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Archive for the ‘inspiration’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/17/15)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 17, 2015| 2 Comments »

July 17, 2015 Edition Under silhouettes of tree canopies and a summer sky sprinkled with shooting stars, I swim laps in the dark tranquil water of my pool. My strokes, while unrefined, transport me back and forth, during what I call my hour of peace. House lights, patio lights, and even pool lights are flicked off. Only the stars, the moon, and surrounding ambient light illuminate my way. But for the faint strains of favorite music playing in the background, the quiet rippling of water soothes the tension of busy days. Every night while I float serenely on my back and admire the view above, I thank my lucky stars for having lived another day.

#1 – Stargazing
Star Gazing Calendar Decades ago, when I moved into my current home and when ambient light from auto malls, shopping centers, and the like did not exist, my husband, my children, and I would take advantage of our steep driveway and place sleeping bags on it to stargaze. Our driveway became our amphitheater to the sky. If you enjoy stargazing, don’t miss out on exciting upcoming celestial events. Here are 3 sites that will keep you informed. For a quick preview, click on the photo above to learn about events in July and August:

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
Skywatching in 2015: 9 Must-See Stargazing Events
Weekly Stargazing Tips

#2 – Wet Workouts
Although swimming under the stars is one of my favorite things to do, I also use my swimming pool to get additional exercise. Below are two great videos that show a variety of exercises you can do in a pool.
Calorie-Burning Pool Moves:

Tighten Your Abs in the Pool:

#3 – Playing With Food
Carl Warner's Incredible Foodscapes What if the water in your swimming pool were really blue jello and the trees providing you that lovely little bit of shade were made of parsley and ginger root? Carl Warner, a London-based photographer creates incredible landscapes using food. In his world, loaves of bread create mountains, celery stalks form a verdant forest, and romanesco becomes undersea coral. The ingredients in these detailed “foodscapes” don’t go to waste either. He or his crew take the food home and eat it or they donate it to a homeless shelter.

#4 – Naturally-Flavored Water
10 Natural Flavored Waters Why drink plain water when you can sip refreshing naturally-flavored water? Check out the tantalizing combinations in 10 Natural Flavored Water Recipes.

#5 – Lose to Find
Swimming Inspiration

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/10/15)

Posted in About me, Aging, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Pets, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

July 10, 2015 Edition Buster dashes through the opened front door, runs past the kitchen filled with delicious aromas, and heads straight to the back door. He longingly stares through the glass panes of the door and then begins to bark loudly. Buster wants to go swimming. No gentle licks of hello or nudges to be petted; he is a dog on a mission. Playing fetch with his water bumper in the pool brings him so much joy. Dogs appreciate the simple things in life. We should take lessons from them.

#1 – Simply Genius
This cooking technique found on GoodHomeDIY is simply genius. The onion ring not only holds the egg in a round-shape while cooking, but it also imparts additional flavor. Round-Shaped Eggs

#2 – Must Read
Looking for some good books to read? It can be as simple as checking out Buzzfeed’s list of 53 Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down. Must Read Reading List

#3 – Box Templates
Making your own boxes may not seem like a simple process, but it brings such a sense of accomplishment when you are finished and have a beautiful box perfectly suited for its contents. Take a look at the variety of box and bag templates offered for free on Template Maker. Template Maker

#4 – Look Me In The Thighs
Women's Thighs: One Word 25 brave women between the ages of 20 and 70 bared their thighs and then, using one word, described them. This is not a desirable or pleasant task for most women, but the descriptions by these women are simply honest and revealing. Read 25 Women Bare Their Gloriously Unretouched Thighs — And Describe Them In One Word and immediately start appreciating your thighs more.

#5 – The Simple Life
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter . . . to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life. ~John Burroughs

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/3/15)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2015| Leave a Comment »

July 3, 2015 Edition Baby Charlotte is going swimming. Fun in the sun and water involves planning and responsibility. Gone are the days when we could just grab a towel and go. Experience provides us with the “why and when” and technology provides us with the “what and how.” Swimsuit? Check. Hat? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Rash guard? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Reusable swim diaper? Absolutely! Enjoy cooling off at the pool, lake, river, or ocean, but be responsible for yourself and the Earth.

