Listen to the Whispers of your Heart

Her car was jutting out from the driveway into the street.  Obviously not where a car belongs.   We drove past her, me looking back at her all the while we drove into the next driveway and pulled into the garage.  Something just wasn't right.  I didn't really know her other than the once or twice I was introduced to her when she was visiting from college.  Her body language in the car showed hurt and with her head bowed, my instinct knew something wasn't right.

We pulled into the garage and told my husband I was going to walk over and see if she was alright.  He followed a few steps behind me.  She got out of the car as I headed her way and just stared at me, saying nothing really.  I asked if she was ok, and already knowing the answer to the question, I walked right over to her and gave her a big hug as her tears fell.   Her car was stuck on the ice and couldn't get it into the garage.  That's not why she was crying though.  I didn't ask why, but told her everyone has one of those days now and again and that she would be ok and get through it.  She looked at me and just smiled.  I hugged her once again as my husband tried to move the car up the steep ice rink.  I told her I'd go get some cat litter and she'd be in the house in a few minutes.   

Sure enough, a cup of the deodorizing magic grains onto the ice in front of the tires, and my husband was on his way up the mini Mt. Everest of a driveway.   She breathed a sigh of relief and said thank you.  We told her if she needed anything to come right back over to our front door and knock and we'd be there.  

It was my gut that told me something wasn't right.  That instinct that whispers in your head, "do something, don't sit."  I only share this because that little voice in your head, is there for a reason.  It's purposeful. It's meaningful.  It's your heart telling you to act in a compassionate way.  When you act or make a decision out of love, rather than fear, there can never be a wrong choice.   Listen to your heart when it speaks to you.  Listen to that whisper that finds its way into your ear.  Listen and listen well.   What may seem like a simple action to you, may be the huge difference in someone's day.   Don't be afraid to act, but simply act out of love and listen to your heart.

I'm Blushing....Thank You

I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award from my sweet blogger friend, Ginger, over at 
The Amateur Writer and just now have had a few minutes to sit down and say, thank you.  I'm blushing and tickled pink you thought of me.

The award comes with a few rules:

The Rules
Share 11 facts about myself.
Answer 11 questions from my nominator.
Nominate 11 followers (with less than 200 followers) for the award.
Create 11 questions for the nominee to answer.
When the Nominee is finished you must link it back to me (as I did above) in your blog post.

So, without further adieu, I happily accept this award and am honored you have come by today to share in all my beautiful blow award glory.

Here goes...

11 Facts About Me

1. I have been happily married for 22 years and am mom to two amazing boys, 16 & 12.
2. If you call me to meet for tea or pie, I will drop everything and meet you, no questions asked.
3. I could sit in a boat on a lake for hours and hours without talking.
4. I am a photographer, a poet and a writer, yet never call myself such things to others.
5. I believe God has plans for me and continue to ask for hints from Him daily.
6. I don'l like dogs. We, here, are cat people.
7. I am a morning persona and have troubles staying awake for movie night.
8. I have a secret desire to be on Broadway on day (or off-off-Broaday is ok too).
9. I believe everything happens for a reason and do not believe in coincidence, ever.
10. I have 7 books on my nightstand, all started and not one finished.
11. I believe everyone is inherently good, when it comes right down to it.

Answer 11 Questions From my Nominator

1. What's your favorite date night activity?    - Order in and watch a movie together. Pretty simple.
2. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?  -To be more patient.
3. What would be your dream job?  - A magazine writer/editor or photographer or a research guru.
4. What bones have you broken?  -Zero
5. Name one thing you've always wanted to try. -Living in New York City
6. Chocolate or vanilla?  -Vanilla
7. Why do you blog? -I blog as a creative outlet and to hopefully inspire other to be true to themselves.
8. What's your favorite hobby? -Reading and learning about any and every thing.
9. What season of the year do you like most? - Fall because of the cool crisp weather and the smell of ripe apples.
10. Would you consider yourself a dreamer or realist? -My heart is a dreamer and my head is a realist and most often act as a realist.
11. What household chore could you wish you would never have to do again? - Duh, Laundry!

Blogs I Nominate for a Liebster Award

Daytons Day to Day

Clumsy Crafter

Finding Joy

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

Questions for my Nominated Blogs to Answer

1. What is your favorite book of all time?
2. Where do you go when you need to be quiet?
3. Do you run in the rain or watch from inside?
4. What do you do when you're "in a mood" and need to get out of it?
5. Do you Pinterest
6. What is your favorite vacation sport?
7. Are you a morning person or night owl and why?
8. Do you play an instrument?  Which one(s)?
9. What music do you always turn to to energize you?
10. If you were a fish, what kind would you be?
11. If I asked you to pack your bags, where would you hope I was taking you?

Thank you so much, for stopping by today.  I love that you spent a few minutes in my corner of the world with me.  It's like blogging chocolate (or vanilla in my case)!  Happy Sunday.

