Haiku Friday #33 - Baby Beagle Update

Remember the day
Molly had a visitor ...
inside our backyard?

(clicking on the link above will take you to that Haiku
in case you missed it or forgot)

After a long search
we discovered the pooch lived
across the alley.

Apparently the
baby Beagle outwore his
welcome ... and has been

adopted by a
friend of my next door neighbor.
Buster is his name!



Soon Molly and I
will go visit Buster in
his new BIG back yard!

* * * * *

Volume#34 - I up and did it yesterday!
(Published this morning at Sacred Ruminations)

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story or
Playgroups are no Place for Children.

To see more previous Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post
or in the sidebar under About Me.

Thought for Today
"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconsditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." Gilda Radner

Haiku Friday - Volume 13 An Unexpected Surprise

Just two days ago
Molly found a little friend
in her own back yard.

Tiny Beagle pup
through the fence did crawl to play.
Lost and hungry pooch

stayed with us until
next door neighbors did arrive
home. To my dismay

no one recognized
active little puppy so
we all launched a search

figuring someone
had to be around who'd know
where the pup belonged.

Darkness fell with no
luck in sight ... and Molly grew
tired of this "pest"

playing with HER toys,
chewing on her sheepskin bed ...
Like an "only" child

Molly's jealousy
made it difficult for me
to maintain the peace.

After several hours,
MANY phone calls later a
frantic call came through.

Joyful, everyone
was relieved this ended well.
As the couple left

I suggested they
get a "tag" on their way home
so that when the pup

managed to escape
next time (as he likely will)
we can call direct!

Beagles I have owned
in the past delighted in
mischief of this sort!

Molly's happier
now that the "intruder" has
left her home in peace.



For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Click for Haiku Friday Volume 14.

To see my previous Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.

Click for a Follow-Up 'Ku
Volume 33 - Baby Beagle Update

Thought for today
"Education is more than filling a child with fact. It starts with posing questions." D.T. Max

Wordless Wednesday #1

Walking to the Post Office on December 24th with Molly

to mail my Christmas Cards finally
(just a bit later than I'd hoped)

Returning home I was surprised to see

this full moon in the West above the rooftops

with the bright sun in the East to my back

I captured this sight to share,
(a full moon in daylight).

I've had enough words the past few days reviewing my blogging progress, and thanking my blogging buddies, and deciding to join Blog 365. If you've not had too many words today, read on. If you're a regular, snag (or snarf) yourself a thank you graphic from Molly, Ms. Kitty, and Me (or not) as you choose. I've created a 2nd Wordless Wednesday at my other blog, Sacred Ruminations.

I've revisited the past ten weeks this morning, and it's time to Thank My Blogging Buddies

As 2007 draws to a close, I'm looking back on the year ... mostly thinking about the changes. Today begins my 10th week as a Blogger. My first post entitled Beginnings, bears the date October 22nd and visually appears unique because I wrote it in Word and pasted it into the editor of Small Reflections because I didn't know how to do anything else. I'd never LOOKED at a blog before (my Taos Writer's Retreat friend) Kara's phone call the previous week. She provided some "guided practice" in that call, walking me through the Blogosphere with links she'd emailed ... offering a glimpse into this alternative reality I found intriguing enough to enter. With Santa Ana winds blowing and multiple fires burning out of control all over Southern California, I entered this "virtual world" ... hesitantly.

Kara left a congratulatory comment, but a virtual stranger named Joy found and commented on that 1st post ... offering me her encouragement and promising to return. How could I not post again? My next two posts, although published by me on the 23rd and 24th, bear the same date as my 1st one because I created them on that day while wandering the Blogosphere and experimenting with what I encountered. Answering questions on other blogs provided me with HTML code to copy and paste on my own, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to try doing so ... hence the "Could this be me?" and "What Time of Day are You?" posts.

My friend Jackie, traveling in an RV with her husband, commented on the 3rd post ... but no one other than me commented on #2. Lucy left a comment there a few weeks later on November 11th after finding my blog and looking around a bit.
I had trouble with "dates" for a while and understand it's possible to modify them after the fact, but I've not tried that yet anyway.

