Quote of the Week

When an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate.    C.G. Jung

Quote of the Week

"We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results."

Herman Melville

My Quotes

Sometimes words spoken ring a sour note.  A simple smile can mean so much more than words that are not truly in your heart. 

Fourth of July

Please join us in celebrating the birth of our nation.  Happy Fourth of July!

Quote of the Week

We can do no great things, only small things with great love. 

Mother Teresa

Quote of the Week

The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.

                                                                                  Albert Schweitzer

Let It Rain, Let It Rain, Let It... Alright Already!

Today is supposed to be the first full day of summer.  By the calendar that is true.  By the weather outside, now that's an entirely different story.  Since April we have had winter, winter, some more winter, fall, a splash of summer here or there, a smattering of spring and our own monsoon season.  

There have been a proliferation of wet, rainy and often violent weather days.  I can count on two hands the number of perfectly beautiful days I've seen in the last two months.  It doesn't even fill all ten fingers on those two hands!  

I'm not depressed about the weather or anything, but I am sharing an observation of the changing weather.  Every year seems to be worse than the previous year.  If this trend continues, I will have to send my husband out next year to build an ark!  Perhaps I should start gathering animals...

But seriously, last week it took me three times the normal amount of time to get to work due to standing water.   It wasn't from an overflowing river.  It was from the amount of rain that fell in an eight hour period over night.   

Streets that normally never have standing water, were covered in several inches of it.  The storm drains were unable to take in all of the water and it backed up into the surrounding streets and yards.  Traffic had to be redirected around some of the areas, which caused major traffic snarls.   

I sat in one spot for twenty minutes before I was able to crawl to the next spot to wait.  I had plenty of time to practice meditation while I was waiting to move.  

When I was finally able to get around all of it, there were lots of places where the traffic lanes were blocked off by the police due to the high water.  Numbers of cars were left abandoned.  They had tried to drive through the high standing water and the vehicle's engine had died.   Why do people try to do that?  They aren't driving Land Rovers. 

A police officer escorted me past one area, where almost all three lanes of traffic were under water.  I drove on the median to avoid it.   Another day I didn't have my camera with me when I should have AND I had forgotten to charge my cell phone!  I missed another photo op.   I have to start thinking like a photojournalist.

I thought about asking one of the truck driver's stuck in traffic with me to use their CB, so I could let the people at work know I would get there some day!  I tried not to drink too much water so I wouldn't have a potty break concern. Luckily I had plenty of healthy snacks with me.    Half of which I ate before I got to work. 

Quote of the Week

                    What you are comes to you.    Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fathers Day

Dearest Dad.  Happy Father's Day.  You were there at the beginning of my life and I was there with you at the end of yours.  I would never trade that moment for anything, to be with you at the end.   We shared a very special bond.   I was always Daddy's little girl.  

You gave me the gifts of music and gardening.  I have your temper, oh yes, you bet I do!  My husband even pointed it out a couple of weeks ago.  But I also got your smarts.  You taught me so much.  

I so am happy I got to spend so much time with you in those last months of your life.  Our bond only grew stronger and stronger.  Your smile would light up the room whenever you saw me.   Talk about making someone feel so very special!  I always knew I was number one in your heart.   But I promise, I won't tell Mom!

Whenever I hear thunder, I image that you are up in heaven bowling another "300" game, with all of the angels.  

Your Loving daughter

Happy Father's Day to all of the Dads out there and everyone who acts as a father figure to others.

Quote of the Week

     Truth has no path, and that is the beauty of truth, it is living.  Krishnamurti

For the Love of Flowering Trees

A visual feast for the eyes.  I'm posting these for the tree lovers everywhere.  There's nothing quite like the sight of a majestic tree in full flower.

The Joy of Frozen Yogurt

I rarely eat ice cream or frozen yogurt.  Are you surprised at that?  It's not because I don't like it or because I'm trying to be so good at not eating "junk food".   It just one of those things that is special if you just don't have it too often.  Do you know what I mean?  If I have it once in awhile I look forward to eating it more and savor every slurp.   

 

I don't need any elaborate creations with nuts, chocolate sauce, cherries or candy sprinkles or anything like that.  I don't even care if it is some exotic or new flavor.   It doesn't even have to be in a cone; a cup or a dish with do just fine.  I like some plain old vanilla or chocolate; or both swirled together.   mmmmmm.  Doesn't that make you hungry and your mouth water just thinking about it? 

 

I think a natural ice cream or frozen yogurt is better for you, but I'm not going to pass up the other kind either!   Now and then is just fine with me.  So as the temperatures climbed, I started thinking more and more about eating some ice cream.  I drive past an ice cream parlor on my way to work.  It's kind of hard to miss it with it's red and white stripes and huge revolving vanilla cone on the roof!

 

So yesterday as the day got hotter, I asked my good friend who is always up for a trip to the ice cream parlor, if she wanted to go with me and get some ice cream.   I didn't have to ask twice.  In fact, I barely got my question out before she she said yes.  We had an errand to do and stopped at the parlor I just have to look at every other day.  

