Welcome to LifePlaces Awray

Some of Our Favorites

HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH, USA

 


Doubtful Sound, South Island, New Zealand

"The Sound of Silence"

 

UNCERTAINTY

UNCERTAIN,
Like an earthquake
Waiting to shake
The earth.

UNCERTAIN,
Like a volcano
Wanting to awake
From sleep.

UNCERTAIN,
Like trees reaching the skies,
Buried so long, appear
As rocks before our eyes.

UNCERTAIN,
As the wind sweeping this way
And, then that,
And back again in a single day.

UNCERTAIN,
As the clouds, dark and drear,
Blown across the skies
Now as light, white puffs appear.

UNCERTAIN,
As the dawning of a new day.
A new day; a new world
Borne upon the sun’s rays.

UNCERTAIN?
Is it really so?
Coming, going with such surety:
Living life, will we ever know

That life is a certainty?
We devise the calamity
In the recesses of our mind..
To the peace and harmony remaining blind.

February 8, 2017
Edgewater Hotel, Wanaka, NZ


BAJA SUR, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

 

GENTLE GIANTS

"Thar she blows!" was the cry:
Moments later a giant would die.
Glad to say, those days are mostly gone.
The giants are allowed to roam
6000 miles thru the east Pacific, their home.

To the Grays’ wintertime lagoon we went,
Looking for the gentle giants
While they spent time birthing and breeding.
San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur,
Here, protected from man for sure.

So we invaded their home.
Some seemed pleased we had come.
Blow sprays, spy hops, tails, and breach;
They let us know where they were,
If we could only reach…

“There’s a pair, a mother and calf!”
They approach our boat which is hardly half
The length of the giant coming,
Condescending to allow us so close,
Rising up so we can TOUCH HER!

Surrounded by these gentle giants,
Awed by their size alone;
Inspired by their condescension,
Seeing mom and calf interactions,
Knowing they and we share a kinship dear.

Hearts full of hope we went
To see these gentle giants.
Our time has been well spent,
Made more precious by the time they spent
Allowing us to share this world.

February 20, 2019
San Diego, California

FORGIVEN

You hunted us for our oil,
Our energy reserves for the times
When we feed our babies as their lives begin,
Or when our own food supplies are lean.

You decimated our numbers
Without regard for our survival.
You invaded our quiet sanctuaries
Where our communal life begins.

You, who believe you’re the highest
Life form on this watery planet,
Destroy everything, even your own kind,
For wealth, fame, power; and lose your own life.

But, we have forgiven you: this time.
We come to you when you visit: in peace.
We teach our young to allow you to reach
Out and touch us. For now.

We know wherein wisdom lies.
We live the life we are given,
Using only what we need to survive,
Allowing all others the same privileges.

You are part of our life, our world.
You may choose peace, or create turmoil.
You are forgiven: this time. But, seek
Our wisdom, our compassion, our relation to you.

February 21, 2019
San Diego, California


Our first overseas trip was to Turkey (before the coup, and violence).
Cappadocia was our very first balloon ride, ever.
We stayed in a hotel built into the mountains a short distance from the balloon rides.
Our guide with 15 years experience stated he had NEVER seen snow here at this time of year. Another first!
But, maybe LIFE should just be a series of FIRSTS.
Certainly keeps it exciting!

 


THE BALLOON RIDE