Winter - From Fall to Spring

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Purple Lark Farm - our newly named place of farming activity - experienced two major, picture worthy, snow dumps this Winter…. not really Winter…. The first came late Fall and the second early Spring. I got my planned, image capturing, dose of Winter snow birch bend - enough already. Winter stretches too long, beautiful as it is, in the Green Mountain state. I am now ready to capture Spring sprouting at Kirpalu in Stockbridge, MA. I love it - thank you family, for making it possible..

Winter Ash PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1/200 sec f11 ISO 35 2 image stitched

"Follow the trend-lines, not the headlines"

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Bill Clinton is given credit for saying: “follow the trend-lines, not the headlines”. It’s a great line - one to keep in mind for sanity sake. I watch a lot of news and never hear about what war we are not having. The nature of the news, these days especially, is to opine on the bad, ugly, sensational.

I read Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation for a little daily dose of sanity. It is good Big Picture stuff, for me. Today it spoke to me on violence - how one can feel hopeless, if you abstract the headlines. Look at the trend-lines on violence:

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Some still fall, most remain tall. Life is good. Love it all.

Who am I trying to convince - me for sure - it’s a cure.

FALLEN

CFP Board Emeritus

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I retired practicing as a CFP, March 31st, 2013 - hard to believe it’s been six years. About the time I feel really, ‘out of it’, as a planner, the financial planning industry contacts me about being a founding member of their recently trademarked, CFP Board Emeritus program. This is a great idea - maintaining contact with good-standing, retired CFP’s who have practiced as a CFP for twenty five years or longer. They have rules and fees - it is good though - I can’t practice as a CFP - not having maintained my CPE - and I haven’t. They provide volunteer opportunities and welcome industry promotion, while keeping you informed about changes in the industry.

Their invitation prompts me to reread ADVOCATE PLANNING; To Do What You Love To Do, to see how well I promote CFPs. I do a good job of promoting CFPs - the industry would be proud of me. More importantly, I surprise myself with the staying power of the wisdom of my observations and ideas - A focus on prioritizing passion activities is the future of planning. I feel bad I am not able to practice what I preach - I don’t advocate plan for others, any longer. I do however advocate plan for myself. After using the process for a number of years I know it is good.

This blog is a reflection of me living my Love Priorities. I am much better prioritizing my passion priorities doing the process I profess - I am delighted.

I invite you to reread the first and last chapter of ADVOCATE PLANNING - it is a free download on my website www.MikeSipe.com or www.MySCGpriorities.com. I know… it is tongue in cheek to think you read the book - read the first and last chapters anyway - it is a quick read… and if you want more details you will read the chapters in between.



I focus on my, now, SCG priorities - family and fine-art photography are the lion’s share. Even though I am willingly medical homebound, 2019 includes an active involvement in a CARERS group, learning more about photography, and image making, photo and print making workshops, finishing up two books - Smell the Roses and Our Basin of Relations, involvement with growing CBD - the family farm venture - and whatever else turns me on - no time to feel sorry for myself - engulfed in my love priorities. Thank God for my family and a little advocate planning.





VASE

THE BIG PICTURE

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Since I began to focus more on my photography, upon retirement from life-wealth planning in 2013, I express my desire, passion, as capturing my ‘image of a life time’ - one that can be printed BIG, displayed on walls, and hold the attention of on-lookers. I am happy to announce I have reached a point of possibility.

The Studio, with Epson 44” p9000 printer is in place. I have now printed my first, BIG, canvas print - ready for exhibit, as part of the September 2019 book release - OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, the art and science of living with water.

Red Sail Yellow Marker

I can’t say I have captured, printed and displayed, my image of a life time - how can I - I am active - shooting, image reflecting, and playing with new processing ideas - I hope I will forever, but know I won’t be. When I can no longer capture and display beauty, a lovely time will be over, and I will choose my image of a life time, and hopefully connect with you. In the meantime, visit me at www.MikeSipe.com or in person, at the Studio Farm.