 

We both ordered the same thing; a generous cup of chocolate frozen yogurt.   We sat for a long time at the tiny table, talking.  I took tiny spoonfuls so it would last longer.  You know so little that you barely get any on the spoon, and get just a tiny bit of deliciousness.  Yum!    It lasted for a long time and it was sooo good.  

I had forgotten just how much I liked chocolate frozen yogurt.   It was so smooth, cold and tasty going down.  Ahhhh, frozen satisfaction!   Now that's one of the tiny things in life that just make it worth living.   If you like frozen yogurt... and I certainly do!

Quote of the Week

           The dew of compassion is a tear.    George Gordon Noel Byron 

What Is Mine Is Yours, With Conditions

An odd situation came up the other day.   An individual I work with lost some papers that were left out in a common area.  She came to me first (I found out later) and asked if I had thrown them away.  I didn't get the real point at first.  I had a "Sometimers" moment.  I thought it was terrible that someone would throw this person's papers away.   Why would someone do that?  Right?  That's right; threw them away. 

Apparently she checked the shredding box and the papers were there.   My closet friend filled me in later, as she helped search for them.  I didn't remember seeing them.  I did however see the two reams of colored paper that had been taken from my office and used by this very same person.  But did I say anything about that?  No of course not.   I wasn't upset, just surprised that someone had used so much of it and cleaned me out of that color.  I asked who it was.  When I was told I wasn't surprised that she had used it, just that she used so much.

But did I go and hunt that person down, knowing who used the paper and confront her about it?  No of course not, what would be the point?  The company's money paid for the colored paper, not me personally.   So even though everyone thinks of it as my paper, it's not.  So why would I make a big deal out of it?  Why be so mean spirited as to throw her papers away.  Hmmm??  Technically our offices and everything in them except our personal things are open and available to all.  

Now originally I didn't take offence to that question.  Although I thought at the time that it was odd to ask someone in a very accusatory manner.  Later I offered to scan her papers and create a word file so that this person would have a copy.  One because I felt sorry for her and two because I didn't want any more drama if they disappeared again.  But I guess the papers had bar codes on them and you can't scan a copy, the scan can't read the bar code.  It's always something!

Well wouldn't one think that the fact that I didn't know the papers were bar coded, should have been the first clue that I hadn't seen the papers.  I realized later that perhaps this person had a guilty conscious.  After all, remember she used "my" colored paper.  She went to my office, had someone unlock it and took it out of my closed cabinet.  I would think that's on par with papers being being dropped in the shredder.   No wonder she assumed it was me.   

Guilt by default no less?  In turn she may have turned the situation around on me unconsciously.  Everyone knows that I have to make a special trip to buy the colored paper.  It's something that cuts into my work day, and I'm the only one who uses it.  So no wonder everyone acts like it's my property.  I store it in my office and I buy a bunch of reams so I don't have to go very often.  I don't like going to get it, but no one knows that till now!

Whatever the situation, I am am proud of myself for not getting upset and bent all out of shape and accusing her right back.  I'm quite pleased  at the yogic, calmer side of me.  Now I have to work on not writing about this stuff too!  But what fun would that be?

My Quotes

Awaken my children from a long winters sleep.  To push your heads up to the sun.  It’s time to show off your colors of pink.   Your beauty is now at its peak.  

Quote of the Week

 

               My religion is very simple.  My religion is kindness.    Dalai Lama

Memorial Day

Here in the United States, Memorial Day is the day we honor the fallen men and women in service to their country.  Many people also honor the men and women who have served and are currently serving.   But it is also a time to remember lost loved ones.   So today on this Memorial Day, I honor all service men and women and my father who died last year.

Let me tell you a little bit about him as a young man.  He had been a Sargent in the Army during World War II.  Or as many older gentlemen like to say "The Big War"  or W W 2.   I separated it like that so you could read it the way they say it.  It's always made me want to laugh when they said dubbaya dubbaya two.

My father was just barely 18 years old when he enlisted in the army right before his high school graduation.  He went straight to boot camp in Texas.  Having been a member of the ROTC, he quickly moved to Buck Sargent.   He was the youngest of seven sons.  All but my oldest uncle serviced in a branch of the Armed Forces. There were soldiers, sailors and marines.   It was a time of great pride in his family and the country to service for his country.   My Grandmother would have preferred if none of them enlisted, but 6 out of 7 of her sons did join up.   Amazingly every one of them made it back and without major injuries.   Families of soldiers everywhere know the odds of that happening are very slim.

My Father fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  He spent most of his time in France and some time in England.   He received a medal for being shot.   A bullet pierced his helmet, but didn't seriously wound him.   Good thing, or I may not be writing this today huh?   He rarely talked about the war until he hit his seventies.  When "Saving Private Ryan" came out, he took my mother to see it.  He said it was too much like being there again and he didn't enjoy the film.   Oh he thought it was really good, but that it was too real.   I remember hearing that a lot, when the movie came out.   I watched the movie twice and got a better idea of what it was like for him.   Watching it on a big screen with surround sound enhanced the feeling of being there.  I got why my father wasn't very keen on celebrating the Fourth of July.  He always  hated the fireworks.  Watch the scene where they get off the boats on the beach and you may get it, like I did as to why it was so hard for the veterans of that battle to watch.

