vivid pattern

colors..... patterns..... textures..... vibrant..... vivid..... bright.....

hand woven fabric that lights up a room. a piece of textile so rich in its look, it's yummy.

nubbiness that creates a wonderfully raised effect.

shades of color blending so extraordinarily well together.

how glorious.

happy day.....

creativity

what does it take to be creative? imagination? innovation? awesome thinking? an artistic brain?

are you creative? do you think you take things to the next level when it comes to being able to remain outside the box? would you classify yourself as an idea person? cutting-edge? do you have the ability to come up with new visions and set them in motion?

can we take something ordinary and create out of it something extraordinary? do we have such an ability to come up with something from nothing? or what some of us would think is nothing?

i have had fun finding little snippets lately of individuals who fall into this category. creative individuals. those who have the ability to find something in the ordinary that i give only a passing glance to. but then i see and hear what they have done, and wonder at it. and am in awe... be in awe with me.

Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

happy day.....

glasses

i now believe that glasses are a wonderful thing.

but i remember a time when i thought not. when i was a little girl, i never wanted to wear glasses. you were called names like four eyes and made fun of all the time. i thought it was a sign of geekiness and i had plenty of other things going on without having to put up with glasses.

blessedly, through my childhood and most of my adult life i had perfect vision. colors were crisp. i was able to see things near. i could see things far away without straining. depth perception was great. no blurring. no squinting. no problems. life with my sight was good....i was a happy camper.

then slowly, over time i began to notice that all the crispness was wearing away. colors were getting dull. street signs weren't as clear anymore. i was getting headaches. uh-oh....could there be trouble?

friends had always said, "wait until you hit the age of 40." like there was something magic with that number. there was a curse associated with the age factor. i didn't believe it. just couldn't. but i was approaching that age. i must do something before the dreaded day hit to prove there was no truth to the matter.

i walked away from the clinic a new woman. with a spiffy pair of glasses i swore i'd never need but a new lease on life. clarity i didn't realize i'd been missing. colors bright and blazing again. sharp, crisp, focused. i was doing the dance of joy and not looking back. the only thing i was interested in was how fashionable my lenses were.

and now.....many years later, i am grateful for the technology that continues to allow me to see better every day when i put my glasses on to drive or watch a movie. if that makes me geeky, i say...

happy day.....

daydreams

do you remember daydreaming? i do. in fact, i still daydream. when i was a kid, i'd sometimes find an escape in daydreams.

i'd find my mind wandering.... i'd be thinking about one thing and then another and suddenly i'd be caught up in some fantasy land of a wonder dream. it would happen at school... on a walk... at home... with friends... while reading a book. anytime i could get caught up...

not that it was a bad thing. i liked to think it was a sign of creativity. artistry. beauty. originality. intelligence. an ability to be innovative. it meant my future would be filled with big and wonderful opportunities.

as i've grown into an adult, my mind still drifts into daydream lands.....

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.

happy day.....

earth day

go green. it's simple really. do little things every day. baby steps. it doesn't have to be big. one thing at a time....over time....can make a huge difference....to save our planet.

change light bulbs. recycle. use paper. turn off the lights. everyone can do it. big people. little people. even dogs can do it. i found this video about a pug going green....it's cute and fun, but shows just how easy it can be.

happy day.....

skateboarding fun

sometimes you see something and although it may not be anything you ever done before, you get an inkling to perhaps give it a try. it looks interesting. looks fun. kind of exciting. maybe risky. you wonder what it would be like. should you go for it? it's so out of your comfort zone. so different. what would people think?

i thought all those things when i saw this little video. skateboarding has become an "in" thing of late. it's even made it into the olympics. have you done it? it does make your pulse go up just a little when you see the kind of tricks that are done but there is also a certain kind of freedom attached when someone steps onto that piece of "board." take a look...