Adapting

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Tenants Harbor Adapting, PhaseOne IQ 180 240mm 1/20 sec f25 ISO 100 multiple images

I captured this image of Tenants Harbor, Maine, from our family vacation rental, sunset, early Fall 2018. It captured me - I have been reflecting on the image for months, and tweaking to my delight. I think I’m done - for now.

I call the image Adapting - Tenants Harbor adapting to change: nine feet of water rise and fall twice a day, seasons, light, temperature, fishing conditions, fishing quotas, fish - varying cycles of abundance and depletion - the world’s first CSF (community supported fishery) just a few miles down the road in Port Clyde - survival for the small guy… Are the sailboats taking over, like in Rockland and Camden?

My center of interest, with Adapting, is the island jetties, and white, harbor watch, compound on the breakwater island - the evening sun making the compound a light house, for the moment - at least from my view. Can you image the views from the compound at sunrise, looking out over the vast Atlantic, and the sunset harbor watch?

I reflect on my adapting - my changing life in Vermont with Patty, family, ventures - I quote Glen Libby of Port Clyde, author of CAUGHT, time. place. fish. “what-ever will be will be and everything is as it should be.

OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS - Blue Mindful

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Blue Mindful is the state of "clean water understanding." Integrating this understanding is essential to a healthy existence.

Feeling gratitude for the availability of clean water is paramount to taking action to protect it.

We protect what we love. We love what we need and what feels special to us.

I found the perfect book to support and build on this premise: Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols. "The surprising science,” he writes, “that shows how being near, in, on, or under water can make [us] happier, healthier, more connected and better at what [we] do."

Dr. Nichols' claim is lofty, but he does a great job supporting it with all kinds of statistics and anecdotes. I especially appreciate his holistic approach, emphasizing the seeming contradiction "emotional science.”

Nichols offers up observations made by the Apollo 17 astronauts, referring to OUR earth as the tiny blue planet; a blue marble in space.

Water is everywhere. In us. We are of it. Without water there is nothing.

GREAT NEWS: Wallace Nichols, author of BLUE MIND, has expressed interest in writing the Foreword for OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS.

Please consider being a sponsor to publish OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS - proceeds from the sale of the book will go to clean water projects. Details of sponsorship are at the bottom of the introduction of the book printed on this website, www.MikeSipe.com, under the tab at the top OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS.

OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS excerpt

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Stowe Stream PhaseOne IQ 180 35mm 1/10 sec f11 ISO 35

Stowe Stream PhaseOne IQ 180 35mm 1/10 sec f11 ISO 35

Splendor in Nature is wonder forthcoming.

Follow the flow, portage the passions.

Open to love and Love will be there - certain as spring time streams snow-covered mountains.

We are Nature’s gifted souls.

Hear Inner Wisdom - Love abounds.

All is precious and pristine - Reflect - Respect and Protect.

We are bestowed Free Will to love in nature.

Marvel in the moods of the sky.

Feel the touch of love from all that is provided from above.

Light, Heat, Water, Air… and Love -

All are Life’s essentials.

What’s to happen if we do not care?

OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS is ready for print

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I began photographing the pristine of the Lake Champlain region about fifteen years ago. My initial vision was a coffee table book, sharing the beauty with the world with one hundred, sharing-quality images. Since the start, I captured thousands of images, with hundreds worth a second look, and a good hundred, sharing-quality. Thirty-five images are included in OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, the art and science of living with water.

About five years ago a weightier purpose, for a book, hit me like a brick - WATER QUALITY - the lake water quality is deteriorating with dangerously high levels of phosphorous - toxic enough to close swim areas, threaten drinking water, and maybe even, harmful to breathe! Blue Green algae is not that good to look at, either. This I know is not unique to Lake Champlain.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to get involved with the Vermont Clean Water Network - I learned much - realizing that most of us aren’t aware of the issue, and how we can help. I believe we want to help - protect what we love…. and we love…. and value, water. Knowledge and inspiration empowers - producing resolve.

