Two Eagles

Thanks for visiting “Life and Random Thinking”

My name is David and I was inspired to begin this blog post by my Aunt Elinore. She made so many friends online and she would have loved to have seen how many friends I have made via this blog.

Frankly it has been an unexpected pleasure thanks to the readers who visit, comment and encourage me to continue.

Photo by Dave Toro on Pexels.com

Today I had an errand and drove north up the Okanagan valley and returned a few hours later. When I left about 7:30 a.m. it was about ten minutes before sunrise. The Okanagan lake stretched out calm and reflective in the pre-dawn. I spotted three beautiful trumpeter swans near the shoreline.

Later today on my return trip home I stopped and took a few pictures in Peachland (it’s a real place). I will post below a few pictures I took there looking south.

My son volunteered to be in the photos!

Then I drove past Summerland (another real place) and back home to Penticton ( Penticton, from the Interior Salish word snpintktn, is commonly translated as “a place to stay forever,” or more accurately, “a place where people live year-round.” )

Just past Peachland I looked up the hillside and spotted two bald eagles, and they sat close together on adjacent branches.

I felt very fortunate that I had looked up there at that perfect moment to see them there, what a gift ♥

Speaking of gifts – I was given the gift of a kidney transplant via a live donor in April 2019. An amazing wonderful gift and now almost 50% of kidney transplant patients are from live donors.

I had a previous successful transplant from a deceased donor that I was also very grateful to receive – that transplant lasted 31 years.

MY STORY POST Link

I hope that everyone who reads will consider signing up to be a donor, it takes two minutes to sign up and don’t wait.

I want to share below a video to explain what being an organ donor means and what happens if you do choose to be one. ! (the video is two minutes and seventeen seconds)

Pretty please watch and consider being a donor – plus it is fact that each of us is much more likely to be in need of a transplant than to actually be a donor.

Thanks again for visiting – David ♥

How It Works – A Video about being an Organ Donor – from BC Transplant

Photo by Frank Mita on Pexels.com

Winter Walk, no Words

My wife took this, lovebirds?

Winter Photos and Time Out

Thank you for visiting today.

I can’t help but take pictures when I go for a walk. Even though I am often walking where I have walked and cycled hundred of times I still admire the view. I still need to stop my busy thoughts even when it’s cold and windy. ♥

When I walking with my son the other day in the Japanese garden along the lake, he came to a complete stop and lifted his hands to prayer position. He just looked out at the horizon to the north. I copied him and we just stood in silence admiring nature for a few minutes.

I thought to myself that pausing and just absorbing the moment is always time well spent. I need to do that simple act more often. _ ♥

Enjoy the recent photos I have taken locally, it may be cold but it’s always special.

Winter light is just Mother Nature showing off again

I’m in a hurry to get things done
Oh, I rush and rush until life’s no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
Even I’m in a hurry and don’t know why

Don’t know why? I have to drive so fast
My car has nothing to prove
It’s not new
But it’ll do 0 to 60 in 5.2, oh

Alabama – I’m In a Hurry (I don’t know why) Youtube video link (here)

Thanks for visiting and I hope you take a moment today also to stop and reflect. – David

Chapter 9 – I Choose Freedom

Welcome to “Life and Random Thinking!”

This post is a continuation of the Call Me Skywalker category/series – if you go to the category on the right hand margin of my blog, you find it close to the top– if you go there, you can see the list by clicking on that choice.

Click HERE to go to the beginning to meet the characters, and learn why Luke is called Skywalker, and how he met Sophie.

In the chapter #8 Luke was intercepted by a man who had intended to assault him, but when he realized who Luke was he didn’t, instead the thug made a new choice.

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Photo by Dom J on Pexels.com

Luke lay face down in the shadows, in the cold damp beside his bike. Simon had told him to hide face down and wait. So he did.

After a short while, he heard steps and pieces of a conversation. Most of it seemed to be swearing, and he heard his name a few times. He took deep breathes to try slow down his heart.

Then the steps retreated, he heard a car door open, and then slam. An engine started and he thought he heard a car peal away.

When he heard his name again, he raised his eyes to look out where Simon stood by the building entrance. Simon beckoned with his hands to Luke – come out.

Luke, my partner will be back soon so you gotta go. Take your bike upstairs and hideout, or go somewhere else for the next four days.

