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Geogypsy
Menu
  • Home
  • About Geogypsy
    • Herstory
    • Parks where I’ve worked
  • Places I’ve been
    • United States
      • Arizona
        • Antelope Slot Canyon
        • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
        • Colossal Cave Mountain Park
        • Flagstaff
        • Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
        • Grand Canyon National Park
          • Grand Canyon National Park North Rim
          • Grand Canyon National Park South Rim
          • Toroweap
        • Havasu Canyon
        • Horseshoe Bend
        • Jerome
        • Kaibab National Forest
        • Lee’s Ferry
        • Meteor Crater
        • Navajo Bridge
        • Oak Creek Canyon
        • Painted Desert
        • Pipe Springs National Monument
        • Prescott
        • Quartzsite
        • Saguaro National Park
        • Sedona
        • Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
        • Vermilion Cliffs
        • Walnut Canyon National Monument
        • Wupatki National Monument
        • Yarnell
      • California
        • Anzaberrego
        • Bakersfield
        • Death Valley National Park
        • Joshua Tree National Park
        • Redwoods NP
        • Salton Sea
        • Yucca Valley
      • Colorado
        • Mesa Verde National Park
      • Florida
      • Illinois
        • IL River
        • Morton Arboretum
        • Starved Rock State Park
      • Michigan
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • Oregon
        • Crater Lake NP
        • Mt Hood
        • Oregon Caves National Monument
      • Texas
        • Alpine Texas
        • Padre Island
        • Port Isabel
        • Rio Grande Valley
      • Utah
        • Brian’s Head
        • Bryce Canyon National Park
        • Buckskin Gulch
        • Cedar Breaks National Monument
        • Cedar City
        • Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
        • Dixie National Forest
        • Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
        • Johnson Canyon
        • Kanab
    • World Travels
      • Germany
      • Mexico
      • South Africa
  • Tours
  • Photography
  • Work with Me
    • Sponsors
  • Contact

Category: life

23 February 2010

Dad, can you hear me?

1956
I was always Daddy’s “little girl.” You showed me love in the only way you knew how, by spoiling me. Before my memory I used to ride on your shoulders and you’d tell me to duck under the doorways. Once I learned to walk I remember walking by your side holding your little finger to ground me to the world. You taught me how to water ski and eat the tops off the asparagus that grew in the garden. You took me for ice cream, burgers and hotdogs, our favorite foods. You called the riding lawn mower my first car and that got me to mow the lawn. Later you bought me cars and together we repaired them when needed. You stayed up to wait for me to come home from a date, even when I was late. You gave me away at my wedding and told my new husband with a smile not to bring me back. Yet I was always welcome home. You and I would have silly secrets that drove Mom crazy. (Crazier than she already is anyway.)

Ray Marvin Olmsted 1940s
I remember as a pre-teen hearing you only occasionally talk about being in North Africa during WWII and how you’d like to go back. As a teen I volunteered to go with you. But it never happened.

2005 at Padre Island
My Dad passed away Friday February19th, 2010 about a week after a massive stroke. Ever since he had several small strokes in the last couple of years I’ve sort of felt like I lost the Dad I knew and that every visit was a gift. Yes, I am sad for myself and family yet I know he’s better off as there really was no quality of life left. Sure glad I got to see him once more on my recent trip to Texas.

June 24, 1923 – February 19, 2010
There will be no official memorial; his body was donated to science. Yet I am taking my Dad’s memory to Africa, even if it it’s south and not north. We can both follow our dreams.

Because of you my life goes on. I will love you and treasure your memory forever. This trip’s for You!

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Dad, death, life, memories 31 Comments
08 February 2010

MWT – A-piph-a-tree


Mike loves to landscape; I think it may be meditative. And so we have an A-piph-a-tree in the back yard.

It started with a fence followed by a pond and rock work. I believe this to be an ongoing project. Actually it started with the big Arizona White Oak in the untouched back yard.

This is a marvelously dreamy place to sit and think. And maybe have some inspiration, come to a realization, make a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, have an Epiphany.

Lately, I’ve had many epiphanies. Falling in love filled an empty part of my life I didn’t know I had.

Visiting my parents taught me to accept the things I cannot change. More on this later.

View from bench under A-piph-a-tree
The tree of life has always been a strong image for me. I am terrestrial and usually have my feet planted on the ground. Maybe not barefoot like in my youth as my feet have become soft and tender. My arm-like branches reach out to capture what energy I can from the universe. I grow, especially when watered with the journey of life. My roots reach down into the earth for needed nutrients like the words of a treasured friend. I listen and learn.

To visit more of the world, or to share a look into your own, visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.

My Word dictionary: an epiphany is a Christian festival marking the visit of the Magi to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the baptism of Jesus Christ. As a noun, an epiphany is the supposed manifestation of a divine being, the appearance of God.

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epiphany, landscaping, life, My World Tuesday meme 34 Comments
18 February 2009

Addicted to Blog

While surfing some of my favorite blogs today I found this quiz at Sarah’s. She didn’t think that it’s very accurate, and for her I agree. Yet I felt it did right by me. Link to this quiz through Brit Gal.

I have become addicted to the blog world. And in the process I’ve met numerous interesting people from around the world. It’s opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities and people. I’m glad to have opened my mind to the technological changes around me.

“Remember when the library changed from card catalogues to computer?” Berta asked me today. Oh yea, and I wasn’t happy about it. Neither was she, and even went so far as to write a letter to the editor in complaint. Yet now she’s certainly computer savy.

Change, one of the hardest things to consciously do. Yet change happens so fast around us that we’re frequently caught in its tail wind, pulled through before we knew whether to resist. Sometimes it’s for the better, or worse. But I figure if something positive is learned, it’s all good.

So, yes, for now I’m 67% addicted to blogging, and 100% to life.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t savy enough to get the quiz’s image here thru a link. Still so much to learn!

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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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