basics photos on Flickr

I have often thought how much better we all would be if we got "back to the basics. " Too often the American way of life has become a rushed environment- consuming consumers- is another way of putting it. I am not per se a dogmatic "greenie" or an "environmental extremist" but I do see the value of slowing down.

Time is precious- as I ponder it often. I was thinking today about the oldest living Australian service man from WW I passing away. The things he must have seen, the experiences he could share and how in his 110 years of breath... he lived the code of the "basics."

I posted this song (following) by Waylon Jennings... it talks of keeping up with the Jones and such- how keeping up takes away from loving another really. What do we love? Things or family ?

Waylon and his wife lived not too far from where I currently reside. I recall how they shopped at the local Basha Grocery store and people would often say how lovely they were... so down to earth. What a way to be remembered... down to earth.

Another well-known person, Lee Marvin, lived in Tucson, Arizona at the same time I did. On a regular basis he would show up at a video store I worked at. Just "Mr. Casual," in his old t-shirt, shorts and sandals. He would smile and go about choosing his movies, chat a bit with whomever and climb back in his old truck to drive home. The thing that impressed me most about his "back to basics person" is something probably most people don't know about him. Continue reading on...

My father was a business owner who had established Bosa Donuts (a donut shop) beginning in Arizona and throughout the western United States in the 80's. Well, there was gal named Sarah Gorby, who lived about 6 miles north of the donut store located at Ina and I-10. Sarah was a "back to basics" kind of gal... she took care of rescue animals. Why Sarah had mountain lions, mule deer, bear cubs, roadrunners and a black raven that loved to cry "AGUA!" She had a plethora of all kinds of God's beasts.

Sarah came to know my daddy one day as she stopped in the donut shop to ask what we did with our throwaway day old donuts. While asking my dad this question, we all suddenly heard a "snort" sound. Now go figure that Sarah would of had a baby javelina squirming underneath her old army jacket. That little snorting darlin started to wiggle himself free and he latched onto Sarah's earlobe and started sucking! We all laughed and ooed and awed as we became fast friends from that day forward. It was an honor to have a worthy cause to donate our day old donuts to such a wonderful cause.

As we grew to know Sarah and love her ways dearly, we found out that she and Lee Marvin were long time friends. You see Sarah's husband and Lee served in the war together. When Sarah's husband passed on to the other side... well Lee stepped in as he promised to watch over Sarah and make sure she was taken care of properly. And she was...

Sarah and Lee now are both gone... Waylon as I mentioned prior is gone too... but you know what? They really aren't gone completely as I carry their "basic" ways deep in my heart of living this old life. How precious these days are... stop and feel the warmth of the sun on your face, listen to the laugh of children and the song of a bird as it flies overhead, smell the sweetness of a rose blossom and a pot of brewing coffee, give a smile to a passing stranger, hug your parents and make love to your special someone with the passion of living "back to the basics."- Gal. 5:22- KL CowGirlZen Photography

There's only two things in life that make it worth livin'

That's guitars that tune good and firm feelin' women

I don't need my name in the marquee lights

I got my song and I got you with me tonight

Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love

Let's go to Luckenbach Texas with Waylon and Willie and the boys

This successful life we're livin' got us feuding

like the Hatfield and McCoy's

Between Hank Williams pain songs, Newberry's train songs

and blue eyes cryin' in the rain, out in Luckenbach Texas

ain't nobody feelin' no pain

So baby let's sell your diamond ring