Ooey, Gooey Sap.

Dear Trees,

I know I said electronic was the way to go. But I'm going back on what I said. Because I was wrong. You see, nothing is quite like paper. Crisp, white, yellow, purple, blue and my personal favorite, green. Ink glides over the page in quick strokes, slow strokes, smooth strokes, rough strokes. Before, when I left you behind, I didn't realize how much paper meant to me. I Left it all behind, books, journals, notepads, Post It's. I didn't even own a pen or pencil to write with. I thought my electronic devices had everything I needed. And in theory, they did. But they lacked something big, something deep. Something that has made me go back to paper, go back to books, go back to trees. What is that "something?" That something ladies and gentlemen is soul.

Soul that rustles in the wind. Soul that digs deep, deep into the earth. Soul that sticks my thumb and index finger together with its ooey, gooey sap. Now, I know I'm among few "believers" in trees and trust me, this belief has earned me the tittle "weird" and "strange" quite a few times. But I can't help it.
I believe trees have a story to tell and that they speak from the pages of books and journals. As I write on paper I feel a connection to source, to my source. In essence, I feel as if I am writing on the earth itself. Writing to God. Writing with God. Creating.

London 2012

Watch it. Love it. Cheer em'. Praise em'. Peddle harder. Swim fiercer. Perform better. Jump higher.
The Olympic games have always pulled on a few heart strings for me. Gymnastics, swimming, track, cycling, boxing, beach volleyball you name it, I love it. Their sweat and sacrifice motivates me to be better, to do better and to get out on my bike and peddle! Peddle hard and peddle long.

While the games do inspire me to think big and perform well, they have never had quite the dreamy effect as they have had this year. This morning as I was browsing through the schedule for the Olympic events of the day, I casually mentioned to Justin that I would be trying out for the Olympics in four years. The event? Road cycling. Ladies and Gents, in four years I will be 30 years old, still have the heart of an olympic athlete and have quads and hams of steal. I next asked my dear husband if he would be my trainer, in all seriousness of course. He said yes.

While there are those of you who may not believe my dedication to the Olympics, be not dismayed, my bike will take me there. And while I may not win gold, or even bronze for that matter, my little olympic heart will flutter and my feet will peddle me across the finish line and I, Hattie Lake, will be, an olympian. Summer 2016 here I come!

To Describe the Earth - Ge (o) graphe (y)

I tell those who care to know, that I stumbled upon my love for geography, that it was an accident and purely coincidental. But I know better than that. I know that the stars aligned and the heavens parted, the gods were shining down and granted me the great blessing of knowing where I am and what is around me. There is something special about knowing where you are in time and space. Imagine for a moment that you are Thales the ancient Greek philosopher or his aprentice Anaximander, "The Father of History" Herodotus, Plato or Aristotle. What would the world be like to you? Back in the time of these founding thinkers there was no NASA space images of the earth, no 1st grade teacher to tell you the earth was round. It was all speculation, based on mathematical observations, philosophy and science. So what was the earth in 585 B.C.? Thales said it was "a floating disc in water" and why not? Anaximander drew the first scaled world map, what did it look like? To him, it looked like this.

He believed, through fossil record, that life originated in the sea and that this sea once covered the earth's surface. Later around 100 A.D. Greek-Roman, Ptolemy laid out a map using "latitude" and "longitude" terms still used today. He put North at the top of the map and South at the bottom, modern days most recocnizable compass.  His first map looked something like this.

But going back to pretending that you are in fact living in the time of these founding thinkers. What would the world seem like to you? Using only the keen observations of the world around you, a little math and a whole lot of imagination, what would your world look like? 

A profound example that the earth is not as it seems comes in this "turn about" map by Jesse Levine. Just because someone decided that South meant "down" and North meant "up" doesn't mean that it really is. 

So dear reader, I encourage you to make your own map, cart new waters, explore, feel the wind on your face, the sand between your toes. Go ahead throw out any preconceived notions and imagine what the world is to you. 

Special thanks to Kenneth C. Davis and Travis Terry for their creativity and geographical insight.

Chi-ca-Go!

My first time driving downtown Chicago was on a Wednesday morning, it was plenty busy, but not too bad. As I drove along I wondered why I saw no speed limit signs, later I came to understand why they weren't needed. That Wednesday morning driving to Costco my ignorant small city brain hadn't seen anything yet. Then Friday afternoon came. 2:30pm, wow. I learned a lot that Friday afternoon and came up with 7 must follow rules for fitting in on the road. 

 1. If the light is green, you cram your way into the intersection EVEN if the traffic up ahead has stopped. It doesn't matter that you'll still be in the intersection when the light turns red, there will be plenty others in the intersection to keep you company. 

2. Disregard all signs and obstacles, if a sign says no turn on red but you're clear YOU TURN! If people are in the road YOU TURN! Other cars? You weasel your way in. 

3. Feel free to cut people off to get in a lane, but make sure you roll your window down and thank them with a friendly wave.

4. ALWAYS use your GPS to know where the least amount of traffic is. It's got a birds eye view and you don't. 

5. Plan ahead with snacks and water in your car, unexpected traffic can set you back an hour or two. Nothing like being parched or hungry on the road.

6. Don't mess with busses, they mean business. They won't stop for hardly anything, seriously.

7. If you are going to use your horn, lay it on nice n' thick, don't hold back.

Oh and the speed limit signs? The times that you would actually be able to drive 25 or 30 miles an hour are so rare, why post signs? This is life in the city! What an adventure. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love being here with my husband and experiencing this beautiful place!

Push

I remember a talk given several years ago by that nice Elder Uchtdorf. He talked about Godly happiness and what we can do, as mere imperfect humans to obtain it. The only thing I actually remember from his discourse was that God creates, and if we are to be truly happy, we too must create. So, upon finding myself in a bit of a funk these past few weeks something whispered in my ear . . . "go create something." The simple advice couldn't have possibly been more needed. It was the answer to each and every trouble of my heart. My boredom at work, my lack of motivation to do, well anything. As I tuned into this little voice urging me to create something I realized I hadn't created anything for quite some time. No wonder I had felt so lost and bewildered.

So even though it took a bit of pushing to sit down and write, here are a few sentences, created by me. I feel better already, it does feel happy to create. :-)

go for it!

I watched Matt Kearney play live and I listened to him thank the audience for helping to complete his dreams. I looked around the room at the 200 or so people and I knew in that moment that each and everyone of us has that many people, seen and unseen who are willing and wanting to love and support us in our dreams. So whatever the dream, reach for it. Whatever the distance, go for it. Whatever the sacrifice, make it. Whatever the song, sing it, because you have the support.

Sam Dawg

Samantha is a simple being. She appreciates wind in her face - oh the smells! She waits with excitement from tip of her nose to her wagging tail when it's time for dinner, never minding it's the same thing she had for breakfast . . . and dinner the day before, and the day before. She merely gobbles it up, like its the first time, every time. She'll jump up and down a thousand times for one trip to the park. She'll follow you everywhere and anywhere you may go. She'll lounge on a nearby rug while you work, only wanting to be near, a part of the pack. She stays when you tell her to, unless your crying, then no matter how many times you tell her to stay . . . she creeps up slowly, wagging her black tail yearning to comfort an aching heart and to lick salty tears goodbye. She barks when she thinks danger is coming, she growls to protect her masters. She'll leap for joy each and every time you come home, even if it's only been five minutes. No matter how much exercise you've given her in one day, she's always ready for more. Ready to run, to roll in the grass, to play scratch-and-sniff around the neighborhood. No matter how long you've snuggled with her . . . she's always ready to snuggle more. Oh how I love our dear sweet black girl!