Meandering Monday

Happy Monday!  I hope your week is off to a great start.

Today and tomorrow are my weekend and as usual I have plenty of errands and household chores to occupy my time.  And as usual, I resisted spending the entire day on my "shoulds."  I try to do something just for fun on my days off.  Today's was a trip to Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum.

I pledged myself to the art of meandering through the gardens with my camera as my companion.

The gardens have these lovely stone terraces and a stone fence that winds around the property.

This beautiful baby was quite focused on the hole in the ground but did take a break from his guard duties to welcome me and allow me to pet him!

As soon as I finished the above picture of the cat the batteries died in my camera.  I decided that was a message that I needed to be in the moment (and an excuse to return to the gardens another time :)

If you are interested in learning more about Knoxville Botanical Gardens you can check out their web site @ http://www.knoxgarden.org/about/history.html.

Take care and have a funtastic week!

Do I remember?

It's been so long since I blogged that I honestly don't remember exactly how this is done.  

In the past I've posted one or two pictures (sometimes more) and tried to do a daily blog.  That obviously doesn't work for me (as evidenced by the months or years that pass between some of my later entries).  So I'm removing all expectations from myself, getting rid of the "shoulds" and am going to post when the mood strikes!  Hopefully as I relax into this I will recapture my enjoyment of the process!

Lately I've been missing my friend Bonnie.  I haven't seen this sweet lady in almost 3 years! (yikes!).  The last time Bonnie and I got together we went to the Arboretum in Lexington, KY and spent the day with our cameras.  Today I found a similar setting at University Gardens (on U.T. campus).  Here are a few of the photos I shot.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Being outdoors, surrounded by beauty and nature does a heart good

I find peace walking a labyrinth...

 

The gentle sounds of a waterfall create a kind of hush...

A tranquil spot...

I am reminded of a few of my favorite things, like... 

The Smiley Face Rose....

the Strike It Rich Rose...

and the Double Delight Rose (we had this one in Florida and the fragrance is breathtaking)...

I had such a wonderful time visiting the University Gardens.  I look forward to my next day out with my camera... wherever the roads lead....

Thanks for joining me...

Double Thick Baked Potato-Cheese Soup

Those of you who know me well are probably shocked that I'm blogging a recipe but I love this soup and thought I'd share the recipe. It's taken from a slow-cooker recipe book but I don't know which one because I left the cookbook with Randy and just have the photocopy.

Ingredients:
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green onions, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I usually use 8 ounces because that's what comes in the bag and you can never have too much cheese :)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
Black peper

Directions:
1. Combine potatoes, soup, 1 cup green onions, garlic powder and red pepper in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW 8 hours.

2. Add cheese, sour cream, and milk; stir until cheese has completely melted. Cover and cook on HIGH an additional 10 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Makes 7 servings.

Enjoy. And feel free to invite me over whenever you're making it!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year???

Happy Saturday to Everyone...or if it's you're reading this later, then Happy Whatever Day it Is Where You Are, to you.

Before I start, let me just say that I celebrate Christmas and recognize that it's an important holiday to many. And no, I'm not going the direction of "Happy Holidays" vs "Merry Christmas" with this blog. Instead I'm writing this because I think that for many of us the Christmas season is not exactly "the most wonderful time of the year."

Forgive me for being cynical, but I think that advertisers and retailers are the ones who promote the current concepts of how the Holiday spirit SHOULD look. For many that picture doesn't fit with their real lives. And that "failure" to fit causes debt, depression, and in some cases worse.

I have a very good friend who says that watching holiday specials is just too hard because her life doesn't match what is being shown. I completely get that. We are told (through songs, cards, and commercials) that holidays are about time with large extended families with lots of gifts around a stylish tree and a elaborately prepared meal. Everyone is dressed perfectly (the little girls all have ribbons in their tidy curls), happy, relaxed, and care-free. Is that how YOUR Christmas looks? Or feels?

