Spreading the Word -- Discover the Inner Christmas and Other Holiday "Stuph"

In case you didn't know ...
Ladybug, Kikipotamus, Sandy, Karen and Kara have their 12 Random Christmasy Things about themselves up at their blogs. Just click on the links to read their lists (and mine) if you haven't already done so, and if you wish to join the fun ... please do. The more the merrier! Remember to leave a link to let us know when your list is up so we can all visit.

Something Special
Kara's list ends with a link containing this brief but timely and inspirational Inner Christmas Movie created and offered by Lynn Jerico who reminds us "... wonder and wisdom live in questions, not answers." I hope you'll pause a moment to click and watch it because I'm glad I did. I suspect many of us will be considering "The Twelve Polarities" and participating in the "Twelve Minutes of Inner Christmas Practice" between December 25th and January 5th this year. Thank you Kara!

For those with time
to linger and consider the season
(seriously or otherwise):

1. be inspired by this T-13 collection of Bible verses about Christmas at Brain Freeze

2. savor this touching personal experience at Los Angelista's reminding us we can all do something, no matter how small ...
if we're paying attention with an open heart
3. for Christmas Facts see Michelle's T-13 at Artventuring
4. for Christmas Activities to do with Kids (big and small) complete with "how to" links visit Believer in Balance
5. if you need a laugh or two to get you through the day check
out these hilarious Christmas Cartoons at Burnt Offerings

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

2007 -- NaBloPoMo -- Mission Accomplished Here and at Sacred Ruminations

With hugs and much gratitude to Mrs. Fussypants for this nifty reminder of my 1st experience as a "newbie blogger" with NaBloPoMo this year :)

Reclaiming my Yard (Part 2) or A Slow & Tedious Single-Handed Transition

I suppose this could also be entitled
How I Made a Bunch of New Friends From
Passers-by Who Stopped to Chat :)

Day by day (as time & energy permitted) I worked in the yard ... enjoying my progress (however slow & tedious it seemed to others) ... making new friends as folks on their way to and from the beach stopped to comment (many offering suggestions as to how I might speed things along, not realizing I was using this as a meditative practice). I spent considerable time thinking about how I might similarly reclaim the inside of my home (as in clear out the clutter of books and reading material that collect on any horizontal surface despite my best intentions).

I started by cutting the Korean grass covering the concrete "footer" originally designed & put in place to keep the lawn out of the flowerbeds. I knew it was there, but others were surprised as it reappeared. Next I cut back the bushes encroaching on my walk-way to the house, then started digging out the roots. That's when I discovered the first of many 3" in diameter roots from the city's tree on my neighbor's parkway and invested in a hand-saw to cut them out in foot-long pieces so I could pull them out in sections.

As it turned out, those tree roots were EVERYWHERE in my yard (and probably still run under the grass area) though the offending tree itself has been removed after the fact (illegally, of course, by my new neighbors who afterwards planted something in its place that is lovely and hopefully less intrusive ... all without the city's knowledge ... just as others on the block have done previously). When they asked me about taking this action (ie should they get a permit first), I suggested that it's often easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission in such cases. Actually, I suspect it's quite possible the city is relieved to have home-owners pay for such removal and replacement :)

But I digress (please bear with me as my mind wanders often these days) so I'll now continue with my tale of transition.

Removing the grass from the stream bed was most challenging. I'd clear out a section of rocks, pull the grass out by the roots, replace the 27 year old plastic with a new piece (cut to size & overlapping the previous one), sprinkle a little rock salt to slow down future grass growth, and replace the rocks one-by-one before moving on to the next section and repeating the process. Of course this took WEEKS of daily effort, but I enjoyed the pleasant weather and didn't worry about how long it would take. I snapped photos of my progress to email to family and friends (and now to share with you), but as I look at the photo-collage ... I realize it doesn't contain those close-up pix, so maybe I'll see if I can make a "mini-collage" to use in a later post (making note to self as I type that thought here).

