More signs of spring

Snowdrops

Walking back from the bus stop just a few minutes ago, I saw these little snowdrops (Galanthus) in my neighbor's garden. A sure sign of spring, and the first flowers I've seen coming out of the ground this year. I know that other friends who live in the area (such as Linda Letters in Seattle) have shown many flowers from their gardens, just a short distance of a mere 90-some miles south of us, but these are the first I've seen.

Pussy willows

Yesterday, I saw this other sure sign that spring is right around the corner, pussy willows! Well, it is almost the end of February, so I'm not surprised. It makes me smile to to think of putting on my gardening hat and heading out to my plot, not a minute too soon, after the winter we've had.

Do you ever wonder where dreams come from? I had a vivid one last night, reminding me how often I dream in color. The scenes are so lucid, even now, that it's almost like I had experienced it for real. But I'm pretty sure I didn't really swim in a desert which contained delightfully warm water in large sandy swimming-pool sized depressions. The water was so clear and sparkling that I can still see and feel it. I would go there again if I knew how.
:-)

Lazy Sunday

Before snuggling into my favorite recliner with a book, I thought I'd post a little bit about this unusual (for me) Sunday: I've got nothing to do, no plans at all. The plans I had for the weekend were changed by the weather, since yesterday was sunny and bright, and this morning it's raining again. We should have a spell of some warm and dry weather after this front passes, however.

The picture I chose for this post is the best illustration I could find to direct you over to Teresa Evangeline's blog to read about the dream she had last night. She described it so perfectly that the images keep coming back to me, about floating silently down a stream in a little boat. She calls it "The Land Along the River," and I have pondered its meaning ever since I read it. It is very significant to me at this moment in time.

The other post that really got me this morning is from Friko, which she calls "Thank You, America." She's an Australian who lives in the UK and is concerned about seeing how unhappy so many of her American blogging friends are with this country's politics. Although I have refrained from posting anything about the politics of today (at least I think I have), I have not restrained myself in comments I've left on the posts of others. She reminded me of the kind and generous spirit that exists here, still to this day, and it lifted me up.

I am reminded again and again how important the virtual friendships I have made throughout the blogosphere are to me. I've even met a few in person here and there, and I find myself in a community of wonderful people who help point me toward concepts and ideas that I could not find alone. I follow a lot of blogs, and I sometimes fall behind and am forced to skip some of my favorites, but there are many moments these days when I change course completely because of something I have read, posted by a thoughtful and discerning blogger.

When I was working, I had no time for this activity. My days were spent in front of computers doing the bidding of my boss, my colleagues and coworkers -- not following the dreams and hopes and, yes, the trials and tribulations of my virtual community. Today, I can only offer my sincere gratitude for all of you for speaking your truths and opening your hearts.
:-)

The power of dreams

This picture was taken decades ago, I can't even remember when, except that I lived in Boulder when my mom came to visit me. We were up at Brainard Lake looking at the mountains when this picture was taken. Now I am older than my mom was in this picture. I still remember some stranger taking the picture at my behest, and this is all I have of that day.

Last night, however, I dreamed of Mama, my dad, and other family members. We were all of different ages than reality would have allowed. In the dream, I was about the age I am in this picture, but Mama was red-headed like she was in her youth, Daddy was strong and vigorous. We were thinking of purchasing a house, and I can remember walking on white carpets and looking out windows at a beautiful seascape, while we chatted about the different uses we could apply to each of the rooms.

When I woke this morning, it was as if we had just been together: my parents, my sister Norma Jean, and me, all in this dream house. Even now, a few hours later, I can still feel the strong presence of my parents. Sometimes I wonder what is real. The solidity of the brilliantly colored dream felt every bit as real as me sitting here writing on my laptop.
:-)

Dreams about flying

Do you dream about flying? This picture I found on the internet almost exactly pictures the dream I had last night. The only real difference was that I was in a flatter position, with my arms below me as though I was cupping air, and I was de-arched instead of arched like this woman is.

That could easily be because I have more than 64 hours of accumulated time in freefall (being a skydiver and all), and if you need to gain altitude in relation to someone else you are skydiving with, you need that de-arched body position.

Thinking of my dream, I can very clearly see myself taking off from the ground by pushing hard on the air with my arms and gaining altitude, until I reached about a first-story height off the ground. And when I woke up from the dream, it reminded me that I have dreamed this before. After gaining some height above the ground, I lazily flew around in a very serene manner, looking down at the trees and pushing through gossamer clouds. I landed a couple of times and took off again, I think to confirm that I really could fly any time I wanted.

In looking for a picture, I found several websites about lucid dreaming where people decide to dream about flying, and lots of pictures, but this one certainly reminded me of the feeling I had. I think I have pictures of myself in freefall in almost exactly that position, but with one major difference: I had a parachute system on my back! And shoes and a jumpsuit. Well, there WAS that one time I did a naked jump, but I won't talk about that right now...
:-)

Dreaming in Technicolor

from Deviant Art

Does everybody dream in Technicolor? I know I do. Last night I had the most vivid dream, and I woke up thinking it had happened in real life. It took me a couple of minutes to put together than I had been dreaming. 

I do wonder if I am normal or not. Not only are my dreams in vivid color, at least parts of them, but it's almost always night in my dreams. Smart Guy says of course, we ALL dream in color, and it's B&W that is not normal, because that's not the way the world looks. But I do wonder, you know?

I used to record my dreams as soon as I woke up. If I did it before I was in a full waking state, I can re-read what I wrote and remember the dream. Here's a long-ago dream from my journal:

I dream I become a fashion designer. There are two women who see me with a mannequin, which I am draping with purple and red material. They tell me I have talent and offer me a job, which I begin immediately. I am told to step into high heels and start answering the phone. I am confused and excited, and call my family to tell them I have started a new career.

I also notice that if I record a dream when I first awaken, it is always in the present tense. Once I've been awake for awhile, I write it down in past tense. Sometimes it makes me wonder if our "real" selves don't exist in the time-space continuum at all but in some other place that we get to visit in our dreams. Just wondering out loud.

:-)