Unstructured Magic, Wild Muddy Abandon & Little Detours (long nature love story)

So, the planned post, is taking a nap for today, in order for me to share something else.  It has been a very strange week.  So, it was inevitable, that during a strange week (and it's only Wednesday) a person would be emotionally open to little messages, right?

      

I don't know if this happens to you (I think it does to all of us), but sometimes my little heart knows how to hear little messages...  It knows when it is time to stop, and take a giant breath, even if just for a few minutes...

      

Sometimes, you want to be silly, check out of daily life for a few hours,  maybe even play in a sea of beautiful felt balls... 

      

My felt ball "dealer" has decided that, if I don't buck up, she might report me to an agent at the FBA.  Felt Balls Anonymous.  And, I dare say, the last time I met her in a dark Italian restaurant, she warned me that the head BigFish is keeping her eye on me ;) Hahahaha!

      

Still, other times, a message might come to you so full force, the only thing lacking is the brilliant singing of angels... (case in point, photo below taken from my car, on a rainy day)

      

That is what I have really come to share today...  I was driving down the road, in the rain, (as we are in monsoon season of torrential rains right now).  I look to my left and what do I see?  Those heavenly clouds above...  You see, the monsoons are short lived, dramatic, and exquisite.  They come in, in the afternoon, and stir up all kinds of spectacular sights...

So there I was, minding my own business, and voila, huge billowing singing clouds to my left...  Then I look to my right and beauty, a rainbow is forming...

      

And I am like "Okay, I hear ya, I am feeling it, it's dramatic, I am listening..."  I know, that at this moment, it doesn't matter if I am in a skirt, or if I have to be somewhere.  This moment is speaking to me.  So, I keep driving, and realize, I have to stop.  I have to get out of my car.  It is pouring rain.  It doesn't matter.  I soak up every minute of this...

      

And if you look closely, what you can see, is that at the top, is another rainbow...  A double rainbow...  That moment was so magnificent and astounding.  We lost a family friend this week, and all I can hope for, is that she really is indeed, in a pain free, beautiful place, somewhere over the rainbow...

I stayed there under that rainbow for a very long time...  Then I hopped back in my car, soaked and completely in love with the moment.  I started to drive passed our little village fire dept., when the rainbow was calling me again...

      

So, I thought, you know, that rainbow doesn't look that far away.  I bet I could find the end of the rainbow.  I bet, I could live to blog about what magic, really is at the end of it... (ya, sure ;)

So, I didn't turn at the street that leads me to my country abode.  I proceeded down a huge long hill, and then turned north, driving for a bit...  I passed Miraval, and kept going.

      

I knew just what street I would have to turn on to get to that rainbow...  The street of a thousand mailboxes...

      

So, I turned there, and of course, I knew it...  The end of the rainbow was not far... I was determined to reach it...

      

Down the road I drove and drove...

      

Until I reached water?  LOVE it!!  Love it when the wash if full of water!!

      

Then, I realized, there was a bit too much water for me to attempt to cross...  I saw some guys on the other side, stuck in mud, while grading the road the old fashioned way...  I love rural living!!

I remembered that to the left was a vintage bridge...  Could it be braved??  I am not a risky kind of a girl though...

      

There was this cheek whispering, breeze kiss, kind of wind... You know, when the breeze kisses your cheeks, and dances in your hair...  There was a marvelous bird singing around me, with the most beautiful tune.  I walked over to the side of the bank to look upstream...

    

I sat there, loving every mere second.  I realized that, this is the moment I was supposed to revel in.  I thanked my heart for following the little messages that brought me here...

 

A couple trotted by on their horses "G'day lil' Miss" the man said as he tipped his hat...  Swooon, I love it!!

To the left the rainbow lingered as such...

      

And to the right, equally as beautiful...

      

      

I walked down a little hill, to get closer to the water... 

      

Rain and water in Arizona, are more than a good thing.  These are longed for moments...

      

Even if it is Chocolatey water ;)

I decided not to cross the bridge.  The gift of the rainbow and this lovely afternoon, was enough for my wee heart...  A hawk soared in the sky above, casting a huge shadow...  I knew it was time to go...  I had come this close to the end of the rainbow...