A couple years ago, because of my connection with the Vermont Clean Water Network, I became aware of an article in the Burlington Free Press, called Thinking like a Watershed. The article was written by environmental teacher, writer, poet, Trevien Stanger. I loved the article and knew I had to marry my photos with his word wizardry - and do my part for clean water - albeit small.

Trevien is the curator of nearly fifteen articles by water quality advocates in OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, the art and science of living with water. Trevien wrote the introduction - It is reproduced on this site, www.MikeSipe.com, under the tab OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS. I invite you to read it, be inspired, consider some level of sponsorship to help publish OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, and have proceeds from the sale of the book go to clean water projects.

Book sponsorship details are at the end of the introduction. Please help clean water.

OBOR COVER.jpg

If you wish, I will send you a 16 page BLAD (Basic Layout And Design) of OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS to help you decide about sponsorship of the book. Thank you.

IT'S TIME TO STOP

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It’s January - time to start a fresh, and share my favorite images of 2018.

I shot less in 2018. I thought I would not have much to share, but I was wrong. It was a very personal year - a lot of precious family time - special personal images - and some with, I believe, artistic value.

Patty Rosebud, origin Floribunda 2007, Reprocessed Canon EOS IDS Mark iii 105 mm 1/30 sec f9 ISO 100

Richard Reach the Sky PhaseOne IQ 180 80 mm 1/30 sec f11 ISO 35

Richard Reach the Sky was taken three months prior to my brother Richard’s death, August 8th, 2018. The image was captured in Torrey Pines nature preserve, on a side excursion, while working with Richard on completing his trilogy of poems - SMELL THE ROSES, feel the soil / reach the sky. I have no idea where the seemingly supernatural colors came from - to me, a gift of Richard relevance.

A third image I share here is another gift image I received at Walden Pond - The morning light overwhelmed the view. I preserved the moment by highlighting contrast with black and white. I read (listened to) Thoreau’s Walking five times. It was a great treat to saunter the land of Walden Pond and capture the feeling this image insights in me.

Walden Pond PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1/20 f14 ISO 35

Thirteen more of my favorites for 2018 can be viewed at the Photography tab of this site www.MikeSipe.com.

I started my favorite of the year images beginning 2011 and now have over one hundred favorite images - It’s time to stop. Instead of showing all those images in Order Your Print, I decided to pair it down by showing only those images that have been framed and have proven Wall-life. (I have projected a little for the 2018 images). Now there are only sixty images that rise to Wall Worthy, by that definition. Take a look. I love it.

I will only add an image to the Order Your Print images, derived from yearly Best of year images, by eliminating one. I hope to pair the list down more, over time, maybe to my favorite ten. Given the personal attachment to my images, this will be quite the challenge, and hopefully an exercise in deep reflection.

Room with a View

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It’s been over two years since we moved from Burlington proper to Williston, now Richmond. You would think I would change my address on my Blog on a more timely matter. It’s not that I have a hard time giving up the past, after all we’ve moved twenty times during the last fifty one years. It’s just that I gave up easy on trying to change the address on the Blog. I rationalized, what the hell, what difference does it make anyway.

Now that I expect to live out my life at 60 Wolf Lane, Richmond, VT 05477, I gave it another try and believe I succeeded - we’ll see when this post is made with Mail Chimp.

Connecting with you is important to me. I have had a few people call for our new address - I suspect - hope - to send us a Christmas wish - update. I love cards, I make some from images I love, often.

This Christmas I am not sending cards. I connect here-with and am working hard to timely publish, SMELL THE ROSES; feel the soil/ reach the sky, a book my deceased brother Richard invited me in on, about a year or so ago. He is not here to see it’s completion - I wish he were - the tributes to him are beautiful. The book of poems, images and reflections are an interesting delivery of self reflection. I’ll let you know when it is available on Amazon and FriesenPress - probably January.