Dad had a box full of things he collected during the war and lots of pictures with his buddies.   There were even some spent bullets in the box.  When I was a kid they kind of made me nervous just to look at them.  When my father passed away, my sister-in-law had some of those pictures blown up and framed for his memorial service.  An American flag was draped over his coffin and then folded up in the traditional manner for safe keeping.  We gave the flag to my brother.   I never really paid attention to all of the rituals people perform for fallen soldiers and veterans before, until his funeral.  It's a nice way to honor someone.  I watched the Memorial Day concert from Washington D.C. last night with a new perspective.  Too bad we all can't live together without strife, war and sorrow of loss.   Then we wouldn't need days called "Memorial Day".

My Quotes

       Accept the bad things with grace and the good things will follow.

Until We Meet Again Oprah

Today was Oprah's last show.   She said it was not good-bye, but until we meet again.  It was perfect in that it was just Oprah at Harpo studios talking about all of the years on the show and thanking the viewers.  The smaller audience was made up of some of her ultimate fans.  It was just what I would expect from Oprah.  A quiet, more intimate show sharing the last moments of the show with us, her viewers.

I want to thank Oprah so very much for all of the years of her show and O Magazine.  I subscribe to the magazine and they recently printed my letter about creativity and my blog.  What a thrill just to have that letter in the magazine.  I showed the article and my letter to all of my friends.  It is amazing the effect of just having a letter in the magazine was to all of them.  It was almost as if I had written a featured article that was published in the magazine!  Everyone wanted to share in the excitement of my mini Oprah connection! That's the kind of effect she has on others.  It is a rare thing indeed.  

I will miss her show.  It was one of the few television programs I watched regularly.  Remember kids, I'm all about movies!   One day I may even  get cable so I can watch the OWN Network.  I like uplifting shows and Oprah had many.   Oprah has had a profound effect on people all over the world.  Her leaving is like seeing a good friend move far away and you only get to see them once in awhile.

I really want to thank Oprah for talking about meditation. Because when Oprah starting talking about it, people no longer looked at me oddly when I said I meditated.  I think now some of them have a better understanding.  They may not agree with it, but they may see it in a better light.   As a meditation teacher, I never push my opinions on others, but try gently to let them help find their own way.  That is what Oprah did on her show with a few exceptions.  Those exceptions are; getting the word about child molesters, not driving while texting and not talking on cell phones while driving.  People pay attention to what Oprah has to say.  

Oprah said today that everyone is meant to do something; we all have a calling and we all want to be validated.  I know for sure my "voice"  will continue to be heard through this blog and I will continue to share a variety of things with all of you.  I have been validated, by you the readers.  My calling is to teach what I know, share it with others and to help others in the ways that I know how.  The gift I can give back to Oprah, is the gift of my eternal gratefulness for the years of uplifting and interesting shows and insights. The Oprah Show will be missed and it will be almost impossible to replace it. 

Namaste 

Quote of the Week

          Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.   Chuang-Tzu

Helper's? in the Garden

Spring is natures reminder that it's time to put your things in order and recruit your friends and family to help you with the cleanup!   Here is my mid spring garden clean up and my helper in a corner of the garden.

However, my husband got a little too vigorous in helping and even pulled up a tiny rose I had planted last year.  I couldn't find it in the debris in the bags we put out for collection.   I was a little upset for a minute, but he worked so hard I couldn't possibly be angry.   I rooted that rose from a cutting and I can always root another.  Next time, I'm going to mark it with a red ribbon or a flag or something and put a note on it that says, "I am not a weed, don't pull me out!"  I wondered how he didn't notice it was a tiny rose.   I mean after all, it had thorns on it!  You know, I have over a dozen roses, so it's not like he's never seen any roses before!  But when you have helpers, sometimes it's better to suffer in silence and be grateful for all of their help.  But if they start ripping plants up by the armful, then it's time to kick them to the curb!

It's actually the first year he's helped me so much.   I normally do most of the clean up, because I like to do it myself and get it done early in the season.   But the mold season has been very long and much worse than in previous years.   By doing less outside though, I haven't gotten a sinus infection because of all of the wet earth.   Yeah!   Knock on wood, or a tree...!

You can see the bones of the garden and the few flowers that were growing.  Just a mere two weeks later and a lot more has bloomed and already gone. The leaves are coming out everywhere.  It is a veritable explosion of green!   I'll post more later.  You won't even recognize that it's the same corner!  

My Quotes

The sun rises each morning and with it comes the blessings of the earth.

 

Quote of the Week

       Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.   Standing Bear

How Many Seasons?

It seems as if we are just meant to have strange weather; from the snowiest of winters, to the rainiest of springs.  It's rained and been gloomy so often here that I can only recall about five or six days of sun since the beginning of April.  It hasn't rained every day thank goodness, but it's rained a lot more than in previous years.  I wouldn't mind the rain so much, if it would be sunny for awhile between rainstorms.  Geez!  I'm looking outside, trying to will the sun to come out right now!  Nope, no where in sight...