When I was a child we spent Christmas Eve with my paternal grandparents. My dad was one of four children, each of whom had at least three children of their own. So there were lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins crowded into such a small house that we had to eat in shifts because there was no room for everyone to sit at once. Christmas Day was spent with my mother's side of the family. Again aunts, uncles, and cousins were an important part of the tradition. I loved it and have many fond memories of those holidays. My sister (who is 13 years older) tells me about how hard it was for Mama and Daddy to provide Christmas for us, how worried they often were about where the money would come from to give us that holiday!

And NOW I am single, childless, and my aunts, uncles and cousins are celebrating with their own families. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for me are either spent with a small family (my sister and sometimes my nephew) or alone. And that's fine - as long as I avoid comparing myself to those who are still celebrating with large extended families. If you have many friends and relatives gathered around your Christmas table, I am happy for you. But commercials and holiday specials tend to make those of us who aren't celebrating that way feel "good enough" or "normal."

Does Martha Stewart ever do a magazine spread about setting a holiday table for one or two? No, because would I need to buy new dishes, lovely table linens, and carts full of groceries for my holiday gatherings?

Likewise, how often do you see advertisements that encourage you to cut back for Christmas? To focus on spending time helping those less fortunate? To send money to charities who help starving children? To have a debt-free holiday or to start planning for a 2012 that allows you to live more than paycheck-to-paycheck? To use precious sentimental old ornaments on your tree rather than buying whatever new color designers have chosen to be THE trend of the season (only to be replaced next year or the following because the colors change and who would want an out-of-style tree???)

Probably by now we have all seen the facebook picture that has starving children reaching out next to stressed-out looking women with armloads and carts full of expensive toys. The picture is captioned "Define Necessity" and I appreciate the reminder it provides.

So, starting now, I'm committing to not make my holiday happiness about the "necessity" defined by retail analysts but rather about the spirit of sending good wishes to all - even if it those wishes do not involve a trip to the Hallmark store or a wait in the long lines at the U.S. Post Office.

I wish each and everyone of you a PEACE-FILLED HOLIDAY season, however YOU define that!

Trying to get the feeling again

Hello Friends,

I was somehow surprised to see that my last post here was in May. I thought it had been longer. The last 12 months have been a bit of a blur. I've said goodbye to two of my darling babies and to two of my special friends, one of whom was the motivation behind my blogging.

But I've come to realize that my life is going to remain blurry until I take actions to change that. So here I am, hoping to regain the feeling of connection to my own life, one day at a time. Or maybe one minute at a time. I don't really know what to expect - if I'll be blogging daily or if it will become something that I do periodically. Or perhaps I'll reach a point where I throw in the blogging towel completely. Time will tell.

When it occurred to me that I wanted to blog tonight I decided to share one of my favorite pictures

This picture is of Toby watching the twins that would later become his indoor brothers Daisy & Dandy. I had a few moments of panic when I could not locate the picture in any of my digital files. This brought home the message that I need to copy all pictures worth saving onto a cd in case something ever happens to my computer.

Anyway, that's it for me tonight. Thanks for stopping by and reading my little blog. I hope you are doing well and that Halloween will be howlingly good fun wherever you are spending it!

Generosity of Spirit

Mavis and I were talking last night about those with a generosity of spirit. Some people seem to have an innate ability to give to others. I am blessed to know several of that type of people and wanted to share three work stories with you all...

One day last week I was admiring the pink purse a coworker was carrying. It was just so darn cute that I couldn't resist asking her where she got it. She told me but then responded "you can have it. It's too small for me." I was shocked.

Today I came in to find one of my good friends at work had gifted me with a lovely red leather tote bag that I have long admired. She's moved into a larger bag and knew I loved this one.

Another colleague/friend at the office is a soon-to-be published author. He knows how fascinated I am with all things writing-related so he has been sharing excerpts of his second novel with me and graciously allowing me to participate by asking my thoughts on aspects of the book. He also shares suggestions for nurturing my own creative side.

