Photo a day February

Photo challenge has been laid down by my hubs. A photo a day. Phew. I'm up for it. Here's the list:

Here's the first installment. This is my first picture, day one = the view, from my desk....

Sage advice

 Unkindness hurts, and it does not often fade away without leaving some hurt behind. Kindness is so important, and boundaries can be kept while being kind. You see, boundaries are SO important - critical, even. We must never allow others to identify and then abuse us where we are weak. We must not continually walk back into battles that will never never go away with some people, but we must kindly walk away from those battles. We must not let others determine our worth, ever. We must not allow our hearts to be abused, manipulated or exploited.

We can be kind to everyone and wish everyone the best, but this does not mean that we need to allow everyone to the closest parts of our souls. We must guard the gates to our hearts and recognize that it is a true honor for anyone to ever come close to the deepest parts of us, and this honor should be reserved for a select few who only want the best for us and who love us exactly as we are.

If you are being hurt, abused, manipulated, bullied or diminished by someone else, please put a stop to it, dear friend. Be kind, wish everyone the best, do what you can to help, but never ever ever allow someone to chip away at parts of you. You are way too important.

You have a right to stand up for yourself. You have a right to walk away. You have a right to go where the peace is.

You are so very loved.SOURCE: www.bravegirlsclub.com

Inspiration Time

I have some gems for you my friends:


and...this lovely letter from Brave Girls Club that I sent on to Tadpole today.  He needed some bolstering and just at the right time, when I was trying to think of the right thing to say the Universe delivered this email to me...which was perfect for him.  Its also perfect for us all, to remember, and commit to memory the sage advice it gives. 

Dear Patient Girl (or Boy),

If we can close our eyes and slow our breathing and think really really hard for just a moment, we can look back and find moments when we met exactly the right person when it seemed that all hope was lost, or found exactly the right article to tell us what we needed to know, or heard exactly the right song with exactly the right words that we were absolutely sure was written just for us.

If we are honest down to our very souls, we have to see it, we have to realize it, that no matter how dismal things may seem, no matter how alone we might feel in this moment. That all along, from the very time we were born, all along things happened that got us through. It wasn't always easy and sometimes we were clumsy, sometimes we did it through eyes so filled with tears that we could barely see.

But we always made it, didn't we? When we were at the very end of our rope something, someone, somewhere showed up and got us to the next place. That will never stop. We will always have exactly what we need. We may think we need more and sometimes it doesn't show up until the very last minute, but it has always showed up and it always will.

Close your eyes and trust.

It is going to be ok.

You are so loved.

Nothing but blue skies, do I seeeee

Yup. I'm a touch sad at my snow making a hasty retreat. But look at the day that the lord hath made:

It is so sunny, who can be anything but joyous on a day like this? Just to amp up the joy factor I had honey nut Cheerios for breakfast. Love love love those!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Ca! That’s the traditional Chinese New Year greeting that means “wishing you prosperity” in Mandarin. The first day of the Chinese New Year – which begins at midnight on January 23, 2012 – is the most important of Chinese holidays, celebrated by billions in China, and by millions of ethnic Chinese around the world. It’s a celebration that lasts for 15 days, culminating with the Lantern Festival. Each year is associated with one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. For 2012, it’s the Year of the Dragon.
Source: Earthsource.org

The Prez

I dont know whether you know this...but I LOVE myself some Prez Barack Obama.  I find him to be a delight.  Thank you to Carrie (who understands and concurs with my amore for this gentleman) for sending me this link.  As if I need another reason to love him, well here it is.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6uHR90Sq6k

Powder

Powdery, beautiful, crystalline snow. I adore it, and praise the weather Gods for bringing it in abundance for the whole week to my door step.

The only thing for it was play time and giant cups of tea with hidden friends... Hello Mr Fox! The pups spent a grand total of 20 seconds in it. They really don't love being cold, being wet and in general exercise of any kind.

Earlier this week, before the super heavy snow came, there were some incredible skies...dark looming ones under lit with the most spectacular light and saturated colors. I wish I were a better painter because imagine that cloud picture in an oil painting. Woah Nellie!!

My boys were happy the whole time - El in particular was beside himself with unbridled joy when school cancelled day after day. I thought I would burst with pride when he and his bud Mike went door to door shoveling snow for dollars from people's door steps. They made a tidy profit too. How industrious they were!!!.....and I think the neighbors preferred their sales pitch as opposed to the creepy dude that came a-knocking;

Mr Big: Hi, can I help you?
Creeper: Are you and your family carnivores?
Mr Big: ummm. No.

