You are currently browsing the monthly archive for October 2009.
This week’s theme is – BAGS
Walking yesterday
through the weekly ‘craft event’
I photographed these ;–)
Click to embiggen & for others participating in
See my other colorful posts this week at
Small Reflections and Sacred Ruminations
Small Reflections and Sacred Ruminations
Thought for Today
“Joy is not in things! It is in us!”
Benjamin Franklin
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
13 Sky Views from
my sister in Oregon
RV traveling
Collaboration..
I create the mosaics
then share on my blogs.
First mosaic has
13 pictures ‘stroke-outlined’
but no ‘layer styles’
Second Mosaic
features soft drop shadows and
beveled edges too
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
Watery Wednesday (a little bit late)
Thursday Thirteen
Sky Watch and Haiku Friday
More variations
can be seen by clicking
the two links below
Thought for Today
“If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.” Chinese Proverb
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
White butterflies on
this bush with it’s purple blooms
captured & collaged
Originals Lightened
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Watercolor Lightened
Poster Edges
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
Almost Wordless Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday
Thought for Today
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” A.A. Milne
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Today’s Flowers are in the next post
Scenic photos from
my sister in Alaska
RV traveling
Collaboration..
I create the mosaics
then share on my blogs.
Mellow Yellow signs
on the Alaskan Highway
‘not exact, but close’
Originals – Straight out of the Camera
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Paint Daubs
Palette Knife
Ink Outlines
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
Thought for Today
“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.” Anatole France
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Happy Saturday
I hope you enjoy my pink
flower mosaics.
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Colored Pencil
Poster Edges
Dry Brush
Palette Knife
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
In my previous
post I shared a ‘kewl’ award
and at Blogger I’m
celebrating my
2nd Blogoversary
on two of my blogs:
Thought for Today
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” Leo Buscaglia
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Ruby Tuesday, Mosaic and
Blue Monday are in the next post.
Scroll down for Thursday Thirteen
Alice Audrey of Alice’s Restaurant honored me with Nemo’s Award and I’m delighted to accept and to share it with others today.
Neno’s Award—-Rules and Regulations
1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.
3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.
I’ve written about Why I Blog a few times already, and I’ve decided to revisit this July 2008 List of 13 Reasons here … just because. I’ve amended that list in purple with some additional thoughts reflecting changes in my blogging over the past year or so. I’m celebrating my 2nd Blogoversary at Small Reflections right now and at Sacred Ruminations on Friday, October 23rd. My first Blogoversary for this blog, Happily Retired Gal, will be on November 25th.
It’s clear to me that blogging …
** provides a way for me to experiment with sharing what I write … without having to sit face to face with someone as I do this thing, and I’ve discovered that I’m much more of an introvert than most people (including myself) generally realize
** allows me to become accustomed feedback from a variety of readers and get over my tendency to keep what I write to myself
** introduces me to others who write (and take photographs)
** keeps my mind active and learning new things all the time
** stretches my imagination and my boundaries
** fills free time with interaction when I’m alone
** opens my eyes to what is … and what might be … if only
** expands my world and opens me up to new possibilities & experiences
** allows me to make & interact with ‘virtual’ friends
Initially I blogged because others suggested I might enjoy it. They were right. I did ;–)
1. Each day at Small Reflections I wrote whatever entered my mind, pretty much as if I was writing in my journal, and at Sacred Ruminations I followed Carla’s example … celebrating My Sacred Life for a month in daily posts then changing to a weekly Sacred Life post, while sharing whatever came to mind each day.
2. I visited other bloggers to gain ideas & information, returning to my own blogs to experiment and share what I’d encountered.
3. When 2007 came to a close, I revisited my first ten weeks as a blogger and thanked my ‘blogging buddies’ … linking to various posts I’d written and activities in which I’d participated … surprising myself with what I’d discovered & accomplished in such a brief time.
4. In mid-January I pulled together my Small is Beautiful Top 7 in ’07 Blog Review at the request of Magpie Girl, and by the end of January I’d reached 100 posts.
5. Once again, at the suggestion Anglophile Football Fanatic … I created a list of 101 Things About Me on my 101st Post … sharing a brief history of my life … revealing more perhaps than I intended to, but leaving it ‘just because.’
A few days later (when I reached 106 posts on my 2nd blog, Sacred Ruminations) I created A Milestone Missed? in which I celebrated and reflected about blogging to that point.
6. I had participated in NaBloPoMo and Holidailies … posting daily on both blogs for two months straight, and with encouragement from Sandy of Momisodes (although I had reservations) I signed up for Blog 365, but began to do some rethinking.
7. I moved the initial information introducing myself from the About Me section of the sidebar to How I Became a Blogger and introduced myself all over again briefly in an updated paragraph which remains in my sidebar now but is in need of another revision soon.