I suppose I could have invested in a weed-wacker and/or some other tools, but I am "a senior citizen" and doing this by hand allowed me to sit down on the job. In addition, it didn't require me to learn new skills or risk injury by accident :)

Eventually it did become obvious (even to my independent self) that I could use some help. I managed to use my trusty pruning tools and newly acquired hand-saw to prune the lime and lemon trees (as I've done yearly for decades) as well as to decimate the peach tree that had never produced edible fruit probably because it was planted too close to the house and in the shade of the lime tree. What I couldn't do however was dig out the massive root system created by this tree over its 27 year life span. So, I enlisted the help of a local gardening service for this purpose.

When they offered a deal I couldn't refuse, I hired them also to finish stripping the lawn for me (much to the relief of my aching hands and back) and to clear off the parkway. It took three workers more than 4 hours (using power tools) to make the lawn area level as in the photo on the left, second from the bottom. Even better, they hauled away the debris so I didn't have make multiple trips dragging heavy trash cans filled to capacity the 120 feet from my front yard to the alley behind my house :)

I plan to create a mini-grid of those photos and pictures taken while they dug out the Tam Junipers on the parkway along with the Korean grass doing it's best to overtake them and claim the area for its own. The "parkway" task took 4 workers almost 5 hours to accomplish! Maybe I'll post it with the other mini-collage of my "rock clearing" photos.

So Karen ... I hope you enjoy Part 2 as much as you did Part 1.
More to follow as time permits :)

"Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House we Go ... "

Hmm ... no horse ... no sleigh ... and no "Grandmother's house" any more in MY family (except for my brother's widow who lives in Hemet, but she's my age ... and we can't be old enough for this role, can we?) ... I plan to avoid mirrors today :-).

Until my siblings and I each got married (and for a few years afterwards), we observed Thanksgiving Day at home or with extended family. When we celebrated holidays with Dutch relatives on my Mom's side, it was always in someone's home ... with dinner served on the best dishes around a huge table, in a "formal" atmosphere, and staying out of trouble presented ongoing challenges, for I was the baby of the family, always trying to measure up to the "bigger kids" standards.

When I was born, my sister was 4 and my brother 9. Until my arrival, they had the dubious honor of being the youngest kids in the extended family because my mom was youngest of five and my dad second youngest of thirteen. Many of our cousins on my Dad's side of the family were married and had children our age & older by the time we arrived on the scene, so those were huge family gatherings ... often "potlucks" in a centrally located park ... where the men could play pinochle, the women visit while doing hand-crafts of some kind, and the kids entertain themselves playing together.

Turkey smells permeated the air and everyone helped with preparations. My mom's pies were the best! She made the thinnest, flakiest, melt-in-your-mouth crusts ever ... and I miss her presence here on earth. My Dad and brother have also passed on ... though memories fill my heart and soul.

Later, my siblings and I took turns having "Thanksgiving" at our respective homes. Mom always made pies, but we cooked turkey with all the trimmings ... and always invited what my brother-in-law laughingly referred to as "strays" ...(friends who for one reason or another couldn't celebrate with their own families)... to join our celebration. This year, my sister and her husband are off traveling in their RV (currently on the East Coast near Jekyll Island with two of my best friends and their husbands). They'll be celebrating the holiday together. How interesting that what goes around comes around ;-)

This year, my neighbor and friend who IS "Grandma" has invited me to share Thanksgiving at their house ... surrounded by kids, grandkids, and dogs of all sizes. Should be fun and I'm looking forward to the festivities. I wish you and yours a wonderful day of gratitude and fellowship.
Hugs and blessing,

What's happened at Sober Briquette's Blog? (Thanks for the Memories!) and here's me ... wishing you a speedy recovery :--)

I love Sandra Boynton's work! And, even though Harry Nillson couldn't dance ... the man could sing a song we'd all end up humming for decades! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Now I remember why I hate to "clean house" ... disaster often strikes unexpectedly! Best of luck on your "reconstruction" at Sober Briquette ...
Hugs and blessings,

