Welcome to Small Reflections


"Nothing is ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Duck photo source: Lisa's Chaos
I hope you enjoy your visit. If you're looking for something specific, check out the links to posts by category in my sidebar and down a ways. They'll assist with tracking down different types of posts found on each of my three blogs. You might also enjoy checking out the other sites: Sacred Ruminations, Blog Rolls, Bling & Blurbs, and Happily Retired Gal.

I hope you'll look around & leave comments
then visit me at my new blog ...

Giraffe Journal

and/or website ... Labyrinth Journal
both self-hosted at WordPress
where I publish as myself
rather than under a
pseudonym.

I've not had much time for posting or blog visits, but if you're interested I hope you'll find time to check out my new blog, Giraffe Journal or my Labyrinth Journal website ... both self hosted at WordPress.

Thanks for your visit and have a delightful day ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Saturday Haiku - Exciting Tennis Down Under

Make Time for Small Reflections
See next post for more Tennis Haiku

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Weather not so hot
but the tennis sizzling
as the Spaniards vie

for the chance to play
against Roger Federer
in the 'title' match.



What a 'tight' first set!
Verdasco aggresively
went after Nadal

making Rafa run ...
32 winners versus
13 for Nadal ...

More exciting than
yesterday's between Roger
and Andy Roddick.



Sev'ral long rallies
with fantastic 'shot-making'
for both players kept

observers amazed
throughout each remaining set!
Momentum shifted

periodically ...
play remained competitive
'til the very end

even though both men
obviously exhausted
pushed outer limits

of their energy ...
emotional & physical
strength to win the match.

In the end, Rafa
prevailed over Fernando ...
5 hours 14

minutes long this match
a new record 'down under'
in Australia.


Collaged in PSE6 using tennis photos found at Australian Open site online.


Williams sisters won
Friday in Australia
2009 Champs!


I apologize
for not visiting the last
few days ... hopefully

once the tennis ends
Sunday I'll get back on track ...
Google Reader has

had 1000 +
unread posts for more than 3
days ... so it may take

time to catch up. Please
bear with me ... I'll do my best
one day at a time.

Thanks to Sandee of Comedy Plus for sharing these latest two awards. Like Sandee, I want to share these two awards with all my regular visitors because you’re all my friends & you inspire me every day!

friendship_flower-sandeeinspiringbloggeraward-sandee

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Addendum
Serena Williams ... Champ
in just 59 minutes
playing better than

ever ... Safina
didn't really have a chance
against her power

though she valiantly
battled 'til the very end
... never giving up!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." Newt Gingrich

Friday, January 30, 2009

Haiku Friday #111 Semi-Final Matches

Make Time for Small Reflections
Click for ...
HaikuFriday#110 & SkyWatch#27

HaikuSkyWatchFriday @ HappilyRetiredGal

2009 Australian Open
Semi-Final Tennis Matches


Serena Williams

played beautifully against

Dementieva




winning in straight sets
even though the Russian's serve

is vastly improved.

At last William's form

looks much better! Dinara

Safina won the




other 'semi' match
against Zvonarera quite
easily as well.


Their Championship

match on Saturday should be

most competitive.




All tennis photos found at Australian Open site online.


Watching Federer

play this semi-final match

against Roddick ... I




marvel at his grace
on the court no matter what

Andy tries to do.


Powerfully, serves

earn Roddick many free points

but somehow Roger




blocks it back with ease
neutralizing Andy's strength
...
imposing HIS game

making Roddick run
side to side and back to front
with some real finesse!



Rafa Nadal plays
one remaining semi match

against Verdasco





determining who
plays against Federer for
the Championship.

If Roger succeeds,
he will tie the record of
Pete Sampras ... fourteen

total career wins
at a Grand Slam Tournament ...
making history.


Click for others participating in Haiku Friday this week.
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"What matters is not the idea a man holds, but the depth at which he holds it." Ezra Pound

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Witty Wednesday #3 - A Shocking Tale

Make Time for Small Reflections
My 3rd Witty Wednesday
An Elderly Lady and the Telephony Company: Courtesy of Comedy Central's Jokes.com Newsletter ...

An elderly lady phoned her telephone company to report that her telephone failed to ring when her friends called - and that on the few occasions when it did ring, her pet dog always moaned right before the phone rang. The telephone repairman proceeded to the scene, curious to see this psychic dog or senile elderly lady.

He climbed a nearby telephone pole, hooked in his test set, and dialed the subscriber's house. The phone didn't ring right away, but then the dog moaned loudly and the telephone began to ring.

Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:

1. The dog was tied to the telephone system's ground wire via a steel chain and collar.
2. The wire connection to the ground rod was loose.
3. The dog was receiving 90 volts of signaling current when the phone number was called.
4. After a couple of such jolts, the dog would start moaning and then urinate on himself and the ground.
5. The wet ground would complete the circuit, thus causing the phone to ring.