Skateboardanimation from Tilles Singer on Vimeo.

happy day.....

be kind

have you wondered how you're living your life? are you proud of it? is it something to be worthy of? do you live by a certain motto? or a code? do you think, "will anyone remember me?" i like to believe i am special and of course i will be remembered.

but it is not always for the big things we do. it is the little things.... the out of the way things.... the unexpected things.... the things that would otherwise go unnoticed. the kind things. this little video wraps it up quite nicely.

happy day.....

making a difference

do you ever wonder if you can make a difference? a difference in the world? in someones life? for a moment? for forever? well you can! these individuals did. by their actions. in a seemingly small way that turned into something very big.

watch this video. you will be amazed. hopefully inspired. moved into action to make a difference in your small part of the world in some way.

and even if you're not, still watch in wonder as these guys managed to make a huge impact in so short a time. it gave me goosebumps....i was cheering for them before it ended!

Astoria Scum River Bridge from Jason Eppink on Vimeo.

happy day.....

infomercials

ummmmm.....no these are not my abs.....i wish! aren't they somethin'? they could be mine if i'd be willing to invest some time.

you see, since i had surgery several weeks ago, sleep has become a precious commodity lately and i find myself doing some night time surfing on the television.

mostly what i have found is infomercials when it is really late. and not just any infomercial. infomercials for abs. on almost every other channel. there is every conceivable kind of ab exercise you can imagine. ones done on your back, on your knees, twisting, pulling, using force, using no force, using bands, using no effort, sweating, no sweat, belts wrapped around your waist. you name it, it's been developed or a different variation of the same kinds. it's remarkable.

you can get these programs and machines for every cost imaginable, too. high costs, low costs. and if you buy now, you'll get special bonuses. there are counters on the screen so you don't miss out on the minutes remaining to call in. web sites are given if you want to log in instead to take advantage of the special offers within the allotted time.

i have watched in fascination, wondering how many people actually get sucked in and purchase these gizmo's believing they will work. looking at the incredible before and after photos like the one above and wanting that to be them so badly they'll spend anything for it to be so.

there was even one program, a boot camp program that had people working their abs in pools of sweat....yuk! i think it was called insanity. doesn't that say it all? insanity!

happy day.....

strawberry fever

A Very Little Warrior - 720p version from gombabacsi on Vimeo.

watching this just makes you crave spring time; warm weather, fresh fruit, vegetables, eating, picnics, wandering through forests and playing like little kids all over again.... thank goodness it's here. enjoy!

happy day.....

ice cream confessions

doesn't everybody love ice cream? is it typically considered a desert? or a treat? a food product that should be eaten at the end of a meal... traditionally? does it matter?

i would argue not! why? well....because, i must confess.... i sometimes have it for breakfast. yes, you heard that correctly. breakfast. the first meal of the day. is that right? wrong? who's to say? what do you think? do you do it, too? is it nutritious? again, who's to say? it does contain dairy. yay! so i eat it for breakfast, as a lunch replacement if i want. whatever. i eat it with abandon....without restriction....with freedom....while doing the dance of joy!

life is too short, is my motto when it comes to ice cream and lately there are a lot of variety's to try. the handy thing these days is that you can buy smaller containers allowing for the opportunity to taste test without investing in a big batch. ahhhhh.....total fun.

in the case of the ice cream i have pictured above - which by the way, has become one of my faves thanks to my mom - it also has daily amounts of nuts, antioxidants and just a touch of sweetness. oh okay, who am i kidding....more than a touch of sweetness. but it is the full fat, real cream stuff. the kind where i can only eat a small amount at a time and be totally satisfied. it's a wow....yum, moment!

for those days when i feel like i want to have something that's a little more figure friendly but still totally yummy, i have discovered the skinny cow. so good are these truffle bars it's difficult to eat just one.

i don't really have to trick my brain into thinking these are not full fat because they taste so great. i like that about them and that's what will always be nice about having them on hand in the freezer....

whether for desert, a treat or for those breakfast moments.

happy day.....

for the love of books

i love books...love to read. i grew up on books. nancy drew. the hardy boys. the bobbsey twins. agatha christie. charles dickens. sometimes you could find me with a book in hand hiding out when i should've been doing chores.

my love of reading and books has not diminished over the years. i can spend hours being consumed by the written word; getting lost in the world that is brought to life before me.