      

The sun was starting to set so beautifully to the west...  I just had to get home to see what kind of monsoon activity was goin' on there...

      

The dancing ladies were just tickled to be frolicking in the rain...

      

The view from our yard was spectacular...  I couldn't get enough of it...

      

The growing peaches were moist, and the mint was blooming...

      

      

My sweetie pooch asked me to play in the water with her...

      

She didn't have to ask twice...

      

      

      

And wait, is that a little prince swimming over there to the right??  Oh yes, Ribbit ribbiiittt!!!

      

Hi little friend!

      

And then, just as the day was at ridiculously wonderful nature love levels...  Mr. Lovee calls me over to see these little guys...

      

So, I get on the ground to try to bring you extra special shots...

      

      

And I have to tell you, the little girl below was quite nice, and wanted me to say Helloooo to you!  Well, she actually said, "Hey what's up?"  ;)

      

So, there you have it.  I lept into this nature filled day, and had such a lovely time.  And, thought to share it...  And also share that, sometimes, life can be insane, and we just have to take a detour...  Rebel against it all, and delve into that which is right in front of us...

      

And if your are lucky, you might go inside the house, to find that, there is a second chocolate stash, you hid so well, you forgot about it also... (upper left corner)

      

Now, really, I am losing my marbles right??  How could I have forgotten about two chocolate stashes???  (and how could I dream of showing you my mess ;)

Want one??

      

Oh you know what??  In the last post, Miss Gillian said, when she was a kid you might not find her at the cake and ice-cream table, but you would find her with her head in the potato chip bowl??  That was soooo me!!! hahahaaa!

Okay, I have so much other stuff to tell you.  I feel like I am behind in all my stories...  Don't I bore you silly???  You just let me know, and I'll get us some proper entertainment.  Heee heeee....  Call Mr. Depp, Donna is away for a couple of weeks!!

Oh it is raining again!!  Off I go!  Must play!! xoxo

Comments

[pasha plum]

Oh yes, I love the monsoon--the creatures and the smell of rain and the overcast sky--ahhh. Your pictures are lovely and really do capture some of the beauty of the monsoon (only being in it can capture it all!).

[Marina Capano]

Hi Vanessa! nice post! amazing pictures! just awesome!
Visit me anytime
xoxo
from far!;)

[michelle]

Oh, that was a lovely little jaunt! I feel much better! I would give anything for some rain. Would you believe I came back from the dessert of Utah (about 90 degrees) to the Bay area (111 degrees yesterday)! Totally crazy! I would love to follow me a rainbow! Thanks for taking us along! You are right, sometimes you just have to relax and enjoy the show!

[sadira]

What sweet little horned toads...their expressions are priceless! They must have loved getting out and playing in all of the puddles! I also saw an amazing double rainbow on the 4th...but, no camera in hand, so I'm just keeping it as my little secret instead.

[carolyn]

Glorious post!

[shiborigirl]

Thank you, Vanessa, for sharing the beauty of your day. I've always wanted to visit Arizona (I'm an Eastern US Girl), and now I feel as though I've already been!

Kate

[Gina]

Your pictures of rainbow chasing are gorgeous!!! And squishing mud betwixt the toes was one of my favorite things to do as a kid and I still love it.

[Carrie West]

Hello! Your pictures are very pretty! I love the black skirt!~ Tres chic!

[Brook]

Picts are magical! How inspiring! I love your little manied piggies in the sand and water!

[Sarah]

So, not to destroy the wonderful peaceful moment you just created or anything, but every year you post a picture of animals doing it. Did you know that? I just thought I'd let you know.

Also, I love you.

[vanessa marie]

I think all of us could use a rainbow day every once in awhile... glad that you had one & shared it with us! By the way, I have two little cats that would go crazy over those felt balls ;)

[Lisa-Vet]

How I miss Tucson, In Monsoon season. Loved It. Pictures are Beautiful. Thank-you, Vanessa.