The positive side of all of this unusually wet weather is the state of the vegetation.  The plants and trees are really lush and green.  You've seen my pictures of the flowering plants.  They are so much fuller and prolific this season.  Now I know why Seattle, Washington has such a great reputation for it gardens.  Their gardens are lush and full of green leaves and flowers from all of the rainfall and fair weather.  I can't exactly say the weather has been really fair here, because it hasn't been all that good, let alone fair!   

Well it has gotten warmer here lately, at least I can say that it has in the last week; its been warmer and hotter, then colder.   The temperatures have been pretty extreme though, as if mother nature is experimenting and can't decide if she wants it hot, warm or cool.  The weather's been all over the thermometer too; anywhere from 40 to 60 to 90 and back to 50 degrees.  It's kind of hard to know what to wear on a given day, unless you have a degree in meteorology!  

A few days ago I had to search for my summer clothes and get them out of my seasonal storage, so I could wear a pair of shorts.  I had to turn the air conditioning on because it was 87 degrees when I got home from work.   It took two hours to get the house down to the upper 70's and get the humidity out of the house, it was that humid.  Two days later I needed socks to keep my feet warm and a sweater, then I had to turn on the heat!  Now I check the weather before I get dressed in the morning, just hoping it doesn't snow too.  I'm just kidding, but you never know!  I don't need clothing for three or four seasons, I need clothing for two seasons; hot and cold!  

Mother Nature Used Her Crayons

Doesn't spring just simply burst with color?  Some colors are subtle, while others are almost garish.  But put them all together and they are like a painter's palette, ready for the brush.   A pink here, a yellow there and a splash of fuchsia for a jot fun!  It's just like Mother Nature opened her box of crayons and started coloring the landscape.

Being Creative

I've read articles and often heard people on television give advice about finding what you love and pursuing it.  That sounds all well and good, but in the current economy it's hard to do some of the things one might love as a vocation.  So I say, why not just do something just to please yourself?  Don't worry about making money or being successful, think about just making yourself happy with expressing your true inner self.  

Creativity is very important.  It is a bridge to your inner child and can brighten an ordinary or bad day.  Now when I go walking without my camera I think, "Now, why the heck didn't I bring it?"  That could have been a great picture."  Painters and photographers see things with a different view.  When I walk around with my camera I see the interesting in the ordinary.  It makes me feel like I had a special moment.  It also helps me to relive the moment with the picture.  In yoga they often stress being in the moment.  When you capture that moment, you have it forever.  

I try to do that here in my blog, even if I can't work on it every day.    I'm creative in my garden and in my house.  I've been taking pictures for years, but really didn't share many of them.  I don't need to spend much money.  If you visited my home, you would find lots of photos throughout my house of things I find interesting; plants, flowers, animals and places I've visited.  You wouldn't see many pictures of people.  Most people want to pose for pictures.  It's hard to get them to stop.  Sometimes I try to catch them unaware.  I like the realness of life.  Almost everywhere I travel, I find something I want to shoot.  Some of them may be very touristy, but most are not.  People always say of my photos, "That could be a postcard."  That's really nice, but they don't need my photos!

You would be able to tell something about me as well by the books I collect and the music I play.  When it comes to movies however, I am all over the place!  All you would be able to surmise is either I like everything or a can't settle on just a few kinds of movies.  You might go so far as to guess I am a kid at heart because I have a lot of animated films.  I might seem a bit schizophrenic in my tastes!  You regular readers know that I just plain love movies.  I like a few reality shows and I rent some shows I can't watch because they are on cable.   I may have a good idea for a movie or book, but I have a short attention span!  Hey I even play creative games!

When you walk outside my house except in winter of course, you can't possibly miss that someone is a gardener.  Friends come to our house and say, "You don't garden, you GARDEN!"  I sure hope that's a complement from most of them.  I never ask.  It's doesn't really matter anyway does it?  I'm not going to stop if they don't like it!  Actually most people seem to like it.  Whew!  I feel that my garden is more of an expression of my inner vision.  It's not the dream garden in my mind, but it is very pleasing to me.  I get excited when I see things grow and blossom.  Especially some new that wasn't there before, or flowers for the first time as it matures.  That's all that really counts, now isn't it?!  

If you're like me and have a lot of different interests, being creative opens up your world to many possibilities.  Find one thing that engages your interest and try it out.  Make it your hobby and enjoy yourself.  Life is not supposed to be a struggle.  Take time to stop and be creative!

Quote of the Week

"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure."  Peter Marshall

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mom's and to those angels who take care of animals and others too.   This is your day as well!  Blessings to all!

Pearls of Fun

                                                Spring snow storm!

My Quotes

              Spring is nature's way of rewarding gardeners for their patience.

I Thought I Saw a Butterfly and a Kitty Cat

I saw a butterfly yesterday.  It was the first one of the season.   It was kind of late in the month for the appearance of the first butterfly.  Normally there would be a few butterflies around early in April, and then a lot more later in the month.  But the weather must have been too cold, wet and gloomy for them this year.  But it was great to finally see a butterfly, which to me represents warm, lazy days.  

