April 1996-March 9, 2012

Today, we had our cat, Morris, put to sleep. He was a great ol' cat! Morris entered our lives when my kids were all little--they don't remember life without him...Morris was a wonderful companion and relished his freedom as an outdoor cat. He exemplified a real zest for living and I learned a lot from sharing life with him. Pets are such a blessing! Morris will be missed, but the last couple of weeks he had issues, and I know he wasn't feeling good...so I am hap...
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I attended a workshop with my dear friend and neighbor yesterday...it was being given by one Andy Dooley, and the focus was elevating your vibration. While the name may sound hokey to some (though perhaps not to you, if you're a regular visitor to this web-site :)), I am slowly beginning to get a feel for this "vibration" aspect of living.  I still have some wonderings about how completely we control our lives, but that we have a large amount of control, I have no doubt. One big message I too...
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Saw this tree while running errands the other day....odd little tree! Can't seem to decide if it wants to change or not :) Funny how things we see can get us thinking! I've been thinking a fair amount about resistance of late...and seeing this tree "resisting" fall sort of sent me a message on the futility of resistance, the ineffectiveness. I've always had a sense that life was naturally good when we went with the flow, so to speak. Trying to oppose the flow is where trouble creeps in.  "Res...
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I'm noticing the first signs of fall...cooler nights, hints of color in the leaves, "flu shots available here" signs everywhere :) As I get older the changing seasons take on new meaning for me.  Season changes mark the passage of time for me now that I didn't notice when I was younger.  They prompt me to pause and reflect more than in times gone by. I think that's a good thing!  So my point to you today is to remember to pause at moments in your day...be still....open yourselves to God or Li...
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Here's Dr. Rufus A. Sheepdog (without his glasses, and with a hair cut)...what a face!  Seeing it, I truly couldn't help but smile...animals can be so cute!  I love things like that--things that bring a smile to your face. And those things abound: pictures (I see tons of cute ones online), critters, pets, babies, children....be sure to keep your eyes open for such opportunities...add a little fun to your day!


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I was grocery shopping the other day and was astounded by all the choices there were....and it got me thinking about the amazing diversity that exists in this world...in foods, in people, in nature....it's really quite awesome, imho :) The world is a big place and there are infinite (seemingly) wonders and things and places to enjoy--whatever suits you! I'm at  the beach right now and I'm enjoying the sights and smells and tastes of the ocean---I'll enjoy my time here, then head home to enjoy...
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There was a lot of talk about the expected (by a few) Rapture 2011.  Not so surprisingly to most of us, we're still here! I'm still standing! :) My kids were a little nervous, truth be told.  And who can blame them?! Predictions for the future rarely have a positive perspective.  I've been around long enough now to see many predictions of doom come and go...and my kids are starting to see that too...so we're living and learning!

There's generally some good that can come from such situations, h...
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Saw this endearing sight this am :

I know it's not a great picture, but I didn't want to scare the little thing, and my camera only zooms so much--I'm pretty sure it's a bluebird.  We built this bluebird house quite a few years ago...the first year, bluebirds checked it out, but did not stay...that year, a chickadee built a nest in it!  But for several years now, we've had bluebirds come and nest.  It's quite exciting to me when something works as advertised! :) Bluebirds are so pretty! I'll b...
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March brings spring fever...and March madness :) I follow the tournament...made my bracket and watch most games (not always live)...one thing I like about the whole thing is the possibility of a "Cinderella" story....this year a #8 team (Butler) has made the Final Four...down by 11 with nine minutes left, this determined team came back to win in OT! Nothing against the team they beat  (Florida), but watching the underdog come back from a significant deficit was inspiring! Here's to perseveran...
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Saw this the other day leaving a friend's house:
 


It was a very cool sight...we were walking up her driveway, and it was raining with the sun shining off in one direction. We had just said to each other that the conditions were perfect for a rainbow :) Sure enough, when we turned around, there it was. It was a complete arc--not just the piece I captured here. I hurried to try to catch it all with my phone camera, but it was only there for a minute, and I had did not have a clear shot. The colo...
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I do. I experienced a minor one just this morning :) Oh, I know it's a small matter, and there is probably a logical explanation for it, but the whole thing was still amazing to me! The incident involved one of our betta fish--a beautiful, deep blue little fellow. His tank was kept atop another betta tank (the tanks are made to be stacked) on one of the bathroom counters. Our indoor cat, Charlie, largely hangs out in the adjoining bedroom but had previously shown little interest in the fish. ...
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Okay, so the Ides of March is actually not until March 15th, but I thought it sounded nice and foreboding...which fits this:
 
 

Yikes!  Close call!  We had some strong winds for only about 10-15 minutes, and this was the result!  Still, while there was some damage, it could've been much worse, and no one (and no pets) was injured :) It's one of those moments that reminds you of how things can change in the blink of an eye, and to be grateful for all the good in Life. I'm sorry the pine tree bit...
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Outside this morning (with Rufus--what else? :)) I saw that my bulbs are coming up.  I planted daffodil and tulip bulbs a couple of years back and magically, it seems to me, each late winter/early spring they "know" it's time to make an appearance! My mums are also getting new growth, preparing ahead for their party in the fall...we live in an intelligent universe! I think so, anyway...beyond the wonders of the natural world like my plants, I am often amazed at how well things flow in my comm...
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I got a link in a newsletter today to a youtube video featuring this 75 year-old (at the time) British woman dancing a mean salsa...it was very impressive! While there, I clicked on many of the video "suggestions" they had and enjoyed some amazing dance scenes--John Travolta, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and, of course, Gene Kelly singing in the rain :) The skill and talent they displayed were fun to watch--people can do some amazing things!! As further evidence of the variety of talent out t...
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As in the U2 song title, it's a beautiful day in my part of the country! I was just outside with our sheepdog and enjoyed watching him run around--he gets such a bounce in his step when he knows he's going to get to run wild :) Pets can be such blessings in your life! For me, Rufus (the sheepdog) never fails to bring a smile to my face with his actions and demeanor (okay, occasionally when he's digging around or doing something he shouldn't, I'm not smiling--but that's not too often :)). The ...
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