some gardening and some bling ...

I've been trying to spend less time online; if I don't watch myself, I can burn a couple of hours easily, visiting blogs, reading news, researching things that interest me. (You, too?) So, although I've had a couple of topics that I've been wanting to get on paper (metaphorically), it's midnight on Sunday night, so I'm just going to share some pics.

Now there's a reason why I don't usually post my own pics; well, just take a look at these and you'll see the painfully obvious reason why. A photographer, I'm not. My apologies. I know some folks who visit here are truly gifted and skilled in photography, and I thank you for making up for my lack. It kind of balances things out, I think.

And I'm all about balance. We can't all be superstars in everything, can we? I think it's good to know what your gifts and your weaknesses are. I feel I'm really a strong editor, for example. I did some editing for a former co-worker, Joely Gardner, a published author and expert in Human Factors, who told me I was the best editor she'd ever worked with. Very nice of her.

But I digress, so how about a visit out to the garden? I know some of you won't see spring for some time, but here in SoCal, we had some really warm weather the past few weeks and things have started to sprout. Above are sweetpea seedlings that I really hope do well this year. They look healthy right now, although maybe a bit crowded. Growing up, my dad had sweetpeas growing all along the chain link fence out back. Oh, the aroma was absolutely mind-blowingly delicious! I'd gather up great armfuls of them and just stick my nose in the bouquets, like a cat with catnip. Years ago, my friend's mom had a wedding shower for her and had big vases filled with sweetpeas throughout the room. So intoxicating! Sweetpeas have been my favorite since I was a little girl.

The next three pics are some of the orchids in the garden. The 2nd and 3rd pics are from the same plant, which probably has about 6 very full stalks on it right now.

And below is an example of my poor skills. This was supposed to be a close-up of some bulbs that have sprouted, but I obviously didn't focus correctly. These are just a few of the bulbs that have sprouted. I also have quite a few freesias, all with long stalks just ready to burst into bloom in a few weeks.

My camellia's been blooming for a few weeks. Some of the buds have fallen off before fully opening; not sure why. But this one's sure pretty.

And lastly tonight, here's a bit of bling that I bought for myself. My friend, Lisa, is a talented jewely designer with a shop on Etsy, called Rox & Things. I purchased some gorgeous quartz earrings from her last week. I love sparkle! I expected them to come in a simple package, but Lisa does nothing halfway. The package arrived in a box stuffed with red filler and a scroll - tied with twine - that described my new earrings. Very classy.
Inside the green sparkly paper (I love sparkle!), I found this sweet little box. Adorable, yes?

And inside the box, my beautiful earrings, tied with a twine bow and nestled in sweet-smelling lavender ... aaaaaaah! I'm so thrilled!

I hope you have a great 2nd week of February. My company has had two rounds of layoffs so far; I'm not normally one to get anxious about such things, but I've been through layoffs twice before, in a healthier economy, and I'm hoping we don't have further layoffs when jobs are more scarce. I really love the work I'm doing and the people I work with and I'd love to continue to work there. (If you're planning on buying a car, consider a Mazda, who is our client. Shameless plug, but they're really good cars. The new 2010 MAZDA3 has high-end features for its category. I love the 5-door!)

Happy Valentine's Day! Say "I love you!" to those you love!

I need to go to my happy place ...