The butterfly looked like it was all white and was much larger than the white ones we usually get here.  There's a picture of one the little ones on here somewhere...  It wasn't a moth though, I thought it might be at first.  I only noticed the butterfly from my window because it was so large. I saw something white fluttering around from the corner of my eye, when I was putting dishes away.  That's my favorite part of washing dishes, putting them away clean.  

At first I thought it was a piece of paper blowing in the wind, only there wasn't any wind; for a change I might add!  Then I stopped what I was doing and looked out of the window.  There was one of the biggest butterflies I've ever seen.  I ran down the steps in my hallway and looked out.  Then I got really excited when I saw it better.  So now you're thinking that I must really lead a boring life, huh?  No, actually it was exciting because it was quite large and all white.  I do love butterflies, I'm sure you noticed that.  

I ran to get my camera, which of course I couldn't remember where I left it last.  But it was gone and I didn’t see it again.  As quickly as it came, it was gone just as quickly.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed and the camera nearby so I can run outside to take pictures if I see any white butterflies again.  Or any butterfly at all for that matter.  Then I will have another butterfly in my collection of nature pictures.  I think maybe I should just start wearing the darn camera around my neck.   Have camera will travel and take pictures.   I should wear it to bed , so I can jump up and start taking pictures.  

 

You see my yard is a veritable paradise for birds, insects and squirrels, except for the cats that visit.  I mean it a paradise for the cats too, but not for the birds when the cats visit!  Every day you can hear the birds tittering and singing away one moment and then you hear dead silence and wham, a series of squawks and alarm chirps from all of the birds. You wouldn't think that sparrows and chickadees could get that loud.  We usually have about a hundred around the yard.   Well it SEEMS like a hundred.  Maybe it's more like 25 or 30.  

I don't even have to check now, to see if a cat's in the yard.  I KNOW when a cat is in the yard.  Sometimes you can see a line up of birds on the telephone lines watching the cat and what sounds like them yelling at it to leave.  The cats can't help but be drawn to my yard with all of those yummy little birdie morsels hanging around.  If the birds are nesting they go a little crazy dive bombing the cat that dares to enter their territory.  I'll often shoo it away.  Those birds go nuts screaming at the cat to leave.  It can get really loud.  

If A skunk comes into the yard however, it's all birds for themselves.  I'm not about to get sprayed by a ticked off skunk.  Their presence usually precedes them!  That's a smell that there's no getting used to is there?  

Quote of the Week

     You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.           Jon Kabat-Zinn

A Tiny Drama

On my walk today I heard a high pitched screaming call.  It sounded like a hurt or panicked animal.  As I walked up a hill I looked around to see what it was.  At first I thought that maybe a hawk had caught another bird.  I don't know why but I was prepared to chase it away to save the other bird.

There were no birds in sight.  I looked around to see if if was on the ground or out on the street.   Nothing, all I saw was a squirrel stop in front of me, look at me for what seemed to be a long moment and then run to the nearest tree.   As I continued on my way, I heard the screech again.

I looked up at a large nest.  It seemed to be coming from there.   I saw another squirrel go to the nest.  My first thoughts were, "What's that squirrel doing in a birds nest?  Is it going to hurt the baby birds?  Do squirrels eat baby birds?" I know, I should know better than that.  But they eat eggs don't they?

The squirrel on the ground climbed part way up the tree, stopped, stared at me and ran back down.  I looked up in the tree when the screeching began again.  There was a mouse on the very edge of the nest screaming and the other squirrel was climbing toward it.  But no, wait a second, that wasn't a mouse!  It was a tiny baby squirrel.   I could tell by the bushy little tail.   Well that really got my interest and of course I didn't have my camera with me!  It was an aaawwwwww moment.  The little one was a tiny baby, so cute.  It wasn't crying for it's mother attention, it was crying because it was afraid.   Oh yeah, I can translate in squirrel... panic and fear sound the same in almost any language.   Didn't you know that?  Well you do now! 

The poor little thing was trembling so badly, it was making it's risk of falling much worse.   But wait, oh no!  It was going to fall!    Now I was transfixed to the spot watching and hoping the baby wouldn't fall.   It was a long drop to the ground.   It probably would have died on impact.  I couldn't bear to see that. 

The adult made it to the little one and struggled to grab it and lift it back into the nest.  I cringed when the baby slid down the adult's back and hung by one tiny paw screaming.   It sure could scream for such a tiny animal.  The adult worked furiously to pull it up.   The baby waved it legs like it was running trying to get back on the adult, as it screamed and screamed.   It was painful to watch, but I wanted to help.   I went into rescue mode.   I held my breath for a moment and then took my jacket off in case I had to catch it with my jacket.   I was determined I would try to catch the baby if it fell.   I wasn't sure what I'd do with it if I had to, but I was ready! 

But that adult squirrel showed super strength and determination and grabbed for the baby.   The baby stopped screaming as soon as the adult go it in it's mouth and gripped it with one paw.  I could almost hear it sigh in relief.   The adult hugged the baby tightly to it's breast and after an effort, it finally got the little one back into the nest.   I don't know where the other squirrel went, but boy did it high tail it out of there.   A lot of help he was.  Just like some people!