i don't quite know how many books i currently own. 10. 20. 50. a lot! so many i think i have enough but then i hear about another one that sounds interesting & believe it should be read as well, so i add it to the collection. i cannot be cheated....to consider i might be missing out on some creative genius or wisdom or knowledge or nugget that could be mine.... it's inconceivable.

they are all mainly consolidated in one room of the house....stacked in piles now because the bookcases are all full. i get to them one after the other and then box them up to donate them so someone else can have an opportunity to experience their enjoyment; obtain the richness of the word, the bounty they have to offer.

happy day.....

sound of music...

if you enjoyed the sound of music, you will love this clip. it's genius; toe tapping, fun and captivating. the response of the surrounding people is priceless. i wish i'd been there, but instead i find myself watching it over and over.

happy day.....

on the 3rd day...

he was crucified. died.... and was buried. he paid the ultimate price for our sins, thus purchasing for all who believe in him eternal life in christ jesus. glory be!

on the 3rd day.... he rose again and lived. true love for us... from him... forever...

happy day.....

naps

how do you feel about naps? do you take them? do you think it's okay for others to take them? or are they only designated for those under the age of 5?

or are naps for animals other than humans.....you know, our beloved furry friends? like my lovely gracie... shown here enjoying a grand afternoon nap just the other day.

i am a firm believer in naps. i think they are utterly important for all of us no matter our age or status; big, little, old, young, rich, poor. naps help us in getting refreshed, give us a boost mid-day, a pick-me-up if we feel like we're dragging. they can assist in healing our bodies if we've been sick, provide 10 minutes of instant energy before that test, or prepare us for a long night ahead.

i remember my nap mat in kindergarten. i remember my kindergarten teacher, too. is it because those naps recharged my brain cells leaving me with fond memories i might not otherwise have all these years later? hmmmmmm......

happy day.....

desert chief

have you ever been to the desert? it is dry, barren, dusty, hot. but also beautiful with plants not normally seen in urban areas. filled with colors not ordinarily observed.

little creatures skittering hither and yon.... i can be fascinated by these little critters whereas if i saw them in my house, probably not so much. but in their own environment, very cool and awesome.

then suddenly before you rising out of the earth....stone formations. big, powerful, red, hovering, standing watch. like this one. i thought he looked like a chief. all knowing, guarding....

happy day.....

purple

purple is my favorite color. since making that discovery, i have found that there are a myriad of things in our world that can be found in the glorious color. crayons.

a large bird with purple and gray/black feathers known as the purple heron....beautiful.

one of our country's military decorations, the purple heart, given for military merit - courage... bravery...in the line of enemy fire.

eye make-up. the ability to contour your eye to look its best...dramatic, sharp, wowza!

food. who knew that food these days could be purple, but here it is...cauliflower. is it natural? organic? i don't know. but i do know that i love it's bright, bold color and in a salad it would look awesome.

shoes. glorious shoes. who doesn't love shoes? purple shoes? gotta have 'em. they will add that special pop of color to an outfit you've been wanting, admit it. when you're feeling blah, put these on and the world is suddenly all right or at least a little bit better don'tcha think? i do.

if you are feeling the need to shop, check out this purple store on line i found. it has all things purple, i kid you not.

flowers. everything is better with flowers. flowers of any color for sure but purple? come on. you couldn't pass this one by now could you? pop it in a little bud vase & smile away.

and finally, what better way to zip around than in a classy purple vehicle. isn't this one a dream? probably out of my budget but a girl needs to dream...

happy day.....

mug-a-holic

we all have them. the favorites. or favorite. the one that is used over and over again. we are shameless about it. if it's in the sink, we wash it out to use it again instead of taking a clean one out of the cupboard. if it's in the dishwasher, ditto. you know of what i speak. admit it. go ahead. you are not alone. i cannot be the only one. am i? sigh....

okay....i will admit it. i am a mug-a-holic. i tend to use the same mug all the time. yes, all the time. however i invest in new mugs, too. i see them. i think they're lovely, or different, unique, unusual, plain, bigger than ordinary, whatever....and want to have 'em. not because i will necessarily use them right away or even maybe ever. but....just because. isn't that good enough? and so i purchase them and into the cabinet they go.