Joy found me again on the 26th as I introduced Molly and Ms. Kitty ... experimenting with inserting photos into posts. My friend Carol, also on the road with her husband, found and commented on the collage of Molly ... (later I gave equal time to Ms. Kitty). Joy discovered my first really successful photo upload, the one I'd been trying to add since the beginning, and reminded me that "baby steps" lead to success. The next day I shared two more photos from the Mabel Dodge Luhan House with details about my Writer's Retreat experience there and Karen left her first of MANY comments.

My 1st "visual scribble" resulted in a veritable deluge of comments and led to others like it later on, in addition to "outing" my true identity. Who knew that when clicked on these signed images enlarged enough to be come legible? Certainly not me! Just as with leaving my recent "cry for help" post just days ago, temptation was great to removed them and remain "a nonny mouse" storyteller (with a lower case "s" on purpose), but I took the high road and left them in place ... adding #2 here, #3 here, #4 here, and an "authentic graphic piece" from my framed collection here with a left-brained linear transcription here.

Annie found me on November 6th and introduced me to Google Reader, simplifying my blog reading immensely ... though I did have to learn the hard way not to bite off more than I could chew. As I visited blogs and encountered posts of interest, the teacher-in-me had to share ... so I learned to create what I've since learned are called "love-links" and leave them scattered throughout my own posts because I realize not everyone has the kind of available time that I do as a young-at heart & "happily retired" individual. No one has to click on any of them, but I offer them an invitations to those with time and interest ... much as I'm doing with "my own past" in this post.

Not long ago I happened upon another Storyteller (she uses a capital "S" however) named Amy Jane who has created a series of links in her sidebar to "introductory pieces" about herself, and when she visited here ... she asked if I could point her to some about myself. Doing so was tedious, challenging and time consuming. I suspect part of my motivation for including so many links in THIS post is due to her request. In the future I can provide a single link in answer to such a question, and others can read as much or as little as they choose about me depending on what interests them.

That reminds me about memes, hoopla, and Lucy's alliterative game. I've done the following:
1. posted 7 Random Things About Myself
2. published 5 T-13s (#1 on authors and books worth sharing with young children, #2 a random list of things I'd do if I knew I couldn't fail, #3 on Ice, #4 a list of quotes I find inspiring, and #5 links to video clips by Straight No Chaser - a unique & entertaining A'capella singing group from Indiana University)
3. shared Christmas Hoopla
4. posted my Playful Ps and Varied Vs with Verse as per Lucy's encouragement
5. written of Five Really Good Things here and here.

I've been serious, reflective, grateful, and playful with my postings (among other things). I did an (as yet) incomplete series on the slow, challenging, tedious transformation of my front yard in 2006 with photo illustrations: parts one, two, three, and four are posted with additional posts to come. While other bloggers posted photos of snowy weather, I shared what Santa Ana winds leave in their wake here and here ... and what gentle rain looks like in Southern California. Mary designed and shared a lovely award for my Christmas Carol Quiz and introduced me to Blingee where I learned to add snowy effects.

I completed NaBloPoMo (30 posts in 30 days during November) on both my blogs and made many new blogging friends in the process including (but not limited to) Sandy, Melissa, and Eve. Then I joined Holidailies (31 posts in 31 days during December) and met John who along with Peajay, Joy, Karen, and Mary solved the Christmas Carol Quiz. Now Sandy has convinced me to participate in the Blog 365 challenge. If you didn't know it before reading this, you must realize by now that I'm more than a bit obsessive and perhaps compulsive as well. According to my Archives, this will be post #75 published on my 71st day as a blogger, so Blog 365 just could be a piece of cake! LOL

So ... we've arrived at the present. I actually started and my 1st post and worked my way back to return to this point ... reviewing as I did so. Smiler and Melissa deserve special mention for teaching me what little i know about HTML thus far. Somewhere along the line, in addition to all the bloggers mentioned previously ... I met Grandy, Ladybug, Mama Zen, MP Jones, Moanna, Mother of Invention, Talking Bear, His Girl Friday, Kikipotamus, and others I've no doubt forgotten to mention ... but you know who you are! If you send me an email reminder, I'll add you to you list (as long as you promise to forgive the oversight). This has gotten much more complex than I intended at the outset. If anyone discovers links that don't take you where they're supposed to, I'd appreciate knowing that too so I can fix them. (Obsessive, remember?)