Sir, perhaps your sales pitch for selling dodgy meat from a traveling van should be polished mkay?

The neighbors house looks to be on a lean in this pic, it's not - it's just me taking the photo while jumping for joy at more snowy goodness. In the immortal words of Miss Kymberlee C "hot diggity!".

Yip - everything was beauteous - fire hydrants, my dead dearly departed plants - heck, even a love note scribed with my snow boot was a stunner. Oh snow. I love you!

I say friends, but the only thing I know about these charming individuals is the gentleman is called Dad. Lil lady and I were marveling at the frozen waterfall together. She was so sweet and offered to take a photo of me and Mr Big so I offered to take a magical photo and email it to her. See how the snow brings perfect strangers together. Love it. Om shanti new friends!

Today there is still snow in the hood (yay) but sadly it's diminishing. There's rain and temps above freezing (boooo). But we have our memories of living in a virtual snowglobe that will last a lifetime.

Comfort food

Every now and then, and sometimes more often we need comfort food. Grandma Jo introduced me to a simple yet delicious recipe that falls into this category recently and I think you should go make it ASAP. We polished off the entire batch in less than 24 hours.

1 small cottage cheese
1 small cool whip
1 pack Jello pistachio pudding mix
1 large can crushed pineapple
Mix all and chill

I know what you are thinking - blah! COTTAGE CHEESE... Think again, it's sensational.

The holiday season season

I was looking through my online instagram community today and happened across an image that brought a tear to my eye.

This might seem hard to wrap your head around but the Christmas/New Year period in my homeland isn't snowy. It isn't even chilly. It's hot throughout most of the country because it's summer. We spend the holiday time camping, sand between our toes, swims in the ocean ... And ice cream.

Preferably soft serve vanilla in a cone with a magical chocolate bar called a flake (A flake is milk chocolate in flaky layers molded into a thick bar) jammed in the top . It's Devine. Preferably you want to eat said cool treat on a beach, maybe wading in the water.

I was raised on the north shore of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. But one of the great things about living there is you don't feel like you're in a big city - especially because there is all manor of parks and beautiful beaches to enjoy - so lots of soft serve opportunities.

Friends, I present to you, a picture perfect summer/holiday in the homeland.

Photo credit to Ben McMahon, Takapuna beach, Auckland, New Zealand

12 Commandments

I've always enjoy the heck out of Louise Hay. I don't know if you are familiar with her work, she wrote a pretty famous book called " You can heal your life " which has a lot of wisdom in it. At the core of her teachings is the foundation that to heal your life you have to start by loving yourself. Course, that's easier said than done right friend? Well good news, here are Louise's " 12 commandments " to get you started on a path of loving yourself and healing your life:

Stop All Criticism.

Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.
Forgive Yourself.

Let the past go. You did the best you could at the time with the understanding, awareness, and knowledge that you had. Now you are growing and changing, and you will live life differently.
Don’t Scare Yourself.

Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It's a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure, and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.
Be Gentle and Kind and Patient.

Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.
Be Kind to Your Mind.

Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.
Praise Yourself.

Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.
Support Yourself.

Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.
Be Loving to Your Negatives.

Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So lovingly release the old negative patterns.
Take Care of Your Body.

Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need in order to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise do you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.
Do Mirror Work.

Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself while looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents while looking into the mirror. Forgive them, too. At least once a day, say, "I love you, I really love you!"
Love Yourself . . . Do It Now.

Don't wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or find the new relationship. Begin now—and do the best you can.
Have Fun.

Remember the things that gave you joy as a child. Incorporate them into your life now. Find a way to have fun with everything you do. Let yourself express the joy of living. Smile. Laugh.

An unexpected Christmas

Quite unexpectedly I spent Christmas alone. The best part of my day was a conversation with my brother, my nephew and my sister in law Verna. I loved having little Riley show me his box of cars, his little train set and blow me kisses. I'm so grateful for the simple pleasure of a conversation and for the technology that allows us to share across the miles.

Two Girl Holiday party

Today, though Christmas Eve Eve, was a relatively busy day at the office. What better to do than take a long lunch and enjoy the king of lunchtime treats, breakfast. Unfortunately and fortunately all at once our office is located literally right next to the mall. And it's Christmas. Two shopping days before Christmas. So course we chose to go in the opposite direction and head to Denny's.

