The Bohemian Review

(Image by Josephine Wall ~ Crystal of Enchantment)

My living room is full of rainbows. Reflections on the walls show the magnificence of the complete spectrum.

I am amazed.

Amazed by their beauty

Amazed by the splendor

Amazed that such a simple sight can bring such joy.

All of a sudden the whole room is aglow with rainbows,

And I smile…

 I am transported back to a time when my children were younger. It’s funny how the concept of time changes as we age and mature. There were summers with my children that seemed to last forever. They were spent exploring, learning and enjoying our time. Because of them I continued to look at the world through my “rose colored glasses” and was able to expect the best out of life. We spent a lot of time reading and watching old movies and one of our favorites was the movie Pollyanna. When we first saw this I was amazed at the idea of rainbows covering the walls and transforming the ordinary and mundane into the extraordinary. I have carried this idea forth and love hanging crystals to watch the rainbows dance. I’ve realized that the simplest of things can bring the most joy and happiness to life.

I have come to realize that there is always hope for a future made up of the dreams held onto tightly even if the dark shadows make it impossible to see. Only by believing and having faith that it is out there is it possible to expect and know that there is always a rainbow. I am living proof that a life can go from one of despair and unhappiness to one where each day is an absolute joy. Each day I count my blessings and know that I am truly blessed.

In the movie, Pollyanna  plays a game with life that she refers to as the “glad game.” The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. She looks for the best in everyone and always tries to have a positive outlook on life. I have always loved the idea of this game and try daily to make it a part of my world.

Each of our lives are filled with chances daily to see the good in the world and the positive aspects of life. It is up to us to choose whether we live this way or we live looking at the negative or bad parts. I believe completely that we make our own realities by the thoughts that we think on a daily basis. It is up to us to draw a magical world of splendor and fascination or a world filled with troubles and tribulations into our realities.

When I see the light reflections from prisms or crystals I am reminded that even in our darkest times we can climb up from despair and make our individual world a wonderful and magical place. We have to only look for the magic in our everyday life.

The magic is there… Can we see it??

It takes faith to believe, it also takes courage. Courage to turn away from the way it has always been and courage to venture forth in a new direction.

It takes unwaivering belief to take off into the unknown, to dance in the rain, to walk the tightrop without a net.

It takes faith and courage to know that life can truly be whatever we choose it to be, that life can be lived without following the bluprint of what others say can and can’t be done, that life can be lived by being true to oneself and by following one’s own direction and path.

Life can be lived and should be lived through faith and by believing.

I’ve decided to expect a revelation … projecting my vision onto my world – think and it becomes.

I’m testing my resolve, I’m testing my resistance, I’m testing my vision of the world.

I’ve decided, from this day forth, to live life to the fullest, to take chances, even if I am afraid, to trust completely and without restraint. I have decided to expect the best of people and never settle for less than that, to expect dreams to come true, to quit second guessing and to follow the direction and path my life is leading me in.

One of my favorite movies is  Under the Tuscan Sun. In this movie, there is a reference made to the Semmering Railway.

The Semmering Railway was the genius of engineer Carl Ritter von Ghega. Von Ghega began planning  the building of the railway in 1842 before any train of the time could possibly traverse such a steep grade. The railway began in Gloggnitz going over the Semmering Pass to Murzzuschlag.

It was constructed betwen 1848 and 1854,  contained 14 tunnels, 16 viaducts and involved the labor of 20,000 workers. The Semmering Railway is still a functional part of the Austrian Federal Railway.

Between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come.

~ Under The Tuscan Sun ~

“Life offers you a thousand chances… all you have to do is take one.”
~ Frances Meyer- Under the Tuscan Sun

As the cool winds begin to blow and the night air turns cool, I am reminded once again of the feelings of Fall. I look forward to warm crackling fires and nights spent camping under the magnificent star filled skies. The feel of a warm blanket as I snuggle down for the night. The sounds of the owl in the distance and the other noises that are so welcoming as the days grow shorter. I welcome the feelings of tranquility and satisfaction as the hot summer days wind to an end and the crisp cool air reminds me that winter is on the way.
Autumn days and cool breezes remind me of dreams that have not yet been realized.They inspire me with hope and fill my heart with wonder. One of my greatest hopes is that “I never lose this since of wonder” and that I always look to the next adventure with excitement and hope.
These pictures were taken along the Kern River in Northern California as we camped and explored along its banks. The Kern River is known for its whitewater rapids and beautiful Autumn foliage. It flows through Kernville, a very quaint, conservative relic of early California. It is wonderful tenting beside the river and waking up with the sound of the river flowing behind you.
Autumn is calling… where will it take us this time?