Illustration by Michael Morgenstern. Book cover. Release early 2019

Connecting with you, with my blog, book, images is in my small way saying I love you, like the song translates the touch of a hand sake. Connecting is life blood and I’ll risk the vulnerability for the joy and fulfillment - little ways that are big to me.

Bed room view 60 Wolf Lane, Richmond, VT 05477

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Birch and Aspen

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Birch and Aspen - certainly different, but hard to tell the difference, at a glance - believe it or not, they are not even in the same family. We have both on the Photo Farm, and I love it.

As a recent Robert Frost fan, who was also a part-life Vermonter, I will refer to both white bark attracters as ‘Birches’, in honor of Frost’s poem titled the same .

Frost writes in Birches: “Earth’s the right place for love: I don’t know where it is likely to go better. I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree, And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more, But dipped it’s top and set me down again. That would be good both going and coming back, One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.”

Birch Bend SonyRX 100 VI 12.25mm 1/125 sec f4.5 ISO 125 stitched

After a recent snow fall, I better visualize Frost’s sentiments on swinging birches. I shake a snow covered, weighed down, birch over the driveway, as I plow my way to Wolf Lane. Me and my green and yellow John Deere are now white all over. What is astonishing to me is, with a little shake, the tree sprang back to nearly upright, like a catapult. I would have been pulled off the Deere, to the sky, if I hadn't let go.

A short while ago I designated a cove, on the Photo Farm, in a patch of birches, to be a proper place for a bench to rest and meditate. I am moved more to do such, with my recent visit to capture the snow impact.

Birch Cove SonyRX 100 VI 9mm 1/200 sec f6.3 ISO 125

I am now, in my mind, “Some boy too far from town to learn baseball, Whose only play was what he found himself, Summer or winter, and could play alone. One by one he subdued his father’s trees , By riding them down over and over again Until he took the stiffness out of them, And not one but hung , not one was left For him to conquer.”

Care or Control?

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I am not one to control another. In fact, I fault myself for a lack of boundaries while child rearing. I remain a big believer of personal freedom. Being a caregiver for Patty, with her memory breakdown, is unnatural for me. I am in a cloud. How to care for Patty is unclear to me.

Lake Cloud Canon EOS 1DS Mark iii 420mm 1/125 f4 ISO 100

When is care control? Does care need to become control in the late stage of Alzheimer’s?

The answers may be obvious. I can’t win for losing with Patty. Patty doesn’t accept care well - she is fast to feel controlled, and she resists, even the obvious…. (at least, to me) - She is always telling me I am trying to control her. ‘No’ is her favorite word.

An example - I suggested she wear a coat for an outing to eat, yesterday. She says she doesn’t have one. I bring her the coat to wear and she refuses, saying I am trying to control her. She says she is not hungry anyway, even though she hasn’t eaten. I say ok. (one might say it wasn’t a mere ‘ok’…. maybe more like I huffed off to my corner). We don’t go.

Patty is ok going with me to my hair wash and cut today. I said I have one every two months - she should. I offer to make an appointment. She says NO. Patty’s last wash and cut is nine months ago. I can remember only two times she showered, in the last year, even though she says she showers frequently.

Patty would kill me if she knew I talked so openly about her. It’s necessary for me. It’s at the stage that she can’t disguise the decline, and I don’t know what I am doing!

Thanks for listening.

God help Patty. God help me.

Photo Farm Beginnings

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I love the Photo Farm.

Multi-generational living is new to us, just since April. The Photo Farm went 15% or so over budget, which I swore it wouldn’t, but I believe it is a best decision. Time will tell. It is quite the experience. And, I believe many more nice experiences will be our blessing.

Avi, our oldest grandchild, is taking a photography class in this junior year of her High school. She has a great eye, her father’s eye for photography. More wondrous is, she captured a rare moment of Patty and me, by blasting Alleluia and What a Wonderful World, while she was taking advantage of the professional photography studio set-up. I’d give her an A+, and extra credit for capturing a touching moment of two people who are hard to catch as such.

