Pandas in kilts......

The Chinese tartan

The colours chosen for the Chinese Scottish tartan represent the bond between the two countries, the design includes the blue and white of the Saltire combined with the red and yellow of the Chinese flag, green was also included in the design as it is a traditional colour in tartans and references the links between the botanical communities of both China and Edinburgh - indeed the botanic gardens in Edinburgh holds the largest number of Chinese plants outside of China.
China’s association with Scotland goes back 1000’s of years when explorers in China found a burial place of Caucasian travellers wearing perfectly preserved tartans.  The Chinese Scottish tartan was unveiled on the 6^th of April which is National Tartan Day and it was designed jointly by the Scottish Tartan’s Authority and the Strathmore Woollen Company.

How dandy the pandas will look, but then black and white goes with everything right? 

Kudos to the Edinburgh Zoo, spent many happy childhood hours there.

PROBLEM SOLVED?

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes .. Pass a law that says that if the deficit is more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election."

-- Warren Buffett

HOW SWEET IT IS......

MOUNDS BROWNIES

1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
3/4 cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate & Cocoa
2/3 cup unsifted flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk into 1 cup of coconut in a small bowl. Combine thoroughly and set aside.
Coarsely chop up the chocolate chunks. I use Valrhona feves, which you can find at Whole Foods, but any high-quality dark chocolate will work.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a spoon, stir eggs with sugar and vanilla; add butter.
Now here's my crazy Kat trick: I save an empty Ghirardelli can to shake all the dry ingredients together because I find sifting to be a chore. So add all dry ingredients together, except for the chocolate chunks, and shake or sift, however you roll!
Stir dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks. Spread half the batter in a buttered 8-inch square pan.
As evenly as you can, spoon the coconut mixture over the bottom brownie batter layer. You can probably do a neater job of it than I did. Smooth the coconut layer out as evenly as possible.
Now, cover the coconut layer completely with the remaining brownie batter. Take your time. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and enjoying.

These brownies are a celebration of sweetness on the tongue, and hugs for the soul.

This wonderful recipe that found me, and now belongs in my treasured recipe collection filed under joys to share.......

PEACE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

- Wendell Berry

FRUITPIP SILVERWAND

Just call me Pip!
And I even wear a heather colored dress,  perfect........


My Fairy name is Fruitpip  Silverwand

She protects people from ghosts and demons.

She lives in stony places and tumbling wastes.
She can only be seen when the seer holds a four-leafed clover.
She wears a heather-colored dress and has shimmering translucent wings like a cicada.

Get your own fairy names from The Fairy Name Generator!

WILD GEESE

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting 

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

from Dream Work by Mary Oliver

published by Atlantic Monthly Press

© Mary Oliver

NEXT QUESTION

Next question: Within each of your groups, do you see commonalities?  

The common thread suggests nature offers me great comfort, the colors reflect my love of nature, colors of mountain heather, flowers and the changing colors of the earth as the sun blesses it each day.

All of my choices are inter related in a way I was not really conscious of,  until looking a little deeper into my answers.


I seek comfort,  tranquility, and a connection to the greater Spirit.  My answers reflect this journey.  I guess, it is not such random wander, as I had believed.  Though I still love the synchronicity of it all!

A GAME

Robin at Metanoia has invited her readers to play a multi-part game of some kind.  She has posted the first step, and when at least 10 people have responded, we get to find out the next step.  I have so appreciated Robin's depth, and so I trust her whimsy.  Wanna play?


Robin's game:

Take a minute and write down your responses to the

following.  No context ~ just whatever responses pop 

into your mind.  Be as general or specific as you 

want, using as few words as possible.

1. Five colors: Turquoise, purple, fuschia, yellow, 

orange.

2. Five cities:   Banff,  Jackson Hole,  Edinburgh, 

Dehli,  Katmandu,

3.  Five landscapes:   Mountains, canyons, forests, 

waterfalls, fields of flowers.

4.  Five interiors:    Cottages, conservatories, 

museums,inns, toy shops.

5. Five things you might wear:    Funky hats, 

funky boots, capes, chiffon scarves, 

handkerchief skirts,

When at least  ten people have responded, either in their comments or in their own blogs, I'll tell you the next step.  There are four steps in all.

