March 29, 2004 2:07 A.M.

�Begin Anywhere�

Trees arching into an arbor over a Pasadena street. Taken by my son Mike; March, �04.

March 25

Last week, my daughter and family were in Pasadena for several days while Tim attended a conference on Design Art. It was sponsored by the Pasadena Institute of Art.

Well-known speakers from every area of design, including architecture, gave inspirational addresses. One of the lecturers spoke the above phrase, when urging the participants to move past any momentary �block� in their creativity. He urged them to �begin anywhere!�

I have thought much about this since I heard it. And I thought I had best apply it to the Homespun Philosopher.

I have not written in a little over a month now, due to several things. First of all, nothing has really �hit me� or brought the urgency to write. This type of a journal, if you choose, can be written only when a concept �hits� the writer, because he is not up against a deadline or editorial demand.

Second, I have had a little bit of a running argument with myself as to whether or not anything I might write would be of any value or interest to a reader.

And last, but not least, there is some small feeling of resistance to having to do something going on inside my head.

But since I really want to break all this down, I am going to begin anywhere and see what evolves. After all, in the past I have written about such mundane subjects as Peanut Butter, Oreos, water, and trees. Which just proves the point, that you can begin anywhere.

March 28

Yesterday, we drove to a small, somewhat secluded beach for the afternoon. There is normally a fair amount of people who enjoy Sycamore Cove on a favorable afternoon, - mostly families. As its name implies, it is a public beach and campground coved into the overcrowded Pacific coastline, about midway between Pleasant Valley and Malibu. Clusters of Sycamore tress emerge from a small canyon in the shoreline cliffs, and fan out their shady beauty to within a few yards of the surf. The California shoreline is in stark contrast to the wide stretches of open sand and ocean views of Florida. That great flat peninsula extends itself in all directions so level with the surrounding sea, that you seem to be able to walk right into the surf and keep on walking until you are a tiny visible speck out in the warm waves. Not so, California. Much of its coastline is a ribbon of sand, interrupted by broken chunks of the steep mountain cliffs, which have been pressed right up to the verge of the water, dropping off precipitously into the cold depths of the Pacific. Repeated ranges of mountains and valleys abruptly reach the terminus of the land, and around a blind curve, the westernmost rim of the continent explodes into sight. The drop-off is straight and steep, and I can only imagine that it continues on down, out of sight, beneath the waves crashing against the rocks. It would seem that, however tumultuous the sea may be, it always brings certain serenity to the one, who takes the time to sit in its presence. As though God were in the waves. And His Presence, stretched out across the horizon. All is dwarfed by this breadth, depth, awesome power, and sense of eternity. But to compare the creation with its Creator is to foolishly ignore the fact that even the mighty sea has been set with a boundary that it cannot exceed. �Psalm 104:8, 9 �The Message� Bible �Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out in the places you assigned them. You set boundaries between earth and sea. Never again will earth be flooded.� This seagull lighted on the sand just at water�s edge. I had been shooting various pictures of the seashore. I sat and watched as this creature stood very erect and still for what seemed an extremely long time. The incoming waves crashed closer and closer, and I knew that soon the gull would take flight. I wanted to try to catch a shot of him just when he took off. I extended my telephoto lens to its maximum, focused on the bird�and waited. Important or not, my heart silently sent off a prayer for help. With my vision problems, I can see to �frame� a photo�capture a special vignette of something in my viewfinder�but I do not see the details, until it is on my computer screen. I framed the gull and waited. Suddenly I was startled by an automobile horn behind me. I moved somewhat, and at that same instant, the gull took off. I snapped the shutter, but because I had moved slightly, I didn�t think for even one moment that I had captured the picture. I felt a little letdown, after having waited for so long, camera aimed and ready. I could hardly believe the photo when it came up on my monitor. Do you think my prayer was heard? Something so unimportant? Matthew 6:26 �Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down � careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds."

March 29

Things I have been having done to fix up my home. Things which have been needed for a long time!

1. New kitchen appliances

2. New kitchen recessed lighting

3. Pool refinished (trim still to be done.)

4. Getting new computer desk

5. Lawn sprinklers installed

6. New carpeting on patio

7. Annual spring flowers planted

I took this photo last week. This is one of the first roses in my garden this spring.

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