Bilder Studio First Fall Sony RX 100 VI 29.1 mm 1/100 sec f4.5 ISO 125 multi-stitch

I hope to graduate to Studio lighting some day, but now am pleased as punch to be exploring with my camera, outdoors. I still believe that bigger is better and, accordingly, will be exploring with the new 44” printer, I have almost ready to go, in the loft of the studio.

I want to make the Photo Farm a destination experience. Come visit and connect.

Kripalu Mindful

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I recently had occasion to visit the kripalu Institute of Yoga and Health, in Stonebridge, MA, while dropping off and picking up daughter Bridget for a certificate program on Mindfulness and Outdoor Leadership. This would be a great quarterly visit for me for R & R - a service which they pride themselves. I can see myself capturing a piece of nature and image reflecting, with the changing seasons - what a beautiful setting, and accommodative to meditation and a recharge.

Mindfulness in Nature Sony RX100 VI 61.19mm 1/3200 sec f4.5 ISO 2500 multiple stitch


Vermont Horizons

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The horizons of Vermont are speaking to me. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to hear the appeal - the calling to capture moments of beauty of the ever changing touch of sky, light, on Adirondack, Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, and many Vermont valley vistas.

My brother Richard recognized a frequentcy of attention receiving horizons in my images before I did. He invited me to include 24 horizon images for his third book of poems - Smell the Roses, Feel the Soil, Reach the sky. He offers, in the introduction, his observation: "Mike’s visions are of and in the light—toward the eternal horizon.”

Richard died August 8th, 2018, advance of finishing Smell the Roses, but not before gracing me with focusing my passion to capture horizons and reflect deeper on those that hold my attention. I am grateful.

Sun Spots PhaseOne IQ 180 240mm 1/3 sec f16 ISO 35 stitched

Vermont is horizon paradise - so many unobstructed views of wide expanse horizons including interesting environs - water, mountains, valleys. And, if the view is obstructed, take a pleasant trail hike a short distance to the top of the low mountains and be delighted by spectacular earth contours, enhanced by frequent cool cloud formations and sun-ray penetration.

Fallen PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1/800 sec f11 ISO 35 stitched

General Store Speak

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My daily stop at the General Store, a Walmart in a thousand square feet, in the sleepy village of Tenants Harbor Maine, during my respite with family friends, September 8th to the 15th, was a delight. I loved the feel of the local hangout - it took me back in time - a simpler time, where we took the time for friendly chat, about whatever, with neighbors.

I slipped out of our Home Away from home, at day break, to capture a little new light on harbor highlights. After a play in the Golden Hour I would visit the General Store for a muffin… and maybe a morning greeting from local folk.

One morning, a few days into my stay in the faltering fishing village, I noticed a man in the General Store that I had seen each of my visits. I said - do you come here every morning? That’s all it took to get him going - louder as he went on. He finally respected, as he was more and more animated - “Am I getting too loud?”

I’ll call him Charlie. Charlie lived his sixty some odd years in the village and kicked off most days at the store, the only store, the General Store, in Tenants Harbor. He said “This is dog’s country”. I said dog’s country? No, dog’s country. I asked again, dog’s country? He said God’s country - dog spelled backwards…G O D! I said Oh, God’s country! He then went on for ten minutes about how the town has been going to the dogs with more and more fishing regulations and higher taxes.

He, no doubt, loves his life in Tenants Harbor, albeit, not all village happenings are in his control. We should all know, all is not in our control. Nature is a wonder, and doesn’t always give us enough time to prepare for every happening….. MICHAEL, for example!

As a mid-western flat-lander, I marvel at the ocean’s routine, in Tenants Harbor, of rising and falling, on it’s shore, nine feet, a couple times each day. And, how the shoreline infrastructure is designed to accommodate the wondrous way of the water. Like nicely fitting cloths allowing for the heave and contraction of unconscious breathing, shorelines and docks allow for the rise and fall of an unbelievable amount of water. I image the locals response to the major move of water is like their unconscious acceptance of breathing.