[Vanessa]

What a delightful post! It is so important to be reminded to take those detours in our day and take in all the goodness around us:)

From another Vanessa;)

[Emma]

Oh, V, more amazing photos! Thanks so much for sharing your Rainbow Adventure.

[flutterbyblue]

Gorgeous. Double rainbows are so incredibly magical! I've only seen one in my lifetime. I was so excited I ran back into my office and told the girls to go check it out. They went and stood outside watching it until it faded away. Sad for me, as I was stuck inside manning the front desk. I still remember it though -- it was so beautiful!

[karin]

my Phoenix self is jealous of your Tucson self....we had a wonderful sunset but no rain yet....i hope upon hope that it is coming soon.
thank you for sharing yours with us.

[ellen Crimi-Trent]

this was the best thing I read all day!!! Thanks! I have such a crazy day and some of it was good some not, so I really enjoyed this. Boy I would love to see a rainbow, its been awhile.

[trina]

oh vanessa, i'm so sorry about your loss this week. My great grandmother died this week as well. It's a strange thing to begin dealing with and finding a balance of grief and missing someone's physical presence and also being glad that they are light and free and no longer tied to a cumbersome form. No more pain and just the pure essence of them getting to be exactly what they are meant to be. But the loss and sadness that comes from loving someone and no longer having them here is weighty. Be well my friend.

[Di Overton]

What an amazing place you do live in. Those pictures are to die for. I once found the end of a rainbow, it was diving into a deep loch in Scotland. I never found out what was at the end of it as I was not willing to get wet.

[sheri]

so its been awhile since ive stopped by and i'm sorry it has! this was yet another loverly post.... so refreshing. :) i want to paint that picture of the clouds....

[Michele]

Thank you for the magical post!!

[Bethany]

I'd had thought that YOU lived at the end of the rainbow!! It seems such a special place with all the beauty and amazing work you create there....that's what I thought!! Lovely post full of love and pretty things...and hope, joy, courage, peace...these are some of the things rainbows mean to me! They are little reminders of God's love. Glad you got the double reminder to make you smile :)

[Sharon]

Miss Vanessa, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful adventure with us. It is so important to take detours and take time to stop and smell the flowers, play in the water, and chase rainbows.

Reading your post reminded me of a rainbow I saw a couple of years ago and after I saw it I was inspired to write about it. I've post about it on my blog today. I used your picture of your rainbow on my blog since I, unfortunately, was without a camera that day. I hope you don't mind. Now, this just tells me that I need to take my camera with me everywhere I go!

[somepinkflowers]

thanks
ever-so
for the trip to
the end of the rain*bow
but we already know
what we will find there...

:-)

your house
with the cinderella garden
and the green
gate
where Mad Tea Parties happen...

{{ well
you know i am right on this point }}

[gkgirl]

those were fantastically beautiful photos!
i really enjoyed this post...

[Paris Parfait]

Beautiful post, dear Vanessa - and gorgeous photos. So sad about these terrible unexpected departures this week (as we discussed in emmail). But your double rainbows give hope and help lift spirits. xoxox

[Cassie Shella]

Sometimes angels smile down on us. I believe one of them was smiling down on you today! Your pictures are amazing, thanks for sharing.

[What Happens Next...]

Lovely, post, as usual!

I was transported. Oh, the rainbows...*sigh*.

[tiffany]

My sister is dreaming of moving to AZ. If she saw these photos.. I think she'd purchase her ticket today.
:)

[Cassandra]

What a magnificent heart's journey you had! And the rainbow...well, rainbows are just divine, aren't they?! Such a special treat and double in your case! Thank you for sharing such a splendid moment with all of us here in blogland. *hugs*

[kayellen]

I love that rainbow chasing!!!and taking us along for the ride:)
I have spent so much time in Arizona...I love the summer rains!and they way everything smells after it rains.Lots of memories coming flooding back to my mind:)

Your cloud pictures are breathe taking!!!

Have a good week:)can't wait to chat again after I return from Washington!

kayellen

[Vanessa]

What a lovely little nature 'walk' you created for us! I had fun too and I particularly liked the lizards!