There's something wonderfully comforting about breakfast from Denny's. I think it lays in their innate ability to be consistent throughout all their locations. I don't know, but me likie. But this time, it was so much better than I anticipated. First upon entry...HOMEMADE snowflakes hung all over the ceiling and.. EVERY. SINGLE. EMPLOYEE. wearing reindeer antlers. Yes. It's real. It's happening. It's at Lynnwood Denny's.

Also, just to amp up the legendary awesomeness we were seated in the VIP section. Declining the temptation of ordering one of everything I settled on the meat lovers scramble and 15 cups of coffee.

But let me back up. Another one of the delights was the special menu which we resisted, but look at how pretty

Denny's management : really really REALLY overdue for new art kay?

I wish every day could be so splendid. Haaaaa thank you.

Don't be shy

I had the opportunity to be reunited with an old friend today. Cat Stephens. Remember Cat? For me he was with me at a blossoming time in my life. A time of relative care freeness. So every time I hear him he fills me, like oxygen, with a sense of calm, of contentment. One of my all time favorites is "don't be shy". The words, ahhhh, the words. Just perfection:

Don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by

You know love is better than a song
Love is where all of us belong

And now for your listening pleasure...

Jack Frost, I heart you

I will let the pictures do the talking

Hair Salon at Castle Allen

Lil 'in Miss Dorothy dutifully offered hair services a few moments ago, sadly I dont have wonderful hair, but she was a trooper and braided me up...

Good night day

Literally it took me all my strength, dear reader, to stay at my beloved place of employment today. Not that I'm not grateful to be gainfully employed, not that I don't adore my co- workers but come on.... It was a day begging for me to escape to nature. Clear skies and that golden light that blesses our eyes in the fall - and that smell of fall. Sigh. It wasn't to be.

I just daydreamed about it.

All. Day. Long.

A slow 10 hour self induced torture......Dreaming of sitting under a huge oak tree, with an awesome read in hand to entertain me till a fridgid breeze, light and gentle, would start. I would lay back on my blankie and watch as the breeze slowly plucked autumn leaves from twigs and branches in the giant tree above me and made their slow decent to me. Sigh.

I did get a little nature when I made a lightning fast stop at Barnes and Noble. Thank you. I'm grateful for your blue sky and golden leaves mother nature. You gladden my heart.

It's fogalicious

I like waking up to a foggy morning. Yes it's cold, but it's like the day becomes a wrapped gift - with the fog retreating the real day is revealed. I'm anticipating a glorious northwest day after this....

Strange happenings at Castle Allen

Yes we live in a 100 year old home, you'd expect perhaps a bump in the night, creaking floors, ya know - paranormal activity. Well to date we have had nothing like that happen.. Righhhht up until the night before last.

I hopped into bed and immediately felt something cold on my thigh. YIKKES!! With adrenaline surging I pulled back the covers and turned on the light... a quarter was staring back at me. Innocent enough huh? Well I remember reading some years ago that loved ones that have passed over will sometime leave coins around to either get your attention or let you know they are thinking of you ... Hence the phrase "pennies from heaven". I smiled recalling this as I picked up the coin and put it on the night stand.

Next morning I woke, headed downstairs to have a shower and see this

My father taught me everything I know about exterior illumination

This is my favorite sparkly seasonal home. Dude is not playing here. Dude has every possible color combo and ever inch of this casa has a light. I love it. It PEGS my happy meter.

Know what else does? When you buy candy on the way to marvel at said abode and get to discover something just a little bit special...

Yes, dear reader, YES ! JUICY OOZERS are at a store near you if you are lucky. These cherry "sharks" with oozey cherry center are an oral delight of epic proportions and are the perfect treat as you travel to view Christmas luminaries. Trust me - have I ever put you wrong?

Deliciousness

Once a year the landlord at our building puts on an afternoon tea that is so delicious

There's all manner of delights there but the best thing every year is the hot cocoa bar

Hot cocoa, chunks of peppermint bark, chocolate sprinkles, marshmallows and whipped cream. Ahhh a weight watchers dream. Everyone loves the whipped cream - including my neighbor who's identity has been protected

The best song to have playing while enjoying said treats?

I hope your holiday season is progressing nicely!