So ... without further ado ... I wish to say THANK YOU BLOGGING BUDDIES! As a token of my appreciation I offer one and/or both of the following to display (or not) on your blogs as you choose.

Andrea, who I learned recently created the Christmas Hoopla thing, shared this on her blog and graciously gave me permission to "snag it" for myself and pass it along to my friends. It seems fitting somehow. LOL (I've given up ROFLing because it's just too hard to get up these days!)

Thanks a bunch!

Please say Happy Birthday to Molly who is 3 years old today.

With Gratitude and Blessings to Mary for this Lovely Award for all those who Participate in the Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz

Mary
(of Mary's Writing Nook)
volunteered to create an award
for my Christmas Carol Quiz participants
and this is what it looks like :)

Isn't it lovely?
I plan to add a little "bling"
between now and
December 15th when I post the answers
so it will "sparkle & glow"

So, my friends, check out the details
in my previous post and put your thinking caps on!

Time's awasting :)

What Happened to my SiteMeter Icons or Why Can't I Log onto my Account There Today?

Hmmm
the little icons
have disappeared
from both my Blogs
though the Page Element
with the codes
still seem to be present.
Did this happen to anyone else
or should I be feeling paranoid about now?

Addendum added here (at the urging of my "aging angels" one of whom is pictured here) in gratitude to Annie for her timely comment ... a link to lift your spirits (as it did mine) offered for for your viewing pleasure :)

Saturday's Saga or Life Away from the Computer

Late Friday afternoon workmen arrived next door to "tent" the neighbor's house for fumigation. I knew it was happening and planned accordingly for Saturday.

Molly and I took a long walk early and played "fetch" in the front yard until she was exhausted (it's no small thing to wear out a not quite three year old Lab). I showered, dressed in purple & red, donned a red hat, gave Molly a "Greenie" & a new Nylabone ... and left her safely indoors with the windows shut ... to chew & snooze away until I returned to play with her again.

Thus I left home (and the virtual world of bloggers) to join my favorite Red Hatters out in the world. I picked up A and we drove together ... joining the other gals at a Red Hat Holiday Boutique before moving on to have lunch at a Soup Plantation restaurant in the area. This year's boutique was tiny compared to last year's event and some of the women seemed disappointed, but I'm trying not to spend money anyway ... so I enjoyed visiting with everyone I hadn't seen for a while. The folks at the restaurant set up tables for the 12 of us and we had a wonderful time together. These gals know how to have fun.

In case you don't know about Red Hatters, you can learn about the Red Hat Society at their official website.

"The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and elan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next." Sue Ellen Cooper, Queen Mother

Women 50 or older wear purple with red hats while those under 50 wear lavender with pink hats. During our birthday month, we reverse the colors ... wearing either red with a purple hat or pink with a lavender hat ... so feel free to wish us "Happy Birthday" when you see our colors switched.

I joined the community of Red Hats a few years ago when I found myself alone (after my sister retired and hit the road with her husband ... and my best friends left for a few months simultaneously). I knew I needed someone other than Molly to get me out of the house. So I logged on to the official website, entered my Zipcode, looked around, found an event close to home, donned a purple outfit & red hat, and went "tea tramping" ... in search of folks I liked. That's how I encountered Sisters at Heart, the gals I "played" with yesterday. I occasionally link up with two other Red Hat groups for a meal or activity as well.

But I digress ... back to my vagabond sister and her husband. After retiring from the work force, B & R rented out their house (for gas money they explained), leaving Jeff (a friend of their oldest son) living in "Grandma's quarters" (you might recall mom died in 1989) in charge of collecting and depositing rent from others in the house. However, they returned after about 3 months when she fell and dislocated her kneecap. Fortunately Jeff agreed to find other lodgings allowing them to move back in into their house during her recovery & physical therapy. Living with strangers in the rest of their house presented interesting challenges for all concerned, but they were home for about 6 months before hitting the road again ... this time leaving a room available for future emergencies.

