The sparkles in the water.................

 
In 2014 I was able to see a lot of my true heart-dreams come true.  I worked hard every day to keep focused on those particular dreams so they wouldn't die!  In September I had the pleasure of visiting Cape Cod and on that trip I took a detour through Rhode Island and Connecticut.  We don't often talk about those states down here in Texas unless you are from there.  For me, I immediately thought of the movie 'Mystic Pizza' and decided that was a dream to fulfill.  As silly and as nerdy as it sounded - I wanted to experience that. So this adventure through Rhode Island was on the way to Mystic, CT.  (yes the pizza place is real!)

My assistant and I stopped along the waters of Rhode Island on the way to the train station in Providence and these were the moments I was able to capture while standing on the dock.  At first I was completely in shock!  The bright stars DANCED on the top of the water and didn't stop moving one bit.  They were blinding!  I pulled out my camera and HOPED that I could capture even a fragment of what it looked like!  I had never seen anything like that in all my adventures with the water and sunlight.  The video footage tells a better story HERE.

The sparkles in the water were a wonderful reminder to stop and be thankful for creativity and how all things work together for a grander purpose. We have dreams that we write down...and dreams that we live without even thinking about it.  The biggest challenge you can give yourself is daring to look INSIDE yourself and dream the impossible dream and then LIVE the impossible dream!  

Today's Questions:
-Have you fulfilled a life-long dream yet?  Why or why not?
-Is fear stopping you from making a leap?
-What is ONE particular dream that you think about all the time?  Why have you not done it?

To DREAM more join me at the Ladies' RETREAT - July 24-26th 2015.  Open for 5 women!

Below are some of the photography stills from the moments on the dock!  I will never forget this small memento of a time in my life where I was living a dream.

Wednesday Wandering : "cleaning out your car and meeting friends!"

This week's "Wednesday Wandering" takes me outside for a few on this wonderfully chilly rainy day.  Honestly - when it is raining I stay indoors - but oddly when I TRAVEL....I go outdoors.  I don't know why.  I haven't figured that out yet. :)  In St Louis I was on a mission to create...and even CREATE in the rain.  But here at home - I find I'm a true homebody. 

Except for today!!!!

Today, I have started cleaning out my car. 

Now to you, maybe this isn't a huge deal - but for me having done all this traveling and more traveling and less and LESS cleaning....MY CAR WAS A MESS. 

The outside had been freshly washed, the belt tensioner tightened....but the trash and props and more were just overly cluttering my life AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

So, phase 1 - I have completely taken out the trash, threw stuff in the recycle and next - I'll attempt to vacuum it later or tomorrow.  Then, probably wipe it down with armor all.  I always find that cleaning your car and home is just like cleaning out your mind & heart.  You have to ADDRESS what is going on inside so that your outside and inside collide.  There is a harmony when things are cleaned up.  Not perfect, just CLEANED UP.  :)

Don't ignore your mess.
Because then it turns into a disaster.
 You have the power right now, right here to deal with your mess and get moving into a less cluttered direction.  Sometimes I can't even think unless I de-clutter!  I need to BREATHE. I need to think.  I need to assess my mental and emotional health.

Phase ONE - done!!!! The car is reflecting a less-cluttered moment.
Phase TWO - finally leaving this house to meet friends. 

Wednesday Wandering: 
-where did you go today that was NOT your house.
-did you see the sky?
-did you see a friend? 

Opening yourself up to your environment: BEACHES

I have had the pleasure of visiting some great waterways this year so far.  But in ONE WEEK I saw a diversity of water inlets and beaches that I was overwhelmed and still processing the beauty of our planet.  Every water inlet had its own look and feel.

Each town had a similar look though!  Very beach-housey and light colors that were very peaceful and accomodating to weary travelers.  Even more so, to an artist seeking silence, solace and views that inspire!!!!

The following pictures are my quick journey over one week.

Monument Beach, MA

Monument Beach, MA - at sunset with cloudy skies!!!

Sandwich MA

outside Providence RI

Mystic CT

Nubble Lighthouse - York Maine

York Maine

Winthrop Beach, MA

Winthrop Beach, MA

Winthrop Beach, MA

Where i just was - around Winthrop Beach. :)

Sandwich MA - surprise turtle!!!!

The tide lines on the sand.  Breathtaking - York Maine

I was amazing at these waves.  They were so different.  4-5 waves rolling at a time and a nice soft water rolling up on the sand to create ripple effects.  So beautiful.  I'm sorry I only stayed 20 minutes. :(

Nubble Lighthouse - rocks rocks rocks!!!! - York Maine

HERE IS THE REAL DEAL:

In traveling - when you make that choice to do it...you see allllll kinds of things when you set yourself up for adventure. I had an AMAZING opportunity to see a few kinds of "beaches" when I was traveling up to Cape Cod, Boston, CT and Maine. Each of them very DIFFERENT. Even in Maine, one was fully sanded but also fully rocky. Our land is surrounded by water and there are a gazillions beaches, harbors and inlets.