8. Interestingly, fellow bloggers honored me with ‘awards’ that I displayed in my sidebar and passed along to others in posts with links … introducing my ‘virtual friends’ to one another and building a ‘virtual community’ of sorts.
9. I celebrated my 63rd birthday online … here and here … participated in the Ultimate Blog Party … joined a wide variety of new weekly activities … and generally had fun playing.
10. As my sidebar got cluttered, I created a special page for Awards & Bling at Small Reflections to make room for new things.
11. When folks complained about the site locking up and/or being slow … I created a 3rd Blog and moved them over there instead.
12. Gradually I’ve added sidebar links to my posts by category in the About Me section in hopes that visitors could locate, read, & comment on what interests them more readily.
13. To speed up things even more at Small Reflections, I moved my multiple Blog Rolls over to the 3rd Blog along with Logos and Links to memes I enjoy. After several friends lost control of their Blogs, I decided to back up my 3 blogs at WordPress … then started this 4th blog to teach myself how to use the WordPress format.
So … to answer the question of Why I Blog …
it’s FUN and I enjoy everything about it!!!
Sometimes ‘life’ intervenes and takes precedence over blogging, but when things calm down this Blogosphere remains … inviting us each to share & engage as much or as little as we choose. These days I share more photographs and mosaics than words (other than a bit of Haiku) … but I suspect that I’ll return to writing eventually and hope to achieve a better balance of images and words. This is my 178th post here and I’ll be celebrating my 1st Blogoversary at Happily Retired Gal on November 25th ;–)
Since there’s no specified number of folks to give this award to, I choose to share this award with EVERYONE who would like to ‘snag’ it and pass it along on their blogs. I just ask that you acknowlege & follow the rulez enough to share why you blog (as briefly or in as much detail as you choose) … include where you found it by linking here … then let me know when you’ve published your post so I can visit your blog.
Click image or here: 2nd Blogoversary at Small Reflections
and for others participating in T-13
Thought for Today
“Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their mind.” Marva Collins
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Today’s Flowers are in the next post.
Scenic photos from
my sister in Canada
RV traveling
Collaboration..
I create the mosaics
then share on my blogs.
These natural blues
against subtle ‘ruby’ reds
create lovely views.
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Originals – Straight out of the Camera
Accented Edges
Ink Outlines
Palette Knife
Poster Edges
Ruby Foliage
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
Thought for Today
“Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard.” Standing Bear
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Pretty pink blossoms
photographed by me last week …
Diplodania
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Originals – Straight out of the Camera
Poster Edges
Ink Outlines, Lightened
Craquelure
Polar Coordinates
Invert
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
Thought for Today
“The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers.” Basho
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Whoopee … signs of rain
even though it’s quite short-lived …
13 photographs
snapped this morning then
arranged carefully by me
in these mosaics
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
Wordless Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen and Haiku Friday t00.
Thought for Today
“A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods.” Rachel Carson
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Usually my
skies are blue and clear … sometimes
a few clouds drift by
Currently my skies
look as if we finally
might get some ‘wet stuph’
February was
the last time I remember
anticipating
precipitation
so my fingers remain crossed …
hopeful for drizzles.
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) t00.
Thought for Today
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” George Washington Carver
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Today’s Flowers is in the next post
Shadow Shots from my
neighborhood this past week to
create mosaics
Originals – Straight out of the Camera
Poster Edges
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
Mosaic Monday too.
Thought for Today
“Everything should be made as simple as possible
but not simpler.”
Albert Einstein
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Today I share these
wild pink roses captured
by my sister who
travels full time with
her husband. This Spring they spent
two months wandering
through Alaska on
their own as a follow up
to an earlier
month long ‘guided’ trip
with an RV Caravan
tour that ‘whetted’ their
appetite for more
time to meander on their
own … unscheduled.
Originals first
‘tweaked’ a bit with PSE
(just because I can)
then Poster Edges
fav’rite filter currently
‘cuz I like the look.
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
and … Today’s Flowers
Thought for Today
“Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.” Henry David Thoreau
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Mostly
13 photos from
my sister in Alaska
RV traveling
Collaboration..
I create the mosaics
then share on my blogs.
Until embiggened
dif’rences seem minimal …
Click and you will see!
Skilak Wildlife area in Alaska
‘Tweaked’ Originals
Paint Daubs
Palette Knife
Poster Edges
Watercolor Lightened
Spherize
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
See wild bear in my T-13 Camera Critters at Small Reflections
Thought for Today
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” George Washington Carver
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
Friday afternoons
this is where I spend some time
buying fresh produce.
Click to embiggen and for others participating in …
My World and Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) t00.