so it was with this one.
isn't she a beauty? i saw it; loved the peace sign and the colors. although you can't tell, the inside is a very pretty orange which only added to it's loveliness for me. and it holds more than just an average cup. imagine having this greet you each morning. bliss....don't you think?

i have owned it now for almost 4 months. i have used it only twice. i like to tell myself i'm just keeping it in pristine condition but i know better. it will sit in my cupboard where i will see it when i open the door. i will admire it then. pick it up....perhaps caress it for a moment and then gently put it back down and close the door. i realize some may say this could be a sort of sickness. really? i don't know.

but i do wonder why i tend to resort back to using the same one or two over and over like an old pair of slippers. how the day will come when it will crack, or i'll drop it and it will shatter to be used no more, leaving me to break in one of the new ones that are patiently waiting behind cupboard doors.

happy day.....

bkd signature

i hold one of the greatest privileges in the world! i am an aunt to 7 adorable little ones...2 nephews and 5 nieces. well...okay... in reality, they are not quite so "little" any more. being an aunt is wonderful even though i would not claim to have been the best aunt ever and still am not.

although it is hard to believe they have grown up so fast, many of them have attended college already and are establishing themselves in careers. others are still in school making choices about their futures; decisions that will impact them for many years to come.

one niece, brianne, began experimenting very early in her life. she found that she enjoyed doing crafts; designing and making things, playing with different mediums, putting myriad colors and textures together. it became a part of who brianne was and is today. and so...

brianne became an entrepreneur...selling her wares. how cool is that? and not just via word of mouth but really putting them out there....becoming a business woman. her things can be found on etsy and she calls her line "bkd signature." brianne has been featured in various publications as well both online and in print. wow! talk about a proud aunt.

i had to purchase some of brianne's things because i loved the colors and designs. here they are for you to see:



this last one? can you tell? uh-huh...it's a bottle cap! how extraordinary is that? i believe it's genius and so special. but you have to check out brianne's line for yourself. she has lots of other products in addition to jewelry. tell her i sent you and have fun shopping.

happy day.....

spring storms

this is the backyard during our latest spring storm....the second one this week.

although the picture doesn't really do it justice, it was a beautiful snow fall. quiet and peaceful. big, fluffy snowflakes. the wet kind that are perfect for making snowballs.

i love spring snows. clean, crisp, fresh, pretty...don't last long. and as with most of colorado's spring storms, this one began fast.

clouds moved in darkening the skies. a few flurries started to fall. then suddenly, the downpour of heavy flakes began their decent blanketing the ground.

since i was not able to get outside, i stood at the window experimenting with my camera and new fauxlaroid app. i thought it gave an old fashioned appearance to the scene making it look sort of 50's with the lighting.

happy day......

collecting blood

so i recently spent some time in the hospital. as visits to the hospital go, this one was pretty decent. the hospital was relatively new, i had a private room - always a plus - the nursing staff seemed to have a desire to serve.

if you have not had the opportunity to at least stay overnight in a hospital, let me tell you it is not a place to go if you want to get rest. it is not like a hotel where you can simply check in to your room for the night, put on your p.j.'s, settle into bed and get a good night of sleep. oh no.

constantly you are being checked. blood pressure. blood oxygen level. temperature. meds. water. wound. questions. and then it starts all over. and if one has done it, be assured that at least 2 more will do it with you as well. just to be sure.

but the one thing i noticed this time around was that the collection of my blood only happened at 4:00 a.m. every day. no earlier. no later. they were precise. like clockwork. why? was my blood fabulous at that time of the morning? did they do a better job collecting the blood of patients at that time of the day? was it the ability of creeping up on patients "in the middle of the night" aspect they enjoyed? the vampire effect? got me.

but every day i was there, a different person arrived in my room; did their job quietly and without complaint, turning off the light when they were done to leave my room and were gone.

happy day.....

modern technology

do you have any idea what this is?

go ahead....take a guess.

anybody?

here's a clue: it's inserted into your body...into a blood vessel.