#1 – How Long Until It’s Gone?
How Long Until It's Gone The pollution of our precious water goes on and on. Take a look at the infographic (click on the image above to enlarge it to a readable size) and see how long it takes certain objects to decompose in water. The lifespan of some of the items may shock you. The next time you take a cruise or relax at a beach or on a boat, please think twice about leaving garbage in the water.

#2 – Water Wall
DIY Water Wall During the drought here in California, it’s hard to condone any of the usual ways that kids play with water to cool off in the summer. Building a water wall is a clever way that allows children to play with water, while recycling it.

#3 – Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July I have a friend who reuses plastic takeout boxes. She carries them in her car for when the need arises. When she dines out, she just carries one in a bag into the restaurant. What a brilliant way to cut down on plastic garbage and help planet Earth. It’s the collective impact of all the little things we do that counts. On that note, can you rise to the challenge of refusing to use a single-use plastic item during the month of July? The website for the movement Plastic Free July states that its goal is “to raise awareness of the amount of single-use disposable plastic in our lives and challenges people to do something about it. You can sign up for a day, a week or the whole month and try to refuse ALL single-use plastic or try the TOP 4: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups and straws.”

#4 – Earth, the Water Planet
Watching this brief video will make you feel gratitude and respect for the gift of water on our beautiful planet.

#5 – Without Love and Water
“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”
W. H. Auden

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/26/15)

Posted in About me, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2015| 10 Comments »

P1090345.JPG Today, I will bid a final goodbye to my Uncle Ed, so I will not be posting a normal Friday’s Fresh Five! Instead, I would like to share a memory of him. Being an engineer, my Uncle Ed was an intelligent and clever man, but it was his big heart and gentle soul that endeared him to so many. In three days, my Uncle Ed would have celebrated his 94th birthday. A remarkable age for a remarkable man. I cherish the fond memories I have of him and of the many childhood days spent visiting with him and his family.

The Dark Room

As a child, the thought of entering a dark and creepy space, filled with unimaginable things, always made my pulse race and my stomach churn. Possessing a wild imagination, unfamiliar dark spaces scared the daylights out of me. Then one day, during one of my summer visits to my Uncle Ed and his family, something happened.

The day was sunny and looking to be a fun one when my cousin Bobbie called out, “Come on! Let’s go down there.” I quickly replied, “No, I don’t want to!” Excitedly, she said, “I want to show you something and it’s down there!” Fearfully, I exclaimed, “I don’t want to see it!” Bobbie persisted and before I knew it, she opened the door and we were leaving the sunny fun day behind.

I followed her down narrow wooden stairs and willed my legs to cooperate, so that I wouldn’t stumble and fall headlong into the dank stale air and the oncoming darkness. My heart beat like a metronome set on high by the time we reached the bottom step. While my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I sensed movement to my right and smelled something very strong and acrid. “What is it Bobbie?” I whispered. “I’ll show you,” she replied calmly. “I’m never going to visit her again!” I thought to myself as she nudged me forward. As she guided me closer to the source of the movement, I noticed an eerie light. What I finally saw not only altered my impression of that particular dark space, but also introduced me to something I would grow to love. Standing yards ahead of me was my Uncle Ed. He was busy moving things from tray to tray. As I stepped closer, he explained to me that he was developing black and white photographs. I stood mesmerized, while watching familiar faces slowly come into being. To a young girl, it looked like magic.

That day was the beginning of my lifelong fascination with photography. And, knowing that Uncle Ed created magic within the confines of that basement, I no longer felt afraid to go down into the “darkroom.” 

Thank you Uncle Ed. I am forever grateful to you for introducing me to the magic of photography and for being in my life. I’ll miss you.

