As some of you may know, we said good-bye to Dood on Friday. We knew there was something wrong, but had no idea when we went to the vet Friday morning that would be our last moments with him. To say that it was heartbreaking would be an understatement for me, having only lost Rosie a year ago. Dood was really a comfort this past year, and we grew closer than ever. If you're wondering what this has to do with the quote, it's simple. For me the rain symbolizes tears, and sometimes the best way to deal with loss is to rain when you need to. Love ya buddy!
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.
- Anaïs Nin, Diary, 1969
This is an unintentional continuation of the last several weeks' thought process. We've talked about hindsight being the key to the future as it enables us to see the possibilities. Then we touched on our inner strength, which is always there, but sometimes seems harder to access. This week we look at life and how full it is or maybe how lacking it seems. Courage and inner strength are closely related and tie into our ability to make the most of what life has to offer. The point of today's quote is about finding the courage to move forward and broaden our horizons. We only get out of life what we put into it, and sometimes that takes strength, courage and the ability to learn from our mistakes, as well as the courage to risk making those mistakes in the first place.
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We find in ourselves the strength to overcome every obstacle, which is a good thing, because we also find in ourselves every obstacle. - Robert Brault
Once again we take a look at the insight and humor of Robert Brault. His quotes have appeared on Roses to Rainbows from time to time as I seek out words of wisdom, inspiration and humor. He is a freelance writer who has been contributing to various publications for over 40 years. He has recently published a book titled Round Up The Usual Suspects: Thoughts On Just About Everything. Today we focus on our strength. Sometimes we think - I can't do that, or I'll never get through this (see last week's quote). For many of us our problems stem from us turning minor setbacks into road blocks. However, within ourselves we have the strength required to see us through, to overcome life's bumps and change the road blocks back into merely minor setbacks.
In reality, though, not all of life's problems are just bumps in the road or minor setbacks that could have been changed or avoided by a different mindset, but we must still focus our inner strength to meet these challenges.
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On particularly rough days when I'm sure I can't endure, I like to remind myself that my track record for getting through bad days so far is 100%...and that's pretty good. - Unknown. You've all heard the expression about hindsight being 20/20. That usually refers to something that you should (or shouldn't) have done. Our old friends shoulda, coulda, woulda, and if only gather around, often making us look back with regret. Here's a way that hindsight can make us feel better instead of longing for a do-over.
For example, you're having a bad day, the boss yelled at you, someone ate your chicken sandwich and you just lost your last dollar in the vending machine. Or, your sitter called at the last minute to cancel because she has the flu and she sat for your kids yesterday.
Whatever the situation, you will get through it. Why? Because you always do, and when you look back on the incidents or issues that caused such distress at the time, you see two things. First, you are here. You got through it. And second, it was not nearly as bad as it seemed, or maybe not as bad as it could have been.
Hindsight can provide a little insight into how your next jog in the road will turn out. Please share your thoughts or stories in the comment section. No time to comment? You can just click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
Tis the season! This phrase has many meanings. The Holidays are nearly upon us, but for those of us with trees, it is now leaf blowing/raking season as well. Remember when you could rake them up into a big pile and after an afternoon of running and jumping into them, you would rake them back into a pile and burn them? I guess some folks can still do that, but not us city-dwellers. Nope, we rake, blow or otherwise collect bushels and bushels of leaves to deposit at the street for the city to come by with their huge leaf-sucking machines and vacuum them up.
