IN LIGHT OF OUR 2 YEAR AK LIVING ANNIVERSARY

"Over the last two years, we have learned to depend on this great land, with its wondrous vistas and challenging terrain, to inspire us and remind us of what matters most to us."

on a recent hike to see Bear Glacier
(📷: Carolyn Orloff)

I believe that the micro ecosystems that surround us, whether they be city skyscrapers, suburban sprawl, pure wilderness, or something in between, play a critical role in shaping who we are and how we evolve as individuals, couples, communities, and as a species. I love these recent images of my husband and me, because they capture the essence of Alaska’s influence on us.

on a recent hike on the Caines Head Alpine Trail
(📷: Adam Bauer)

As the saying goes, “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward in the same direction.” Our lifestyle in Alaska encourages and challenges us to live up to that saying on a daily basis, both individually and as a couple. It is not always easy, and sometimes it takes a lot of hard work and time to find our way back to the same trail, so that we can continue to walk together in the same direction. Over the last two years, we have learned to depend on this great land, with its wondrous vistas and challenging terrain, to inspire us and remind us of what matters most to us.

My wish for all of us is to take the time to discover and deeply experience different environments, and then make conscious choices to surround ourselves with the ecosystem that puts us at ease and motivates us to act in the interest of our authentic selves. This in turn will benefit our loved ones, communities, and the planet. We're all connected in this one great macro ecosystem!

In joy,

~Tamara

Alaskan Summer Rhapsodies

"We spill over into the world and the world spills over into us. The earth, that first among good mothers, gives us the gift that we cannot provide ourselves.'Thanks,' I whispered, 'for all of this.'" ~ Robin Wall Kimmerer

Summer may not be officially over according to the Gregorian calendar, but it sure is starting to feel like it here in Alaska. With the tourist season coming to an end, the dropping temperatures, fading colors, and overall easing of sensory overload, I can once again reflect and slow down more easily and naturally.

After my first trip to Alaska in the summer of 2013, the thing that struck me the most was the sheer size of Mother Earth's creation in comparison to wo/man's. The land's infinite power and beauty are inescapable in Alaska, that one can't help but get out of their own head and stand awe-struck in gratitude. 

And as far as I can tell after 11 months here, summer is Alaska's biggest show. Life is at its most extroverted self. The snow melts as the rivers get deeper, wider and faster. Mother Earth nourishes an ever expanding array of plants, animals, and insects. The mountains sing in bright shades of lupine, paintbrush, columbine, and daisies, uplifting birdsong, expectant bear encounters, and excited human exploration.

It is a time when Mother Earth's wonders come out in full view, showing off in so many ways that it's hard for human beings to keep up or not feel overwhelmed. The best way to absorb everything was to simply accept the sensory overload, let it wash over you and become a reverent witness. 

Here are some of Alaska's summer wonders that my partner and I are grateful to have enjoyed, although there were many others that we didn't capture in photos:

a bittersweet symphony 

'it's a berry world'

oh, Alaska

the salmon run

the perfect place to rest

an exercise in reciprocity

sun-struck serenades 

village life

time for fishing

peaks like these

wild bonsai

delicate symmetry 

 

bikes and beaches

family walks

Seward in July

        

wild woman in training

tandem bike rides among mountains

falling in love

 

kayaking on Resurrection Bay

ice field dreams

endless vistas

secret doorways

 

whale wonders

where the wind blows

And then August rains come rolling in, as the salmon spawn and life starts to close in on itself.

life, death, life

Happy summer reflections!

~Modern Akhmatova

A CALL TO THE UNIVERSE

A few years ago, I came across the mystical prayer "make the invisible, visible." And ever since then, I have practiced it whenever I'm outside among nature's bounty. It may sound silly, but this simple and brief invocation has really worked wonders for my senses and ability to become aware of nature's lessons and mystical web of details.

Yesterday was no different, while my partner and I hiked through an ancient rainforest, hanging with moss and ferns, on our way to Tonsina Point in Caines Head State Recreation Area near Seward.

As we hiked and once at water's edge, I put out a silent call to the universe, and waited as the wonder unfolded within my senses of sight, smell, hearing, and feeling.

Tonsina Point on January 28, 2017

The heights of the spruce and fir trees struck me like never before. Their towering trunks and canopies reflected the firmness and majesty of the mountains that they grew out of. 

The textures of dead trees, their inner workings exposed and folded in intricate ways, exuded such complexity and subtlety of color. 

The raindrops hung from the tips of evergreen needles, decorating the woods and trails in sparkly curtains. 

The snow, oh that white wonder and solidarity of the universe. It humbly folded beneath our feet, pressing deeper into the soil, while allowing us to pass through its pearly gates. 

Alaska's waters, what more needs to be said? 
Their purity, power, and reflection of wind's motion are at once soothing and mysteriously out of reach,

continually exposing deeper and deeper revelations. 

And there they are, the body of Mother Earth reaching out to Father Sky. 

The ancient, the sacred, the grandmothers of HERstory, 

at once swimming among the clouds and growing out of Earth's core. 

When their peaks are covered in alpine glow, surrounded by clear blue skies,

one can only stand still and stare, 

catching a glimpse of the divine.

Happy communing with Mother Earth!

~Modern Akhmatova 

REMEMBERING

Remembering those who fought, sacrificed, and paved the way forward, 

for the betterment of all life on Mother Earth

Remembering those living today, 

who are suffering, or feeling scared and voiceless

May we have the awareness of history, 

strength of vision, 

and love for all life

To come together in solidarity,

and to work toward bending the arc of the moral universe 

toward justice for all that lives on our beloved Mother Earth

~Modern Akhmatova

SPRINGTIME

Our front door decoration in honor of the Spring season. 

It's only now, after 29 years on this planet, that I am becoming fully aware of the infinite beauty and wonder that the Spring season gifts us with. During my walk today around the neighborhood where we live, I encountered life springing forth all around me and was overcome by the magic of it all. Here is a poem I recorded and some of the photos I took to capture the feeling.

A Magical Dance

The branches dance in the crisp April wind

While the sun shines bringing the colors forth

The flowers and the leaves slowly open up

Embodying the creative genius of the universe

Leaving the observer in awe of their intricate beauty, vulnerability and resiliency 

A magical dance unfolds

Between the wind, the sun, the flora and my being

it is Spring,

full of Promise

full of Beauty

full of Light

full of Wonder 

 

A mystery at once inexplicable and yet so satisfying.

~Modern Akhmatova

TO BE WHOLE

Source: http://www.mysticmamma.com/we-must-speak-for-the-earth/ 

I listened and heard

The Great Mother 

"We all have the story of Mother deep within us."

"We are all one in our suffering."

Collect and tell women's stories

Alleviate suffering

Speak for our Great Mother

Could it be that all those dreams are connected?

It could...

It's synchronicity.

It is,

the Way. 

~Modern Akhmatova