 

Royal Weddings

Any royal watchers out there?  So what did you think of the wedding?  If you are thinking what wedding; you either live under a rock, don't see any media anywhere or just plain forgot.  I didn't get up at the crack of dawn to watch, as I did years ago to see the then Lady Diana marry Prince Charles.  I wanted to see Diana, not Prince Charles, but Diana, Princess Diana as she was known for a time.   I'm sure I would like Prince Charles, we both have a passion for gardening.  But Diana's mere presence overshadowed him.   She was captivating to both men and women.  She wasn't the kind of person who made you feel envious of her.   She was one of us, (although not a commoner) plucked out of no where and placed in a fish bowl existence.   One could see her growing unhappiness through the years. 

Diana had a special quality that made you want to see her, know her and be friends with her.   One of my friends got to meet her for a moment, when she visited a hospital here in the states.   I was always a bit envious of that moment.  My friend who is a nurse, said that she was gracious, poised and gorgeous.   She gripped her hand in a handshake and made her feel special when she said hello and looked directly into her eyes with her sparking blue eyes.  My friend was not a fan, until that moment.  That was part of the magic and charm of Diana. 

She sparkled on her wedding day amid her very obvious nervousness.  Later we would all come to know too much about her unhappy and tragic life and the wonderful bits in between.  Diana will always be a style icon and someone who made being royal seem interesting, but maybe not the greatest thing to be.   It's so sad she didn't live to see her children grow into men. 

I watched this wedding to see Prince William.  After all, I've sort of known him since he was born!   Ha, ha, ha.  Bur I didn't watch at the crack of dawn, but played back a bit later.  William and I share a birthday.  I forgot about that until today.  I didn't take the day off to see it, it just happens to be my day off.   In Prince William, you see glimpses of Diana and Prince Charles.  He looks like a mixture of both of them.   When they kissed on the balcony, a flash of Charles and Diana kissing came to mind.  Isn't it amazing, those famous images just stick in your mind, but you can't remember some of your own great moments?!

Kate is very pretty, and was a beautiful bride.  Her dress was lovey, and more like Grace Kelly's dress than Diana's dress.   Diana's dress was prefect for the fairy tale wedding it was supposed to be.  Kate's dress was prefect for a more mature young woman and these economic times.  It was elegant, classic and not a bit over the top.  Although that is what I expected for a royal wedding.   Good thing I didn't bet anyone what kind of dress she would be wearing.  I would have lost hands down. 

This couple has known each other for years.   They have what appears to be a real and very solid relationship.   In the fishbowl of royal life, William will help guide Kate, the new Duchess of Cambridge.   She will need his help and we wish her well and wish both of them much happiness and love. 

Pearls of Fun

Into every life a little rain must fall.  So always carry a compact umbrella!

Searching... No That's Not It...

I had one of those days the other day where everything that happened was a little annoying or unfinished.  I got half the information I asked for, no one knew what was going on and hurry up and oh yeah, wait.   It’s kind of funny though.  It was sort of like the right foot didn't know what the left foot was doing, and then they tripped over each other.

 

It was also the kind of day where if I could be misinformed, I defiantly was.  Misinformation I mean!  Don’t you just love that?  You have to stop and check to make sure that what you are seeing, is what’s really happening.  If that sounds confusing then you’re on the same page I was on!  Misinformation and trips ups everywhere and they were not even intentional. 

A couple of times I had computer page crashes at work and was sent to websites that had nothing really to do with what I was searching for in the first place.  I was looking for a particular drugstore.  That seems extremely easy, doesn't it?  One would think that.   

I typed the name of the chain of stores I was looking for in the search engine.   It brought up the name of the chain, just the name, but nothing to do with the drugs part.  I then tried the name followed by "pharmacy".  One would think that would be an easy find.  Well, it took me to some other companies with similar names, but no pharmacies.  Actually, they weren't even stores and there was nothing about medications.  Hmmmm, now what to do?  I mean I've been to one of the stores and purchased things there...  It's a well known chain of stores for Pete's sake!  How hard is it to find it in a search?  Oh contrare friends, not as easy as one would think.  It was one of those lesser known search engines.  I should have known better. I got out of that search and went to another search engine.  Wham, bam there it was.  I should have just done that in the first place.  But I was determined to make that other one work for me.  You know, stubbornness, I know how to to a search.  I do them all the time.  I pride myself on being good at it.  Pride goeth before a fall...

 

In the time it took me to find the correct listing through another search engine, I could have driven to the store and bought something.  All I was trying to do was get information for a computerless friend. Yes, believe it or not, in this day and age there are some people who still do not have a computer or a smart phone.  I have a smart phone, I just don't know how to use it!  Hey remember when I had to go to the library every day when I changed Internet providers?  Maybe life would be easier without a computer. 

Nah!  How the heck would I write this blog! 

 

 

A Soap By Any Other Price

I purchased some oatmeal soaps some time ago and ran out of them.  I couldn't remember where I got them.  So I did an Internet search.   It's really hard to find a nice, inexpensive hand milled soap.   Some of the soaps cost $8 a bar.   Wow, $8 for a bar of soap!  I had paid about $3 for the other soaps.  In my opinion, that is way too much for a bar of soap.  But you know what, after some reflection I think those soaps are worth it.