did that help? no?

if not, i'll tell you. it's an ivc filter, aka inferior vena cava filter. a device that sort of looks like an umbrella without the nylon - kind of - that is meant to prevent blood clots from passing through your heart and/or lungs, also known as pulmonary emboli.

isn't that amazing? it doesn't really look at all like it would be able to do that yet it has a 95% accuracy rate. that's astounding.

i now have one of these nifty devices in me. it's sitting just below my belly button and should protect me from incidents of pulmonary emboli....for which i am extremely grateful.

i am also grateful for dr. lazar greenfield who pioneered the filter after one of his patients died from a pulmonary embolism.

dr. greenfield worked with an inventor, garman kimmell, who made valves and other devices for oil and gas wells, trapping sludge in pipelines. two brilliant minds together came up with an unlikely gadget for the human body that proved remarkably successful.

it has evolved over the years and there are many different options available now; ones that can be removed versus remaining permanently in your body. modern technology...modern miracles.

happy day.....

this too shall pass.....

sometimes things just need to speak for themselves. so be it. enjoy.....




happy day.....

time

time is a precious commodity. what we do with it. how we use it. how we keep track of it. or is it? does it matter?

but do you rule it or do you let it rule you? do you allow it to consume you? do you get angry at it? do you laugh it off?


when you are going somewhere, are you early or late? do you care? is it important? do you value time?

when those you are with value time, then regardless of what or how you think, do you respect what they feel about time?



it is interesting to observe the many different ways in which people handle time. there are those that seem to be forever in panic mode, never enough time in the day to get everything done. there are those who do everything for others and never take time for themselves, ending up unhealthy in so many ways. there are those who always have time on their hands to do anything, then never seem to get anything done but always complain about never having time to do anything at all.

are we always trying to find balance with time? i know that i am. in the meantime i try not to let it get the best of me. one day, that 5 or 10 minutes will be the utmost blessing....and i will be grateful.

happy day.....

history lesson

the older i have gotten, the more i have come to appreciate history. alas, not so much when i was sitting in school. this individual managed to capture all of it in a mere 3 minutes and 12 seconds of whimsy. i believe it took 2,100 pages of drawing to create. whew!

happy day.....

one bible verse

sometimes all it takes is for one scripture to leap off the page and speak directly to me. as though it were written just for me all those years ago for this very day in time.

and god knew exactly where i would be, what i would be doing, my special circumstances and what my situation would be; and would then fling those words straight at me..... right to the very core of my being.

i needed to hear these words today:

"it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace." hebrews 13:9b esv

happy day.....

bubble wrap

the sweet sound of bubble wrap. have you played with it? admit it. go ahead. it's okay. at some point we all have. the melody of the pop, pop, pop. somehow it brings out the kid in me. i pop 'em slow. i pop 'em fast. but i can never bring myself to pop every single one of them.

i try to entertain the kitties but always end up scaring them....and then giggle even though it's not really funny. but... it really is if you know what i mean.

i'm fascinated by the honeycomb design. the way that some rolls are very big but then some are teeny tiny.

then i came across this neat website for virtually popping bubble wrap. you can get timed; put it into a manic mode, too, to go faster all the while hearing the sound of popping. be forewarned though, it could quite easily become addicting....it's mindless fun.

happy day.....

marley

this is marley. he leads a very tough life. he lives in a nice house. he has unlimited amounts of food and water at his disposal every day. he has a playmate named gracie of whom he is very fond. he has human companions that he has trained to meet his every need. he has various kinds of toys. he has a myriad of sleeping venues scattered throughout the house.

marley's day consists of eating, sleeping, playing, sleeping and sleeping some more. he seems to enjoy this life very much.

lately, marley seems to have developed a habit i've not noticed before. even as i write this, he is sleeping next to me displaying this habit....maybe habit isn't quite the right word. it's something i didn't know cats did. it's sort of disturbing really. he's snoring! yes, that's right....snoring! loudly, too. like a train. i'm not kidding. it's as though a locomotive is going to come rumbling through the house at any moment.