This time they meandered through Northern California, Oregon, Washington and Canada ... visiting friends & seeing sights along the way as they headed for Alaska where they spent a month touring with other RVers ... having a wonderful time. Afterwards they drove through Canada into Montana ... and on to Colorado where they visited with more friends ... experiencing snow for the first time as RVers ... eventually heading south through New Mexico and into Arizona ... intending meander through the South on their way to Florida. However, once again (this time after being on the road for almost 6 months) health issues brought them home unexpectedly around Thanksgiving of last year. It was my brother-in-law's knee replacement that "came apart" and needed to be redone ... requiring about six months of recovery & physical therapy. As I've written elsewhere, they're currently on the East Coast and plan to winter in Florida.

This is all to explain how it came to be that I didn't post anything yesterday. Here is Saturday's saga ... and perhaps I'll find something to blog about before this day ends, posting a second piece to make up for missing yesterday ... or not. :)

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!

Happy News

By chance, I happened today upon a Website that focuses attention on Happy News. What a pleasant bit of serendipity! I mention it here in case you've not discovered it yet and might find it of interest.

Because I believe what we focus on expands in our lives, long ago I gave up my regular subscriptions to newspapers & magazines and stopped watching TV news because I no longer chose to be bombarded with negative information. Initially, I worried I'd encounter problems by not knowing of world events ... but essential information came to me through friends, family, & unexpected sources ... quickly putting that concern to rest.

I believe my life is better for this decision, yet I'm delighted to find this place where I can easily click on categories as I choose to find articles about International, National, Heroes, Health, Opinion & Editorials, Science & Technology, Environment, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Business/Money & Happy Living ... read optimistic "contest" essays ... and even submit Happy News when or if I wish. The site even has links to "unhappy news sources" ... but I doubt I'll use them. I've Bookmarked it for easy access and think I'll add it to my Link List on so others might find it easily.

Virtual Explorations

Exploring & meeting new people while enjoying the comforts of home. What an idea! Seldom tempted to jump on ANY bandwagon before, I've found this virtual world of Bloggers surprisingly seductive and potentially addictive ... (at least until I've had my fill and/or my friends return from the road) ... enticing me away from the keyboard with real-world activities again. I admit I've been a bit of a "hermit" lately except for this new interest.

Until now, the only thing that could capture & hold my attention for any length of "free time" was a book. I've always been able to lose myself in a captivating story. As a child, I visited the library often and eventually discovered used book stores. I counted school "breaks" one of the unexpected blessings of being a teacher, and have spent many a summers day lost in a good read ... traveling to distant lands ... meeting unique people doing extraordinary things.

Television and films have never held as much fascination for me that words on the page. My imagination creates such vivid images while reading that I'm often disappointed when a favorite read becomes fixed on film.

This feels different, yet somehow familiar. I'm reminded how decades ago when my then hubby bought an Atari computer with video game cartridges. He loved playing those games and encouraged me to join the fun. For about three months I did play a few ... PacMan & Frogger come to mind ... and I admit, I found these experiences interesting for a brief time.

My major take-away was the thought of how nice it would be to have a "Reset Button" in life ... so that when I recognized an error, I could simply start over and get it right. That is how I mastered the few games I played back then ... eventually maxing them out so that they were no longer challenging. Once I'd done so, I lost interest and never played them again ... except for a couple of times there was a PacMan machine in the waiting area of a restaurant and someone handed me a quarter. Am I dating myself? I suspect so. Such is life!

I wonder if Blogging will hold my attention just as briefly before I move on to other things? Perhaps the WORDS on the screen will keep me returning? And, of course, this opportunity to share my own words feels wonderful. I've long been a writer, but not an author. It's a clear distinction in my mind ... though I sometimes wonder if I might have spent my life as an author if someone had suggested I might do so when I was younger.

I've long written in the margins of books as I read them ... as if carrying on conversations with authors. I felt embarrassed about this habit of mine at first, until I met Marianne Williamson after a lecture and asked her to sign my copy of one of her books. After I handed it to her, my friend M told her to look inside ...(much to my chagrin)... yet when she did, I was amazed to learn that seeing my notes in the margins gave HER goosebumps because that's what she'd hoped people might do as they read her words. Who knew? Certainly not me.

