It's Your Lucky Day!

May this day bring you extra special luck and good fortune.

I've got a "bit of the Irish" in my blood so I feel especially blessed and lucky today! LOL

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

           

Photo courtesy of: Flickr

Spring Is On My Mind

                                

It’s coming.

The quickening pace.

The earthy fragrance of the still frozen, yet warming soil.

The underground network of vines.

Forgotten seeds and  satiny bulbs….wait.

Wait for the soft touch of the sun-fairy’s magic wand.

                           

Shifts everywhere.

The horizon, the sun.

Birds return. Water rises. Animals venture out.

Earth awakens slowly. One eye open, then the other.

The promise: again renewed.

Life sustained.

As we gratefully anticipate, another spring.

  

GHH ♥ 2011

                               

                                    

A poem that I recently wrote to welcome this spring.

The emerging season, full of promise and on my mind throughout the days.

Hugs and Happy Spring!

Art Can Inspire and Nurture the Soul

Isn't this beautiful?

This "Idea Mandala" has been kindly shared by Teri at: Teri's Mandala's and Haiku.

Visit Teri's blog to read more about this unique form of art and also the meaning/inspiration for this particular mandala.

I could look at these for hours. I feel calm and peaceful enjoying each mandala. 
                                   

Art in all it's forms, can be so inspiring.

 I hope this beautiful selection brings joy to your day.
                          

PS: I also have a new product review post over at MRLR for a natural cosmetic product you might enjoy. Hope you can stop in soon!

Equal Time for the D-O-G Lovers!

Clyde: What a Cutie.

And in uniform no less!

                                                                                                           

Please note. This is not a Mr. Cheddar approved post. I guess you can't please everyone! LOL

Clyde's visit here courtesy of Sandy and Dell. Thank you for sharing this doggie-delight!

Clyde also has his own blog. 

Happy Day and Hugs to You and All the Pets!

Find Your Passion, Follow Your Heart!

                                  
"Live your life on your own terms.

To the beat of your own drum.

And to the rhythm of your own heart."


GHH 

Isn't that what it's all about?

What or who (or lucky to have more than one) makes life exciting,unpredictable (in a good way) and worth getting up for.

Here's to following your heart, your passion, your calling.

 Whether it's a talent, a person, a journey, a pursuit, a dream....whatever or whoever it is, it is so worth it.

It's what makes life a technicolor experience that we will invent and re-invent for ourselves, every second, minute, hour....a life well lived.

     Seize the day! 

                                                                            

Also submitted for the OSI prompt: Passionate

A "Heavenly" Joke

John had died and arrived at the gates of heaven. He was met there by his life-long also recently deceased friend Ted. He was glad to see a familiar face.
                    
 John also noted the unexpected presence of  many vehicles that were zooming around heaven. When he asked Ted about why there were cars in heaven, Ted told him that they were God's way of rewarding people there. The quality and size of each vehicle given in direct relation to how someone had conducted themselves on earth especially when it came to being faithful (or not) to their chosen wives and husbands.

Days went by and John noted many former friends and acquaintances, all driving a variety of shiny, new cars (and all white of course)! There was Sam, the grocer from his neighbourhood, smiling behind the wheel of a new Caddy. Betsy, his cousin speeding along in a sporty new MG. Dan, blissfully cruising the clouds in a Rolls Royce.Art his taxman with a Buick...

Ted and John lost contact with each other for several months. Then one day, Ted saw John sitting on a heavenly rock, crying his eyes out. When Ted enquired what was the matter, John looked up at him and tearfully replied:

"my wife just went by and she's on a skateboard"


Yet another example that: "cheaters NEVER prosper" LOL


Have a great weekend!

I Love You: A Happiness Haiku

Word for the Day:Abundance

The abundance of beauty in nature.

                          

Recently, I have felt the abundance of life flowing towards me once again after a very long "drought" of feeling a lack of it, on many levels. It is a very good feeling.

When I look back to years ago, I have had so much to be thankful for and often didn't realize or acknowledge it all, at the time. I will not make that mistake again. I truly believe that abundance comes and goes in our lives for many reasons. And not just in terms of material things although those are important too.

                                   

If you have abundance in your life in it's many forms: love, success, wealth, friendship...treasure it and never take it for granted. If  you feel the need for more abundance in your life, dwell on it, make it your mantra and believe that it is on it's way to you, in whatever ways you need it.

                                            

NEVER give up, never give in that all is lost. It will return.

                                          

Wishing you abundance in your life!

To Truly Love...

Take some time today to think about all the people, places and things that you truly love.

One of the best ways to put life into perspective, especially on those days when things aren't going as well as you'd like them to be.


Love!


It changes everything. Transforms people. Makes all things possible.