Now for a look at the more traditional season. That's right, Turkey Day is just around the corner. Christmas parades, tons of food, long siestas, and of course, football, team up to make the fourth Thursday in November, not just any day, but Thanksgiving Day. I must one of the few people on the planet who doesn't get all wound up over a big Thanksgiving Day meal. It is a day that gives us license to make enough food to feed a starving army - to serve a half dozen people, and then eat as if we were that starving army. I realize that many gatherings are much larger, so just multiply by your gathering by a factor of 10 and you will have comparatively the same amount of food per person. Thanksgiving also gives us license to eat as if it's our last opportunity to feed for the next year. Picture this: Frank: "I'm stuffed." Bob: "I can't move...I can't even breathe." Ron: "Alice, why did you let me eat so much?" [belch] Then you hear a voice from the kitchen. "Does anyone want more pie?" Frank: "Yeah, I'll take a slice." Bob: "Me too!" Ron: "Maybe just a small piece." Do you hear conversations like this around your house after the big meal? It's like we become bottomless food pits, and despite all the moaning and groaning, we continue to pick away at the leftovers until they are secured in plastic take-home containers for us to recreate the feast the next day. No one walks away empty handed. Guess what? Christmas is only 47 days away, and we can start all over again. Click herefor an update on how long you have left to shop! No time to comment? Please click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
We've all played scrabble, done crosswords and word find puzzles, and in the age of technology we play with (or against) people across the street or around the world. This challenge is a little different. There is no list of words to find, no points to count and no competitor to defeat. All you have to do is sit back, look at the chart below, and write down the first three words that you see.
What are your three words, and do you think they describe you? Explain why they do or don't describe you. If your first words don't describe you, choose your own three self-descriptive words. Bonus: In 50 words or less, write a paragraph describing yourself using those words (or your own three words). Have fun, and please share your words and/or stories in the comments section.
This week's quote is in memory of Rosie. Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a worn out coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that have succeeded but not replaced one another. -Irving Towns
It has been one year since I bid my Rosie a final farewell, and not a day goes by that I don't think of him in some way. Remembering him with smiles, laughter and tears, he will always be a part of my life. I clearly remember the day we brought him home as a kitten. He was four months old, with big feet and big ears. He had so much long hair in his ears that the folks at the Humane Society called him Mr. Tufts. He eventually grew into his feet and ears - hair and all, and developed the most magnificent mane. My mom came over to see our new addition, and the first things she said was "He's so gray!" Well, yes, he was. Rosie was special not only in his overwhelming sweetness, but also his breed. It was only after his passing that I discovered what kind of cat he was. In my post What is a Nebelung? I talked about that, and included a video describing the Nebelung breed. Mr. Towns measures his life by the number of feline friends with whom he has shared his life, no one replacing the other, but adding to the fullness of his life like the rings on a tree. I am many cats old, and currently share home and heart with the two other sweet felines who enjoyed lazy days and warm sunbeams with Rosie.
A while back, I told hubby that I was doing another post on the interesting fungi I found in the back yard, and he said "Oh really, is that a bunch of fun guys having a party?" So without further ado, here are the 'fun guys' I found hanging around my back yard.
I scanned hundreds of photos in an attempt to ID these fungal visitors. Alas, I was unable to determine what they are. So who's having a party in your yard this Fall? No time to comment? You can just click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
To err is human, to purr is feline. - Robert Byrne
Just back from vacation, so I have no words of wisdom today. But one of the best things about returning home is getting to hang out with Dood, who's getting into the Halloween spirit.
The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see.
- Winston Churchill
View from the Ferris Wheel
The past and the future are irreversibly connected. This does not suggest that we live in the past, simply that understanding and acknowledging the past brings more clarity into the future. The deeper you look into the past, the more you understand, and the more that you understand, the further you can see yourself going in the future. Wisdom gained from the past equals wisdom for the future. My earliest memory involved chocolate. Fact...today I still like chocolate.
Do you lurk, secure in your anonymity? Do you regularly visit blogs, read their words and smile, laugh, or even cry and then slip quietly out the back door? Is that you?
I thought so! I see your footprints, so I know you've been here, but your identity is only a number to me.
Come now, don't you want to be known by more than just a number? We're real people here. We have names, personalities, interests and thoughts.
Our church has a ritual each Sunday wherein each person (or couple) signs a pew pad which is passed down the row and back to mark our attendance and alert us to visitors.
I will admit that at first we did not sign the pew pad...we weren't ready to be identified. Eventually that changed, and now our attendance is recorded by name, and not just by someone counting heads.
I hope that you will soon feel at home here, and 'sign the pew pad', so to speak, by leaving a comment and let me know how I'm doing.
As always, thanks for visiting Roses to Rainbows. Y'all come back now, y'hear.