I love it.

RISING TIDE PhaseOne IQ 180 240mm 1/15 sec f11 ISO 100 2 images stitched

LOW TIDE PhaseOne IQ 180 240mm 1/50 sec f11 ISO 100

Alzheimer's Walk

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Last year we walked for Alzheimer's in Minnesota in celebration of fifty years of marriage. We also walked in Vermont where we now live. We raised over $10,000 for a mighty effort to find help with a growing problem, thanks to friends and family - a great cause - fighting a dreadful disease. Thanks to all involved.

We are a year older and still fighting the affects of Alzheimer's. It's 51 years together and we'll take them, one year at a time.

It's just a 'walk in the park' in Vermont, 9/16, this year. Each new day is as precious as our fiftieth anniversary. 

Thanks for any consideration you give to help in our fight. http://act.alz.org/goto/Whichwayers.

Love and health to you and yours,

Mike

The Time Has Come... For Change

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My brother Richard died August 8th, 2018. I sent him a Love Letter on August 6th. I dated the sentiment August 8th, my 72nd birthday. I thanked him for his 'presents' to me. I wish to share with you my feelings, including a PS, I write now, expressing additional feelings regarding the news that more than 300 priests abused 1000 or more children in Pennsylvania - the straw that breaks the back - it's time to SCREAM - a time for ACCOUNTABILITY - a time for real CHANGE.

8/8/2018

My 72nd birthday

 

AWR. Richard. Dick.                       

In Hospice

A Love Letter

From Mike - your youngest brother 

Just fourteen years your younger

 

Richard. Dick. You are gift - Always inviting - Always welcoming. A present to me. A present to all. Thank you for your loving embrace.

 

And, so serious and determined - to make a difference with the seemingly insurmountable task of bringing to light the reality of Catholic authorities gone wrong - very wrong - as large numbers of priests, bishops, and even cardinals sexually abuse children. Maybe worse, is the coverup – the system, knowingly, quick to pass abusers from parish to parish, hiding the family member’s crime – a costly sin…. and by our religious leaders!

 

You have made a difference – a huge positive difference – a legacy that will last for your eternity. Coming from within the troubled system, you were willing to face the truth about your religious family and do something about it – a herculean task – David versus Goliath. It must have been a very lonely and painful task to take on. You were courageous to tackle the task. 

 

Now, nearly thirty years after the publication of your book, A SECRET WORLD, Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy, the truth of abuse within the Catholic hierarchy is common knowledge. The system has started a mend, thanks to your assist in spotlighting the problem. I am proud of your presents. By the way, I have seen the movie Spotlight several times and count the mention of you as a source to the Boston Globe about priest pedophiles, as nine. 

 

I remember you and Marianne welcoming Patty, me and Bridget to your home in Baltimore, - it was 1990, about the time of A SECRET WORLD release.  You talked a lot about the contents of the book. I was stunned, probably in disbelief, thinking how this can be – maybe a few not keeping their vows, and fewer abusers - but so much? How can the problem be so pervasive? I am naïve.  This was too much for me to absorb at the time. Probably too much for the world to absorb, at the time.  How can this be? I thought – Is this the twilight zone? Time is telling. Truth is healing… in time.

 

I remember mention of Father Andrew Greely, a sociologist and successful fiction author, criticizing your numbers and your credentials. With time your numbers proved to be accurate. Your experience and tenacity to go after the truth, regardless of where it leads, is nothing short of Devine Providence. 

 

Abuse by clergy was unspeakable – not possible by the God-blessed beings – priests - on the parishioner’s-given pedestal. Given the magnitude of the abuse within the Catholic hierarchy and the degree of disbelievers, your patience with progress has been amazing. There was reason to come out screaming with accusations. You nurtured the situation so well. Now you can scream!

 

I love your line I heard in conjunction with doing your 80th birthday book, – “The largest task in life is to love. And love is the only thing that lasts, everything else melts away”. Love you have – evidenced by all you touched – family, abused, friends and even Church. In the case of Church, let’s say, tough love!

