Turkey's in the hood

Not to long ago, while driving to work, I was stopped dead in my tracks by what looked like 50 fat, beautiful, lumbering turkeys in the middle of the road.  Not all of them were in the middle, exactly, some were lounging on a lawn.  I stopped to count them and I got to over 40 before they decided they might be in some one's way.  I didn't have the heart to honk my horn, and one of my few good habits is giving myself time to get places, so I just enjoyed the camaraderie. I did, however take several pictures for posterity with my phone.  Oh, you probably thought I was talking about the "other" turkeys in my neighborhood.  We have a few of those, too!  Make a ripple, lol, see what happens

The season of forgiveness

I was out in my back yard working, yesterday.  It was one of the few days we have had to do that.  I must admit, working outside is one of my most favorite things, much better than anything inside. HA! You must know by now how I feel about Spring.  To me, it is the season of forgiveness.  All the messes I left before hibernating, are waiting patiently to be cleaned up with a wonderful reward, and best of all, no judgement for what I left before.  It makes me wonder if I shouldn't carry Spring in my heart all year long just to let me know that whatever messes I have made will always be forgiven. And with just a little work, I can make something beautiful which once was not so beautiful.  Make a ripple, carry the thought, see what happens.

One more degree...

When I got up this morning, I only turned the heat up one degree.  That sounds weird on many fronts. First, I have to turn it on for Catboy , who patiently sits by the vent, waiting for it. Second, I want to warm up the house just a little from the night.  It is strange what that one degree does for us both and it tells me that it just takes a tiny bit more effort to work my way in to Spring.  It was a hard winter, and my movement has been slow. This brings up my favorite subject, patience.  The older I get, the more I need to work on this wonderful virtue. We are not taught to be patient.  That is sad, because, if nothing else, patience causes us to be in the moment, and that's where we should be, appreciating every breath.  Make a ripple, settle down, see what happens.

Brain Freeze

We all get this!  I have it this morning.  What I wish for you is that your heart's desires be fulfilled, and that you honor and respect everyone today and put a smile on someone else's face.  Make a ripple, for yourself and others, see what happens.

He's much better, today

Yesterday, Catboy gave me quite a scare.  He was very lethargic, wouldn't eat any of his cookies, and one of his bodily functions ...  Well, you get the point.  So, I had a little talk with him, gave him some cat herbs (legal) and left him to rest, all the while asking for just another 10 years with him.  My point here is that we all have people in our lives who are not as young as they used to be.  We get busy and sometimes lose site of the fact that they need us, too.  I am happy to report that Catboy is his rare and wonderful self, today.  It just took a little extra love and tenderness, and yes, those (legal) herbs. Our society is not as adept as some in honoring our elders, I say we take a page from their book.  Believe it or not, we will be there sooner than you think!  Make a ripple, honor them, see what happens.

85 pounds of love

Good neighbors make life worth living.  I am so fortunate to have the best neighbors in the world.  I am not exaggerating.  The ones on either side are so friendly and willing to help out in any way.  Besides that, they are smart and funny and just a joy to me.  Across the street, I have friends who I talk to about all the things happening in the world, and they are also great human beings.  Next to them is an amazing woman who is the very glue holding us all together.  She is a trusted sitter for kids and Catboy, she knows everything that is going on in the neighborhood, and yesterday, I caught her picking up garbage down the block.  I said " what the heck are you doing?"  With her beautiful smile, she said," someone needs to pick this up, it might as well be me."  I will tell you now, she is not a teenager, but the glint in her eye is!  It takes little time to be a good neighbor, I am going to try just a little harder to be just like her!  Make a ripple, look out for each other, see what happens.

Hanging by a thread

A very dear, and long time friend of mine is having surgery as we speak.  She has already had one of those years we never want to have and she is scared.  We all would be, having to go under the knife.  What I reminded her was that she had been strong enough to weather the last year.  Sometimes we do not give ourselves credit for all that we have done.  The other thing I told her is that she might be hanging by a thread, but the thread is made of silk, the strongest fabric I know.  Let's hold each-other in the light, for we face some hard times, but let's also know that the darkness cannot get into the light, and we all have a silk thread.  Make a ripple, find your strength, see what happens.

We all fall down

The important thing is that we get right back up!  Make a ripple, stand up, and see what happens.

Lessons from the crocus

It is a beautiful day! I hope it is that way wherever you are. It is time to shed all our winter misery and replace it with the new life and expectation of Spring. We all need this, and it is about time.  So, take a good stretch like Catboy, and become a part of this wonderful season.  All sorts of new and exciting things await us!  Make a ripple, be the wonder! see what happens.

I appreciate you all

For all of you who are reading this blog, thank-you so much.  You are the reason I do this and make me not only want to be a better person, but to share what I've learned along the way.  You are the "wind beneath my wings."

Reach down and get it!

