I am staring down two deadlines this week so this week’s wonders will be long on pictures and short on words.
Flaming Geyser State Park has a very small flame from a natural methane source (in the concrete circle), but the wonder there and at Neely Mansion in the Green River Valley kept us entertained this weekend.
Earlier in the week, I visited Western State Hospital where many severely mentally ill people reside. I learned more than I can write here, but the story of Frances Farmer lingers in my mind. I had never heard of the Hollywood starlet who once stayed at Western State for five years. Ms. Farmer and the history of how we care for the mentally ill made my heart hurt.
I also learned the hospital sits on the former location of Fort Steilacoom, built in the mid 1800s.
I sat in traffic yesterday, stalled by construction and late for an appointment. I should have been frustrated, but I have been living in a house of all boys for too long. The big machines lifting chunks of sidewalk and dumping tons of gravel filled me with the kind of wonder that made me wish I had a toddler in the car who would love it, too.
I leave you with the necessary cat picture last and, perhaps, best of all. Two of them are now enjoying the game of blocking my view until I give up and move them out of the office.
May you know your own wonder in traffic jams and interruptions-
A recycled bit on the wonder series:
As a part of my 2016 blog revision, I started a new small weekly post I call ‘Wednesday Wonders.’
One of my favorite things about writing and other art forms is the way they open my eyes to the surprises around me in my everyday life. Many of these wonders will also be in my Instagram account since I discovered the joy of that program during an advent photo project.
I collect these surprises like little rocks in a kid’s pocket. I may use them in a story. I may not. Either way, life gets a little brighter when I take the time to notice.
