This iconic Stars and Stripes symbol of our country’s independence was seen in Hyannis, Massachusetts, at the annual classic car show on Father’s Day. Today, as the entire nation mourns the loss of the nineteen ‘Granite Mountain Hotshots’ killed Sunday in Arizona’s Yarnell Hill wildfire, the poignancy–and heart wrenching irony–of the nation’s flag of freedom flying at the sky-end of a fire … More Stars, Stripes and Firefighters
One of the sky theater’s most popular performances is that of the rainbow. An optical phenomenon of refracted sun rays reflected in air borne droplets of water, rainbows tell us a storm is over, a clear day is ahead—or, for the wishful thinkers and idealists among us, that there is a pot of gold at its … More Big Screen Performance
Sanibel Island, Florida, with its 17+ miles of beaches ripe with coquinas and sand dollars, is a favorite shelling beach. So, too, are is the sand of San Jose Island, Texas, with its olive shells and wentletraps, lightning whelks and sundials, and of Silver Strand State Beach on Coronado Island, California, littered with silvery oyster shells, … More Treasured sculptures of the sea
The Chinese name for the peony is sho yu. It means, simply, most beautiful. The poet Sensei Ogui finds a lesson in its moment of lifetime: Peonies bloom on peony trees. A cat doesn’t become a chicken. Tulips are tulips, not roses. Why can’t we realize this true fact? That to be me is great. … More A Lesson from the Peony
Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all. -Emily Dickinson Photo, flamingo feathers, by Mary O’Connor, © 2013
Said simply, these are ferns, one of over 12,000 species of this plant that adds loveliness throughout the world. As told by the Maori peoples of New Zealand, their story is one of healing and new beginnings, of peace, tranquility and spirituality. In ancient African symbology, they bring rain, luck, and prosperity. Through their unfolding, they … More In the language of folklore
Of all the gifts you might desire, I offer one—a wish that speaks of wonder, bids you rest by the side of the wandering river, watch it idle through meadows and fields, be soothed by the opus of crickets and frogs, caressed with the velvet dust of flight song, and feel earth’s soul. Together, may you … More The Wedding Gift
How long we wait, holding out for the warmth and lazy days of summer, setting up our props and toys, ready to be children again. – Summer Waits, photo by Mary O’Connor © 2013
Ride the magnificence of the wave, before it breaks and you find it is gone. Neither can the wave that has passed by be recalled, nor the hour which has passed return again. – Ovid Newport, RI, waves photo by Mary O’Connor © 2013
Mother Nature offers her own line of floor coverings — recognized by their “money is no object” appearance, their brilliant colors, their inimitable down to earth feel. Check out my book, Life Is Full of Sweet Spots. You’ll find Mother Nature inside — maybe not her complete line of carpets, but most certainly, a full selection of eye catching … More Certified Interior Designer
Life Is Full of Sweet Spots 