I don't know if you are a sports fan. I, like many others am, especially of the college basketball team in our town.  They have been to many tournaments, numerous years in a row, but this year was special.  They always play hard, great players with heart, and a coach to match.  But this year, it seemed like something was happening to many of the good players in the form of injury.  This was not their most stellar year, and yet, here they are!  My point is, (and by the way they won their game,) that sometimes, we just have to suck it up and reach down really deep to get it done.  I could not be more proud of these men, their courage and strength has come shining through like no one's business.  Here we go to round three and to me, they have already won the tournament.  I will take a page from their book, maybe it wouldn't hurt any of us to do that!  Make a ripple, go team, see what happens.

FYI 3

Just to let you know, I am adding "Honey Maid" to my list of people I will support because of their views that include every kind of family.  Inclusion will always be the way to go and I am thankful more and more companies are choosing to advertise in that manner.  Make a ripple, Go Honey Maid, see what happens.

Beauty and the ...leaves

I was out in my yard yesterday.  It always amazes me how those tender little shoots of new life manage to make their way through the mounds of rotting leaves left from the fall.  I don't know why I end up with these mounds every year, I just seem to poop out on my last lawn raking session before the weather turns.  My point here is this: there is always beauty hiding underneath the "rotting leaves," and it is strong enough to make it's way out.  So, I will remove the rotting leaves, to be used for compost, uncover more beauty, prune and weed, and plant more beauty and relish in the fact that what dies, always gives way to what lives. Make a ripple, dig it out! See what happens.  

"With fits and starts"

This is the way my old fashioned , cranky, but often wise grandma used to describe how things sometimes went.  One example of this would be how our season of Spring is occurring this year, (by the way, happy first day of Spring!) Another example of this is the way life happens when we suddenly decide to re-invent ourselves, or our lives.  It is not easy, and takes some tenacity. When things aren't working, we have two choices: muddle by, or take the often painful step to change it.  I am in the middle of the second choice.  Make a ripple, know that things will smooth out, see what happens.

Has it been 5 days yet?

Guess I'm not good at taking a break.  I just heard of a study which suggests that taking just 5 minutes a day to think positively will make a huge impact on a person's health.  I know I can come up with 5 minutes a day to do this and I am betting you are able to do this, too.  Make a ripple, take 5, see what happens.

Everyone needs a break

I will be taking a short break from the blog until Sunday, March 23.  Hope you will continue to read previous blogs, there are 140 of them dating back to October 27, 2013.  Make a ripple, see what happens.

Don't judge your life by your week

I've been feeling a little low, lately.  Things have not been going as I expected.  I know we create our own realities, though, so I will be grateful for the sun we have, which is unexpected, and know that maybe some of my heart's desires may need a little tweaking. We all go through this, and it always changes.  Make a ripple, hang in there, see what happens.

If you lose it, you will find it.

Have you ever noticed that when you replace something you've lost, it shows up immediately?! Hmmm...  It's that way with everything.  So I say, maybe we just pause a moment and trust.  Make a ripple, set it free, see what happens.

"Inner peace creates global peace."

What can I do today to create peace?  Take a deep breath often, and think of how you would like to be treated.  Pass it on!  Make a ripple, Namaste, see what happens.

Under the stairs

I was over at my dear friend's house yesterday.  We were organizing things in boxes in a little dark cubby under her stairway.  I remarked how funny she looked all crouched down in there. (She is my friend who is bald from chemo.)  So we took a picture.  It was funny!  We both laughed and laughed.  I'm not sure where the tears came from, but the sight of this beautiful, strong, courageous woman probably contributed.  She is getting better every day for many reasons, partly because of her sense of humor. Make a ripple, lighten up, see what happens.

It's been re-formulated

It was time, once again, to buy some kibble for the Catboy.  Fortunately, there was about 10% left in the bottom of the bag.  I made my way over to the only store in town who carries it , looking through the 16 varieties of cat food.  It wasn't on the bottom shelf where it usually is, Panic! It wasn't on the middle shelf either. Panic, Panic!  Finally, I found it, but the package had changed and it had been re-formulated.  (Well, you know)  You don't change the eating habits of an 18 year old cat! I bought it anyway.  When I got home, I gingerly mixed what was left of the old kibble with the new.  It even looked different. Shoot, he notices everything!  He came running in to eat and picked each piece of the old kibble out (different shapes and colors).  Crap!  So I left him to his meal.  A while later, I came in to inspect his bowl, and to my surprise, a lot of it was gone.  My point, don't panic if something tries to reformulate in your life, sometimes it works out great!  Sometimes, it's even better.  Make a ripple, trust the process, see what happens.

Entitlement Mentality

There's something I have been noticing for a while now.  It is the lack of manners and courtesy which seem to be so prevalent. I can remember growing up and manners were as important as a good education.  Now, manners are used infrequently, and no one wants to fund education.  What happened?  I was wondering to myself as I drove home from errands yesterday.  Someone in a big new truck almost ran me over as I tried to cross the lot, but the worst part of it was they almost ran over a father and small child, too.  Do we have so much on our minds that we simply don't pay attention?  Do we think our time is so much more important? Or do we not care anymore.  I won't say I am not guilty of being discourtious occasionally, but I try hard not to be. This is a sad trend when I am surprised when someone actually has manners. Make a ripple, think of other's, see what happens.