[sherry]

My sympathies on the loss of your family friend...but in that loss I think you found a treasure -- of what matters, what his priority and how to make the moments in life "matter" - follow your heart, live in your heart -- and those rainbows? I think someone you just lost was saying "hello".

[Amy Long]

What a lovely poetic story! I love the way you tell of your adventure!! Thank you for sharing.
~ Amy

[Karla]

Vanessa,

Such gorgeous photos. You are surrounded by such wonderful natural beauty.
Karla

[Tricia]

You are too cute Miss Fanciful Vanessa!! So you to go search for the end of the rainbow...I only wish I had been there with you...and later I would have stolen a few of those chocolates..hehe. That's why I love your blog so....because it's like I'm with you on your little fun adventures!!!! Fun Fun Fun!!!
I love the double rainbow..I have never seen one!!! Fantastic!!! Oh Mirabel...have you been? Tres Posh spa!

[thrilled by the thought]

That was such a beautiful post! I'm glad you followed your heart.

[devil mood]

That was one wide rainbow, fantastic!
I'm amazed by those lizards, I've never seen such things in flesh, so to speak. And yes one of those bombons wouldn't go amiss.

[karen]

Wishing we had some of that monsoon action here in Phoenix. Loved loved loved this post. As always, your pictures are breathtaking.

[Sandra]

Simply wonderful rainbow journey and I'm sorry for your loss, the good thing is you know to look for all the "signs!"
xoxo
Sandra Evertson

[Johanna]

Vanessa your pictures are amazing! My little one & I went on a rainbow hunt a month or so ago & I had almost forgotten untill I read of your adventure :) We never found the end but he insisted that it ended in heaven since it was not to be found on the ground somewhere & that sounds just about perfect to me!

[Rhondi Mullins]

What a wonderful day. Thanks for taking me along with you. I love the promise that a rainbow brings!

[laura]

This is the perfect post! I just commented on another blog (new at knitting) that I have zero tolerance for people who don't pause to look at rainbows...I should have known you were a fellow rainbow chaser (especially while wearing extra mascara, holding a Shirley Temple and with pink toes!)...My best friend had a rainbow land in her back yard...she had just had a baby and she took him out and stood in it and the rainbow went right through them...charging them up with all the pretty colors and energy. She thought it was neat, but not as neat as I did, I mean how symbolic...the pot of gold was her home and she and her new baby were standing on it!

[stephanie]

What a perfectly magical post....follow your rainbows they will lead you to life.

Thank you for this lush view of your AZ world!!

I just returned from travels and guess what??? Yes!!! I was greeted by the most lovely of twin snail mammies EVER!!

I am a lucky girl...

x...x

[3rdEyeMuse]

never, ever a bore (and really good at making me feel homesick - in a good way). :)

Deepest sympathies.

Thanks for sharing the magic ...

[sherri]

I feel refreshed just looking at your pictures! I lived in the Phoenix area for several years and I have always thought they had some of the most spectacular rainbows anywhere. I love the smell out there right after rain too. How fun to see a horned toad too after many years. thanks for sharing this. The pictures are incredible.

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

Oh wow! Those are the best rainbow pictures ever!! I have to tell you a quick story. The year my dad passed away I was feeling so sad at my birthday party. He always gave me the most beautiful cards and I was missing him. I walked outside to be alone and right outside my front door was a double rainbow. I just knew that my dad had sent it to me. So, now you know why I love those pictures!!

[inge Bekaert]

the photo's are awsome... you live in a totally other country than I do..but it looks breathtaking !

greetings
Inge from Belgium

[Daydreamer :)]

Your felt ball fetish reminds me of one of my childhood obsessions. I collected my parents tennis balls. I probably had about 80 of them. I know I counted them, but I can't remember the exact number. Anyway, I would draw eyes and beaks on them and pretend like they were my chickies following me around the house. I'd roll them along the floor and was always trying to find a way to get them to "follow" me around. The best idea I came up with was dragging them on a sheet across the floor. What fun times :D

Daydreamer :)

[Robbin]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend

but oh what a beautiful, magical adventure and message

thank you for sharing!