Never miss an opportunity to make others happy, even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it. - Unknown
We often think that the best way to show love and friendship to our friends and family is being with them and sharing with them as much as possible. We want them to feel cherished. Our loved ones know and understand that. They also sometimes need space to just be themselves and do whatever brings them peace, contentment and fulfillment.
Healthy relationships are not lessened by this, they are strengthened, and it allows us all to bring more interesting things back to the relationship.
Write down the first 5 words that come to mind beginning with that letter. Don't think of anything except that they start with that letter. Totally random, non-related words are better. Don't use variations of the same word such as bake, baking, baker, or groups such as food, feast, flavor. Next write a poem or micro post of about 50 words, or up to 10 lines for a poem. This is a fun mental exercise - not creating a masterpiece, so take about five minutes and see what you come up with. Rule #2 Please share your gem in the comments section.
Upon a hollow log Sat a heavy frog He jumped and jumped Over the mossy hump Bless his little heart That old frog was smart Until he landed in the brook And he got caught Upon an old fish hook
From the first green buds of Spring to the bright colors of Autumn, each leaf has a story. How often do we take the time to listen as each one gently falls to the ground? Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn, and the trees are already beginning to speak. Let's listen.
On September 20, 2009, Roses to Rainbows made its debut in the blogging world. Not knowing what I was doing, I plunked happily away at the keys, bravely pressed publish...and waited. Do you remember your first comment? It's like an "I have arrived" moment. "Change Back From Your Dime" was that post for me on February 10, 2010. Eventually I learned that blogging is a two-way street and connecting with other bloggers would broaden my writing horizons. I also joined Facebook and signed up for Twitter. In May 2010, I discovered creative writing with Magpie Tales and wrote the first of many magpies - Memories. To wrap up that first year, I shared Ten Things I Have Learned From Blogging. On my second anniversary, I invited all my lurkers, as well as my regular visitors, to a Meet and Greet, where the coffee is always hot and the wine is properly chilled. I value each and every visitor, so the next year I celebrated with a Giveaway. Always up for a challenge, I have participated in not one, but three month-long creative writing challenges, hosted by Nicky at We Work For Cheese, and I have the scars T-shirts to prove it! Last year's anniversary passed without much fanfare, and on a sad note, I said good-bye to Rosie, who was my constant companion for 16 years. After five years I was tired of the decor and decided to freshen the place up a bit. So I ripped down the old wall paper, updated the color palatte and packed away the clutter. As with any renovation, there may be a few kinks to be worked out and tweaks to be made. Come on in, make yourself at home and be sure to pick up a glass of champagne to help toast the next year. Please leave your calling card in the comment section so I can get back to you.
Best friends: it’s a promise, not a label. - Unknown
Nowadays, there are labels for everything, and those labels come and go and change with the times. Best friends do not, and like the picture, it's a simple concept that stands the test of time.
So BFF or bestie, buddy or pal, your best friend is someone who always has your back.
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. - Nelson Henderson
Taking this quote at face value, it sounds like a noble thing to do. I mean trees are pretty great right. Shade, fuel for warmth, paper, and most importantly, oxygen. However, if we take a closer look we find a deeper meaning. The true meaning of life is to do things for the greater good, even when you won't be enjoying the benefits. An example of this may be a leaving a legacy that supports a school, church or medical research, or becoming an organ donor. Not every act for the greater good is on this scale, however, and the small things add up to make the world a better place. Let's keep planting those trees so others can enjoy the shade.
If you were a kitten, wouldn't you just love to have a great place to play? My friend Ashley's son, Michael, designed and built this multi-level kitty condo for his two kittens, Sunshine and Shadow. Now they could have gone to the pet shop and purchased a ready-made playhouse, but where would the fun be in that.
The Kitty Play Place Extravaganza
No siree, Michael's kitties were getting a custom made place to climb, play hide and seek, and of course, sleep. The materials consisted of plastic pipe, connectors, carpet and cable ties.
One of the great things about this design is that it allows you to hang all sorts of interesting things for them to play with and they don't get lost or worse...eaten.