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.

~~~
“Dear American Taxpayer,
Think you were in debt before? You now owe $825 billion more. Have a nice day!”
~~~
A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.
~Thomas Jefferson
~~~
My first brother S sent me the following article link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html

When it always takes Congress an inordinate amount of time to ever get anything done, how is it that they were able to write a 647-page "stimulus" (I can't write that with a straight face, even with quotation marks) bill within days of Obama's inauguration? Seems like someone had it stashed away in a drawer somewhere just waiting to spring this pork-infested bloat upon the American taxpayer.

"..by our estimate only $90 billion out of $825 billion, or about 12 cents of every $1, is for something that can plausibly be considered a growth stimulus."

Out of the $825 billion, only $90 billion is really stimulus. The rest? Well, just read the article. Try not to get too angry.

I am responsible enough to stay within my personal budget, not spend on extras; I have no debt other than my mortgage payment. But Nan and her ilk are gonna put me and my fellow Americans in deep, deep debt.

Here's my brother's proposal, which I think is brilliant:

Instead of San Fran Nan’s we-won-the-election-we-wrote-the-bill bag o’tricks, how about giving every man, woman and child $100,000. With a population of 300 million, that works out to $300 billion. Much cheaper and I’m willing to bet it would provide much more actual economic stimulus, plus put money back into the banking system.

(I told you it was brilliant.)

~ With that money, people could pay off mortgages, or put a down payment on a house, or stop a foreclosure - the housing crisis would end.

~ People could buy new cars, or do home remodeling, or invest in a new business - stimulating the economy.

~ Credit cards could be paid off, reducing the incredible personal debt that Americans currently carry.

~ Every dollar spent would mean more people would keep their jobs - lowering the unemployment rate.

Yes, we need something, but this bill isn't it. What we borrow, will have to be repaid. We need a real stimulus bill, not this. A bill that we'll be able to repay without mortgaging future generations because of the greed of some politicians and their pet projects and union connections.

In California, our government is taking drastic measures to reduce spending. Our State tax refunds have been suspended; we're getting IOUs. And starting next week, government employees are required to take off two days per month unpaid, saving the state 1.3 billion through June 2010, closing some government services on those days. It's tough, but at least these employees won't be laid off; they'll still be working and have benefits. It's tough, but it's better than going into even deeper debt.

A debt crisis is not solved by acquiring greater debt.

There's been a proposal for the United States Postal Service to deliver mail five days a week instead of six. Fine by me. Again, I'd rather see reduced services, than people losing their jobs entirely or having our government go into further debt.

There's a better way. Let's pray that our leaders put aside their greed and stop trying to pull a fast one. Let's pray that they focus on real stimulus that will truly and honestly help Americans, not saddle them with a bill that cannot be repaid. Pray for wisdom and for hearts that genuinely care for the lives of every American, now and in the future.


~Namaste

Remembering how to fly ...

I apologize for my absence the last couple of weeks. My modem at home is not connecting to the Internet reliably these days; probably needs to be replaced. So I haven't been able to spend much time online. I'm posting this from work after hours and I hope you'll indulge me if I re-post an old post from May 2005 for now. Enjoy!

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May 17, 2005

I read recently that of the tens of thousands of thoughts a person has in a day, for most people, the majority of those thoughts are negative.

Reading that, I had to stop and pause and reflect on that for a moment. The majority of their thoughts are negative.

I can't even begin to imagine what that would feel like. How would one's spirit be filled with joy? How would one remember how to fly? I felt so deep-down, depths-of-the-soul sad imagining how anyone could be entombed by negative thoughts most of the time.

Maybe some have become desensitized to it, to the point that perhaps they no longer see how their choices are impacting their spiritual being. I really try to be conscious about my choices of what I read, watch, hear, see, do. I try to keep positive messages through my head, heart and spirit.

An example: a South-Park loving friend told me I'd love the show, funny, funny, great writing, etc. Twice, I tried to watch it; twice, they kicked a baby in the opening of the show. That's not the kind of stuff I want seeping into my cellular being, cartoon or no. I've noticed there are also a lot of children's cartoons where kids are mean to one another, or beating up on one another in that flying-fists-and-clouds-of-dust way they do it in cartoons. The message is subtle, clouded in colored, comic characters, and it's not a message of love. I'd prefer to see characters whose choices are guided by Love; powerful, strong enriching stories of the true goodness of people.

************************

Last Saturday, J (my oldest granddaughter) received a character award from the city. There were about 50 kids receiving awards, ranging from a tiny, long, blond-haired kindergartener to seniors in high school, perched on the edge of adulthood. As each child went up to receive their award, the announcer read the words of the person (youth care staff, teachers, guides, religious) who'd nominated them ... " ... donated her hair to Locks of Love ..." " ... helps the other kids with their homework ..." "... we call her "our future president" ..." "... writes to soldiers in Iraq ... " "... organized a fund-raiser to help victims of the tsunami ..."

