Last fall I set foot in my first elementary school classroom in over 30 years. I became a volunteer with Pacific Symphony’s elementary school partnership program, Class Act. The symphony’s core purpose is to “enrich the human spirit through world-class symphonic music and community engagement”. They accomplish this through a[…]
10/31: I have been treated this Halloween! A card from my cat slipped under the front door, a pumpkin out front, and a Halloween mask in my mailbox all brought a huge smile to my face. I’m grateful to be the recipient of such whimsical fun. It brightened my day[…]
10/26: I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend some creative time with my mom and one of her friends and for the increasing popularity of Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday whose theme and folk art I adore. The three of us had fun decorating Sugar Skulls at a[…]
10/25: After a night of stifling heat and gusting winds and getting up at 2:30 am to take down wind chimes and umbrellas, I awoke with this thought/prayer/wish — that there would be no local fires. Everyone around me is a bit on edge after the recent Canyon 2 fire,[…]
10/21: The entrance to tunnel 7 is what I’m grateful for today. It was cool and shady. There was room for me on the low wall leading up to the entrance and I sat for quite awhile escaping the heat of the stadium interior.
10/20: I’ve not written here in two months. People ask if I no longer have things to be grateful for or if the things I’m grateful for are so constant they’re not worth writing about. Neither really applies. You can always find something to be grateful for. Think outside the[…]
8/11: In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence. ~Robert Lynd
8/9: This chipmunk is part of a table setting entered by a friend into our fair’s table setting competition. Her annual entries have opened my eyes to a whole new world of creative expression. She started competing in 2014 and since then I make a special trip to the fair[…]
8/2: Some things get thrown out the window as you get older. Being ladylike all the time is one of them. The air is unusually thick with moisture and I feel like I’ve stepped out of the shower when all I’ve done is chores. The air conditioner just went on[…]
7/29: There have been many moments to write about this week, but not the time, so once again I’m collecting them all here in this one post. First and foremost I’m grateful for my brother. I wouldn’t be sitting here today writing this blog if not for him. When I[…]
July 24: It is a gratitude kind of day. Rolling out of bed this morning I thanked my cat. He let me sleep until I was ready to get up. And then I thanked my body for its continued healing of the cyst on my back drained by a doctor[…]
July 22: I’m still working on the conceptual photography course. This lesson involved words. Themes are revealed in 25 minutes of journaling. One is selected and then flushed out referencing definitions, synonyms and antonyms. Then you create a map of metaphors, one of which becomes the subject of your photo.[…]
July 21: I’ve been writing this gratitude blog for six months. I just had to write that down, to see it on my virtual sheet of paper. And now I’m going to say it out loud because frankly, I’m astonished. Discipline is a challenge. I’m great at exploration and beginnings,[…]
July 15: There are a multitude of small moments this past week to be grateful for: This morning I found baby Monarch caterpillars in my garden. This always brings great joy. I love sending mail which makes me grateful for the variety of fun, creative, and beautiful postage stamps that[…]
July 13: Tell yourself whatever story you want about this photo. Its theme is based on the concept of balance and mirroring. The subject is either an antithesis or echo of something inside of me. The caption is a clue and what’s been on my mind lately is this —[…]
July 7: Taking a brief break from gratitude …… well not really gratitude, just writing about gratitude ….. to dabble in a 10-day online course I stumbled on called Begin Deepening. It’s an exercise in a kind of photography that I’m unfamiliar with – Conceptual Photography. Conceptual photography is photography[…]
July 6: My energy is off today. I’d like to say it’s the result of a few restless and sleepless nights, but more than likely it’s the blank calendar in front of me. I’m exactly where I positioned myself to be yet I’m totally uncomfortable with it. It’s not that[…]
July 3: The title of today’s blog post sums up nicely what I’m grateful for today….a pre-4th of July 4th fireworks show with my family on a beautiful evening. It doesn’t get much better than that.
July 2: Books expose you to people, places, and situations too which you might not otherwise have access. I learn a lot about who I am and who I want to be from books, good fiction, in particular. My definition of a good book is not one that is perfectly[…]
June 14: I’ve been thinking about my first two years of college prompted by a study of the chakra system, and in particular the first chakra, the root chakra. The chakra system originated in India between 1500 and 500 BC. It was traditionally an Eastern philosophy now associated more with[…]
June 13: Something was just calling me to double check the Milkweed garden along the back fence. The caterpillar I found the other day can’t be the only one and when I found it I noted the garden was mostly Milkweed stems from caterpillars who have come and gone in[…]
June 12: The day contained several moments of gratitude starting with the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes this morning — the sun. I know it means the heat wave is on its way but for the briefest of moments it brings relief and a burst of[…]
June 8: Last weekend was amazing. I gathered with 4 other women for a weekend of creativity, inspiration, soul filling conversation, nurturing, my first aura reading, oracle cards, homemade Crab Eggs Benedict , a visit to my first metaphysical store, singing, dancing, Margaritas, art education, Reiki, sweet Bella, and a[…]
June 4: I’m grateful for the singing and dancing I did this morning with my girlfriends — Good Morning Starshine, Proud Mary, Janis Joplin, the Black-Eyed Peas, Groove is in the Heart, and so much more. More of my mornings need to be started this way.