MOONBOWS

Moonbows at Yosemite National Park..............magic

ZION NATIONAL PARK

Utah's First National Park

Massive canyon walls ascend toward a brilliant blue sky. To experience Zion, you need to walk among the towering cliffs, or challenge your courage in a small narrow canyon. These unique sandstone cliffs range in color from cream, to pink, to red. They could be described as sand castles crowning desert canyons.

 Remembering  a hot day in August some years ago, walking shin deep across the cool waters of Zion National Park.   In  awe of its beauty and wildness, and offering thoughts of gratitude to those with the foresight to protect these acres.  

LIFE'S LESSONS

Where does the time go?  Well, in my case this has been a summer of taking care of other people's business. Not something I volunteered for, or would agree to do once again. Rather I was conscripted to handle my recently departed sister-in-law's estate, way too soon, and under a dark cloud of sadness.

I have lost enough people in my life to know when they are gone, what they leave behind in material goods, does not fill the emptiness.  All of the little keepsakes, from their tender memories are often lost on the person, sorting through their things. Or is that just me? 

It seems that the older I get,  going through this process reveals to me how I am growing in  spiritual sense.  Oh, I am no where close to nirvana, but I have journeyed quite a distance from measuring my self-worth in my possessions. However, I did find that a little silly ceramic napkin holder, that sat on SIL's kitchen table for 30 years, somehow ended up on my table. And, the prayer shawl given to her in the hospital the day my brother passed away, came home with me  too. As I said, not close to nirvana.


Other than that, the  message whispered to my heart each time I have to deal with this task, is the fact that the memories, and love are in me, not in  the"things" left behind. No need to add  their "stuff" to my "stuff"  it won't keep them any closer to me, and it will all eventually need to be sifted through yet again, when I am the one who is finally resting.  
  
I want to simplify my life, my soul yearns for that.  I am being slowly drawn to answer that call. All of my life I have been a dyed in the wool procrastinator when it comes to organization. Left-handed  mayhem is more my style. Unfinished projects, potential projects, dreams, and ideas surround me manifested in "stuff".  "Tomorrow I will sort things out" has been my motto to this point in my life. However, call for simplicity is growing louder.  So wish me luck, as I reach forward. Can an old dog learn new tricks?  I will let you know.

A WEE SUMMER COTTAGE

For sale: Katharine Hepburn's luxury former home on the market for a cool $28 million

It is a rare chance to own a piece of movie history.
But there won't be too many buyers able to come up with the whopping $28 million dollars it will cost to buy the Connecticut mansion and estate which once belonged to legendary movie star Katharine Hepburn.
The African Queen actress lived in the mansion until she died in 2003 at the age of 96.

Spectacular: Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn's former estate in Connecticut is on the market for $28 million

The estate, which sits on the waterfront, had been in the Hepburn family since 1913.
It was bought by Barbara and Frank Sciame in 2004 for $6million with the intention of renovating it and selling it on, according to the Wall Street Journal. 
However Mr Sciame 'fell in love' with the 8,300 square foot home and ended up spending summers there.
For the sale, he has divided the estate into three sections, available to buy together or separately.

Luxury: The home boasts six bedrooms and eight bathrooms and was in the Hepburn family from 1913 until the actress's death

Dramatic: One inside interior photograph shows a stunning sweeping white staircase

Family home: The estate belonged to Katharine Hepburn's family from 1913 until she died

The largest section features the house and private dock on Long Island Sound, which runs  along 680 feet of waterfront, for $18 million.
The colonial style home, which is listed on William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty, features six bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
The listing also says the house boasts 'stunning views from this crown jewel.'

 

The property also has a large pond at its rear, 'securing privacy', and private beaches.
Other features include seven fireplaces and a 'crushed stone' driveway.
One photograph shows the dramatic hallway with a grand sweeping staircase, while a shot of a bedroom reveals a spectacular view of the waterfront.

Room with a spectacular view: One of the mansion's six bedrooms looks out across the waterfront

Private jetty: The house, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, looks out onto Long Island Sound

Miss Hepburn holds the record for winning the most Best Actress Oscars, triumphing for Morning Glory in 1933, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner in 1967, The Lion in Winter in 1968, and On Golden Pond in 1981.
She had a long and celebrated love affair with Spencer Tracey, although she also had relationships with Howard Hughes and director John Ford.