Share some love today. Send a good thought out to someone who is going through a difficult time. Smile at someone on the street who looks sad. Share a hug. Give someone a compliment. Bring an unexpected gift to a friend. You never know what may come of your thoughtfulness. What a difference it might make. And come back to you in a positive way.
                  

Speaking of things that I love.
This beautiful poem by Rupert Brooke is one of my all-time favorites. I hope you enjoy re-reading it too.

An excerpt from:

The Great Lover

These I have loved:

                  

White plates and cups, clean-gleaming,

Ringed with blue lines; and feathery, faery dust;

Wet roofs, beneath the lamp-light; the strong crust

Of friendly bread; and many-tasting food;

Rainbows; and the blue bitter smoke of wood;

And radiant raindrops couching in cool flowers;

And flowers themselves, that sway through sunny hours,

Dreaming of moths that drink them under the moon;

Then, the cool kindliness of sheets, that soon

Smooth away trouble; and the rough male kiss

Of blankets; grainy wood; live hair that is

Shining and free; blue-massing clouds; the keen

Unpassioned beauty of a great machine;

The benison of hot water; furs to touch;

The good smell of old clothes; and other such -- -

The comfortable smell of friendly fingers,

Hair's fragrance, and the musty reek that lingers

About dead leaves and last year's ferns. . . .

Dear names,

And thousand other throng to me! Royal flames;

Sweet water's dimpling laugh from tap or spring;

Holes in the ground; and voices that do sing;

Voices in laughter, too; and body's pain,

Soon turned to peace; and the deep-panting train;

Firm sands; the little dulling edge of foam

That browns and dwindles as the wave goes home;

And washen stones, gay for an hour; the cold

Graveness of iron; moist black earthen mould;

Sleep; and high places; footprints in the dew;

And oaks; and brown horse-chestnuts, glossy-new;

And new-peeled sticks; and shining pools on grass; -- -

All these have been my loves. And these shall pass,

Whatever passes not, in the great hour,

Nor all my passion, all my prayers, have power

To hold them with me through the gate of Death.

They'll play deserter, turn with the traitor breath,

Break the high bond we made, and sell Love's trust

And sacramented covenant to the dust.

Oh, never a doubt but, somewhere, I shall wake,

And give what's left of love again, and make

New friends, now strangers. . . .

But the best I've known,

Stays here, and changes, breaks, grows old, is blown

About the winds of the world, and fades from brains

Of living men, and dies.

Nothing remains.

***
                 

PS: On a completely different topic. I also have this new post at my product review blog you might enjoy.  It's all about Happy Brushing. LOL Have a wonderful day!

The Timeless Beauty of Snow

I LOVE snow!


It's almost gone for the year (I think) here in Interior BC. That could change of course LOL.

Here's a few of the last snow photos I took this year.

And now to wait for spring's much anticipated arrival!
                                        


Here's to celebrating the magic of every season!

                         

Mighty Pines!

                                            

Berries in the Snow

                       

A tranquil place to sit.

                       

A park cabin.Icicles soon disappearing!

                      
   Shades of white and black.

Picnic time will return soon.

                     

PS: This is actually my Monday post (in keeping with my Monday-Friday plan LOL) . Blogger preview/pre-schedule feature was acting a bit wonky for this one, so I'm publishing it manually on Sunday night. Other than this glitch, I've been really enjoying Blogger!

Chocolate ANYTHING Makes Me Smile!

All together now...YUMMMM!!!!

                                       

"Nothing says lovin'....."you know the rest. And I do agree!

Here's the link to the recipe and post from my cooking and craft blog: Veggies,Yarns and Tails.

                            
This "naked" cake (you'll understand the name when you read linked post) is luscious, moist and oh so chocolatey good!

Share it with someone you love today/tonight or this weekend.

My Big Orange Baby/Guy!

If you haven't "met" him before, this is our beloved Mr. Cheddar!

 Isn't he a handsome boy?

Someone who always brings a smile to my day.

                                 

Here's another "pose".
                             

I wish I was that flexible!!!!

Have a wonderful day, from me and the Ched!


Sending hugs and headbonks (the ultimate feline show of affection) your way!


PS: If you have a pet(s) don't forget to hug them too! 

Good Day and Lots of Sunshine!

Found this beautiful tribute to the Beatle's classic:


Good Day Sunshine over at YouTube.

(click to sing and dance along!)

After all these years, their music is as fresh and vibrant as ever.

And this song, one that always brings a smile to my day.

Today it even got me up from my chair for a much-needed exercise break!

Good day, sunshine!!!!

Rooftop Conference!

" Hey gang, the sky looks pretty clear.

 Maybe we should stop and rest a spell."

                       

                                   

"Daaaah gone it, wrong again!"

                         

                    

These birds seemed to be discussing the weather. 

 They waaaaaas country birds!

Hope it's clear sailing, wherever you are.