Juicy Living, By Sark

I thank Shawna and Kim, for their literary examples and encouragement, as well as where they came from.

This is …

Where I Come From and Those Memories I Carry With Me

I come from an animal lover… My Mom,
---- Christan James Broadwell ----

I am as curious or curiouser than any of our many cats
I am as friendly and as loyal as were our many dogs
I am as beautiful and as strong as our various sized horses
I am as gentle as our cows – content with only grazing.
I am as tough as a pig; lets not forget dirty at times, completely enjoying stomping in mud.
I am as stubborn and as hardheaded as any Mule I rode or tried to coax to follow me.
I was into more mischief than any of our goats.
I am a giver, like our hens that provided many eggs daily – sharing with all.
I am selfish, and at times, withheld all my eggs...even hording my treasures.
I escaped many a time, unscathed and ran into other pastures or far away areas ... like our sheep. (often enticing someone to come with me).
I am as free as any of the birds that sang out clearly and made a home on our tiny farm.
I am as colorful and perfectly content to do absolutely nothing but swim … like the tropical fish in our aquariums.
I am as soft and just as sweet to hold as was our many furry rabbits.
I am more noisy and obnoxious than the three pet crows our step-dad rescued and brought home for us to care for.
I am fiercely protective as was our goose, Pooper. (Pooper would chase neighors out of our barn and often chase them off our property).
I am as cocky and on occasion, possessive, like the Rooster who guarded his many hens.
I am as silent and surreptitious as any of the snakes that I brought home wrapped around my neck.
I am slippery to catch and to hold on to, as were the pollywogs and frogs I caught.
I am crafty, original and as patient as were the many amazing spiders I would watch intently for minutes upon minutes.
I am on the alert and just as quick as the tiny lizards I found and captured!
I am as wobbly, uncertain and yet determined, like the baby calves, foals, puppies and kittens and other various ‘new arrivals’.
I am playful and silly to observe, as was watching the ‘new arrivals’ find their own footing for the very first time.
I can spit … but not as well as some of the Llama’s I encountered at the county fairs.
I am like the coyote I saw occasionally, standing from a distance; observing all and when safe, coming out to explore further.
I am the tiny mouse; freed numerous times from its trap and set free to run again in our fields of tall grass.
I am as mysterious as the owls I heard at night; at times believing they were ghosts.
I am as bold and as sneaky as the Raccoons who came visiting and thieving and just as smart to know when to find an escape route! (up the telephone pole).
I am as bossy and as brave [or reckless!!] as was our little black pony, Napoleon, whom would herd the bigger horses here and there! (imagine a tiny pony asserting himself on stocky Quarterhorses and lean; tall Thoroughbreds).
I am tender, sweet smelling and wholesome, like the baby calf, which fell to sleep in my lap while suckling my fingers.

I was a child blessed with animals to learn from….
The four legged, two legged and some without legs.

Juicy Living, By Sark

...have all been a part of much Beauty.
New locations, new adventurers.
I was born in the state of Guthrie, Oklahoma and have lived in these cities:
Ephrata, Soap Lake and Grand Coulee Dam Washington.
Cottonwood California – for a short while as a small child
Canyonville Oregon - highschool
Nampa Idaho - college
(I now live in Richland Washington and came from Spokane over 14 years ago).

I have memories of:

Grass in the pastures taller than we were - to play hide and seek in
Getting up early to change the old-fashioned long sprinkler lines
Rock walls to crawl on … (Accidents waiting to happen, yet never did.)
Glorious Daisy’s in the front yard; cut, brought inside and made into the prettiest of bouquets; then placed in a green and yellow speckled vase painted by my mother.
Fruit trees
Vegetable gardens
Animals Galore – every size shape and form
Tall thin Poplar trees that seemed to touch Heaven
Learning how to catch Red Ants without being bitten or stung (I often had little red and very itchy stings on my legs, ankles and sometimes my arms) and making my own Ant Farm out of an old Kerr canning jar.
Tying a Red Ryder Wagon (the kind that had wooden rails) up to Alex, our goat, and watching it completely destruct as Alex ran away in fear, while pulling the shattered wagon behind him.
We had the freedom to roam over railroad tracks and to explore great distances - without fear, (even when in dangerous areas).
Sand pits to run up and down and get scraped and bloodied from, (especially fun in the winter).
Making homemade Toboggans and being pulled by one of our horses while snowballs from it's hooves pounded our little bodies.
Dust and Mud and the smell of Sagebrush.
The biggest, scariest Dam I had ever seen with the prettiest of rainbow colors displayed on the falling water, in the evenings
Creating amazing Forts with my siblings and neighbors made out of 2 x 4’s
Swimming in Soap Lake and getting’ eaten alive by the tiny little red shrimp.
Electric fences and being shocked more times than I care to count and then laughing/crying about it.
Church camps
Camping with our horses
I can remember Chado, our tiny little Chihuahua, fearlessly trying to keep up with the big dogs as they all chased the horses
(imagine Collies, Blue Healers and then one little black Chihuahua trying to heard a few horses).
Swimming in cold mountain river water and getting used to the icy coldness.
Sitting in the middle of hundreds of tiny yellow buttercups that bloomed every year on the farm and being overwhelmed by their beauty.
The smell of Hay and Straw.
Having to clean up the Rabbit cages and then using their tiny little droppings as fertilizer for the garden.
Dried Cow patties were safe and made great Frisbees tossed at unsuspecting friends or siblings.
Wet ones were no fun to step in or slip in accidentally!
Happily sitting in the barn and eating handfuls of cat food, dog food and at times eating the sweet oats for the horses.
Licking and breaking off chunks of salt from the salt licks out in the corrals or pastures.
I can remember whistling for the horses at feeding time and watching them as they came running towards us.
Feeding corn on the cob, carrots and apples to the horses and being amazed by the crunching sounds as they ate the food happily.
As an older teen, I have memories of magnificent sunsets (every night) in Nampa Idaho.

