Lichen Life

I have this plant.

Common variety white, green fleck, house plant in a earthen ware pot, with some great wood bark to keep it straight.

Love it.

Saw it. Bought it a few of months ago...to cheer me from that unrelenting winter, and remind me there's still life to be taken care of....

Have it in my office, on a book shelf, with a killum backdrop for full dramatic effect of earthy life.

The reason I mention any of this is...

....in the few short months I've had this otherwise lovely, rich, full, luscious plant - it's now entirely lopsided, striving, clamouring in silence for real sun, actual warmth...something to keep it alive, anything that will nourish it.

That plant, in a few short weeks, has been affected.

It's amazing how much we endure. How much we hardly even notice what we endure because we're too busy 'taking care', continuing to plod on, too busy to notice the subtle change, a lack of light, nourishment, warmth, water, air, life, activity will have on life.

On another note....

I tried (again) this evening after work, to go back to the forest and walk with my dog as I have done for years.

I really tried.

But there was not a soul around. No signs of life.

...which I normally love...
....just not yet....
....I needed to know it was ok there, and that people were happily wandering about - safely.

Not a sign of that anywhere.

Just the wind. My dog. The trees - full with leaves. And me.

Had to cut the walk short. I just couldn't go anywhere.

The dog showed clear signs of wondering what-the-!&%$#-was-wrong-with-me-we're-here!-let's-go!?!

....wish I could explain it to him...wished I had nothing to explain.

Just as we were about to reach the car.....

....we met a great down-to-earth couple, and their great big blond dog Caesar.

This was my second foray back to where the "wild animal encounter" happened. It's ridiculous, but this whatever-it-is is real!

This was also that couple's new foray back to their same backyard haunt ! What are the chances of that?!

As we all needed to slowly, try and reconnect with all we know and love, all that is familiar? How crazy is that?!

Caesar, their huge big beautiful blond dog, was attacked by a dog a week ago.

I stood there looking at his punctured shoulder and couldn't visualize the 'dog' that inflicted such a wound !!

And with a slight touch by the owner, stuff seeped out and ran down, his shoulder, along with fresh blood.

This was some seriously deep puncture wound!!!!!

Long story short. I was given a clear description of 'who and who's dog(s) to look for should my dog and I encounter them'. All was well noted!!

I explained - I was just newly returning, trying to regain my own confidence, due to a predator 'threatening'....the response was "fer sure, fer sure '~they~' are in there".

Is it just me who wouldn't think some predators to be so far south in a park-like setting?!

Bottomline: Perfect we each should meet as we all were literally and figuratively 'healing our wounds'.

But their poor dog was sincerely ravaged by a wildness that ought to be leashed at all times, if not formally removed ( and I don't say that lightly ).

It was an horrendously vicious attack that Caesar is not even 'out of the proverbially woods' on!

As for why I'm rambling on about any of this....

I so needed to reclaim and recapture some ground this evening, but was unexpectedly, albeit in a more helpful way, reminded others have also experienced some trauma, some direct and physical threat, and that sometimes, some people have to work through that which they have experienced.

We're all slowly healing in our own way.

Another reason for mentioning any of this is...I so need all that I love, all that is familiar, all that I know, all that means anything to me - to be accessible.

But it eludes me.

I am as my plant, striving, clamouring for real sun, more warmth, something to keep it alive, anything that will nourish it.

I am in such a need of a break, a chance to walk my life, live my thoughts and conjour a new.


I need to flourish.