 

I too believe love is our highest priority. My best work as a Life – Wealth planner is possibly now, having realized, in my mid-sixties, that the Love Priorities of Self-realizing, Connecting, and Giving are the focal point of a strong process to realize one’s success. 

 

I define success as the realization of your unique good – doing what you love… your God-given talents, revealed by being open to your unique driving forces. And, being willing to follow those forces to where ever the passion persists. You have. 

 

I love that you invited me to join you doing your third (trilogy) book of poems – SMELL THE ROSES, FEEL THE SOIL, REACH THE SKY. I didn’t see how this would work. But, it has evolved. You saw the possibility from the beginning and, thanks to your prodding, I am beginning to see the possibility. 

 

SMELL THE ROSES is a book about love, and hope for more love. This is a theme we both are passionate about – what a great compliment to I CONFESS and COURAGE AT THREE AM.  

 

What’s to be? Like your Last Supper needlepoint, what is has great value, like Durer’s Salvator Mundi. What do you wish for the unfinished? 

 

My image, RICHARD, Reach the Sky, I captured during my visit with you, in La Jolla, in recent May, has much meaning, to me. It symbolizes the love priority of Self-realizing – reaching the sky – success – colorfully, and not without bearing harsh elements over a long period – dealing with pain and suffering. 

Richard Reach the Sky

You are “a life well lived”. Your legacy is a love example that will positively impact many, more than you can imagine. What a Wonderful life. I will miss you. I love you and feel your love.

 

PS You won't believe it, or maybe you will, but a week after your death the news of horrendous abuse  by priests in Pennsylvania hit the world news. The Church appeals for forgiveness - I imagine much more - forgiveness is holy, it is worth attention - accountability and change are just - IT IS TIME FOR JUSTICE - TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES. 

Here is what I imagine - All involved, including those who covered up, in any way, immediately resign and begin self-flagellation. This, unbelievably, includes 50% of the Catholic Church hierarchy. Celibacy is optional. The positions of priests and nuns are eliminated and replaced with Ministers. Gender makes no difference. Ministers are well educated, including versed on your writings. Ministers contribute to the level of their God-given talents, driven by their unique passions. Truth and love run rampant. It is good and right. 

Hope to see you... not too soon.

Love, 

Mike

AWR Laughs

RICHARD - REACH THE SKY→

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Richard and I were working on a book together at the time of his death, on my birthday, August 8th. It was tentatively titled SMELL THE ROSES, FEEL THE SOIL, REACH THE SKY. It was meant to be his third book of poems. I think of it as his Trilogy. The first book was titled I CONFESS and second titled COURAGE AT THREE AM. Both are personal, soul searching, deep, and sometimes funny. I am sure, both were gut wrenching and, at the same time, rewarding to write. I read each five or more times, gleaning more insight about my famous brother https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/richard-sipe-pattern-deceit-celibate-culture-was-his-wittenberg with each read. Poems, with so much to read between the lines, have always been hard for me to glean intent, from just one read. Like a good photograph, I want to revisit for more and more feel. 

SMELL THE ROSES was meant to be a book about love, and hope for more love. This theme would be a nice completion to Dick's Trilogy. My input would be photos of the horizon - then Dick invited me to write captions to the photos - then reflections - then memoir like comments and feelings - then he invited me to let it all out - deeper and deeper, - he encouraged and encouraged, and I learned from his mentoring.

I learned that reflections, attached to my photos, is most rewarding. I am now doing reflections for my photos for my water quality coffee table book I am doing with Trevien Stanger, environmentalist writer - OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS. Thank you Richard for your mentoring.

Richard said "The largest task of life is to love. And love is the only thing that lasts, everything else melts away". I love the thought. He said he was inspired by my thoughts on the Love Priorities of self-realizing, connecting and giving. He certainly was an inspiring example of SCG. 

RICHARD REACH THE SKY, PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1/30 sec f11 ISO 35