And you know what this leads me to realize? That in all likelihood there are more generous-spirited people out there than we might realize, if we just stop and notice.

How about you, do you find this to be true in your life? I would love to hear about some of your experiences on this topic. Please share...

Be blessed.

My Old Same

Has it really been three months since I blogged? Time really does speed by, doesn't it?

This blog is for my very special friend, my Old Same, Journey. Journey and I met when I attended a Simple Abundance workshop in Sedona. I don't remember much about what was said in that workshop but I have vivid memories of my conversation with Journey. We were sitting outside at lunch and in my memories the sun beams seemed to shine like a spotlight. We discussed our love of travel and of letters. We exchanged addresses and agreed to write. That was May 14, 2005 and our correspondence friendship began that day.

Journey's letters are so unlike mine - or those of anyone else I have ever corresponded with. Her letters, which usually come in a nice fat packet (often decorated as mail art) reflect her intense love affair with journaling. They include things that she has found on her travels or in publications. I feel like I'm with her when she travels as she clearly is thinking of things to share with me. Journey urges and inspires me to be more creative. She's my inspiration, my teacher, my friend, and my Old Same.

When I received an email from her husband, Rick, tonight letting me know that Journey is very ill my heart clinched. I reach out here to express my love and gratitude for Journey and my requests for prayers for her recovery.

Be well, my Old Same. I love you.

In the moment

Cats are Masters of "In the Moment" -

they can sit and stare at nothing for hours.

Hello again,

Happy Sunday. What's going on in your world today?

Ever have a tap on your shoulder or a whisper in your ear that when you try to ignore it just becomes stronger or louder? As if the message is determined to make itself heard, no matter how hard you try to ignore it?

A few years ago my friend, Mavis, and I made a pact. Each day we would exercise, meditate, and journal. After 30 days of disciplining ourselves to make time for these practices we agreed were important we would treat ourselves to a fun weekend spent enjoying time together while taking in the Christmas lights of Cape May, New Jersey. It was a win-win proposition. We were successful at keeping our promises and had a lovely, festive weekend.

After that, our pact seemed to lose its steam. I fell away from meditating and exercising. The journaling took longer but eventually faded out of my daily (or weekly) routine. No surprise about the exercising, because, well...let me be honest here. I hate exercising. It's not so obvious to me why I have resisted my journal and my meditation.

Perhaps it's because it requires being focused, being quiet, being still? Being dedicated to being in that moment. Single tasking. After all, isn't the ability to multi-task a valuable skill? Well, yes, I guess it is, at times. But I've found that, for me, it's damn difficult to decide when I need to multi-task and when I would be better served by single-tasking. If I'm talking on the phone, I'm also doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, checking emails, knitting or... you get the picture. And what this ends up meaning, too often, is that I'm not in the moment.

Back to the taps on the shoulder and the whispers in my ear. I received a much-appreciated email from my friend, Journey, who gave me suggestions about how to meditate. My friend, Lorin, has also offered guidance on the subject. Then, this morning, I was reading Creative is a Verb (by Patti Digh). The chapter I was reading today was about actually HEARING what is being said, and getting the messages. The lesson I got from this section was that learning to cut out the brain-cluttering distractions was much like using the Boise Noise Reduction headsets for airline travel. This is a very loose paraphrasing on my part, and doesn't do justice to her description or metaphor comparing the learned stillness to the headsets.

Today I'm going to try being more in the moment. Not zipping and zapping from one task to the next. Maybe I'll even sit down and try to catch some Ommm's.

I don't know that I will ever become good at (or even comfortable with) meditation. For now I'll be happy if it just helps me stop the ADD symptoms of going into a room to accomplish something and becoming so distracted that I forget what I intended to do.

You know...I wouldn't mind having another pact in place to help me feel more accountable.