Thought for Today
“One hundred percent of the shots you don’t take don’t go in.” Wayne Gretzky
Click for comments at the TOP of the post under the title, rather than at the bottom ;–)
“Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity.”
John Ruskin
“Pluck not the wayside flower;
It is the traveler’s dower.”
William Allingham
“Flowers really do intoxicate me.”
“Flowers really do intoxicate me.”
Vita Sackville-West
“Bread feeds the body, but flowers feed also the soul.”
the Koran
Click to ‘embiggen’ and for others participating in
American Cancer Society
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Celebrating 25 years of Awareness, Education, and Empowerment
Click for more information about breast cancer awareness:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
The National Breast Cancer Foundation
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
The National Breast Cancer Foundation
“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” Thich Nhat Hanh
South Breeze Farm hosted the Giving Thanks Challenge and I participated at Small Reflections in November of 2008 and decided to continue indefinitely … generating the following list one day at a time throughout the month of August. I’ve decided to transfer the lists at the end of each month from Small Reflections to Happily Retired Gal … just because. Click to see previous lists already published here.
1. for televised tennis to watch from the US Open in New York.
2. for a lovely visit with retired friends this morning as our working buddies begin the 2009 school year with students.
3. the Americans are doing well at the US Open Tennis Champion-ships. Many are already into the 3rd round and that hasn’t happened in quite some time.
4. for family & friends … phone calls & face to face visits. Today I shared a delightful lunch with a friend at Dukes where I ate my favorite dish (Seven Spice Ahi with steamed veggies substituted for the rice) and Hula Pie since we were celebrating J’s birthday belatedly.
5. for time spent with my good friend L who called to ask for a favor … and I was happy to oblige.
6. there’s been amazing tennis to watch on television today (detailed in my Sunday BYBS post at Sacred Ruminations) … catching up on yesterday’s matches too … gotta luv DVRs ;–)
7. for the continuing success of Melanie Oudin at the US Open Tennis Championships in New York.
8. for my happily retired life ;–)
9. Adult Ed classes start today and my morning Power Point class was kewl. I’m looking forward to experimenting on my own with what the instructor covered and to returning on Monday for the next class.
10. for this afternoon’s amazingly colorful sunset … viewed & photographed from my upstairs deck out back. Perhaps I’ll share a few tomorrow.
11. Molly & Aloha are becoming friends … gradually.
12. the rain finally stopped long enough for Rafa & Gonzo to finish their match and for Kim & Serena to play theirs, but I’m a bit sad at how both unfolded so strangely.
13. the weather in New York is clear … permitting match play to continue this morning, a day behind schedule ;–)
14. the Williams sisters were able to play in the Doubles Finals after the unfortunate incident on court Sunday night.
15. for some free time this morning to do some catching up on blog visits after falling WAY behind for a few days.
16. Adult School survived the High School District’s Budget cuts earlier this year. My Power Point class meets this morning (I love to learn new things) and I’m getting a new perm this afternoon (very much needed since I’m swimming regularly these days). Life is good!
17. My neighbor has hired a trainer to help her with Layla.
18. I participated in Pink Saturday for the first time last week and remembered to get my link to Beverly in time for tomorrow’s Pink post too ;–)
19. for the lovely pink sunset this evening.
20. to find the recent reminder from Bobbie of Almost There about the Pinwheels for Peace Project in time for me to share my thoughts at Sacred Ruminations this morning.
21. for the companionship of Molly and Ms. Kitty.
22. for considerably cooler than predicted weather here at the beach in the midst of the HEAT WAVE in Southern California.
23. that the winds have been weaker than predicted creating better conditions for fire fighters to gain control of the wildfires currently burning in Southern California.
24. for the smell of coffee and early morning sunshine ;–)
25. I attended this morning’s Publisher class and learned quite a bit about how the program has changed over time.
26. to learn a bit about Medicare options at a meeting this morning … gathering information to read as I make this health care decision over the next few months before my 65th birthday.
27. for a ‘catch up’ phone call with my writing buddy from Taos giving me a ‘break’ from computer issues at just the right moment.
28. the weather has cooled off a bit … finally.
29. for all I’ve learned about Power Point this month.
30. Allen Tires had time to check & rotate my tires, Gustafson’s made time to change the oil in, do a safety check, and even wash the Explorer (all without an appointment) … before tomorrow’s drive up the mountain to Lake Arrowhead.
FYI – My previous Gratitude Lists can be found at Happily Retired Gal, my new WordPress site. It is my intention to keep this ‘Daily Gratitude List’ in my sidebar indefinitely because I believe it makes sense to focus on what’s right in our lives regularly. Click for:
2009 Lists – September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January
2008 Lists – December, November
Thought for Today
“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’” William A. Ward
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