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Beth Patterson

Host, Virtual Tea House

ruddy marks the spot

Colorado means “ruddy” or “red” in Spanish, a reference to the color of the waters of the Colorado River--often a rich muddy brown from silt run off and mountain decay. Just another coincidence that the prompt for this week is color as I visit a state that is one of my homes and is possibly the only one named for a color?  Probably.

    
Thriving in this beautiful place for 13 years

The quality of the light remains imprisoned in my cells.

   The color of the sky through aspens in September.

   The color of the red rock at which my soul gasps even now.

   So much of middle years unfolded within this amazing scenery:

   Marriage, death, raising of adolescent, career, divorce. 

 

Happily living now in Oregon

Beautifully different.

Color of green, there.

The rivers are crystal. There are no ruddy rivers.

 

Do I miss the color of Colorado?

Like moss misses its chosen stone.

File:Colorado River edit.jpg 
The Colorado River in a blue mood.

Submitted for One Single Impression prompt: color.  Thanks to my young friend Floreta of Solitary Panda for hosting this week’s prompt. Visit OSI for a smorgasbord of impressions about each week’s prompt…this one about color!

Published Sunday, September 27, 2009 12:06 PM by Beth Patterson

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Comments

 

gautami said:

Splendid shot.

I want to keep looking at it.

<a href="http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/09/dad-will-you-walk-one-more-time-with-me.html">dad, will you walk one more time with me?</a>

September 27, 2009 12:23 PM
 

Anthony North said:

Breathtaking place. I can see why you wrote those words.

September 27, 2009 1:54 PM
 

Pam said:

Your photo brought  back lovely memories for me.  I lived in the "color red" state for two years and still miss its beauty.

September 27, 2009 2:23 PM
 

floreta said:

Colorado looks beautiful too!

If I didn't live here, I'd probably live in Colorado.

Love the poem.

September 27, 2009 2:51 PM
 

SandyCarlson said:

Ooh. Silence. Yes. Sorrow. Yes. The moss and its chosen stone. I don't think we ever really let go. But we do move and live on.

September 27, 2009 9:25 PM
 

JanePoet ~ JP/deb said:

Aaaahhhh, home sweet home.  Amazing how a place can settle in to our soul.

thank you for sharing ...

xx,

JP/deb

September 27, 2009 11:46 PM
 

swapna said:

The view is breathtaking and the river flows peacefully between the magnificient red rocks. Wow, i'd love to enjoy a quiet moment there. Enjoyed reading your lovely recollection...am sure each soul would gasp at that sight.

September 28, 2009 9:47 AM
 

Tumblewords said:

I do so love those colors - and your poem which tells the colors of life... Spectacular photo!

September 28, 2009 12:06 PM
 

Leo said:

Yes indeed, even I love your words, the colors and that spectacular foto! :) well done!

September 30, 2009 6:34 AM
 

Nathalie (spacedlaw) said:

It would be hard NOT to miss it. Such stunning colours.

October 1, 2009 7:30 AM
 

patti said:

I have never been to either place, but your words sure paint a beautiful picture!  I love the photo too!  

October 1, 2009 1:27 PM
 

zoya gautam said:

" Like moss misses its chosen stone "

~_ is a one line poem ! -- terrific ..

great post .. good write ..

many thanks ..

October 1, 2009 7:50 PM
 

deli said:

i surely will miss such enthrqlling colors!

October 2, 2009 2:28 AM
 

Geraldine said:

What a lovely and color-filled interpretation of this wonderful prompt. Nice one Beth.

October 2, 2009 12:54 PM
 

Tammie said:

I enjoyed how you expressed this prompt. Places do have colors and flavors and more. I did not know what Colorado meant. Thank you. Your photo is wonderful.

October 3, 2009 12:44 AM
 

Beth Patterson : ruddy marks the spot China Best Tea said:

October 3, 2009 3:12 PM
 

sue said:

the last line is so perfect: "Like moss misses its chosen stone."

October 4, 2009 7:52 PM

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About Beth Patterson

The Virtual Tea House website became 'word-ripe' when, over a cup of jasmine green, I realized that the web has an expanding part to play in the communal aspects of spiritual growth.

With a master's degree in religion, my career spans 30 years in end of life care and child abuse intervention and advocacy.

Here in beautiful Central Oregon, my spiritual homes of the high desert and the mountains are both in proximity. And for good measure, four hours away is Grandmother Ocean and the stunning Oregon Coast.

I'm making decent progress on the goal set by my mother early on: she taught us that the goal of humanity should be to become ever-more eccentric, i.e. more fully human.

Entering the 'forest-dweller' phase of life, I am honored to host the Virtual Tea House for all who wish to explore how our lives are enriched and made new a thousand times each day by the spirituality we embody. Exploring this engagement together is the purpose of the Virtual Tea House.

Welcome! Let's have a cup of virtual tea together and share what brings us joy, what we are being taught by life, how we are leaning into the Big Questions posed to us each day in sometimes 'distressing disguises'.

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