How often do you find quiet? Are you able to single-task or are you, like me, prone to multi-tasking? Does practice make focusing easier?

Whatever you're doing today...I hope you are aware.

Thanks for visiting.

Buddies

Hello again...

We've done some rearranging around here. On Saturday I sold several pieces of furniture, including my dining room table and chairs. Because the dining room has the best light of any room in the house the boys have always loved spending time there. Of course I felt terribly guilty selling their favorite chairs so I moved an ottoman from the living room into the dining room.

I think Toby & Dandy approve...

I love this picture because Toby was trying so hard to sleep and Dandy just kept bothering him. Little brothers are like that, I hear.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Best Friends Animal Society

Hi again. I'm not sure how this post is going to go...the program has been giving me that much trouble. I can't get the Sunbeam section to allow any new postings. Sigh.

So I'll keep this brief today... and ask that you please visit the Best Friends Facebook page. They featured two of the most gorgeous cats I've ever seen. The kitties appeared to be twins - some version of siamese with the bluest eyes possible. The darlings went to their new home today...together.

I love Best Friends. I know you will too.

And here's a picture of one of my best friends...

Mr. Dandy showing his friend Ms. Susan some love by perching on a Joann Fabrics bag. Hey "Cats" I think he wants to go shopping. Which aisle is catnip on, please?

Technical Difficulties

Hello and thanks for stopping by. I wanted to let you know that I'm experiencing technical difficulties on this blog page. I try to edit the sunbeams section and it locks up causing me to have to restart my computer. So if you don't see any posts here for a little while, please don't give up on me. I'm just trying to get the kinks worked out. Thanks.

Stained Glass Bliss

Hello again. I'm glad you're here. How was your day?

As you probably know by now, I love stained glass. I think it's beautiful but even more I think it's impressive that people can make such intricate designs out of broken glass. I can't imagine having that kind of talent but that makes me appreciate other people's that much more. Are you like that? Is there an art form that you particularly admire? Is it something that you personally have tried? And if so, were you good at it?

The reason I'm writing about stained glass tonight is that I've had several opportunities to enjoy stained glass today. If you visit my Andiamo blog (shameless self-promotion at its finest here LOL), you saw the stained glass from the church I photographed today.

But that was just an appetizer. I went to a photography meet-up tonight. It was held at an old train station that has, in recent years, been used for restaurants & offices and is now being converted to a school. The meet-up was actually a portrait shoot but in all honesty I'm not a huge fan of portrait work. I prefer people to get out of my pictures LOL. You know what I'm talking about...you see a beautiful photo opportunity and somebody steps in front of you. But I digress. Back to the meet-up. The reason I went to this meet-up (besides just really liking to be around these people) was that the L&N Station is known for it's gorgeous architecture and fabulous stained glass. And it certainly didn't disappoint.

Several of the windows and most of the doors and the L&N logo in the glass. These were two of my favorites.

I have many more pictures taken tonight at the L&N but my computer is giving me problems so I'll save them for another time.

Thanks again for visiting.

Aspirations

Hello. Happy Flowers, Hearts, & Candy Day. I hope you have had a beautiful day - with or without a sweetheart.

As I mentioned yesterday I spent much of the weekend studying. Today a friend suggested that I take time to do things that are fun & relaxing. I decided to take her advice. I went out with my camera for a while… I posted a couple of the pictures on Andiamo so I won’t repeat them here but I did take another one I thought I would share. It seems kind of cool for the day….

And then there's another photo of the tulip I posted on Andiamo....

But what I really loved doing today was visiting some AMAZING blogs...

My friend, Bonnie has added some beautiful flower and architecture shots since I last raved about her blog here. If you've not visited Bonnie's blog lately you should definitely go back...

Another friend, Mindy, has inspired me greatly as well. Mindy's blog features a lot of the things I love so much... architectural details (especially churches), doors, and flowers.