She had no children and only married once, briefly, to college sweetheart Ludlow Ogden Smith.
Miss Hepburn died at her beloved home in June 2003.

Stunning: The home has been completely renovated since the actress's death

Height of luxury: The home, which boasts high ceilings and 8,300 square feet of floor space, has been renovated with white fixtures and fittings

Just the coolest property, but what else would it be, being Katherine Hepburn's home?

PONDERINGS.....

So,  I have been lost in my normal mulling and pondering the meaning of life over the last 6 weeks or so.  "What's it all about Alfie?"  A question that has haunted me over the years, much like  "The Hound of Heaven." Usually, I come up with a few more insights during my mulling periods, and find little comfort in them. This is especially true the older my search for meaning becomes.  However, comfort is not the issue anymore, understanding, acceptance, and peace have become the watershed of my "quiet times"

What I never abandon in the end, is that fact that life is such a gift.  And a lesson I am presented with, whenever I take the time to ponder, is mindfulness and the practice of  being in the present moment is the ultimate goal  to be sought. My illusion of control, is just that, an illusion. Powerlessness cannot be denied, or avoided no matter how hard I try.

May I remember each day that life is fragile, time is short, and this journey is so, so sweet.  Furthermore may I accept that powerlessness is not weakness, in embracing it one finds a bottomless source of strength. 


It is time to leave the desert once again, taking  what it offered with gratitude.







 

NEVER, EVER, GIVE UP......

Somedays, I feel like this pup. 

But, sooner or later we all get on our feet! 

All it takes is time and effort............

THESE ARE THE TIMES......

These are the times that try one's soul. The longing to pick up the phone and call the newly departed. The sense of loss, moments of desolation, it never gets any easier.  The family circle shrinks, one moves on, one step closer to the front line. 

That being said, each day I awaken is a gift,  each day in the garden is more joyous,  family more dear (warts and all!)  Grief causes one to pause, and consider the absolute reality that life really is fleeting. Kindness and gratitude have become even more important in my daily life, and that in itself is something to be grateful for.

Contemplating the fragility of existence is not for the feint hearted. Death is a thief of the worst ilk. Yet face it we must,  and over time trust that the pain will diminish. The emptiness of loss will never heal completely, but the scar left behind will become another battle wound of life's journey.  


Eventually, the joyful memories will feel less bitter, the tears will lessen, and I will embrace the blessings of my journey today.  Onward....... 

Amen.

WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY

I find myself in a familiar place once again, a place of sorrow, grieving and emptiness. I have been in this valley too many times in the past 14 years, and now here I am again.


My sister-in-law and dear friend passed away on May 8th after what was supposed to be a "new lease on life" surgical procedure. I lost her husband , my oldest brother three years ago June 15, and SIL and I had become closer as I held the torch for her through the early days, months and years of widowhood.


We held each other up on a daily basis, spent weekends together, laughed cried, and offered each other hope that there was a future for both of us.  And now I stand alone yet again. That sad, dark sense of loss enveloping me coldly.


This too shall pass, I trust in that promise. But, in the meantime I walk with sorrow and listen to her whisperings,  yet again.  Too soon for me, but she is here, none the less.

A WEDDING HOMILY

I was very struck by the homily at the Royal Wedding this morning.... Nostalgia for the homeland, perhaps.


But, much more than that.  Sage advice, for all who share a life, and love with another.  It touched me deeply.


I wish the young couple a life that contains more of the joys they are sharing today, than the trials they shall surely encounter, as time goes by.


Here it is:

"Dearly Beloved...

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.

Many are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.

In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.

William and Catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

And in the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each another.

A spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.

It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. And people can dream of doing such a thing but the hope should be fulfilled it is necessary a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.

You have both made your decision today – “I will” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.

We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely a power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the earth and for one another.

Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase:

“Whan maistrie [mastery] comth, the God of Love anon,

Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon.”

As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.

I pray that all of us present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today, will do everything in our power to support and uphold you in your new life. And I pray that God will bless you in the way of life that you have chosen, that way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day:

God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.