 

 

 

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/19/15)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Parenting, Recycling, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 19, 2015| Leave a Comment »

June 19, 2015 Edition The journey my dad took as a young boy from China to the United States amazes me every time I think about it. Consider his story of leaving his mother and walking barefoot to a neighboring village to catch a junk, of sailing down a pirate-infested river, of staying alone in Hong Kong while waiting to catch a steamer ship that would take him one step closer to his father, and of enduring the prison-like internment at Angel Island. I often wonder if I would have had the courage to do what he did. The experiences of leaving his mother and of the traumatic journey are forever etched in his soul. They influence him everyday of his life. They molded him into a determined, hard-working man of integrity and, more importantly, a loving husband, father, brother, and loyal friend. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

#1 – Sacrifices
I cried while watching this video, because I could relate to the sacrifices identified. They are similar, if not identical, to the ones my parents and my grandparents made in order for their children’s lives to be better than their own. We should remember and be grateful everyday for all the sacrifices made for us, and not just on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Veteran’s Day, or Memorial Day.

#2 – Camping Out In Style
Amazing Camping Trailer Because my parents worked just about everyday of the week, camping didn’t fit into our family’s schedule. That’s not to say we didn’t own camping supplies or enjoy the great outdoors. If we had a camper like the one in When Their Trailer Transforms Into a House . . . , camping out might have been more of a priority!

#3 – Two Kinds of People
Clever Illustrations Reveal the Two Kinds of People There Are in the World I laughed when I viewed the article, Clever Illustrations Reveal the Two Kinds of People There Are in the World, because it reminded me of some of the differences between me and my husband. He sets multiple annoying alarms on his digital watch and he bends back pages in books to mark his place. I, on the other hand, rarely set an alarm (because his alarms wake me up), wear a traditional dial watch, and would never dream of defacing a book. What kind of person are you?

#4 – Ways to Repurpose Bottles!
23 Ways to Repurpose Plastic Bottles I grew up in my parents’ grocery store. Literally. My sister and I played hide and seek in the warehouse, scaling tall stacks of cardboard boxes. We also helped sort coupons and soda pop bottles, while our parents worked. Back in the day, soda pop bottles were made of glass. These days, as we all know, most are made of plastic, a substance with which the world has a love-hate relationship. In an effort to find ways to repurpose plastic bottles, here are 23 Insanely Creative Ways to Recycle Plastic Bottles Into DIY Projects.

#5 – Five for Fathers
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”
Jim Valvano

“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.”
Clarence Budington Kelland

“I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father’s life.”
Sidney Poitier

“In our house, Mother’s Day is every day. Father’s Day, too. In our house, parents count. They do important work and that work matters. One day just doesn’t cut for us.”
Margaret Heffernan

“Son, brother, father, lover, friend. There is room in the heart for all the affections, as there is room in heaven for all the stars.”
Victor Hugo

Happy Father’s Day to all the deserving fathers out there!

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/12/15)

Posted in About me, Community, Creativity, Helping Others, inspiration, Pets, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

June 12, 2015 Edition Rotti doesn’t dwell on his disability. In fact, he’s a pretty darn happy guy. Despite the fact that he has a disease that caused his hind legs to become lame, his infectious joyful demeanor remains constant. Rotti runs on all fours now and the only thing that would make him happier would be for someone to adopt him.

#1 – A Home For Rotti
Rotti Needs a Home Rotti is a super cute and loveable 4½ year-old male tri-color Welsh Corgi with IVDD who is in need of a “furever” home. Rotti had back surgery and is currently being fostered by my oldest son. Being an energetic dog, Rotti’s disability never slows him down or prevents him from enjoying all the things that dogs love. Rotti recently received a set of “wheels” to help strengthen his muscles and to help improve his mobility. After watching video clips of him running with the aid of his cart, all I could do was smile and say, “Run Rotti, run!” If you are interested in learning more about Rotti, check out these links:

The Adventures of Super Rotti
Dogs of Instagram
The Daily Corgi

Rotti Needs a Family and Home And, even better, if you’re interested in adopting this adorable and affectionate dog, contact Queen’s Best Stumpy Dog Rescue.