Which demonstrates that some problems CAN be fixed by pissing and moaning.

Click for ChrisB at Ms Cellania
where I've enjoyed Witty Wednesday for a while now,
and at Happily Retired Gal where I've shared more humor & awards today.
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number." Edith Armstrong

Monday, January 26, 2009

Monday Musings and The Lemonade Award

Make Time for Small Reflections
I'm a bit late publishing because I've been enjoying many recorded Australian Open Tennis matches all weekend & this morning too ... trying to catch up from falling behind early last week when I allowed myself to be caught up in the historic Inaugural events. Yesterday when I blogged my blessings at Sacred Ruminations I wrote about 'tennis' so I won't repeat myself here. However I am surprised by all the heath & injury related 'retirements' mid-match ... most recently of Azarenka, Zheng, Monfils ... but perhaps these will help me catch up today?

I've certainly enjoyed sharing collages of skies & critters lately on each of my blogs! Tisha of Crazy Working Mom and others have asked what program I use for my collages ... and it's Photoshop Elements. Regular readers will remember that I started taking classes in PSE6 at in local Adult School program. It's certainly fun to have developed some facility with many 'tools' in this wonderful program and to be putting them to effective use.
In case you missed them ... here are a few links to recent collages:
Pretty Purple Pansies
Shadow Shot Sundays - Fur Friends and Miscellaneous Shots
Molly at Play and Molly on the Move
The weather here in Southern California finally feels like winter ... with scattered rain showers & cooler temperatures of late and more rain predicted for today & tomorrow. I've photographed the continually changing skies with my new Nikon D60 and will continue to share over the days & weeks to come.

The Gal Herself at One Gal's Musings and Alice Audrey of Alice's Restaurant both honored Small Reflections with the Lemonade Award recently.


I'm grateful and want to say THANK YOU to Alice and The Gal Herself!

I received this Lemonade Award once before in December from Clara of Coming Back to Life and shared with 10 bloggy friends at Happily Retired Gal. I won't repeat those recipients here, but because I love to introduce my bloggy friends to one another ...
I do commend that list to all who pass this way because their blogs are certainly worth visiting.

Because Michelle passed this along to Sacred Ruminations at the same time she gave it to The Gal Herself, today I share it both here and there.

Without further ado, I hereby bestow the Lemonade Award on the following folks and encourage others to visit each one as time permits if you haven't already done so:

1. Akelamalu at Everything and Nothing - an absolute Wiz at Friday 55 Flash Fiction, Saturday Wordzlles & Doodles


2. Apple Debbie of Planet Ollie-wood - comes up with the greatest variety of animal to share for Camera Critters and lives in the mountains ... not too far away from me in Big Bear so she also shares SNOW pictures

3. ChrisB of Ms Cellania - keeps me laughing on Wednesdays and we have a friendly rivalry around our favorite tennis champions. She's currently hoping Andy Murray will win the Australian Open & he's playing magnificently ... but I've got my eye on James Blake and Andy Roddick, hoping an American might come through with flying colors ;--)

4. Claudia at On a Limb with Claudia - shares interesting info from a variety of sources, emphasizes 'Kindness' in a multitude of ways, and enjoys Unconscious Mutterings each week.

5. Hootin' Anni - always keeps me thinking and entertained with her well written posts ... amazed at her wonderful graphics!

6. Joy at the Joy of Six - writes delightfully entertaining anecdotes and finds fascinating things to pass along in the most interesting ways.

7. Lucy Creates - offers images of her visual craft experimentations and photographs of the most delightful kind

8. Maggie's Mind - tells stories of her life in Haiku in the most amazing manner

9. Mary's Writing Nook - blesses all who visit with her lovely graphics & stories of her family ... always setting an example of kindness while encouraging others to do likewise

10. Misty Dawn and My Dogs Keep Me Sane - runs Camera Critters
(a weekend meme I enjoy) ... consistently sharing wonderful animal photos with entertaining stories about them. She photographs & publishes the most colorful skies too!

In closing ... I've never been one to follow rulez very well and this is no exception. Although I've highlighted some specific blogs I follow to share with those who pass this way, I'd like ALL those I visit regularly to have this Lemonade Award ... so please feel free to 'snag' ... enjoy ... and pass it along to others by following the rulez or not.
Remember to see also
my Lemonade Award posts at
Small Reflections, Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures." H. Jackson Brown, Jr., Life's Little Instruction Book

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Unconscious Mutterings #41

Make Time for Small Reflections
(Camera Critters #41 is in the next post,
and #42 is at Happily Retired Gal)

This is the 313th issue of ...
I'm participating for the 41st time today
How about you?