On and on it went, each child standing there smiling, their spirits strong and beautiful, their beings radiating their auras so brightly. Oh, the power and loveliness of each of those beings! If that kind of power could be harnessed ... and it can and is every single day by good teachers, encouraging their young wards, and by good parents, supporting their children's dreams to help others, and by family and friends who create a nurturing environment that tells these new lives that its safe to be who you are and to be good and positive and to truly and entirely believe that YOU CAN DO AND BE ANYTHING.

These kids inspire me. They don't fear failure. They live their lives inspired by Love. "Fail? Fine. But I'll try again and I will succeed.' Their choices aren't guided by fear (What if they think I'm a dork? What if no one's ever done this before? What if the kids laugh at me?) but by Love. Powerful experience, watching each one of these positive thinkers that morning. We need to grow more just like 'em. The world is certainly a better, more positive place with them breathing the same air we do.

Namaste

photo: Lake Elsinore at sunrise, viewed from my daughter's home

winter's light ...

Winter's light slants in through my bedroom window, suffusing the walls and the room in a surreal golden glow. This is one of my favorite times of day in the winter, shortly before the sun ends her day's journey by dropping into the Pacific Ocean, lingering above the waves, then - with a flash! - dropping gently over the horizon.

I was recently donating blood at the nearby park and I looked east out the window as I was lying there. I gazed at the distinctive bark of the tree outside, really studying its peeling beauty, when suddenly the tree became bathed in gold from the west. The nurse was looking the opposite direction, out the front doors facing west and she dreamily said "I love this time of day ... the way the day turns to gold." I turned to look at her and her entire face and body were washed in light as she faced the sun's glow.

In the spring and summer, the sun sits high overhead and my entire courtyard is bright and sunny. In the fall, as the sun moves lower toward the equator, the angle is entirely different. The courtyard falls into shadow, blocked by the buildings, the sunlight too low now to rise above them.

Instead of bold, confident sunshine, we get this moodier, more nuanced light, a gift of winter that makes me pause and be still, be aware. The lower light hits the prisms hanging in the south-facing windows, throwing dancing colors around the rooms. The sun, too high in the summer, only dances the rainbows like this in fall and winter.

Spring and summer are often raucous affairs, with birds singing, flowers blooming, summer parties; everything wildly alive. But fall and winter are gentler, quieter, giving us pause for reflection ... a break from the liveliness of the other two seasons ... passive yin to active yang ... the duality of nature in perfect balance, inviting us to slow down and rest a bit, like all in nature does at this time. She is ever the perfect teacher.

Winter's light slants through my windows and I pause and give thanks.

Om Shanti - Peace and all good for 2009

I tend to collect phrases that inspire me or reveal some truth to me or help me along my life's journey. Some I collect in a bound book, jotting down a phrase or a writing that I want to be able to reference again later. Others find their way onto the chalkboard closet doors in my office where I can see them each day and be reminded. Scraps of paper on my desktop or in my purse capture phrases, too, for those moments when the book or the chalkboards aren't handy.

Zen Habits and The Happiness Project have posts about writing your personal commandments. Mine aren't exactly commandments; maybe more like reminders or philosophies I want to reflect on. They're ever-changing, ever-evolving, so I can't really write a definitive list of personal commandments. For instance, like most people, I'm constantly striving for self-improvement: learning greater patience, practicing detachment and simplicity, slowing down, living in the moment and being fully present. I make progress, often slowly, but I keep learning and refining the lessons.


Some random thoughts/guidelines for my personal reflection as we ease into 2009:

***

Live in Harmony ... with others, with the earth, with nature, within myself

Move with the rhythm; let it flow

Practice ahimsa/non-violence - in thought and deed. No evil thoughts, no anger against others; learning gentleness and forgiveness. Avoid anything that's destructive instead of nurturing and gentle. Think Kwai Chang Caine (King Fu)

See the Divine in all things.

Be comfortable with the chaos.

Practice aparigraha/non-attachment - letting go, releasing, non-clinging, without fear of loss or change. "...the yogi makes his life as simple as possible and trains his mind not to feel the loss or the lack of anything. Then everything he really needs will come to him by itself at the proper time." (B.K.S. Iyengar) Also Matthew 6:25-34.

Worrying about tomorrow squanders the joy of today. Don't give energy to anything that you don't want to manifest in your life.

Be a better friend.

Remember that the world sparkles and dances with the Light of the Divine. We all carry that Light within.

Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

Have a sense of wonder! Be ready to be surprised.

Laugh more; don't take it all so seriously.

Live and dance to your own music. Sparkle. Spin with your arms wide open. Embrace all the love in the world.

Happiness is a choice in attitude; it does not require things or others.

Receive what you have been given.

Be fully present to now. The next thing will happen when it happens. (The next thing always happens.)

I do not have a soul; I have a body. My soul is forever, my body only temporary. This is important to remember.

Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal. - Agnes Royden

Know that you are totally and fully loved. The energy of love is already manifested by anyone who has ever loved you, anyone who loves you now and anyone who will ever love you.

***

May your new year be filled with peace, prosperity and abundance in all things. Enjoy them fully with acceptance and love.

joy of giving ...

"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."- Matthew 2:10-11

*****

A gift is something freely given.
A gift is not an obligation, a requirement that must be fulfilled.