is this normal for a cat? i've never in my history of having cats ever heard one of them snore before. this is a first. one for the record books for sure. if i knew how to do it, i would tape him and post it for you so you would know i'm not making it up. then you would hear the sheer volume of what's coming out of him.

the sweet news? his purr is just as loud as his snore.

happy day.....

hunting clover

did you ever go on the hunt as a child? looking endlessly in a sea of green? running around thinking you'd found it? screaming with joy only to be disappointed. then going on the search again but coming up empty handed.

finding them is elusive. difficult. frustrating. rare. i never managed it. but i always delighted in the possibility. the hope that maybe one day i would capture the dream....

even now as an adult i am still fascinated with the four leaf clover. they are a pretty plant; their shape flattering in the way the leaves fold up together around each other in a sort of protective fashion. there is something mystical about them. something magical. do you see it? do you agree?

symbolically; one leaf represents hope, one for faith, one for love and one, of course, for luck or good fortune.

have you found your four leaf clover? experienced the thrill? that magical moment?

happy day.....

a book to love

an author wrote a book in 1922. a book full of magic and playfulness that provided hope for readers of all ages. a book that was more of a parable really, about rebirth and the power of love; about friendship and learning to be yourself. a story which confronts some essential questions that we ask ourselves: who am i? do i have worth? what's life all about anyway? a book both comforting and inspiring.

the velveteen rabbit. have you read it? it is one of my most favorite of all books. no matter how old i get, i love to read it. over and over again. i never tire of it even though i know what happens. it's always as if i'm reading it for the very first time.

in fact if memory serves, i need to buy a new copy as the last one i had got too worn out. this is one of those books that i would relish having a first edition copy...can you imagine? how fabulous....what a dream that would be.

happy day.....

oh my, pie

i love pie. i look for excuses to eat pie. big celebrations. small celebrations. milestones. birthdays. anniversaries. rain. snow. losing weight. gaining weight. a new outfit. new shoes. you name it, it's reason enough.

rumor has it, tomorrow - march 2 - is banana cream pie day! oh my! a perfect opportunity to eat pie. just look at this perfect specimen of pie will you. it's one of my absolute faves in the pie world. banana cream pie.




how can this be resisted? how can this be ignored? the creaminess of banana custard? the silkiness of whipped cream? plus the flakiness of the crust? i think i'm drooling.....excuse me while i figure out where to go get my perfect slice of heaven. ahhhhhh.....

happy day.....

confessions of a fast driver

i like to drive fast. sigh.... there i've said it. i like to drive fast!

i've said it before.... i'm sure i'll say it again. i don't believe there's anything wrong with it either. i believe i was born to drive fast. it's not that i'm in a particular hurry to get things done or in a hurry to get anywhere really fast either. i just like to drive fast.

and the thing is, when the speed limit on the road is 65, i like to drive said speed of 65! not 60 or 55 or even 64....but 65. oh, alright..... i confess! if i'm going to be fully honest and tell the whole truth here, i even push it and sometimes drive slightly over the 65. i just can't help myself. this doesn't pertain only to 65, it's whatever the posted speed limit is on the road. i want to drive whatever that speed is no less. otherwise, what's the point?

when i get behind the wheel, i love the feel of the car. gripping the steering wheel. the snugness of the seat belt. getting everything adjusted just so. making sure the mirrors are perfect. angling the vents. pulling the seat forward. it's all like a gentle caress ensuring it fits the contours of my body like a glove.

and once prepared, turning the engine over, putting her into gear and heading out. the way the road zips by. how the tires hug the curves. the sound of the wind, the power and control with the steering wheel in your hands.

i've always wanted to put on a helmet and jumpsuit and experience the indy 500. the zooming of what going over 200 mph must feel like. whew baby.... race car driving. doesn't that sound like a dream?

so then when i'm on the highway and limited to rules, i want to push them. but mark my words, i am a safe driver. i have never had a ticket and i obey all the rules of the road as i am supposed to even though i don't necessarily like to. however, i tend to remain in the far left hand lane as much as possible passing other vehicles one by one, ticking 'em off like lint....worthless.