You open my heart with a touch of your hand,
I am consumed in a moment with love and romance.
I hear your laugh and I smile, I see your smile and I glow
Forever and always I love you so.
I find it’s the little things that come about in the feelings of the heart.
It’s the day to day moments that make us want to start.
It’s the dreams that just keep growing as we travel on our way
It’s the day to day moments we’ll miss and hope will stay.
As your smile lights a spark to the deepest embers of my soul
And each night is full of magic as you hold me in your arms
I hope to always remember the serenity I feel today
And the love I feel inside when you whisper my name.
I want to always treasure I hope to always know
The deep abiding faith and peace within my soul.
For it’s the little things that we’ll savor as each day turns into dusk
It’s the little things that we’ll treasure and will mean the most to us.
~Tammy

Another Labor Day has come and gone. Another whirlwind time-travel around the sun.
Such changes have come about without me even knowing when or why. Now most of our time is spent underneath the vast Nevada skies. Gone are the lazy days of California summers and lost between yesterday and today are the moments spent in the Florida sunshine. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer I am reminded that change is inevitable, growth is progress and new days are to be embraced.

As another summer winds to a close I remember…

I remember Bavaria.

I remember the boat ride along the Rhine River with the wind blowing in my hair. I remember gazing out at the passing castles and reflecting on the beauty that was before me. I remember how much I wanted to stay in this beautiful country and savor every moment.

As Autumn approaches I am reminded of Bavaria, though she is often in my thoughts. I am reminded and as always around this time of year….. I Remember.

I am fascinated with lighthouses both figuratively and literally. I am drawn to their history and also their romantic analogy. I look at them and reflect on the mariners who have relied upon them, placed their trust in them and have been saved because of them. I also look to them as a symbol, a symbol of hope and a symbol of endurance and a symbol of dependability.

I am blessed – I have friendships that are a constant in my life. They are like a beacon shining bright, leading me away from destruction and away from the rocky shores. Friendships, like lighthouses, can be perpetual and ever burning, helping us through turbulent times and shining bright with encouragement. Those who shine their light outward are rare and magnificent. They give off warmth and a glow that leads myself and others into their safety net and leads us away from the turbulent waters and rocks. They can be “an ever fixed mark” that we look to when our way is lost or has become unclear.

Florida’s coastline is still dotted with many of these lighthouse remnants of the past and they hold a special place in the hearts of many Floridians and lighthouse enthusiasts who look to them with a source of pride.

Most of the state’s 30 existing lighthouses offer photographers beautiful scenic backdrops to these lone-standing symbols of direction and hope. It seems that visiting and photographing lighthouses has become a popular hobby for many and I myself enjoy touring them whenever I get a chance.

Throughout the history of the lighthouses in the United States, they have been seen by most as a necessary obligation of both civic and personal pride. Even Southern history enthusiasts state that one of the reasons the Confederacy succeeded from the United States was the Confederacy’s opposition to most of the taxpayer-funded internal improvements; yet even the Confederacy explicitly allowed and encouraged public funds to be spent on lighthouses.

I am thankful for my friends and their love. I am thankful that our friendships have endured the years of separation and have become bouyant once again.  I am thankful for the memories of the wonderful days of youth that we are able to share together and reminisce about.

There are two ways of spreading light. To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
- Edith Wharton

Like a lighthouse shining in the distance, our friendships have grown and flourished and brightened the landscape around us. They have brought us together into the future with a promise of more good days and good times ahead.

As we go into the future, shining brightly, bringing pieces of our past with us and promises of the future,  I am thankful and blessed to have these wonderful people and our friendships in my life.

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.                    ~ Henry David Thoreau

For all of my childhood “Plains Gang” friends. This song, more than any other,  helps me to remember “us”.

For Now and Always ~ I Love You,

Tammy