In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.  "

SOUL SONGS

“The grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.”

John Muir 

Thank you Mr. Muir for your spirit, and calling.

HELP........

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

Crocii

Small, strong

Purple, yellow

Reaching towards the sky

Offering joy to all who pass

Gardens

SCOTTISH STREET SONGS

Nostalgic street songs of my day...

We did not have much in the way of  material things, but it did not take much to have fun.

COULTER'S CANDY

This beloved children's song is sung by Scottish Mammies, and Grans in Scotland, and wherever they ended up in the world.

STORY

These lyrics have blown me away from the first time I heard them.

Lyrics to The Story :

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you
I climbed across the mountain tops
Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you
You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess
No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what
I've been through like you do
And I was made for you...
All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you
I climbed across the mountain tops
Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you
You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess
No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what
I've been through like you do
And I was made for you...
All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJa-KazVMYU 

A WOMANS BEST FRIEND TOO....

Tami Akanuma, 83

In this Wednesday, March 23, 2011 photo, Tami Akanuma, 83, holds her Shih-tzu dog 'Babu' at an evacuation center in Miyako, northern Japan. When a massive earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, Akanuma was with her dog at home located 200 meters (about 219 yards) away from a coast. Soon after the lights went out, the dog started running around furiously. Then she prepared to walk her dog, even though it's a bit early from their regular dog-walking hours. During her preparation, tsunami alert was issued and she opened the door of her house for evacuation, and the dog dashed out toward a hill, which was different walkway from regular course. According to Akanuma, when she became sluggish, the dog looked back on her and seemed it urged her to walk, and once she caught up with her dog, it stroke out again. And finally Akanuma could arrive at a shelter about 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) away from her home, just before the tsunami engulfed the walkway they took. Babu was usually unwilling to take a walk, so Akanuma believes that the dog might have predicted the tsunami. Babu celebrated her 12th birthday on March 23.« Read less

(AP Photo/Yomiuri Shimbun, Tetsuya Kikumasa) JAPAN OUT, 

I have a Shih Tzu much like 'Babu' and they do hate to walk.  All the more wonderful ......

REBA - IF I WERE A BOY

AGAPE

"I'll get by with a little help from my friends."  

These dogs touched me deeply, as they did so many worldwide.  Everyday when I return home to my own wet nosed fur baby, I know that this heroic dog and mine are one in the same, in their hearts.   And that kind of unconditional love is profoundly healing.  It helps turn a bad into a better day,  it lifts sadness, it brings a smile to one's face, and  offers acceptance even when you are not very lovable.  Hug a dog today, it will lift you up. 

Prayers offered for all in Japan.

 

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

On my way "out the door" to work this morning  a  segment on the Today Show  triggered a memory of one of my favorite mystical places and it's magical history and legend. If you ever go across the sea to Ireland put this wonder on your itinerary. By the way, the Bushmills Distillery is nearby!  For the giant's convenience I am sure.....


Giant’s Causeway with its unusual formations attracts thousands of visitors each year to Northern Ireland. Some geologists claim that the Causeway was formed over 60 million years ago by intermittent periods of volcanic activity. But other geologists, who approach Giant’s Causeway with a biblical understanding of the past, state that this wonder was formed around 4,500 years ago as a result of a single, great catastrophe.
 

History and Legend

The formation of Giant’s Causeway is drenched in Irish folklore. According to one of the most well-known legends, Giant’s Causeway was formed by Finn MacCool, an Irish giant. One day Finn MacCool was enraged by the ranting of the Scottish giant named Finn Gall from across the Channel. So, Finn MacCool tore large pieces of rock from the cliff and pushed them into the ocean floor making a land bridge across the Channel. However, when he was finished, he was too exhausted to fight Finn Gall. He built a large crib, disguised himself like a child, crawled in and fell asleep. Seeing the completed causeway, Finn Gall crossed the Channel to fight. When he found MacCool’s house, he walked in and saw the crib. Looking into the crib, Finn Gall saw a massive “child.” Thinking that this was Finn MacCool’s child, he quickly reasoned that MacCool must be massive and fully capable of handily whipping him. So, Finn Gall turned and retreated to Scotland, breaking up the causeway behind him as he went. The sheer cliffs and honeycomb-shaped columns are not the result of feuding giants; they are the result of two major forces—volcanic activity and water.