it would be so much better if a sign like this one would greet me on the road. it would allow me to gauge my own speed all the time and make a determination of safety. how perfect would that be?

i like the idea....i like the concept.

happy day.....

tribute

this week we said "so long" to a very special gentleman. his name was patch. he was a friend to my mom and dad, and also to my family for quite a number of years. although i didn't really know him very well in terms of his background, how he grew up, what he'd done for a living and all those other kinds of things, the fact that he was an integral part of my folks lives for so long was enough for me.

that he gave of himself to my mom during troubled times, that he shared stories with my dad, that for years they met over coffee at the local target - laughing and commiserating over this and that like so many of us do....that bound me to him. the fact that after my dad passed, patch was the one that stood up to say a few words about what kind of man dad was and how their friendship had grown. the reassuring hugs he always gave me before i left to say that he'd take care of mom.

i will miss patch. his caring, his kindness, his gentleness. i will remember his touch and imprint on our family, and am ever grateful for his passing through our lives. i wish him god's rest now and his family peace, love and strength from my heart and gratitude for sharing him with us.

happy day.....

candy calls

sweets are calling my name today. don't know why. maybe spring time is near. you know; birds in the air, baseballs flying, kids playing in the street, trees beginning to bud. i am so ready for winter to be over.

but for some reason candy has been on my brain. i've been thinking of the old time stuff. i remember going to the local baseball diamond when my brothers were playing their little league games. one of the biggest reasons i enjoyed going was to be able to scrounge for loose coins under the bleachers. whoo-hoo....what fun that was. i always knew if i found extra money, the exact candy i was going to buy. yup! charleston chews. yummy...yum....yum! nothing like it, nothing since!

happy day.....

to touch or not to touch

we've all seen this symbol of xoxo's; know it means hugs and kisses, use it at the end of messages or letters. but do we use it because it's cute or "in?" do we do it because we mean it? because we believe it for the other person? in lieu of being there with them?

i have recently become a fan of the happiness project. it is a site that is full of a lot of different information and i encourage you to take a moment to check it out.

every day the author, gretchen rubin, focuses on a different theme. today she was writing about touching more, kissing more, hugging more, and how that can contribute to us being happier in our lives. how "physical expressions of affection can strengthen all sorts of connections." i really like how she phrased that. i believe it is so very true. as human beings, i think we are sometimes so starved for affection; if we just reached out and did a little touching perhaps things would be better. maybe we would be soothed. i once heard we should all get at least 12 hugs a day to be healthy. if we don't, what happens? do we fall into a deficit and go bankrupt? from loss of hugging?

we've all seen the studies or read the articles. in fact, gretchen refers to a new york times article about the importance of little touches with each other meaning a lot in our lives. it was very interesting.

as for me, i'll tell you this. i know i want to pay attention to implementing more action with displaying affection to those in my life every day. not just using symbols or words. symbols are fun, no doubt, and i want fun. but touch is important, too.

have you had your "touch" today?

happy day.....

tootsies

i'm talking toes today. yes, toes. is there a problem with that? can you handle it? i know toes are not an everyday sort of subject matter however, every now and then going out of our comfort zone is a must.

see....i just noticed something about my toes. actually, only my little toes. maybe you have too. and i think it may have to do with the aging process but i don't want to admit it. probably shouldn't tell anyone either. because i am turning a certain....ahem....age this year. but that's a whole other topic.....for a whole other day.

i think my little toes are shrinking! really! i'm totally serious. but....how can that be? and along with them shrinking, is my little toe nail, too. it seems as if there is hardly any nail left at all anymore. it used to be that the nail was the same size as the rest of my other toes and nails. but now it has been reduced to probably less than half its original size. i am not making this up. you know what i am talking about because it has happened or is happening to you as well. isn't it? what do you do about this situation? is anything to be done?

is this age? is this the natural progression of things? why? is it because of all the nail polish i've used? all the time i've spent going barefoot? or all the time i've worn those cute open toed shoes with my little toes smashed into the side of the leather? when i knowingly haven't given them enough room to stretch? eeekkkk..... how horrifying to think any of these might be possibilities.