So many more memories to share with loved ones.

Juicy Living, By Sark

Who I AM Today

I am an everyday extraordinary person ...

A.k.a. Shannon - A Mom, a Friend, a Student of LIFE.
A Woman who enjoys and looks forward to creating fun and happiness.
A Woman who enjoys hearing about everyday extraordinary people like YOU!
A Woman who realizes that other’s adventures and successes,
both big and small, encourage her own adventures.

I am a Woman who has made many mistakes
and has experienced amazing triumphs.
I am a Woman who realizes that little steps forward
bring me towards extraordinary people and places.

Looking back on my young adult years,
I can see that saying ‘no’ continually...
leads to unhappiness.
Today,
I have learned that saying a hearty ‘YES’ [daily]
helps me grow mentally, spiritually and physically.
I have learned that becoming more open
to others beliefs and/or realities,
opens my own doors to infinite possibilities!
I am learning that self-compassion and self-love must come first,
before I can ever be truly compassionate and loving towards another.

I have come to accept and to realize
that my Temple is within
-- a most sacred and cherished place to worship --
That my philosophy on life is to give Love; to show kindness…
that I do not have to read this within any ‘one’ book
or find it within the walls of any ‘one’ church.

I have come to accept that my way,
is only ONE way;
that there are, indeed, many, many more
wonderful, unique and interesting 'ways' to learn,
that add richness and beauty to my own life.

I have found strength and confidence
in my own personal truths and experiences...
-- I cannot deny a Higher Power within my life --
and despite other's criticisms...
I am comfortable not referring to my Higher Power by only one name.
It is You
It is All and Everything
I AM
When asked,
'how can you deny that there is a 'God'?
I can answer honestly and reply,
--with a clear conscious and complete belief--
-- using the 'Name' you are most comfortable with--
"Deny? I see God everywhere!
I look at YOU and I see God!
I see GOOD all around me
everywhere and everyday."

I have experienced Heaven on earth NOW
I have experienced Hell on Earth
---- I appreciate both equally ----

I am learning to see Heaven
... everywhere I look...
Realizing that I do not have to wait to get ‘There’
because I am ‘There’.

When I leave this world –
I hope to leave a piece (or peace) of Heaven,
within each of my Children…
My legacy…
Or …
My Spirit living on ETERNALLY
within those I love, cherish and honor.

In part ...
I have my upbringing to thank for this view on life.
I have my own adventures and experiences that add to that pot.
I have been a part of other’s lives,
Which has only added MORE SPICE to this pot.

I am as unique as any and all animals mentioned above.
---- past and present ----
and I answer to many different names.
I am like YOU, in that I AM uniquely ME.

Juicy Living, By Sark

~ The Rose Within ~

Juicy Living, By Sark

Ps.
This will be my last entry here at Diaryland.

One of the things I look forward to and will be doing is:
To continue to put my words into action and to set an example for my four little ones that can be seen in the photo below.
To tangibly reach out to others in my day-to-day life and to encourage, as well as to be encouraged.
To surround myself with others who embrace my children and I, as much as we embrace them into our lives.
To welcome and to learn from the beliefs of each person I meet.
As I continue to welcome others AS IS …
loving and accepting them AS IS…
It is only then that my life is touched by other's.
It is only then that perhaps my life will touch another’s.

Diaryland has provided a wonderful place for me to share a tiny reflection of who I am via the letters I have written and have recieved and in part it has brought healing, by sharing my thoughts, my love, my beliefs and my growth - at times embarrassing and silly - yet normal everyday growth - a.k.a ... my reality.

I thank all who have ever left me a note or comment and I am especially thankful for the continued support and love from awesome and inspiring friends. Thank you for embracing me into your lives with as much passion as I have embraced YOU.

This is ONLY the Beginning to more!!

Joseph, Me, Katie, Sean and Kevin
5, 41, 7, 11 and 9
My Sweet Treats on Halloween Night 2004!

Juicy Living, By Sark