Today I was reading some of the comments left on Mindy's blog and one of the comments led me to a brand new-to-me favorite. The photography on Pearls & Prose looks like it should grace the pages or covers of magazines. Seriously. Some of the photos were so beautiful they made me want to cry! Lovely colors and simple compositions just wowed me. (Can you tell I was excited to find this new blog? :)

As fantastic as these finds are, I can't wait to see what other blogs I've been missing. If you have blogs that just wow you, would you please tell me about them so that I can follow them too?

Thanks again for visiting. I hope you enjoy the blogs extraordinaire that I've mentioned and that you will come back here and visit again soon.

Sometimes I forget...I love being a student

Hello. Happy Sunday. I hope your weekend was all you had hoped it would be. Did you do anything fun? Are you rested and ready for a new week?

I spent most of the day trying to learn something new - a challenge I had taken on in order to be more marketable in the job field. It has been several years since I was a student. And I had forgotten how much I love being a student. I've asked myself today what was it that I loved about being a student. I enjoyed interacting with other students. I enjoyed having professors who challenged & encouraged me. It was always a surprise when I actually exceled at something. I never lost the joy of seeing a bright red "A" at the top of a test or reading the notes the professors usually write on the last page of a paper. I also adored the newness of every semester. Or as Meg Ryan said in "You've Got Mail" - "a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils."

That's not to say that all aspects of learning are pleasant. Today I struggled to find the perfect solution to an obstacle I was encountering. But sometimes having those hills to climb makes the success of it all the sweeter!

So tell me...do you love or hate school? Is learning fun & exciting to you or a chore that you prefer to avoid? I hope that I never lose my love of learning.

And I have to share this Cat Whiskers photo with you. I was taking a break today and decided to play with the camera. Dandy was so interested in what I was doing. Or rather he was so interested in the chord that hangs from my camera...

At My Library

Happy Saturday! I hope your weekend is going well so far.

I needed a book from the library and the branch near me is closed on weekends. Instead I had to go to the main branch. It's not that far and it certainly is no hardship to be there. In fact, it's one of THOSE libraries that is so inviting it makes you just want to stay.

You all know how much I love the Arts & Craftsman/Mission aesthetics. So no one will be surprised that I'm lovin' this library.

The Annette Ogle Great Room. I agree: it IS a great room.

The fireplace and the comfy chairs make it seem even more welcoming.

The perimeter of the Great Room is lined with these arm chairs with built-in tables (like on airplane seats).

Beautiful ceilings too.

And you KNOW I'm not going into a library without checking out the children's department. This library has put a lot of effort into the details to make it user-friendly for the "littles" it serves.

My favorite element in the children's department (other than the books, of course) is this Mommy & Me chair. The librarian said the chair is designed so the parent and the child can face one aother while reading together.

I love libraries. But you knew that already, didn't you? How is the library near you? Is it user friendly or cold and sterile? Does it make you want to stay or is it a place where you just go, get what you need, and get out (sort of like me at the mall)? I'd love to see pictures of the library near you. But be sure and ask if it's okay...I know some places won't allow photographs. I was told it was perfectly okay to take pictures here. Yay!

And on a Cat Whisker note...

I accidentally disturbed Daisy's nap. I guess he was still sleepy. So after you looked at this picture, did you yawn? I did. I don't know if it's because even pictures of yawns or not, I hope the blog hasn't made you yawn.

Thanks again for stopping by.

Weekend Wishes

Hello again,

It's weekend! I know for those of you who work M-F weekends must be a busy time. There are probably a million things you feel like you need to get done. But if you could put all of those should-dos aside and only do the want-to stuff this weekend, what would you do?

I personally would like to go to the beach. It's a six-hour or more drive from here to the nearest beach. And it would probably be very cold. But that is what I would like to do. Since that's not going to happen, I think I'll probably do some crafting and maybe get out to take some pictures.

