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The Antidote (photo diary) [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-07-15
A tiny spider in the middle of it's tiny sparkling web.
There's more stress in my life just now. In addition to what all of us have been dealing with recently. I won't go into detail, mainly because I'm not entirely sure what is going on. All I have to go by is the little that others have been able to tell me. Using my intuition and what I remember from past experiences, I can make a good guess, but that's all at this point.
A recent sunrise here.
At some future time I may write about it here. And perhaps ask for insight and advice from those who have dealt with something similar. In the meantime I will share a bit about the things I do to help myself cope with it all.
A small rabbit resting in the shade under my car. I've been putting dishes of water outside for the wild creatures now that it's gotten hot again.
One thing I know for certain is that being mindful about my time spent online is something I actually can control, and it can be very helpful for my mental and emotional state. I've gotten strict with myself about how I use the internet, especially before sleeping and when I first wake up.
Bells and windchimes in the big mesquite tree in front of my house.
Another rabbit under the same tree.
Taking regular breaks to go outside has always been a helpful practice for me; I realized that I'd begun to let that slide a bit with the onset of summer heat here. Which seems to be really kicking my butt this year. I've needed to make some adjustments.
Tomatoes, oregano, and sage in one of my raised beds.
Most of my time spent outside is in the mornings and around dusk now, when it's not quite so hot. I take care of my animals, water my garden, and walk around or just sit. I watch, I listen, and just exist in the world.
A sunset last week.
Looking at the sky is one of my favorite things. Any time I go outside the first thing I do is look upwards.
Late afternoon clouds to the southeast of here.
I've always had difficulty with meditation that involves sitting with my eyes closed; sitting or walking slowly and really looking at the world around me works better for me.
Flowers on the desert willow that I dug up from behind my house; it had been severely damaged last winter and I wasn't sure if it would survive.
Once in a while I see something so lovely that I want to record it, share it, and keep a reminder of it to enjoy later. All of these pictures were taken in June and July of this year.
Cactus flowers that resemble rosebuds.
A very pretty gecko down by our well.
These beautiful, fleeting things are important. They are part of the real, living world just as I am. When I take even just a few minutes to appreciate them a little of the brokenness in me, in my life, is healed.
A monsoon storm that dropped a surprising amount of rain.
A little more of my joy is expanded. A little more grief is counterbalanced.
A very tiny toad my son found while working, and moved to safety.
Last Sunday morning the sky looked like opals set in silver.
When the weather chases me back indoors I sometimes grab my paints; very small patterns like mosaics can also be calming. I probably should start a new project soon. It'd be good for me.
A recent project.
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Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.
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