Reconnections

One week after launching this Blog and a day after taking the plunge of telling my Taos Retreat Friends what I'm doing by "announcing" my debut online through our Writers Spa 2007 email link this weekend, congratulations bombarded my computer. I'm humbled and heartened by this wonderful feedback & encouragement. Thank you all! Even more exciting has been learning what others have been up to lately. That week in Taos ignited sparks in many of us. I wish you the best!
These photos capture my first experiences of the Mabel Dodge Luhan House & Retreat Center. The signs posted offered both a welcome and warning. Climbing the stairs and crossing the wooden bridge led me to an expanse of cobblestones leading to a gorgeous adobe structure surrounded by greenery and huge white clouds drifting across the deep blue skies ... taking my breath away.

The week brought many surprises, but my enduring memories are of the twenty-nine courageous women writers who showed up ... explored the inner & outer territory ... and carried their imagination, energy, and writing into the world. We're each sharing pieces of ourselves with others ... in uniquely individual ways.

Blessed Be ... and so it is.
Thank you all.

Unexpected Connections

Twice today I smiled as my cell phone played "Rainbow Connection" announcing friends reaching out from the road. C called earlier to "check in" as she and D drove to visit relatives in New Jersey before reconnecting with the long-time friends ...(who relocated from Southern California to South Carolina several years ago)... they've been traveling with in Maine for the past few weeks. J called about an hour later to announce she & P had enjoyed their visit with her family and plan to head for Harper's Ferry tomorrow so they can add West Virginia to their RV map. Both had questions about the Southern California fires along with travel news to share. Afterwards, I checked in briefly with my sister, B ... catching her just as they were moving to a site with better amperage so we didn't talk long, but she said she'd get back to me once they're resettled and she starts doing laundry. I'm looking forward to that chat later on. We're all Verizon wireless customers and put those free cell-to-cell minutes to good use consistently.

Each is somewhere in the Eastern USA traveling with their husbands in the "happily retired" comfort of their 5th wheels. I'm glad to know they're all well ... enjoying their travels while making time to visit family & friends along the way. Occasionally when I read their newsy emails, see photos, and/or hear vivid descriptions of sights they've seen & experiences they've had, I consider taking to the road myself. However, these thoughts pass quickly for I'm content to travel vicariously while enjoying my simple life near the ocean with Molly, especially now that I have begun to explore the virtual world of blogging.

I took advantage of the 15% off coupon Barnes & Noble emailed today to finally purchase the "Complete Planet Earth Series" on DVD because I missed most of the episodes when they were originally broadcast on TV and I want to see them. I found it "on sale" at a substantial discount, so with my normal 10% discount plus today's coupon ... it was quite a bargain! Now I know why I kept this title on my Wishlist for months even though I don't let anyone know.

Earlier this morning I heard the DOW was down almost 200 points, but it must have reversed itself this afternoon because I note that the financial markets ...(except for the NASDAQ)... have closed relatively flat on the day. What a roller coaster ride! Since my trip to Taos where I attended a Writers Retreat, I've not devoted much time to trading stocks. In true "Scanner" fashion, I've set that interest aside for the time being and moved on to other things. Thanks to Barbara Sher's insights ...(elaborated in her book, Refuse to Choose)... these days I accept these shifts in my life with minimal stress ... knowing I'll return to them ... or not.

The fresher, more breathable air this morning made my long-awaited walk with Molly delightful. Everyone laughed as she raced around joyfully savoring the freedom of being outdoors again. I'm glad we did it early because the air quality worsened as the day progressed. The windows are closed again to keep out the smoky smells from the fires here in Southern California. I hear at least two of the fires are now 70% contained. With the weather changing and the winds subsiding this afternoon, perhaps the the fire-fighters will gain control of the remaining fires soon. I pray so.

I'm hoping this is the week the gardener comes so that he and his crew will do the heavy clean up in the yard. If it's not, I guess I'll be out there picking up debris & gathering thousands of palm seeds myself tomorrow.