FORGIVENESS

"From this day on, forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could've been any different." ~ 
Oprah Winfrey

Although I have read some negative comments about Oprah's quote above. I personally thought it was a brilliant insight, and much worthy of sharing. 

As one who has spent a great deal of time wishing my past was different, I deeply understand the time lost in pursuing the unattainable.   We cannot change the past, we can become willing to forgive it, and in that act of forgiveness recoup our own power.   However long that endeavor takes depends on each individuals personal journey, and their willingness to change their perspective, and accept the things they cannot change.

The past is the past, and it has no power over the present unless we deem it so. We must remember who we are, and that we are loved.  Just as we are.

CARESSES

Pondering.....


"Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet."

— Thich Nhat Hanh (Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life) 

All my life I have adored walking barefoot. And. all my life I have had countless people tell me to "put some shoes on."  So this quote speaks to my heart, and paints a most beautiful image in my mind.


Next time I walk barefoot on the grass, or the beach, or wherever, I will appreciate the caress of each step.  Subconsciously, I have always done that.  How about you?

HOPE

Ponderings

“Hope is the dream of a soul awake.”

 French Proverb quotes

Wishing and hoping for better days.......

MINDFULNESS

 Daily pondering.....

"To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now." 

— Thich Nhat Hanh (Touching Peace: Practicing the Art of Mindful Living)

BLAME

   February ponderings......... the teachings of Tich Nhat Hanh. 


"When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you
don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not
doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or
less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have
problems with our friends or family, we blame the other
person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will
grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason
and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no
reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you
understand, and you show that you understand, you can
love, and the situation will change"
— Thich Nhat Hanh

SMILE.....

Thought  to ponder:

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."
— Thich Nhat Hanh

 

SOME DAYS.....

Some days one just runs of of "feel good." And this winter is  feel good energy sapper for those of us drafted into the snow moving business on a weekly basis.     Eight...yes eight snow storms since December's end.   This magpie mirrors my current sensibility.  I do love sparkly snow, but I would so much rather just purchase some of Martha Stewart's wonderful sparkly glitter.  I would not have to shovel that into five foot walls that make one feel like one is living in the trenches.


On a positive note, I have lost 5 lbs over the past three storms. Bringing my weight loss to a total of 15 lbs since November, 2010. And my blood sugar this morning was 83 when it usually runs around 104.  So even a disgruntled magpie has something to be grateful for. No matter, how much she dislikes the process the outcome is positive. 

So, it seems that an ancient one has been whispering in my ear.    Upon examination of my predicament  I finally heard them and accepted the blessing.   Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.  But please, next big storm, send me snow plow.

JANUARY

Do angels catch cold?   If they do this poor wee fellow is overdue to be moved inside.  The NE has been hammered this January, snow, more snow, sleet,  ice, more snow, and another Nor'easter next week.  Such is New England. I accept that, but enough is enough. Even tough Yankees are beginning to grumble as we are pummeled by two storms per week.

I am ready for Saint Valentine to pay a visit. Perhaps his warm, loving heart will soften the atmosphere. One can only hope.......

SO BE IT....

I was very sick over the holidays...... hospital sick in fact. But in my normal stubborn, stoic Scottish way I would not give in and go to the emergency room, or the doctor. I toughed it out, was a "good wee soldier" like I was expected to be as a child and in fact revisited my childhood memories of fear and vulnerability.  All the more potent with no sense of emotional, or physical back-up from a caretaker.
Art Linkletter said "old age ain't for cissies",  but in my experience of late, widowhood is only one step behind the challenge of old age.  At no time did I experience such  a deep sense of fear  than in the middle of the night, when was sick and alone.  Oh sure I could have called someone, but it was the holidays and people were busy making merry. No one wants a wet blanket call  at holiday time.   Solitude can be comforting at times. but it can also be an unwelcome companion. But welcome or not, it has to be accepted and embraced in order to find peace and comfort within it.
So here I am one week past the health crisis, on the mend, still alone, still feeling a sense of  unease, yet still standing. And, still a stubborn stoic...........


  Amen.............