Isn't Christmas an exciting time? I love all the sparkle and glow everywhere, the energy that grows as we get closer and closer. For me, the most exiting and fun part is picking out gifts!

I get a little giddily excited when I'm in "shopping mode," trying to pick out that something special that each person will enjoy. Each gift is carefully chosen, whether it's clothing ... electronics ... or a gift card (selecting one that you're certain the giftee will appreciate and can actually use). I imagine how the giftee will like the gift chosen for them alone (in my fantasies, I've always chosen a great gift - lol!) ... the smile of anticipation crossing a face ... the lift of the eyebrows as he or she opens and sees the gift.

It's a double whammy on the fun scale: first is the fun in picking out the gift, and second is the fun in seeing the happy reactions. There is no expectation for the other person to reciprocate; that would take all the fun out of the giving for me. If they want to give a gift, then give it, freely and from the heart. But no expectations. If it's merely an exchange, then it's not really a gift. There is a special grace in giving.

*****

A favorite Christmas memory: When we were kids, I remember my brother "S" shopping for gifts bought with his own money. I still remember that he gave me a PeeChee; I was delighted! PeeChees were the perfect school folder and I loved drawing all over them. He gave photo corners to Mom, a thoughtful gift since she put together the family albums. There is a special grace in giving.

*****

My granddaughters were here on Christmas Eve and saw their wrapped presents, including one in the shape of the Wildcard cell phone that the oldest had asked for. So we started joking around that it was really a box of rocks, not a cell phone. Grinning slyly, "J" started naming all the great uses for rocks - playing catch, building things, catching a purse snatcher - and how happy she'd be to get some rocks for Christmas. On Christmas morning, she was grinning ear to ear on opening the box and seeing the phone; even though she already knew what the gift was, it still gave her great joy to open it up and it gave me great joy to see how happy she was! (She has asked for rocks, though, for her coming birthday - LOL!) There is a special grace in giving.

*****

At my daughter's house on Christmas morning, my youngest granddaughter rushed to hand me the gift that she'd gotten for me, her face wearing an utterly endearing ear-to-ear grin as she waited eagerly for me to open her gift: a beautiful pair of red sparkly earrings (which I wore today when friends came over). There is a special grace in giving and in receiving.

*****

I love to receive gifts, as well as give them. It brightens my heart to know that someone else thought about me, and maybe had some joy in picking out a special something with me alone in mind. A yoga teacher of mine often said "Receive what you have been given." Profound words that cover so much of life. Receiving a gift is not just a passive act. "Receive" is a verb, an action. To truly receive a gift requires an action, an act of acceptance with an open, thankful heart. Appreciation honors the gifter and shows respect for the effort and thoughtfulness that was put into selecting the gift. There is a special grace in receiving.

*****

Remember how we'd all go back to school after Christmas break, asking our friends "what'd you get for Christmas?" And the enjoyment would all flow back again as we shared our favorite gifts, or heard about the great gifts our good friends got. Why don't we do that as grown-ups? I always thought that was such fun! There is a special grace in giving and receiving.

*****

Here's a little gift picked out especially for you: a song I heard on the local radio station, playing Christmas music all season long: Faith Hill's "A Baby Changes Everything"

http://www.countrymusicstop.com/faith-hills-a-baby-changes-everything/

*****

So ... what'd you get for Christmas?

celebrating loved ones ...

It was only 5 when I got to the cemetery yesterday, but the sun was already starting to set and the cemetery was dark by the time I'd trimmed the flowers I'd brought, filled the vases with water, cleaned and polished the headstone and said my prayers. Too late and too dark to take any photos, I thought. As I drove down the lanes, though, I noticed something that made me stop and turn the car back around for a second look. Several of the decorated sites had lights on their trees! What a cheery glow they gave off, clear lights on some, colored lights on others. Utterly delightful and Christmasy!

I love the cemetery at Christmas! To see the care and love and memory that people still have for their loved ones who have gone before absolutely FILLS my heart with joy! "Gone but not forgotten" aren't just words on a tombstone; these people are remembered with love and respect, with joy and with humor, with the love of Chistmases shared. It always moves me deeply.

I went back today so I could get my pictures. The cemetery was crowded with cars and people; trees were being set up, garland strung around little candy cane fences, entire families, young and old gathered together to celebrate Christmas memories. Some had food; many had brought chairs to sit and remember and talk and laugh together. It's all very festive, cemetery or not.

I saw three Asian women with their very old mother taking turns taking pictures, so I went up and offered to take a picture of them all together near the tree they'd set up. then I roamed the cemetery admiring all the Christmas decor and the creativity put into these holiday memorials. One had a huge banner: "Merry Christmas, Grandma!" with family photos laminated onto the banner. There were angels and snowmen, Santas and mangers.

There are a couple of favorites that I enjoy seeing each year. One family puts up a fake fireplace and hangs "stockings" all around with the names of family members. It's good to see new stockings added through the years.

The big cross below is new this year. Looks like a lot of effort went into making it and getting it set upright.

Isn't this a fantastic tree? I love that large angel on top, looking over everything. I'm sure she's smiling, knowing that those we love never really leave us, but are celebrated still with love and with joy for their presence in our lives.

Let us cherish those we love each and every day, in heaven and on earth.

Merry Christmas, Mom!