June 2: I’m enjoying one big art date with two women from Michigan, one from Illinois, one from Canada, and myself from California. These women have nurtured me creatively and spiritually for just over 3 years now and I’m grateful to be here with them this weekend.
June 1: One of my cousins recently returned home, having completed a tour in Afghanistan. It’s not his first tour, but its completion feels the most poignant given the suicide bombing in Kabul earlier this week. I’m grateful my cousin is here and not there. But it’s a bittersweet and selfish gratitude.[…]
May 31: My husband is a good sport. Last night he experienced his first float. He was luke warm in his initial response to the experience. At first this bothered me. In the old days I would’ve chewed on this for awhile like a problem to be solved. Now I[…]
May 27: While the logistics of air travel have become tedious over the years, the view from the plane never grows old. And this was my view flying home last night. A view of the heavens.
May 23: I’m grateful for this day of sightseeing on Cape Ann in Massachusetts. My favorite spot was here, at this quarry turned nature preserve, in Halibut Point State Park.
May 24: I’m always grateful for the opportunity to work on my bucket list. Visiting all National Parks, going on an African photo safari, and visiting all 50 states are just a few of the items on my list. Visiting all 50 states sounds ambitious, but thanks to a few[…]
May 22: I could not have asked for a more perfect day to honor my dad and indirectly, my grandmother and grandfather. I can’t help but think they are smiling down at us because finally we are in the town where my dad grew up and meeting some of my[…]
May 21: I’m so thrilled to have visited the New England Aquarium today. It’s a bit odd to come to Boston, a place steeped in so much American history, to see an Octopus, but ever since reading The Soul of an Octopus by naturalist Sy Montgomery this is what I’ve[…]
May 20: Today is a travel day. A day vulnerable to mishaps has been gone well. It’s worth acknowledging, even expressing gratitude for. I’m a seasoned traveler and did all my research in preparation for this trip. But still I found myself anxious as the day approached. There seems to[…]
May 18: Every morning I read a passage from The Book of Awakening, a book by Mark Nepo. Today’s entry is about friendship. Honest friends are doorways to our souls, and loving friends are the grasses that soften the world I immediately think of the friends who’ve graciously allowed me to change[…]
May 16: The Nuttall Woodpecker I wrote about awhile back is now a proud parent. The City’s Tree Services Coordinator came by to discuss the replacement of our two diseased Liquid Amber trees and as we stood below the tree in question I became distracted by the sound of baby birds. I[…]
May 14: My mom asked everyone at yesterday’s annual Mother’s Day brunch if they read my blog. For a moment I felt exposed, kind of like I do when I share a post on Facebook. Is the writing good or interesting enough, is it too personal, did I share something[…]
May 13: I have to brag about my husband. He has many hidden talents and one is his ability to replicate a dish that inspires him. The first time was Osso Bucco. He saw a chef make it on TV and the next night we had it for dinner. I didn’t even[…]
May 12: I’m in a bit of a writing slump. A cold has slowed me down even further. But I still think about gratitude daily. Today I’m glad to be feeling better. I’m not completely myself, but I’ve enough energy to put one foot back into my daily activities. A[…]
May 8: It’s rare for the Swallowtail butterflies at my house to linger long enough for a photograph. They’re frenetic and always flit here and there. I finally just gave up trying. This morning I opened the sliding glass door in my dining room and sat quietly in the threshold with my tea[…]
May 5: Today I am grateful for the Downton Abbey television series. I used to watch it at a friend’s house. She would bring out her china cups and we’d have tea while watching an episode. We admired the fashion, discussed what it would’ve been like to have been a[…]
May 4: Turned on the sprinklers in my rose garden and noticed a warthog in the nearby stump of a recently removed dead bush. Art in nature always brightens my day.
May 3: I’ve been waiting for my neighbor’s cactus to start blooming and finally it has. Flowers always make me happy.