Every winter my skin gets itchy, especially when I take a shower.   I itch a bit during the day too.  Does that ever happen to you?   Itched and scratched so much, I have to stop myself or I may start to bleed!  Not buckets of blood or anything, but little spots of blood.

I picked up those $3 bars of soaps by chance.  They smelled really good.  I opened the package to let them air out to last longer.  I read that somewhere years ago, you are supposed to let the soap dry a bit so they last longer or something.  Don't ask me why.  I can't remember that part!   I have Sometimers remember...

Well anyway, I hope that works and the soap does last longer so I'm not just wasting my time, or the soap!   The scent of the soap was so deliciously good, I hated to actually use it!   But I didn't buy it to make the linen closet smell good.  And no, in case you were wondering, it does not taste like oatmeal!   I didn't eat it!  I did get some lather in my mouth when I washed my face.   It tastes like soap, just soap.  Darn it!

Well the bars lathered up, rich and creamy and felt  really good on my skin.  After about a week of using one of the bars, I noticed I wasn't itching in the shower anymore.   Hmmm, no more itching.   Then I realized I wasn't itching at all.  Voila!  I think I found the answer to my itchy problem.   I even used them to wash my face.  Then I ran out.   So I went back to my usual soaps.  The itching started again after a couple of days.   Oh great, now I had to find that oatmeal soap again. 

I figured it would be a cinch to find more.  Huh!  I was so wrong.  I searched the Internet and I couldn't even find someone that sold the same brand!   I searched for a couple of hours trying every version of the name I could.   I searched under the description of the bars.  I figured I could find it using Google or Bing.   Google usually finds everything.   But nope, nothing, nil, nada.   Maybe this was some local soap maker.   I did get it at a shop that sold a lot of stuff to tourists.   I was on a trip when I got it.   Oh well, I was tired of wasting time and comparing hand made soap maker's prices.   So, I ended up buying a more expensive brand than I intended, but what the heck?   I think they are worth it and so am I!  They may cost a lot more than the other soaps, but at double the size of the bar, its almost the same, almost.   The best thing, no more itching! 

Quote of the Week

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.   Antoine De Saint -Exupery

Easter Greetings!

Weather, Moods and Meditation

Guess what, it rained again today.   Oh really, it rained... color me NOT surprised!   Well, this is becoming an all too common occurrence.  Yesterday the sun made an appearance.  What you say, the sun after weeks of mostly gloom, FINALLY came out for an entire day?    Well, hallelujah!  It didn’t hide behind the clouds or go running, screaming from approaching ominous storm clouds.  What a difference a sunny day makes in people’s moods.  Did you ever notice that?  Everyone at work was walking around smiling and laughing more too.   My mood was upbeat all day.  Only people's unwarranted negative comments could bring me down, but not for long.   I don’t think most people notice or even realize just how much ours moods are affected by things like sunny days, storms and other people's attitudes toward us.   

Luckily, I am usually an up beat person.  I love to laugh.   I am learning how not to let people bring me down.  It's a lot of work, but I am slowly improving my reactions.  I have a lifetime of behavior to change.  My mood doesn't stay down long though!  I meditate on my reactions, and I try to learn more about why I respond the ways I do.  Then I consciously attempt to correct it in my life.   Life is a learning process.   Meditation helps to bring things into awareness without judging them.  Then you can observe it and strive to not feel those feeling again.   It takes time and practice, but you will begin to see a difference.

Some people love rain storms and thunder, others are afraid of them.  I like rains storms, but not if it rains too hard, like it has been lately.  I don’t like thunderstorms very much.  I like a rainstorm or rain shower now and then.  I have sat meditating during some intense rain storms though.  They seem to enhance my mediation, rather than distract me.  The sound of the rain beating down on the roof in a steady thumpda, thumpda, thumpda is very regular, rhythmic and soothing.  It helps to induce a meditative state.  It’s a repetitious sound that creates a pattern.  A meditative mind will use that pattern to help induce the meditative state.

 

I find that storms enhance my meditative state, more than anything else.   I seem to meditate much longer during a rainstorm.   If I didn’t use a timer, I would sit be sitting there in meditation for who knows how long!   Probably until my legs got stuck in a crossed leg position or went to sleep.  Then someone would have to pick me up by my arms and carry me or drag me out of it!   But it would take a really long time for that to happen, because I sit on cushions that are pretty comfortable.  When I sit for a really long time, my legs get a little stiff when I first get up.  I might walk like I’m a hundred years old, but I can get up and walk!

What better time to write about this, than in the time of renewal and rebirth. 

I Spoke Too Soon

Is it just me or is the weather staying colder later into the spring than usual each consecutive year?  It snowed in part of the area yesterday.   Thankfully it didn’t snow where I live.  I might have had a meltdown.   Ha, ha, ha.  