#2 – Enabling the Future
Enabling the Future Last month, one of my friends attended the 2015 Maker Fair and came across a booth sponsored by Enabling the Future. She learned that this organization solicits volunteers from around the world to use their 3-D printers to fabricate mechanical hands for children in need. With Rotti in mind, my friend asked the representatives if they ever made prostheses for dogs. They had not, but thought it could be possible. She brought me back some literature to read. I found the organization’s website to be very inspirational. Here is a segment from its “About” page:

What originally started out as a couple of guys who created something to help one child in need . . . has grown into a world wide movement of tinkerers, engineers, 3D print enthusiasts, occupational therapists, university professors, designers, parents, families, artists, students, teachers and people who just want to make a difference.

They are coming together to create, innovate, re-design and give a “Helping hand” to those that need it – whether it is helping to print parts for them, creating a completed device for them or simply helping to guide them as they build one themselves.

There are people around the Globe – 3d printing fingers and hands for children they will never meet, classes of high school students who are making hands for people in their local communities, hundreds of Scout troops working together to assemble hands for children in underserved areas around the globe, a group of people that are risking their lives to get these devices onto people in 3rd World countries and new stories every day of parents working with their children to make a hand together.

If this project interests you and you want to give someone a “helping hand” check out the link above.

#3 – Who’s Disabled?
The Amazing Art of Disabled Artists Could you be an artist, if you didn’t have arms or eyes? Looking through the artwork in The Amazing Art of Disabled Artists, I realized that if a person is an artist, he will always be an artist, no matter what his circumstance. I am blessed with four limbs and eyesight, but never in a million years could I ever paint or sculpt anything as incredible as the work of these artists.

#4 – Touching Two Lives
Soldier's Best Friend If the dog is man’s best friend, then the pairing of a shelter dog with a wounded veteran makes for the most compelling bond imaginable. Assisting veterans and combatting pet overpopulation is the mission of Soldier’s Best Friend, a non-profit corporation. Its work focuses on “touching two lives at once.”

#5 – Are You Disabled?
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
Scott Hamilton

Now go and spread joy!

P.S. Remember Duke, the Corgi-Dachsund-Jack Russell-mix dog I wrote about back in March? Well, I’m happy to report that someone adopted him!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/5/15)

Posted in About me, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 5, 2015| 1 Comment »

June 5, 2015 Edition
Dear Readers,

Due to circumstances beyond my control (lovely warm day, beautiful blue skies, and adorable granddaughter), the writing of Friday’s Fresh Five! lost out to the joy of the moment. Check back next week for a new edition.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember:

“Happiness, not in another place but this place . . . not for another hour, but this hour.”
Walt Whitman

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/29/15)

Posted in In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

May 29, 2015 Edition In a center that provides services for women and children in need, a small floral bouquet sits in a vase. Sunlight streams in from a window and illuminates a rose, making its outer petals glow. Incredibly, this beautiful example of nature transforms an old fire station, which houses the center, into a cozy and joyful place. Joy is everywhere, if you look for it. It’s in the little things in life.

#1 – Spread Joy
Finding joy makes for a life of never-ending gratitude. Don’t limit yourself to just looking for joy, however. How about spreading some? Here is a little booklet that lists 150 Ways to Spread Joy. Indeed, what goes around, comes around.Spreading Joy

#2 – Kitchen Help
Kitchen Infographics Imagine my joy when I found all of these cooking infographics on one site! Almost everything anyone needs to know about cooking and baking can be found on one of these 25 Must-See Diagrams That Will Make Cooking Super Easy.

#3 – Norway Calls
27 Reasons Why You Must Visit Norway
After looking at the photos in 27 Reasons Why You Must Visit Norway in 2015, I had to add another country to my bucket list. I’m positive there must be more than 27 reasons to visit Norway!