In a nut shell

"When the Power of Love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."  Bob Marley

Here's a question

Who, among us should have healthcare?  Who should be able to make decisions about their own body?  Who should be able to prosecute another for rape?  Who should be able to vote?  Which children should  have enough food and education?  Here is the answer I have been given.  Rich white men hold all the cards.  51 votes have been made to dismantle the "Affordable Care Act", which is, by the way, the law.  I believe we, the taxpayers, pay for this waste of time and money and it would be better used to , lets say, re-instate Head Start so that little kids could get some nourishment, and begin their education properly.  When have men ever been told what to do with their reproduction? Do they think women get pregnant all by themselves? And for all the fighting we have done for equal rights, shouldn't we all be able to vote?  On this issue, some people must be scared, because if we could all vote, we might just get rid of some of these selfish inhumane beings. Other countries do not seem to have many of these problems. Why do we?  Make a ripple, Stand up! See what happens.

The "AHA" moment!

Everyone will have one of these eventually. If you have been fortunate enough to have one already, you know how life-changing they can be.  They rise from being present and connecting to your own heart's desire.  We can all, with a little work, find our "Aha" moments.  Don't be afraid, just go for it!  There's nothing to lose!  Make a ripple, take the leap, see what happens.

Happy People!

I met a friend at a local coffee shop today.  What I noticed, besides hardly a place to sit, was that the employees were happy and engaged.  I looked this business up on the Internet and surprise, surprise found out that not only were they paid above the minimum wage, they had good benefits, including medical!  Happy people, working hard, treated fairly!  Imagine that!  Make a ripple, take a stand, see what happens.

Here today, gone tomorrow!

I'm feeling pretty fortunate today.  The dirty mounds of snow have magically disappeared!  It is amazing what a little warmth can do, isn't it?  This makes me think about what else a little bit of warmth can/will do.  We all have it in us.  Maybe it is buried under our "winter cold."  Make a ripple, let it melt, see what happens.

KNOW THIS!

"Whatever you fervently want, ardently desire, and sincerely believe, will surely come to pass!"  Make a ripple, find your passion, see what happens.

Optimism

I saw the grass today!  It was my neighbor's lawn, but I felt my breath catch.  Then I started my spring cleaning.  It's weird what triggers us to do things.  Do we automatically react, or is it something else?  My expectation is that we might go with what we see happening.  In that case, lets go with the good will being shown in positive politics, and recent media events.  Make a ripple, flow with it, see what happens.

Horay for us!

Watching the Oscar's the other night, I couldn't help but feel encouraged by the variety and scope of our movies and who we honor.  There are so many talented, diverse people representing us.  I felt such joy to know there is a place where we all could be celebrated.  We are changing and evolving, no doubt in my mind!  Make a ripple, keep up the good work, (still lots to do) see what happens.

"We're all the same when we turn out the lights."

There's nothing else to say.

Money wins every time

Depending on who you are and what you have experienced, this makes you feel great or miserable.  I was visiting with my dear chiropractor recently, and we were discussing the resolution of the bill vetoed in Arizona this week.  It is  shameful and disgusting that 9 other states were on the same track to try and desecrate human rights, however it appears that evil money might try to do it's awful deeds, but money aligned with goodness always seems to triumph in the end! That is the good news.  The better news would be if these people who waste their time on meanness would find a new hobby.  Make a ripple, "be the change you want to see!" see what happens. (Computer glitch, sorry!)waste their time and money on meannesbe the change you want to se

Love and Fear

There are two emotions, love and fear. Everything is possible with love, for it is compassion, acceptance, trust, and light.  Fear is paralysis, distrust, and darkness. It robs a person of any ability to connect with goodness.  I know we are all "works in progress."  I certainly am.  In the grand scheme of things, I choose Love. Think of all the possibilities if we all chose Love. "What a wonderful world it would be!"  Make a ripple, heal your heart, see what happens.

I'm pooped, you're pooped

The wind is howling outside, and I was sure that big fir tree next to my bedroom was about to .... well, you get the picture.  We are fortunate today to escape snow,( although we are slated to get 2-4 more inches tomorrow) but it is going to be about -15 with the windchill factor! I know not all of you are experiencing all this, and some have it worse, but it is March 1 and we should be mindlessly raking the remaining leaves to find all our crocuses awaiting.  The winter is a great time to spend doing "mind cleaning."  I , for one, can take just so much of that. Then I want to get out in the sunshine and work up a sweat!  Mother Nature, however, has other ideas, so I guess we get to take another "patience pill" and soldier on. I will also get out my seed catalogues, and  garden-planning papers in hopes that it will become a reality!  I hear they are still digging out "Puxsutawney Phil!"  Make a ripple, clear out your mind, see what happens.