i am disheartened by the fact that my little tootsies are getting more little by the day or hour. but let me say this. i love shoes. i love sandals. i love open toed shoes. of all kinds and all colors and all styles. i will carry on the fabulous tradition of wearing them all and enjoying them regardless of the outcome.... at least at this moment in time.

happy day.....

chasing rainbows

i am fascinated by rainbows. the colors, the look, the size, whether they are single - double - even triple...those are the coolest ever! when it rains, i am constantly on the lookout for them.

in the fall i was driving downtown with a friend. it was raining one of those nice gentle rains that are ideal for taking a walk in; or skipping through; maybe jumping in the puddles and playing in.

all of a sudden, i looked up in the sky and shouted "look...over there - there's a rainbow." well...probably not the smartest thing for him to do since he was driving. but the point is that there was the prettiest of rainbows that i'd seen in quite some time.



so the way that some people chase tornadoes, we began to chase the rainbow. we followed it through a residential section of town marveling at the pretty saturated colors.



we drove for about a mile winding this way and that on the roads, finally coming to a stop in a school yard where the sun started to hide behind clouds making the rainbow fade away....thus ending our adventure.

it was fun while it lasted though and brought out the childlike awareness of simple pleasures, beauty in nature, the fun you can have with a friend when you are on a mission to accomplish a common goal....the thrill, the rush.

happy day.....

quotes

do you quote quotes? sometimes i can't always remember quotes...the exact wording or phrasing. i don't necessarily recall who may have said the words either. seems my memory is lacking in that regard. but i love quotes anyway.

in fact, i love words and how they fit together; their make-up and syntax. the way they can float off our lips and tongues with ease. then, too, the way they can give us pause...the struggle with which we can engage with them fighting to say what we mean and mean what we say....when it is not so effortless. the battle that can ensue. still there is beauty in the language and the rhythm of our speaking.

i was thinking today about laughter and a few quotes that i like that came to mind. i thought it would be fun to share them. i feel that laughter is food for the soul and whenever possible we should feed our souls with as much laughing as we can; smiles, giggles, chuckles, guffaws, hearty snorts, laughing that makes you cry or makes milk squirt out your nose you know what i mean? where you feel really alive!

my laughter faves:

a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~irish proverb

the most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings

what soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~yiddish proverb

what are your favorite quotes?

happy day.....

original poem

i love poems. short poems, long poems, old poems, new poems, poems that tell a story or not, poems that have great meaning, fun poems, serious poems, silly poems, kid poems, adult poems....all kinds.

this is one of my poems:

tree...
beautiful tree
stretch out your branches
reach for heaven
welcome the blossom
offering of fragrance
peace. serenity. joy.

happy day.....

photo fun

i did not capture this picture on film so i cannot take credit for its beauty....darn it! for it is beautiful. when i saw it online, i was drawn to the colors and how saturated they were thinking... "jeez, i want to be able to take pictures like this."

i was surprised to find that it was taken using an iphone of all things! are you? and then was thrilled in the next moment because i remembered, hello! i have an iphone, too! whoo-hoo!

now i am not one to endorse particular products and do not want to encourage that on this site. nor do i want to encourage the purchase of any certain app for a particular product. far be it from me to proclaim that one brand, type, mega pixel, standard, byte, app, setting, whatever is better, best, expert, in the field than any other. i am no more qualified to make those kinds of statements than to tell you what kind of toothpaste to use or mayo to buy. see....you are making a face because you've got your own opinion on those very two products now don't you?

but....the story is that there is an app for the iphone that is called shakeitphoto and it takes pictures on your iphone like a polaroid, but is called a fauxlaroid. now i'd never heard of a 'fauxlaroid' but it didn't matter 'cuz i liked the pic so i had to have the app. it also didn't matter that the app was gonna cost me a tiny bit of money....i usually don't pay for apps since i'd like everything to be free. however, i figured the cost was very minimal and worth the chance. i'll let you know how it goes in upcoming posts by showing off some of my pictures, how's that?

by the way, this lovely pic was taken by the sweet eventide .

happy day.....