What comes to YOUR mind?
If you'd like to play here, copy and paste the clues in comments along with your responses ... or post on your blog and let me know so I can visit ;--)

I say ... and you think ... ?
  1. Unwanted :: SPAM
  2. You’d better :: pay attention
  3. Woman :: of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe
  4. Weighed :: options before making decision
  5. Upright :: player piano
  6. I feel :: grateful
  7. Ill :: iteracy in America is a scandal
  8. It’s like :: winter in Southern California ... finally some rain
  9. Poor man :: 's copyright (see Snopes)
  10. Great :: Expectations by Charles Dickens
Your turn: I say ... and you think ... ?
  1. Unwanted ::
  2. You’d better ::
  3. Woman ::
  4. Weighed ::
  5. Upright ::
  6. I feel ::
  7. Ill ::
  8. It’s like ::
  9. Poor man ::
  10. Great ::
Click for others 'muttering' today.
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"It is better to stir up a question without deciding it, than to decide it without stirring it up." Joseph Joubert

Saturday, January 24, 2009

CameraCritters#41 - Molly hoping for a playmate

Make Time for Small Reflections
Click below for Haiku Sky Watch Friday posts
at Happily Retired Gal & Sacred Ruminations
This is my 41stMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.
Molly (with tennis ball) ready to play.
How can anyone resist a face like this?
(See CC#39 and CC#42 for Molly in Action collages)
Click to embiggen
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Most pets display so many humanlike traits and emotions it's easy to forget they're not gifted with the English language and then get snubbed when we talk to them and they don't say anything back." Stephenie Geist

Friday, January 23, 2009

HF#109 - National Pie Day and TENNIS!!!

Make Time for Small Reflections


According to the
Otherworld Diner, it's ...

National PIE Day!!!

I for one intend
to be sure I celebrate
with a piece of pie!

Click to vote on your
favorite kinds of pie and see
results tallied there.



Regular readers
may recall that I am a
tennis fan at heart.

Once the 'majors' start
I record & watch matches
often in delayed

time ... I am behind.
I request you avoid all
current matches please.

Photo found at Australian Open site online.


Did you see this match?

Carla Suarez Navarro

defeated Venus


Williams in 3 sets

playing aggressively without

anything to lose!

An early upset
after Serena struggled
against Gisela

Dulko, but managed
to get through the 2nd round
winning in 2 sets.

Now I'm watching a
match between Amer Delic
against Djokovic ...

They're in the 4th set
on serve playing excellent
tennis ... fun to watch!


Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"It's one-on-one out there, man. There ain't no hiding. I can't pass the ball." Pete Sampras

Thursday, January 22, 2009

T-13++ A Little Happiness to Pass Along ...

Make Time for Small Reflections
My Wordless Wednesdays are at Happily Retired Gal
and Sacred Ruminations ... Witty Wednesday is in the next post.

I offer this humorous email as my T-13 today with gratitude to the friend who thoughtfully sent it to me and to Akelamalu of Everything and Nothing & George of Senior Hiker ... both of whom dropped by early & were kind enough to offer feedback about how many photos were visible so I could 'fix' it for those who visit later. I hope you enjoy my Thursday Thirteen post with a little extra ... just because! Methinks there still may be a few invisible photos, and if you'll let me know specifically which ones ... I'll do what I can to add them.

My 46th Thursday Thirteen
Plus a few more ... just because!

Just give me 5 minutes.
5 minutes is all I need and I'll be good as new.


OK ... I'll be his friend, but I don't have to like it!



They'll never find me in here!



ALL RIGHT, WHO CHOSE WHO WE STAND BY?
I HAVE STANDARDS.



IF YOU TELL THE GUYS ABOUT THIS, I'M PEEING IN YOUR SHOES!



CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT THIS DUDE LOOKS LIKE WET? HA HA HA!



HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PORCUPINE BABIES?
GIVES A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO LABOR PAINS!!


I'M SO GLAD IM NOT AN ONLY CHILD!


AS LONG AS YOU'RE GONNA PUT HER IN MY BED
I MIGHT AS WELL CUDDLE.




SOMETIMES YOUR BED JUST FEELS SOOO GOOD!



EARS? WHAT ARE EARS?


Nothing replaces having a friend:





And now ... a few more for good measure ... just because.









'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

A DAY WITHOUT SMILING IS A WASTED DAY!!



Inner Strength:


If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful,
ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining
and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day
and be grateful for it,

If you can understand your loved ones
are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism &
blame without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's
limited education
and never correct him,

If you can resist treating a rich friend
better than a poor friend,

If you can conquer tension
without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

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.....Then You Are Probably
The Family Dog!


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For others participating in T-13,
check the folks below:
Alice Audrey at Alice's Restaurant
Brenda at the Otherworld Diner
CelticLibrarian
Forgetfulone
Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
Gattina
Izzy 'n Emmy
Janet at Fond of Snape
Mary at the Randomness of Me
Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy
Sue at Life in the Urban Zoo
Tinkerbell
and perhaps others I don't know about.
If you're playing, be sure to say so
& leave your link.

Apparently there's a new T-13 site!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Warning: Humor may be hazardous to your illness." Ellie Katz
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