April 30: Twenty to 30 mph winds stranded this little guy in our tree yesterday. Once again, gotta love Mother Nature’s sense of humor. Thanks for the smile.
April 29: Last night my husband and I attended the wedding of a woman I’ve known for almost 25 years. She is one of five women, all at one time co-workers, that have kept in touch despite no longer working for the company that introduced us all. We sporadically keep[…]
April 26: I’m grateful to my mom for pointing out some of the exquisitely colored Gazanias blooming along my walkway today. I walk by them every day and don’t often notice their detail and variation.
April 25: Plans are underway for a trip back East with family. The primary objective is to scatter my dad’s ashes off the coast of his hometown. There are differing desires for how to spend the rest of the trip and for a brief while the plan was to, upon leaving[…]
April 23: I’m a little late writing about this gratitude moment, mostly because it was difficult to write about on the day of its occurrence. Gratitude can sometimes be bittersweet. Three years ago my brother gifted me this blog so that I could write about a hobby that unbeknownest to me,[…]
April 21: I know it’s strange to post a photo of my head but twice this year people standing or sitting behind me have commented on the cut and highlighting of my hair. The most recent incident was 6 weeks ago. Two ladies standing behind me in the return line at Costco[…]
April 19: My 2005 Prius is getting its 100,000 mile service today. There’s no better time to write about a beloved car than in the waiting room of the auto repair shop. I’ve had a few other memorable cars in my past. The Honda I purchased from my grandmother a few[…]
April 18: An obligation cancelled. Secretly I’m grateful. I’m tired and this unexpected day of quiet was restorative.
April 16: I can almost count my first cousins with one hand. I can if I count only those that are still with us. My dad was an only child so my cousins are all on my mom’s side of the family. My mom and her sisters are close and they wanted[…]
April 12: I spent a lovely day with my mom visiting the colorful Giant Tecolote Ranunculus fields of Carlsbad Ranch. The company, the acres and acres of rainbow color, the warmth of the sun, fresh squeezed lemonade, charming birds, lots of photo ops, and minimal traffic made this a day full of[…]
April 10: It’s wildflower season in Southern California and I’m determined not to miss it. The amount of rain determines the abundance, even the existence, of the season. Years of drought followed by an unusually wet winter make this year a special treat. The news reports the best display of[…]
April 9: We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds. ~ Anton Chekov
April 7: Establishing relationships online is not always a bad thing, especially if it’s through a group and you meet because of a common interest. Three years ago I participated in Brene Brown’s Gifts of Imperfection eCourse. It was my first experience with an eCourse, with art journaling, using art[…]
April 4: I’ve been thinking a lot about help lately. I grew up not knowing how to ask for help. I shouldn’t burden you, which is a thinly veiled excuse for not feeling worthy enough to deserve your time. I grew up not knowing how to accept help. I should be able[…]
April 2: Spring has arrived in Southern California. Warm sunny days, cool nights, green hills dotted with mustard flowers. The first roses of the year are blooming, my first Monarch caterpillar is munching away on a Milkweed plant, and somewhere in my yard there is a hummingbird nest because why[…]
March 30: I am grateful for Mother Nature’s sense of humor and creativity. Case in point is this big splat of bird poop. I found it on the nature walk I took earlier this week, the walk with the Labyrinth on it. I see an awkward looking bird with a big forehead and beady[…]
March 29: This is a Labyrinth. Unlike a maze which may have multiple entrances and exits, dead ends, no center, and branches requiring decision making; a labyrinth has one center, one entrance which is also the exit, and one non-branching path. A maze is confusing, a labyrinth is purposeful. Last month my[…]
March 28: I’m grateful today for the neighbor or postal employee who, instead of returning this card to sender, recognized the street number was wrong and corrected it. This person facilitated the delivery of “mailbox magic”, a phrase coined by a group of my friends for the unexpected surprise of fun cheery mail. I[…]
March 26: I am grateful for the magazine, Art Journaling, by Stampington & Company. My fingers are drawn to the high quality paper and my mind is stimulated by the art journaling pages and the story and techniques of each of the featured artists. I had some time to myself this afternoon and stopped to[…]
March 24: These vibrantly colored Gazanias are in full bloom right now. They line the walkway to my door inviting all who approach to smile. I can’t sneak by. It doesn’t matter how pre-occupied I am, the flowers just beg to be noticed. Gazanias symbolize richness. I didn’t know this when I bought them;[…]
March 22: I’m grateful to have found a way to make my four wooden adirondack chairs last another year or two. I love these bright orange chairs because they’re comfortable, their arms are perfect for resting a glass of wine or water on, and the color is super cheery. But[…]