Whatever, make sure you don’t go home, and don’t be alone at night. Same for your girlfriend, Sophie has to stay home or if she goes out for some emergency then do it during the day and in a group, never be alone.

I’m done with this job and my fricking life is starting over. Luke, you knew my Dad worried about me, right?

My Dad wanted me to change work, and I wasn’t sure if I could. Well I can hear him telling me that again. I swear I heard him say me name when I was standing here.

So I am doing what he said. He said I would soon find myself at a crossroad. I would have to make a choice, and stop doing what I have out of fear of change, being a paid thug for hire.

He told me to have faith in myself. My Dad had faith in me, ya know? My Dad said I have a choice, and he told me to choose freedom from fear, and no regrets. He was always having trying to watch out for me….

Now I have to change the end of my life, my story, like he would have wanted. He told me “You can’t rewrite the past chapters in your life, but you can write the story ending the way you really want.”

I am going to do what my Dad said, the next time you see me you not gonna have to hide in the dirt. ha!

You take care of Sophie cuz these guys could be back. You better go now, grab your bike !

Luke hugged him, and then did as he was told, his mind racing.

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Upstairs in Sophie’s apartment Luke had stashed his bike. He would not leave her alone, and now they would hunker down. They would stay put and be safe and heed Simon’s warnings.

He silently thanked God for Simon, and Alexander, his Dad. He always felt the right people came into his life, but it was still stunning to absorb.

Photo by Sanaan Mazhar on Pexels.com

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Thanks for joining me for this ongoing story, they are brief so I hope you read them all and comment. ♥ – David

Today I will end this post with some lyrics (no surprise!) from a Guess Who song – and a link HERE so you watch it on Youtube if you are unfamiliar. I love this song ” Laughing” by the Guess Who. ♥♥

I should laugh, but I cry
Because your love has passed me by
You took me by surprise
You didn’t realize but I was waiting

Time goes slowly, but carries on
And now the best years have come and gone
You took me by surprise
I didn’t realize that you were laughing’cause you’re doin’ it to me
(Laughing) it ain’t the way it should be
You took away everything I had, you put the hurt on me

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The first song I ever heard of theirs was “These Eyes” – also an amazing song. If you have a romantic heart, and ever had your heart broken then this is one you will enjoy. LINK HERE

These eyes cry every night for you
These arms long to hold you again

The hurtin’s on me, yeah
And I will never be free, no, my baby, no no
You gave a promise to me, yeah
An’ you broke it, an’ you broke it, oh no

These eyes watched you bring my world to an end
This heart could not accept and pretend

Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men 2.0

I don’t often re-blog other bloggers work however I felt this post’s message was special – I hope you enjoy it as I did.

Please discover for yourself – using the link below. ♥♥♥

I know I am truly fortunate to have the family and friends I do have in my life. – David

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Click HERE to visit Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards Men 2.0

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Cold weather ahead – Winter is here !

Thank you sincerely for visiting my blog today – David

When I started this blog I thought it would be like those astronomers who broadcast a radio signal and hoping for a signal back from the cosmos. It turns out that the blogging cosmos is filled with wonderful and amazing people and they communicate !

Thankfully I have been encouraged by the kind followers here who visit and comment. (Suggestions are always welcome). My huge thanks to those marvelous people.

Winter Solstice has just passed and up until now the weather has been fairly mild. We have had two dumps of snow of a foot or so each time and only a few roads are icy. The temperatures have rarely gone below minus 12 Celsius though.

That’s all about to change. Since winter has officially arrived Mother Nature has decided to make sure we know it by bringing minus 24 weather next week plus wind chill. I hope it doesn’t last too long.

Today the temperature was plus 3 and I managed to sneak in a short bike ride before the roads got too slick after sunset.

We will dress warm for it and be fine. Maybe the cooler temperatures will assist in burning off some of the delicious Christmas baking, like Nanaimo bars, (click for the recipe) a Canadian invention. For medicinal purposes of course. ♥♥♥

Today I will share a variety of my photos from the last month. All are taken here in Penticton. I hope you will enjoy.

Merry Christmas ! – David

Stockings are up

Christmas tree is up

Winter is Wonderful

Morning surprise in driveway

Winter light is special

Dusk is special

A recommendation if you have Netflix: Netflix’s Christmas special (30 minutes long) of Shaun the Sheep ! ( see photo below)