let's go a level further.

 

How about your ability to 'tune' it much like the strings on your Aunt Mimi's ukulele so you can both play and receive? Well... just take a quick read below and see if this resonates?

 

 

 APPLICATIONS NEWS

Good vibrations: Spider webs observed carrying information

30 June 2014

By firing bullets at spider webs and studying the vibrations with high-speed cameras, researchers from the universities of Oxford, Strathclyde, and Sheffield have observed that spider silk can carry a wide range of frequencies.

Using high speed cameras and lasers to record the vibrations of the web, the researchers have said the silk can transmit vibrations so that, when plucked like a guitar string, its sound carries information about prey, mates, and even the structural integrity of a web.

The findings, to be reported in the journal Advanced Materials, not only reveal more about spiders but could also inspire a wide range of new technologies, such as tiny light-weight sensors.
 

'Most spiders have poor eyesight and rely almost exclusively on the vibration of the silk in their web for sensory information,' said Beth Mortimer of the Oxford Silk Group at Oxford University, who led the research. 'The sound of silk can tell them what type of meal is entangled in their net and about the intentions and quality of a prospective mate. By plucking the silk like a guitar string and listening to the echoes the spider can also assess the condition of its web.'
 

This quality is used by the spider in its web by tuning the silk: controlling and adjusting both the inherent properties of the silk, and the tensions and interconnectivities of the silk threads that make up the web. To study the sonic properties of the spider's gossamer threads the researchers used ultra-high-speed cameras to film the threads as they responded to the impact of bullets. In addition, lasers were used to make detailed measurements of even the smallest vibration.
 

'The fact that spiders can receive these nanometre vibrations with organs on each of their legs, called slit sensillae, really exemplifies the impact of our research about silk properties found in our study,' said Dr Shira Gordon of the University of Strathclyde, an author involved in the research.

**************



Recall a scene from one of the earlier Spiderman films where Spidee is poised on a series of cables in his underground haunt? He begins to pick up vibrations from one of the strands of wire and it aids him in responding with his 300 million-year-old instincts infused from his prior spider kiss to his neck.

Hmmm... now there's another idea...



















Roads and Bridges...

They provide us with endless metaphors for living. I think of them often; those driven down or run upon. Connectors from here to there... Spans that take us over the gorges of earth and life.

Like this morning.

A big red sun and I. Climbing the hills together. Humid, a bit of haze and me winning the 'who-can-sweat-the-most' prize. Hands-down. Call me Slosher come July...

And there she is; the patch that keeps on getting patched. (I'll probably name her)



Half a mile out in front of a nice little house. It's a piece of the road just off the curb that's about 4 foot square. There was a repair made their initially about six months and at least three times hence.

And it keeps on sinking down.

When it drops about 4 or 5 inches below the street level, the road crew comes back out and makes it pretty; nice and level with new, black asphalt. Perfect. Until it sinks again. Hello?

Evidently, someone believes that by repeating the same steps over again, eventually the results will be different? The 'patch' will finally stop 'sinking'? More likely they do not really care and a return trip is just another half-days paycheck. (A bit cynical, I know. That's post sweaty-run low blood-sugar...)

So 'why' does it keep sinking?

Clearly, in this case, the root cause is not being addressed. But how often does that happen? In road repair or Life? That requires paying attention, assessment, knowledge and the application of it with competence (action).

So; I'm not an engineer. But notes to Road Crew:

Guys (or gals); let's mix it up a bit the next time huh?

Something is eroding this from below. Check? Check.

We need to provide a stable base that will tend to be supported by virtue of the area it displaces sufficient to the force distributed. Check? Check.

And before we cover it up again, maybe first we dig a bit deeper and see what may be causing the erosion. Maybe it's water from a broken pipe nearby? That might be nice to know about, huh? Maybe it's moles? Probably not. (I said I'm not an engineer)

So what I know for sure is, God willing, I'll continue to run over that patch.

And I'll be watching to see if the insanity continues or somebody calls time-out and applies some common wisdom that not only the street but the roads and bridges of our lives can benefit from.

See you tomorrow morning, PatJulee...   ;)