When I got to work, there was snow on all of the cars.  It was melting, but it was snow.   You know that wet, cold, slushy stuff.  I wasn’t surprised, surprisingly!  This has been one really long, gloomy, cold spring.  The only things that seem to like this weather are the grass and the bulbs that seem to be everywhere now.  Only the flowers on the bulbs don't seem to like it all that much.  They are tightly closed as if protecting themselves from getting wet and  as if they put a jacket on.   A few of then looked like they were hugging themselves to stay warm.

You know, sometimes I feel like I’m only living for the days that it will be really nice out.   Why does it seem that when it’s cold and snowy, that you’re life is in a standby pattern?   Good evening Passengers we are standing by at gate 12 waiting for the entrance of spring.  It’s a jam packed flight and it’s going to be 70 degrees and sunny; eventually; someday.   It's feels kind of like that. 

You can’t really do all of the things that you would like to do, because it’s too darn cold to be outside for long, but you really don’t want to stay in.  It’s a conundrum alright; in, out, hot, cold, rain, snow; pick one.  Then it will change again in a few hours.  

Quote of the Week

    

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.   Buddha 

My Quotes and Some Spring Too!

A field full of daffodils bring their own brand of sunshine on a gloomy and rainy day! 

Food For Thought; Food Matters

A bit on the serious side today; I watched the documentary "Food Matters" this week.  I think everyone should watch it, as it gives one much food for thought.  Pun intended.   It brings up the very valid issue of the use of vitamins and how little nutrients we get from most of our food.   Not to mention it's a good learning tool. 

The reality of how poor our diet is in the United States, is driven home in this interesting film.   The people in the film discuss that doctors are not taught nutrition in this country.   No wonder so many doctors don't talk about vitamins, or ask their patients if they are taking vitamins.  It seems rather simple to me that medical schools should include at least one course in how food affects our bodies.   They point out that cancer and other illnesses are not prevalent in other countries that consume healthier, plant based foods.  There is much discussion that our own bodies can fight off most diseases if we follow healthier, plant based eating habits. 

I changed my lifestyle when I started to open my eyes to how poor my own diet was.  But apparently, according to some of my friends, I am not your average person.  Not in a good way, but in an odd way; thanks guys.  Okay, I realize I tend to overly research lots of things and fortunately or unfortunately depending on your opinion, that is just part of the makeup of my personality.   I can be a bit nerdy in my pursuit of information and interests, but this is an important subject.   So I thought that I should pay attention and watch it.  I write and talk about healthy living all of the time.  We all know now that the more junk and processed foods we eat, the worse our health becomes.  The film points out that food is the major cause of illnesses like cancer.

I don't recall at what point I realized that, but it may have been when I started to go through menopause and was worried about my health.   I started reading up on heart disease, cancer, you name it.   What hit home for me and the reason I decided to write about this documentary today, was one point that was made about how are bodies are capable of fighting off illnesses like cancer, unless we eat poorly.   We in fact don't have to become sick with these illness, if we change our eating habits.  I get that and  have read or heard it many times.  They also said that we should eat a 51% raw diet. 

Spring and Allergens; Allergens and Spring

Well now that Spring has finally returned to us, thank goodness, what am I going to have to look forward to?  Only the grass getting greener, more flowers flowering and apparently the worst allergy season yet.  Actually every year for the last oh, five or six years "they" have been saying that it's the worst allergy season ever.   At this rate, I should sneeze my head clean off by June!

If it's worse every year, at what point does it become normal?  Hmmm, food for thought.   Spring and allergens come in together holding hands.  So of course, I've had my usual stuffiness, sinus swelling, burning eyes, runny nose and a bit of sneezing.   None of it's been very bad this year and it seems much better than a couple of years ago.  Now I hope I haven't jinxed myself!  But if this is supposed to be my worst year yet, then I'm doing fantastic!  

Quote of the Week

A state of harmony with nature, with all beings of creation, itself leads to our harmony with humans.  If we lose our relationship with nature, we lose inevitably our relationship with humans.

Krishnamurti

My Quotes

Find pleasure in the simplest things.  Life is made of simple things.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

Spring Bursts Through

through What do you like most about this time of year?   Me, well you already know that I like warmer, sunnier days.  But my favorite thing about Spring is seeing the progress of the plants and bulbs in my own and other people's gardens.   There's been a growth boom in the last week or so.   The Forsythias suddenly came into bloom,  albeit late because of the weird weather, yet again this year.   That little touch of yellow just warms my heart.  I have about two hundred tulip bulbs coming up all around the house.   It looks as if a musical conductor said, "When I raise my arms with my baton, up you will come."   And they did!

I sure hope that these late Springs don't continue.  It's a little depressing don't you think?  I can't remember exactly when it was warm in March and stayed that way for more than a week.   Here it is April already and it's finally is going to stay warm.  I think the last time it stayed warm in March, was when I was a kid.

I'm serious!  In the ten plus years we've lived here, it's been colder or very rainy in March.  I remember many a March that was so warm, we had to open the windows.   Guess that means a lot of forests have been cut down, huh?   The deforestation in other parts of the world is supposed to affect us too.   Something about them being a weather buffer.   The Polar ice caps are melting too.  Wait, now I know where all the rain comes from.  Mother Nature