The play house is on their enclosed porch with lots of windows, so it is definitely a feline paradise. You can see Sunshine relaxing in the window enjoying the morning breeze. It was a fun project for Michael, and Sunshine and Shadow both appreciate his effort. Ashley and I also enjoyed sitting in comfortable chairs watching them play, while catching up with each other.
Shadow says "Thank You!"
Sunshine in the window
Also a big thanks today to my good friend, Sara from A Sharing Connection, for using some of my photos in her Story Photo Challenge. Check out the Mysterious Case of the Missing Aliens and help her solve the mystery.
Look at your feet. You are standing in the sky. When we think of the sky, we tend to look up, but the sky actually begins at the earth. -Diane Ackerman
When searching for today's quote, I came across the category "clouds and sky" and was reminded of the beautiful clouds I saw over the weekend. I wasn't alone. As I scrolled through Facebook, I saw others had noticed them too. What struck me about this quote was its different view of what actually constitutes the sky. We think of the sky as this blue expanse overhead. Sometimes it is clear and sometimes filled with clouds. Sometimes it is a brilliant blue, and sometimes it is shaded gray with fog or haze, but always our eyes are drawn upward. It is interesting to consider that the sky actually begins on earth. To get a better grasp of this concept, picture a field with nothing to obstruct your view. Looking at the horizon, it appears that the green grass and the blue sky meet, and therefore if you could suddenly be at that point the sky would be all around you. In reality, no matter where you are, you are always where the earth meets the sky.
Instead of seeing only the negative, find the positive and work with that. Just because things are not exactly to your liking, doesn't mean they have to stay that way. For every problem there is a solution, so don't find fault - find a remedy.
This is what I started with, and while they are pretty on their own, I wanted a more artsy look, so I added texture and depth. I think it has sort of a tapestry look now.
Some things are worth the risk, and if you never take the chance you won't reap the rewards. However, if you sit too close to the end of the bench, it can flip on you, and you end up on the ground. Oops!
Last month I had the long-awaited opportunity to visit Ashley and her family in the far-away place known as Ephrata, PA. We lived next door to each other in our youth, and although youth is rapidly fading into our middle years, we are still close despite the miles between us.
So before I get maudlin, let's get on with the fun stuff. Below is Sheba, a sweet, lovable Labradoodle who belongs to Scott, her oldest son.
Not only is she adorable, she is smart too. We were sitting outside with her and she was demonstrating her ability to come, sit, lay down, etc. when Ashley told Michael to have her l-a-y-d-o-w-n for a treat (spelling it out). Sheba responded by laying down. We tried it again and she did it again. We told Scott later that Sheba could spell.
While Ashley is born and bred a Southern gal, she has taken great pride in finding fun and interesting things to do in her own backyard. She truly does bloom where she is planted. And speaking of blooms, aren't these pretty? This is a flower tree at Knoebels Amusement Park, about an hour or so from their house.
If you like groovin' to the oldies, the group singing here would be right up your alley, with such songs as Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Surfin' Safari and The Twist.
For a different kind of music, check out the old Wurlitzer Organ tapping out a lively beat.
What trip to an amusement park would be complete with a ride on good old wooden roller coaster? Well, it's not my cup of tea, but the boys enjoyed it. We all later enjoyed the Black Diamond ride through a haunted coal mine.
We capped off the adventure with a ride on the giant ferris wheel. It had been a very long time since I had ridden one, but it was fun and afforded us a great view of the park, and the surrounding countryside.
The next day we traveled to Strasburg to ride the steam train. It was a 45 minute journey through Amish country...literally through the cornfields. The engine puffed black smoke from it's coal fire and chugged along at a leisurely pace. Here you can see it at the station waiting to depart on it's next run.
As many exotic places as there are to explore, there are just as many here in our own corner of the world. With every trip I take I make new discoveries, whether it is a new destination or favorite vacation spot. Many thanks to Ashley and her family for hosting us!
The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.- Elisabeth Foley
My best friend and I have many years of living in different states to back this up. While we don't get to visit as often as we'd like, time magically falls away when we do get together, and we cherish each moment.
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