Whatever you do...enjoy.

I wish I had thought of that...

Hello again. Happy Thursday. I'm really glad you stopped by.

As you probably have realized from my blogs, I haven't been getting out much lately. It's been cold or I've not had anything I wanted to do or no one to do anything with or.... fill in whatever whiny excuse I've had that day. LOL.

Don't get me wrong, I love my alone time. A lot. But like with anything else moderation is the key. So when weeks went by without any human interaction other than going to the supermarket, the bank, the post office, and the vet, I figured that unless I suddenly gained a fortune to rival that of Howard Hughes, I'd better get out and mingle.

It's not always easy to find things to do, so may I just say that whomever created Meetup.com was a genius?!? Seriously. In this world where people are busy doing a 1000 different things what a marvelous concept for allowing people to find other people with a common interest. I wish I had thought up Meetup.com.

I'm sure some are better than others but so far my experiences have been mostly positive. Are you in any Meetup groups? If so, what do you think? Do you have any stories to tell? I'd love to hear them.

One of my friends suggested it would be nice to see some Cat Whiskers here since that is (or at least was) part of the initial plan. I have to admit that I've not been taking as many cat pictures lately. The reason for this? Well, frankly, the kitties just are not cooperative... for example my photo today was going to be "See why I don't get anything done around here?" using this picture...

Unfortunately, Toby realized there was somewhere else he would rather be. These guys give me an entirely new appreciation for the photographers who put together those cute little kitten calendars every year. A friend used to say getting a group of us organized during social gatherings was like "herding cats." I get it now!

Thanks again for visiting.

Regina & Sharon - My Tranquility Masters :)

Hi again.

I have some incredibly wise people in my life. Really. One of my friends today said something that was such an aha for me. She said "You have all you need for today so don't worry about what is going to happen tomorrow if you have done all you can do." It's not that this is a new thought for me. It's just that sometimes I lose sight of that powerful concept. So Regina, if you're reading this...THANK YOU!

Regina and her best friend, Sharon (who is also an old & special friend of mine) are two of the most peaceful people I know. Just being with them is soothing & calming. They have very tranquil energy that makes me feel like I've had the most amazing experience after I've spent time with them. That's how I want to be too. I'm not there but someday, maybe, I will be.

So how about you? Do you have people, places, or things that soothe you just by being around them?

Monday moments...Pen to paper

Hello again. Thank you so much for being here. It means a lot to me that you take the time to read my posts. As I sit down to write I imagine you...somewhere...reading this. I wonder if you're having a good day, if the sun is shining where you are, if you're happy, busy, tired, bored...

Sometimes I think about all of the people from the past who wrote. I especially think of women who wrote... like Louisa May Alcott. I think not only about authors but about every-day people who wrote letters or kept journals.

My sister loves "period costumes" so I made this cross-stitch picture for her as a Christmas gift. I really enjoyed working on the project because this lovely lady reminds me of the writers and penpals I've known in my life.

Do you write letters? Keep journals? Do you have a place where you like to write? Do you still use pen and paper or is it all electronic now? I adore getting mail. I also cherish comments left here. So please, feel free to write me. I don't care how it gets here...I just love hearing from you.

Thanks again for stopping by.

Countdown...

Hello again,

I hope you're having a wonder-filled day.

One of the ladies I know on Facebook often has a countdown to her next trip. She just posts a number and her friends all seem to know that the number reflects the days until her next get-away. It makes me smile whenever I see it. But in all honesty, it makes me a wee bit envious too. I'm thrilled for her and it's not that I want to go where she is going. I just love having something to look forward to and to have something towards which to count the days.

Right now I'm looking forward to the arrival of spring and while I could actually count the days until the calendar says "spring" it wouldn't mean much. Because even the groundhog can't say for sure.

So what are YOU looking forward to? Are you counting the days to anything in particular? If so, please share the event and the number of days so that I can count with you. :)