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Posts Tagged ‘dragons’

The Idea of Dragons

Posted in aging, Art, Journeys, Writing, tagged on April 3, 2023| 1 Comment »

Art by Pat Bean

Aging My Way

          I’m always toying with writing ideas and, like many writers I keep an ever-changing list of them. The topics get erased as I follow through with a piece of writing, or deleted, when on second thought I decide the idea is worthless.

For about seven years now, the word dragons on this list has been taunting me every time I see it. My original idea was to write an essay called Dragons: A to Z. While that never panned out, I was reluctant to hit the delete button, probable because like other writers down through the centuries, these mythical creatures fascinate me.  

And while I didn’t get all the way through the alphabet with dragons, I did come up with some good quotes about them. Some, like the following, have had a special meaning to me.

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations if you live near him.” – J.R.R. Tolkien. This was the first dragon quote I copied into my journals, and metaphorically speaking, I was living next to a dragon at the time. 

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ~ Neil Gaiman. A good quote for anyone whose path becomes dotted with potholes – or deep gorges.

“We are our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves.” ~ Tom Robbins. I remember clearly the day I gave up my idea that a knight on a white horse ever existed. It was a harsh reality that turned into major, and positive, turning point in my life. And it became the theme for my group of white-water rafting buddies.

And finally, a reminder that there are things in life worth fighting for. “Here be dragons to be slain, here be rich rewards to gain; If we perish in the seeking, why, how small a thing is death!” — Dorothy L. Sayers.

Perhaps you have a favorite dragon quote you would like to share?

Pat Bean is a retired award-winning journalist who lives in Tucson with her canine companion, Scamp. She is an avid reader, an enthusiastic birder, the author of Travels with Maggie available on Amazon (Free on Kindle Unlimited), is always searching for life’s silver lining, and these days aging her way – and that’s usually not gracefully.

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Zebras, Fish and a Garden Dragon

Posted in Dogs, Favorite Places, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 17, 2012| 9 Comments »

 “Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” – G. K. Chesterton

This botanical dragon captured my imagination, making me think of Camelot and fairy tales, when I began my tour of Albuquerque’s botanical gardens. –Photo by Pat Bean

Zoo, Aquarium and Garden

The cost of spending a night in an RV park since I became a full-time RV-er eight years ago has doubled. It was big news in 2004 when gas jumped above $2 a gallon. Now it’s not all that unusual for me to pay $4 a gallon.

A trio of elephants (grandma, mom and kid) were my zoo favorites this day, but the photo of this trio of zebras came out better. — Photo by Pat Bean

And if you eat, you know what’s happened to food costs in recent years.

The rising prices have slowed my travels and put Ramen noodles back on my menu a time or two a week.

So it was with much delight that I welcomed the great bargain I found in Albuquerque just off Route 66. The senior price for a combo ticket to the city’s zoo, aquarium and botanical gardens was only $5.

Since all three are high on my things-to-do list when visiting new places, I was, as they say in Texas, in hog heaven.

I arrived early and actually found a shady spot to park Gypsy Lee in the aquarium/botanical gardens parking lot. Before getting started with my sight-seeing, I tried to Pepper-proof my RV, making sure all paper and electrical cords were out of my six-month-old puppy’s reach. I also opened windows and vents so it would stay pleasantly cool for her, and refilled her water bowl.

It was the attention to details, like these fish handles on the glass aquarium door that reflects the landscaped patio, that enhanced my enjoyment of my Albuquerque day. — Photo by Pat Bean

Today was a test on how Pepper would react being left alone for a few hours. She had done well enough on shorter stays that I hadn’t invested in a crate. I was hoping today would justify that decision. After all, my small RV is just a big crate in itself.

My combo ticket included a round-trip, 20-minute ride to the zoo and I did that first.

When I returned a couple of hours later, I checked on Pepper, who greeted me like I was a sailor long-lost at sea. The inside of my RV, thankfully, was undamaged, and so after a quick potty-break walk around the parking lot, I left Pepper again for another couple of hours.

This time I worried a little less about her, and thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the aquarium and gardens.

I got the same welcome, full of slobbery kisses, from Pepper the second time I returned to Gypsy Lee. The only change in the RV was that this time Pepper had gotten into her toy box and scattered them about. It was nice to know she had been having fun the same as me.

And nice to know there are still things to do when one’s budget is limited.

Bean’s Pat: Happy Couple http://tinyurl.com/d8sjtxl Now this is a park I would love to visit.

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