Mojave Light Musing

Hello dear viewers, near and far.... Just a quick post today. I am blown away by the responses to this image. I posted this on my studio Facebook page, Mojave Light Studio , and within 24 hours it received over 1,300 views and over 200 likes! Wow. A weather front blew in rain and fog to my desert this past weekend. We lost power on Friday night from around 10pm to nearly 6am Saturday morning. Luckily, this weather front did not include sub freezing temperatures! The sounds of the house coming back to life with the power surge awakened me earlier than I would have liked on Saturday morning. However, being that I went to sleep at a decent hour the night before, I awoke refreshed and ready for the day - before the sun rose. The fog floating by my windows intrigued me. The distant mountains were playing peek-a-boo as the rising sun lightened shades of gray. My daughter, also a shutter bug enthusiast, was game to make a few mugs of hot tea and venture out to explore the foggier parts of...

The temperatures finally hit comfortable here in my corner of the desert. My daughter came up for part of the weekend and we went out to play. Expanses so wide you could feel it in your chest. The warmth of the sun heating up the boulders. Quiet so quiet your ears ring. Textures. Subtle colors. Winter stillness of the earth. It was a grand day.... Pencil Cholla / JTNP Fence Post / JTNP Shadow Dancing 2013 ©Diana Shay Diehl / JTNP

Today is my birthday. My oldest kids couldn't be home due to their work schedules but our hearts connected anyway. My youngest son and a close friend treated me to a movie followed by dinner. The movie was Life of Pi . I had not read the book and sort of had the gist of what it was about. Sort of. It made me laugh a few times but mainly it tugged at my heart - in a big way. Actually it was perfect for a birthday movie...especially one that is nearly square in the middle of the path from 50 to 60. While I have always been one to ponder the meaning of life and my role in it, never more so than these past couple of years. Life of Pi was a good reminder of many things....and the main message for me is it all depends upon our perspective. Our perspective and our attitudes are about all we can control - really. I am so blessed with a beautiful family and a multitude of friends who love me just the way I am. The rest - doesn't matter so much. Here's to 54 richly lived years. ...

Oh goodness. What a year, what a year... First of all, let me wish you, dear readers, friends and followers, a happy new year filled with good health, many doors of opportunities, and warm embraces from those you love who love you back.... After all, isn't 13 a lucky number? This date also marks the end of the first full year of  Mojave Light Musing . One year! As I review past posts, the path has certainly ended up somewhere completely different from my original intention. I'm glad I've allowed the energy to unfold in its own organic direction. Never would I have thought I'd have readers from all over the world! I am most grateful to the encouragement, responses, and sharing of your own thoughts as we journeyed, vicariously, through a very tumultuous year. How would I sum up 2012? As I sit here, cozied up by the fireplace, hot tea by my side, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride comes to mind (if you've experienced Disneyland, you'll know what I mean) . Or, doing l...