5-25-09 Addendum

This post showed up under today's Memorial Day post and I was moved to check it ... just because. Apparently my original Harry Nillson link is no more ... removed for 'use violation' ... so I'm adding THIS link today even though it's likely no one will ever see it ... just because. It seems that Sober Briquette's gone missing once again ... dunno where SHE is but Sandra Boynton's still around making folks smile. Guess I may be the only one who checks out older posts from time to time. Let's hear it for nostalgia and returning to our beginnings ;--)

Lest We Forget ...

With heartfelt thanks to His Girl Friday at Wellied on Life for her latest two posts (discovered belatedly today but well worth sharing with others anyway) Ain True Love and All gave Some, Some gave All ... I offer them here to all who pass this way.

Furthermore, I encourage you to click the links now, check them out for yourselves, and perhaps pass the info on to others in turn ... for I believe you will be enriched .... and, of course, I suspect all of us need such reminders in the midst of our overly busy lives.

More Discoveries in Blogland and the "Real World" too -- or It's All About Balance

These may all be "old hat" to YOU, but I feel like a kid in a candy store and find myself wishing I'd found all this sooner.

Who knew? Certain not me ... but I'm learning about Widgets & iGoogle where I've created a personalized home page containing handy resources like Weather Forecasts ... Dictionary, Thesaurus, Spell-check & Wickipedia links ... Photo Links of all types ... Quotes ... even Games (like Bejeweled) and so much more, all right here on my computer screen at my fingertips ... instead of the blank page I've looked at all these years. Let's hear it for OPTIONS!

How fun to observe the "beach scene" I selected for a "theme" at the top of the page change as the day progresses. It was dark with I started in the wee hours of the morning, then the sun rose, and colors gradually shifted through the variations of a regular sunny day, followed by a gorgeous sunset and finally became evening again. It's all pretty cool!

In case you're wondering where "the dinosaur" has been, I've been living life out in the world with the TV & my computer turned off most of the time ... mindfully paying attention to each moment ... discovering peace is a choice at every turn, no matter what happens ... grateful for my "happily retired" lifestyle and the expansive time I now experience regularly (instead of rushing hither and yon trying to do too much ... focused on everyone else's needs rather than my own as I did for all those years in the work force) ... continuing to practice The Four Agreements as presented by Don Miguel Ruiz ... eating healthily ... looking for the upside in all things ... walking Molly at the beach ... getting together with friends ... gardening ... reading ... writing in my journals for myself ... trying to figure out what to do next ... and being here seems perfect for now.

Yesterday when I took Molly out to play in the front yard where she can run freely ... chasing & retrieving her favorite toy endlessly burning off energy, I smelled gas in the air ... knocked on my neighbor's door to get her input & help with tracking down the source (thinking I needed to alert the Gas Company right away) and afterwards we chatted a while ... discussing a variety of topics (including but not limited to)
--her concerns about why the mainstream media doesn't cover positive stories & how frustrated she feels at times to realize a few corporations have so much power to control the flow of information, exerting such influence in our society & the world at large
--my recent experiences on the computer, specifically Thailand Girl's Blog Blast for Peace and some of the other topics I've written about previously on this site and at Sacred Ruminations
--our shared concerns about the war in Iraq and other pressing issues
--discussions she has with her grown children and their kids about world affairs and personal choices

When she mentioned her daughter-in-law was interested in learning about Blogs, I encouraged her to tell Y to stop by ... and I invited B inside to show her what IS available "free" right here on the Web. She expressed amazement ... wondering aloud (as I often do) who pays for all this free "stuph".

The teacher in me is happy to share in this way ... spread the word ... bring others to this richly diverse community of individuals willing to share so freely ... who will, in turn, talk with others out in the world at large ... about issues that matter ... enriching us all.