March 20th: Talk about the squirrel syndrome. I came home from an appointment desperately needing to write about March’s book club book, the one I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit. It’s a book of connected essays and I finished the final three this morning. If I had[…]
March 19th: Sometimes what we’re grateful for is faraway, hidden in the muck of all our usual thoughts, revealed to us as a suggestion from someone else’s perspective. As I write this sentence I’m reminded of one of my original goals, to offer different perspectives of gratitude, but it didn’t[…]
March 18th: We share an orange tree with my neighbor. Officially it’s their tree; we simply benefit from its location along the fence that separates our two properties. A few months ago I was grateful for the oranges, today I am grateful for the sweet calming scent of orange blossoms and[…]
March 16: Four years ago today my husband and I were re-acclimating ourselves after being 7 days on a 16 passenger Motor Catamaran in the Galapagos Islands. Our brief return to Quito was the perfect opportunity to relocate our land legs, take a proper shower, attire ourselves with clothes that[…]
March 14th: I’m not a skier which makes snowbound vacations not so high on my list. But I never pass up an opportunity to go on a trip with a group of friends and this group of friends is a lot of fun to travel with. I did give skiing the[…]
March 13th: On this day in 2005 I was in Paris, on this day in 2009 I was in Banff, and on this day in 2013 I was in the Galapagos. For very different reasons these were three very significant trips. Two of them included my husband and another couple.[…]
March 11th: I feel great today. I’m clear-headed, relaxed and surprisingly pain free; all the result of my very first float therapy session, which was yesterday. What is float therapy? It’s a way of achieving deep relaxation by spending an hour or more lying quietly in darkness, suspended in a[…]
March 10th: My journaling prompt this week is to write about a favorite quote. I have an artsy composition book, one of those books you write essays in for exams only this one is covered in flowers and inspiring words to disguise its intended purpose. These books are inexpensive and fun and perfect[…]
March 8th: I am grateful for the sunny disposition of these sunflowers and this heart rock, a token of inspiration and friendship given to me by a massage therapist who generously shares her creative spirit and healing energy.
March 6th: I suffer from “Squirrel Syndrome”, kind of like Dug the talking dog in the movie Up. It’s not always a metaphor though. Today there actually was a squirrel in my yard, lounging on the fence in the shade of a tree. It’s a distraction that makes me smile.[…]
March 5th: I participated in an activism training program given by Sara El-Amine today. She is the former National Grassroots Organizing Director at Organizing for Action, President Obama’s grassroots 20-million-person strong movement, and is known as “The Organizer of Organizers”. The program’s goal is to empower individuals to be political[…]
March 4th: In the spaces between rainstorms there is spring, just enough spring to tease. I spent the morning in the garden weeding, pruning, planting seeds for my butterfly garden, and hanging up hummingbird feeders. A Mockingbird inches along a telephone line, hop hop pause, hop hop pause, silently moving into position to dive[…]
February 28th: Today I acquired a first class ticket to Boston for a trip I’m taking in a few months with my brother and sister-in-law. We’re taking my father’s ashes home and following the path of his youth. First class on a coast to coast flight is a rare luxury. Back in[…]
February 27th: I am grateful, on the anniversary of my father’s death, for the soothing poetic words of Sarah Blondin. To my lover, my husband, my wife, my child, my dearest friend, my mentor To the stranger I pass on the street, the kind eyes who met mine, the gentle breath shared while[…]
February 26th: This is a strange time. I’m helping to plan a Celebration of Life for one of my oldest and dearest friends on the first anniversary of my father’s death and while my husband recuperates from surgery to repair a severed tendon in his hand. I’m wrapping up a year[…]
February 23rd: The clarity of January has flown out the window and a little bit of chaos has landed in its place. I hate when this happens. Every morning it is a struggle an adventure to define my day. Hundreds of ideas and suggestions floating through my head, some accompanied[…]
February 20th: The final assignment for my numerology course was to write a personal mission statement inspired by my numbers. The attributes of the numbers help to fill in the blanks. This should’ve been an easy task as my numbers accurately reflect my past, present and future; and I’m fairly comfortable writing about[…]
February 19th: I had pre-planned today’s gratitude post to coincide with last night’s book club. Our book, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, made me grateful for authors whose words and metaphors invited me to linger on the page and who exposed me to unfamiliar situations, people and feelings. Through the eyes of a[…]
February 18th: I feel the pressure to write today when this quiet, rain filled day begs for a more tranquil activity — a simple art project, a good book, a nap, or just some quiet time watching the world go by outside my window. Writing, while pleasurable, is still work and today I[…]