There is a boundary you have to CROSS from land to sea. Where those waves come crashing (or gently strolling in like in Maine) - you have to accept in order to get into the water you will have to get WET. You can swim, get a boat or just stand on the shore. Your point of action determines your experience. The water can be UNSTABLE and knock you off balance - but at least you can swim in it. If you can't swim? LEARN.

I let myself experience them all. I walked up to the water and watched and sometimes I stood IN the water. I sat on the ROCKS for over 30 minutes just in awe of the textures and colors. Each beach had a different texture and look. And I like diversity so much so - that i was so glad to see our planet and our country and world have a unique look and feel to EACH location.

When the storms wake you up.....

Part of our journey we shared in Saint Louis this year was impending tornados that apparently came through the city and caused alarms to ring in our hotel at 5:30am.  I had just gone to bed at 4:30am working on backing up all of my images onto an external hard-drive and making sure my laptop was a bit more cleaned off.  I was enjoying the last few moments I had in my room with the roomies asleep and the darkness filling the space. 

At 5:30am...and crazee siren went off and said there was a tornado warning ...and that we needed to proceed immediately to the basement.  I woke up....at first confused....was this a TEST????

No, it was not.  I scrambled around FREEZING cold cause it was chilly in there...and digging for my shoes cause I figured wherever I was going...I would want shoes, a light jacket, the hotel room key and my phone.  At first, I was just going to laugh it off and hide in the bathtub, but mama Jane insisted that her phone said this was all legit and that we needed to leave FAST! 

I'm not a morning person. 
I'm not a nice person with lack of sleep.
So I was angry.

Not at anyone.....................
AT THE TORNADO.

We got to the basement....and about 60 seconds later...the warning had passed.  We walked through passageways like ... THIS - you know tons of skylights, windows and things that break when tornados come through.  The entrance to the basement was down the stairs and through a door...whilst passing through atriums, sky lights and more.  You can see how that might have fueled my anger.

 I should have just crawled into the bathtub i'm thinking..................

We make it back to the room and make insanely loud sobbing noises because the tornado has robbed our sleep and we silently pay homage to our 5:30am wake up call with a funny pictures. (Thanks to Rachel Frank)  I love these ladies. Through the madness of the storms - we still found much laughter.

We also had a casualty of war....when the sirens were hitting Rachel lost a nail in the bathroom.....lol

Morning came fast...and so did our checkout time....we awoke around 10am and I was just like OH CRAP!!!!! we have to check out!!!! I got a late checkout by a miracle and we spent the next 3 hours singing, packing and getting ready to say good bye. 

In my moments of "despair" I figured in order to laugh at myself later - I would "save" my camera gear before I left the room for the tornado .  Mind you, the window is RIGHT THERE and so are the curtains.  I merely scooted it around the table...and abandoned it.  *facepalm*  Notice the dissaray of the stuff...and the forcibly thrown shoes and props around the floor.  Yes folks....
Here is what I did when I left the room....

I found that we could have a good laugh....and being that my whole season this spring has been NOTHING but freaky deaky storms every time I travel...I had to do nothing but laugh...and pack...and sing En Vogue all that morning.  When they say FREE YOUR MIND and the rest will follow?  For realz yo.

For fun moments...and waking up moments....I relied on my sense of humor to give you what I call..."Fashion-ado"....or "Rachel-nado"....because our room did look like a tornado anyways.  Such great fashion to be had and much fun to have followed those 4 days at after dark.

And this my folks...is the beauty out of storms....you may be ANGRY....frustrated....a little delayed....but you are guaranteed to have laughs and stories to tell for the rest of your life.  I wouldn't take that back for anything.

But there's MORE.

Because apparently the storm system was ongoing.....I was at the airport for my flight and we had THREE warnings of tornados while there.  Every time I turned around...there was a warning and telling us to get away from the windows.

I should have been a storm chaser, in another life.

Thanks for letting us fly out....even with all the tornado storms....so glad that the system passed so I could get home for Adventure part 2. :) 

I end this story with this.....you WILL have storms...........
you WILL have delays...............

but find a way to laugh - it always helps. :) We did!

This was my "i'm so mad at that tornado for waking me up at 5am look"............

Thanks for reading everyone.............

What the latest funniest travel story for you? <3

Jen