With that in mind, this evening I offer the following links for your consideration:
The People who Matter Most
PhD - Short Course in Leadership

Did you know about:
--the Random Acts of Kindness website with inspirational stories and action ideas for communities and classrooms?
--the Giraffe Heroes blog encouraging people to overcome apathy and fear ... to stick their necks out and do something about the problems of our times?

And, if you need a chuckle, check out:
Train Ticket story
Two Duck Hunters from Wisconsin (mentioned in yesterday's post)

It's been a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
I hope YOURS was enjoyable too.
Have a wonderful weekend!

"Oh my Lord, there's so much to do! Tomorrow I think I'll pour a bucket of water down the mail shute!" ELOISE!!! (That's my name.)

Do you recall that song? I used to LOVE "Eloise" as a child. She did all the things I didn't dare try. I was such a good compliant child (otherwise known as a "wimp" or chicken) back in the day. Who knew I had such a wild child within?

And that reminds me of one of the songs I used to teach my students ... way back when. Always a big hit with the kids (who never failed to laugh hysterically whenever we sang it), parents used to share that it was one the entire family used to sing together ... often ... especially whenever someone blew it big time. Actually, that happened frequently in the middle of class as well ... always defusing embarrassingly tense situations.

I don't recall who wrote it ... or where I picked it up. Like the Eloise ditty ... it's a part of my memory from wherever. If I knew how to record it on YouTube and upload it there (as Olivia at Happy Luau did with her Gratitude Dance) perhaps I'd sing it for you and provide a link ... but I don't. So, here are the words. They'll have to suffice. If anyone knows the source, let me know and I'll add credits later.

Chorus:
I'm not perfect and I know I never will be
No one's perfect ... I know it's true.
Sisters and brothers, even dad's and mothers
All make mistakes, and I do too.

Verse 1:
In the yard I left the rake.
By the stairs I left my skates.
When my mom and dad discovered them,
I knew I'd made a big mistake.
When my bubble full of air ...
Got too near my mother's hair
I tried to pop it but it was too late!
I knew I'd made a big mistake ... Well

Chorus
I'm not perfect and I know I never will be
No one's perfect ... I know it's true.
Sisters and brothers, even dad's and mothers
All make mistakes, and I do too.

Verse 2:
My friends and I were having fun
Playing ball, I hit a run
When I heard the plate-glass window break
I knew I'd made a big mistake!
Filled my squirt-gun very full.
Then the trigger I did pull.
When the water hit my teacher's face,
I knew I'd made a big mistake ... well

Chorus:
I'm not perfect and I know I never will be
No one's perfect ... I know it's true.
Sisters and brothers, even dad's and mothers
All make mistakes, and I do too.

Verse 3:
Grannie baked an apple pie.
I ate so much I thought I'd die.
When I couldn't sleep for the belly-ache,
I knew I'd made a big mistake.

Uh -oh ... my memory just pooped out on me all of a sudden.
Sigh! These things happen. If someone out there remembers the rest, please add it in "Comments" and we'll all be grateful. Forgive me if it's out of order. I don't think I've even THOUGHT of this song for DECADES so I'm surprised this much remains. ;)

(It seems appropriate to end with)

Chorus:
I'm not perfect and I know I never will be
No one's perfect ... I know it's true.
Sisters and brothers, even dad's and mothers
All make mistakes, and I do too.


After thoughts:
--One thing I do recall is that we substituted the word "teachers" for the word "even" in the chorus to make it more inclusive ... so we sang "teachers, dads and mothers" instead.
--Remind me again why the arts no longer are included in public school curriculum. Seems to me there are valuable lessons learned through art, music, dance, play, drama and other subjects I loved to do as a kid and teach in my classroom later on. How did we let this happen?
--Maybe when I finish my month of daily Sacred Life posts at Sacred Ruminations, I'll switch to weekly Sacred Life Sunday posts and take up the One Thing - Be Brave challenge for the next month. Who knows ... I might even explore YouTube and sing this little ditty.

(Enough! THAT'S a topic for another day)