I am a Soul Seeking

I am a soul seeking truth

   truth that sets you free of worry

   truth that opens the walkway

   truth that breathes lavender into your heart

  

I am a soul seeking love

   love that sets your feet firm

   love that opens the window each morning

   love that breathes sweetness into your ear

I am a soul seeking joy

   joy that sets your heart soaring

   joy that opens new doors

   joy that breathes warmth into your toes

I am a soul seeking peace

   peace that sets your mind on everything

   peace that opens you to others

   peace that breathes gold into your being

I am a soul

seeking

truth

love

joy

peace.

Morning Time Has Come

I guess you could say I'm an early riser. My body clock goes off at 4:25am each morning with a glance at the clock and then I gradually fall back asleep just as the alarm goes off for the day.  The morning is my favorite time of the day. 

Our oldest and Grandpa have headed out once again on a fishing excursion to catch the winter "big one" and I am sitting in his room with the window shades opened and can hear the three little wrens chirping to their friends.  Our youngest's music is playing in the next room at a level fairly loud for sleeping music and my sweet husband, still recovering from his cold, is tucked under the covers with a cat at his feet.  I love this quiet of the house.  

The morning offers me time to gather my thoughts and prepare for the day ahead. I have read a page in my "The Book of Awakening" by Mark Nepo, read the headlines and am contemplating a cup of hot blueberry tea and some blackberry jam toast.  Too bad, mornings don't come with room service.

I'm looking forward to our youngest's soccer game this afternoon and then possibly a nap later.  Yes. The type of nap where you turn off the lights, close the blinds and get under the blanket.  A true nap.  It's important to slow down when you can.  We don't do it often enough and when the weeks are filled with soccer, basketball, scouts, homework, on-line classes, friends, and so much more, it's good to start the morning slow and plan a nap.  It's good for your soul, at least my soul.

It's supposed to be in the low 60's today.  A little out of the ordinary for us, but good fishing and soccer weather for certain.   I hope you will take time today to slow down a little, enjoy the sunrise, your hot coffee (or Dr. Pepper) and enjoy a slower pace today.  Listen to the birds, feel the breeze on your cheeks and embrace your day. 

Day 13 & Day 14: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Enough love for two days.

Day 12: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

I'm addicted to Instagram.  Completely. Totally. Addicted.  I love the way a simple photo can instantly become a portrait and just cannot get enough of this app.  If you don't have Instagram, you can get it here.  I have taken more pictures than ever before with this app and L.O.V.E. it.  So many options to play with. You can never have enough pictures. I don't know if I could love an app more.   

Until...

That is...

PostalPix came along.  The perfect marriage to my Instagram addiction.  You see, I have all these wonderful pictures that I've taken on Instagram, problem is, you can't print them at the store very easily.  The edges get cut off and the finish just doesn't look right because Instagram finishes the photo in a 4 x 4 format. What is a girl to do?

Well...

PostalPix to the rescue.   This little app, which you can get here, is the vanilla to my chocolate, the cream to my coffee, the bubbles to my bath....need I go on?

PostalPix is genius.  Download the app, upload your Instagram photos, click order, click pay, and voila, four days later you have beautiful 4 x 4 prints in your red hot little hands.   My addiction may require me to attend Instagram and PostalPix Anonymous.  Seriously.  You think I'm joking, don't you?

   

Here is my first order of PostalPix prints that came in my mail today.  Totally in L.O.V.E.

Day 11: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

The one behind the camera, even takes photos of themselves behind the camera.

You have to do it.  It's important to document yourself in photos too, even if you're the one that likes to take them.  Drop the camera and get in front of the lens.  

Show yourself some love and remember you are part of the daily events too.  

Love yourself and photograph yourself.

This is a self-portrait.

Me.

The photographer wanna be.

Love on yourself today and ease into all that lies ahead of you and your schedule.

Enjoy your Monday.

Day 9 & 10: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Love is purple

Love is clear

Love just is.......

Love

iced over river flow

Day 8: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Love shows itself in strange places:

a stranger opening the door for you...

a card in your mailbox...

the sun shining when you feel down...

a phone call from a loved one...

smiles from your kids when you make their favorite meal...

your kitten purring in your lap...

but,

what about on the bottom of your brownie?

I found this candy heart on the bottom of my brownie yesterday.

Definitely made me smile.

Happy brownie eating.

May you find love in unexpected places today.

Day 7: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Some women like shoes. Others adore handbags or lipstick or coffee.  But me, well, I have a wee little problem with journals.  Yep.  Journals.   I love the possibility they hold.  The creative ideas waiting to fill the blank pages and the thrill of doodling on the sides of the pages and taping something in or a new brown fine tip pen to jot notes down into it and perhaps tuck a special photo in here or there.  Journals are my shoes and handbags!  I've promised myself today that I'm going to start a project and turn the music on and light a candle or two and enjoy the new snow from my loft window.  The sun is shining and can't wait to put the first mark onto the spiral bound pages.

Day 6: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Love this young man.  So proud of him and his drive to work toward his Eagle Scout rank.  

He just recently received his rank advancement and is already a First Class Scout 

and well on his way to his next advancement.