#4 – Starfish Story
Starfish Story This story speaks of the power of one. We each possess the power to enact positive change in the world:

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

Adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977)

#5 – Joy
“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.”
Karl Barth

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/22/15)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 22, 2015| 2 Comments »

May 22, 2015 EditionEven though she can’t walk yet, my granddaughter Charlotte loves to play fetch with me. You know the game – baby throws objects from the high chair and you fetch them. After bending over for the umpteenth time, I looked up to see Charlotte grinning at me with a bit of cracker stuck between her eyes. In that moment, as I watched her search her tray for the missing piece of cracker, I realized more than ever that I want to live to be a ripe old age. Then Charlotte and I can share as many silly moments together as possible.

#1 – If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again
Whether you’re raising young children now or have grown-up children, you might relate to the sentiment expressed in this poem by Diana Loomans: "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

#2 – Child’s Play For Adults
33 Ways to Be Childlike Today Why should kids have all the fun? Read 33 Ways to Be Childlike Today and select a few things from the list to do. Reread one of your favorite childhood books, jump rope, be creative, sit cross-legged, or make a spontaneous playdate with friends. Sound like fun?

#3 – New Life For Toys
Upcycling Toys The author of 21 Ideas for Upcycling Kid’s Toys places the blame for massive toy accumulation on grandparents. Hardly a true statement, but toy accumulation can be a problem in many households. The article presents clever ways to transform toys into objects with new uses. If upcycling doesn’t appeal to you, check out Eco-Friendly Disposal of Kids’ Toys and Electronics for helpful suggestions.

#4 – Kids’ Play Around the Globe
30 Amazing Photos of Kids Playing Around the World The magic of child’s play is captured in the collection of 30 Amazing Photos of Kids Playing Around the Globe.

#5 – Connecting the Dots
“Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.”
Lois Wyse

Now go and spread joy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/15/15)

Posted in About me, Helping Others, inspiration, Pets, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

May 15, 2015 Edition Cursing myself for deciding to update my computer software on a day I normally post to my blog, I tried to relax and redirect my self-talk. While faced with an unfamiliar computer application that the update forced on me, I remembered the words on a street sign I photographed in Los Angeles last week. Immediately, I turned off the negative self-talk and told myself, “Everything will be fine. You’re a smart gal. You’ll figure it out.” Life can be stressful, frustrating, and challenging at times, but at the heart of it all is you. You are the main character in your play. You write the script. You control character development. It’s your happy ending or not. Do you love yourself enough to let your light shine and be the hero of your life story?

#1 – Love Yourself
Love Yourself To some people, self-love does not come easy. “How To Love Yourself in 17 Ways” provides introspective and empowering suggestions.

#2 – Tea and Thee
Tea and Thee “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” This quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, introduces Leo Babuta’s post Create a Sacred Space in Your Heart. The article is not so much about drinking tea as it is about recognizing the need to create sacred spaces in your heart for those things in your life that matter most.

#3 – Love That Traveling Dog
Maddie the Traveling DogA couple of things strike me as I look through the photos in Photographer Takes His Rescued Dog Maddie On Epic Adventures. First off, I admire the ability of some people to pick up and go. Secondly, I like the composition of Theron Humphries’s photos – especially the images of Maddie in front of captivating scenery. And finally, I realize how much I miss my dog and having the love of a good dog.

#4 – Before I Die . . .
A while back, I took a class on learning how to live a more authentic life. Towards the end of the class, each student was given a piece of paper and asked to write his obituary. The point of the powerful assignment was to shed light on what each of us wanted to be remembered for and to help us focus on what and who were important in our lives. The following TED Talk follows a similar premise. “Before I die . . .” is the unfinished statement that artist Candy Chang asks people to complete. In her interactive public installations, she provides space for people to write down their answers. How would you complete the statement?

#5 – Self-Love and Light
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”
Abraham Lincoln

“Loving yourself . . . does not mean being self-absorbed or narcissistic, or disregarding others. Rather it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart, a guest worthy of respect, a lovable companion.”
Margo Anand

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Now go and spread joy!

 

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