He amazes me everyday.

My First Class Scout

Day 5: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

I love my family.

I love having time to read.

I love all things outside.

I love a good blizzard.

I love sitting in a boat on the lake.

I love hot tea.

I love being available to my kids.

I love my camera (yes, you can love your camera - just go with it).

I love pineapple banana smoothies.

I love writing in the snow.

I love the beach.

I love listening to music in a large church.

I love green.

Happy Tuesday.

Day 4: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Taking photographs has become a wee little obsession of mine.  I love the process of taking hundreds of photos and then finding one that just grabs your eye.  The expression on their face, or the lighting behind an object, or the mood that is created are all part of the hunt for me when taking photos.  I look back at all the thousands, yes thousands of photos that I have and wish I had started my obsession many years ago.  Oh the pictures I could have taken.   I guess I'm trying to make up for lost time.  My boys have been known to get a little irritated with the snapping of my lens in their faces, but I know one day they'll be thankful I took so many.  They'll never forget a moment of their lives that's for sure.  

Over the weekend, I went fishing with our oldest like I mentioned to you yesterday and while I was sitting and watching him fish, my eye caught a heart shaped rock.  This isn't the first one I've found there.  So many beautiful stones in the river and this one was waiting for me to pick it up.  It was cold on the bottom, but warm on the top where the sun had been shining on it all morning.   I snapped this photo and tucked it into my pocket for the ride home.  I have a collection of found heart rocks.    Today I'm sharing my pink river rock photo with you and hope it will make you smile, because I did when I found it.  (I took some liberties with the editing and became fond of the shocking pink that emerged as I was playing with it. It really isn't pink.)   Enjoy your Monday.

found heart river rock

Day 3: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Brown Caddis. 

Black Wooly Bugger. 

Copper John. 

Blue Wing Olive.
and
Dark Jujubee

He would stand in the cold water from 6:00am until 9:30pm if you'd let him.  All day. Every day. He is a fisherman.  It is now in his blood.  It is part of who he is.   There is no turning back.  Hook. Line. And sinker. 

my fisherman

Yesterday was fishing day (again).  Yes, I know it's February and February is cold, but when you have a fisherman in your home, all those rules go out the window.  If it's 40 degrees or above, it's fishin' weather.  So off we headed after an early morning basketball game to the river.  It was beautiful actually.  No wind, but warm sunshine all day, so the 44 degree temperature felt more like 55 degrees (well, kind of).  

I followed him around the outskirts of the river videotaping his every move and knot tying minute for a school project (that's why we had to go you see).  It was so nice to just be.  And, to be with his smile and hope for "the big one" made the entire day wonderful.

The fisherman beside us caught a 19 inch trout and instantly the energy increased.  The "they are really in here and I'm going to catch one" excitement increased once again.   He quickly took the fisherman's spot as he left and headed down the river to a new possibility under some sagging branches.

He casted and casted and waited and waited.  Fishing is a patient man's sport.  Very patient.   He was persistent, but at the end of the day, with only one quick hook and the fish coming off, we were still fishless.   But, in our house, the saying goes.  

"A bad day of fishing, is still a good day of fishing."   

So happy I got to spend this time with him.  Beautiful company, great conversation and a great day of fishing.

heart shaped river rocks from our day of fishing.....second time i've found them while fishing with my big guy.

Day 2: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Everyday I pick up my two boys from school and have a few minutes to sit and admire the view of our glorious mountain before they hop into the car, filled with their stories and hellos.  I love that I can pick them up everyday.  I dreamed of this when I was growing up and so wished and hoped that one day, I could be a stay at home mom.   I've been doing this for many years (almost 12 now) and love every minute of it.   The first few moments they hop into the car are important to me.  I can read their day on their face as they walk to the car and am thankful I am there to get all the details or emotions that filled the minutes of their day.  The layers of their day begin to peel away and they share the silly joke they heard at lunch, the formulas they learned about the velocity of a moving car (I just nod and smile when this comes up.  What they don't know about what I don't know won't hurt them), the crazy French phrase they studied, request a ride to a friend's house, or turn the music up loud for the three minute drive home. I l.o.v.e. this part of my day. It fills me to the brim.  It's only a few short minutes of chatter, but it's filled with such life and personality that it brings sunshine on even the cloudiest of days.  I love my job. Simply love.

the heart in my car that catches the sunlight each day while i wait to pick up my boys.

Day 1: 14 Days of Love - Photo Challenge

Today is Day 1 of my 14 Days of Love photo challenge.   I'm starting with a simple photo I took on our recent trip to the Caribbean.   It was a trip of love.  It was time for me and my sweetheart to hold hands and relax and enjoy each other.  It's a simple photo of a heart in the sand, but it's a photo that captures the moment and the sun on our faces.  Truly mesmerizing to say the least.  The waves coming and going and the rush and power of the ocean as it touched the shore are all in this one photo.

May your first day of February be one of light and love.  May you touch those around you with a tenderness and softness that shows your love for them.   Happy February.