My Talisman

Sometimes easier said...

than done....

Not on My Watch..!

Just when I think I've seen it all around here...

I was just about to turn off the t.v. a little bit ago and head upstairs... a late caffeine rush last night left me awake almost all night and dragging all day. Just as I was about to pack up and head upstairs, I heard this horrible racket!! I couldn't make out what I was hearing at first... squawking, outside, louder, in the house...'Oh no! Has the cat brought in a DUCK?!?!' I honed in to the sound coming from outside the window to my English Garden. I pushed aside the curtain and there was a poor female mallard duck being assaulted by 4 drakes!!! They were biting her neck, holding her down, while her poor mate just stood by helplessly. That gal was giving it her best shot, but she was no match for the gang! I ran outside, careful not to let the dog out, and chased off the offenders! What was left was this poor, somewhat be-draggled girl and her guy. I was sure they would fly off as well. But they didn't. She took 10 minutes to pull herself together, fluff up her feathers and, I do believe, have a few choice comments to make regarding the whole incident. I just stood there watching them...making sure the gang didn't return and that my cats didn't smell duck for dinner. Soon, she and her mate waddled around my yard, nibbling on grass gone to seed and exploring the green expanse. (I think these are the two ducks that I mentioned a few posts ago - and did you know that ducks mate for life?) I told them to take care and I came back in....to two cats and one dog glued to the view out the windows! As you can see here, Molly isn't sure what to make of this sight! And thank gawd for her arthriitic hip, or she'd be out the pet door in full chase! The cats seemed to be sizing up their porportions... or more like, 'am I bigger than them? or are they bigger than me??' After a few more ambilan minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Duck flew off...hopefully for some much deserved quiet time.

Come Stick Your Nose into My Business

Wish you could whiff this beauty... I love irises.... I love their majesty and ethereal scent. Truly, if you have not done so, you must literally stick you nose inside an iris and draw in its soft scent. You must. If you have no irises with which to do this, please come over to my home!! As you can see, I have orange and purples ones to try! But don't wait too long!

It's a day of work around here. I've been working outside cleaning, weeding, hosing, raking. Inside, I've been cleaning, scrubbing, washing, wiping, dusting, and doing laundry. I'm fighting a cold/ sinus infection, so my energy level is down. I do a task, then rest a bit, then do another task. At this rate, I'll be done in about 2 hours - then a shower and a fresh pair of pajamas. The house and the yard will be all done. M has been a huge help with all of this. The two of us make a formidable team.

The weather is just gorgeous! Birds are sprinkling the air with their songs, my kitties are take sunbaths after chasing bugs in the gardens, there is a soft breeze coming through the house - dancing with the curtains. Ahh.... I best get back to work before I am totally lost in the beauty of the day.

Flowers always make

people better, happier and more helpful;

they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.

- Luther Burbank

The 'real deal' - be it flowers or life

Look at these guys.... just BEGGING for their picture to be taken.......how could I resist their glowing faces?!?! Simple... I couldn't. The lemon- yellow of their faces almost seems enhanced...made to look more yellowier, or almost a case of imitation - like silk flowers. But they're not... they be the real deal. Besides, how can you improve perfection?

Random musing of life as I see it right now...
I miss my parking space... it's one more thing that I've lost. Five years it's been mine, but someone else has taken it over! But the universe is having this loss come into my life for some purpose...but just let it be known... it somewhat ticks me off....

I dragged M to a baseball game last night. Oh, she wasn't thrilled, but you know... it was a great mother/daughter time...and despite her 'I'd rather be taking the AIMS test right now then to be sitting here with my mom at a baseball game' attitude, she actually had a wee bit o'fun ...and it was good for us.

You'll never, ever.... I do mean NEVER...find a more dedicated group of teachers, parents, a principal or staff to make a child's world safe, educational and uplifting then you will find at the place where I work. I TRULY thank God that this is one element of my life that HASN'T changed this year!

My toes are tickled that my first backyard iris is blooming... he may just have to go to work with me tomorrow!

I'm one step farther over the bridge of saying goodbye to my home.

I'm a whole stride farther over the bridge of being single.

It's only 256 days until the my 'goal'....

Why Blog?

It's a good question. I discuss what I'm going through here because this is a place that I can freely say what's on my heart and in my mind and not be judged. As far as I'm concerned, I type these words and they fly off into cyber space, never to be read or heard by anyone else. Yes, I have told a handful of close friends about this site, so I am not deluding myself that what I say here is never heard by anyone else. But those whom I have told are friends that are caring and understanding. So I say what's on my heart. If what I say is uncomfortable for anyone, well... I'm sorry for that. But I come from a place where honesty is honored. I would never want a friend to tell me that she was 'okay', when, in fact, her spirit was in need of mending. I would rather hurt with my friend and work through her tough time together than to have her feel that she needed to tell me that she was okay in order to make ME feel ok. What good purpose does that serve?!? It's ok for me to be blue at times...I am grieving a lot of loss right now. It's ok for me to be upset...to be hurting... I have been hurt.

But know this... I am ok. In the grand picture of things, I am ok. I still find joy in simple things. My house is clean, my bed is made (one of the crappy things one must do when one's house if for sale is to always keep it presentable). I fix dinner for M and I nightly. I go to church. I donate blood. (Ohhh, how ironic is this?? I just got a call for the ' behavior research institute' conducting a survey and they want to talk to me for a few minutes!! Do they really??!??)Anyway, back to what I was saying... I still shave my legs, make my famous 'pasta with shrimp' recipe, pay my bills on time, pet my dog, laugh with my students, plug in the lights on my 'life tree' every night, give thanks for all that I have, pray for my family and friends and eat chocolate.

I am ok.

"Let each day of joy or sorrow be one more patch in my 'life quilt'.

And when my journey is over, may I feel its comfort around me and know that

I am a wealthier soul for having made it through."

- Velvet Brick

Guilty Pleasure

Meet my addiction. A grande ice coffee in a venti cup, 3 pumps gingerbread, extra ice, not shaken-'old school'. To that I add a generous sprinkle of nutmeg (oh, my favorite spice!) and a good splash of half-n-half. Pure joy and delight! I get one every morning on my way to work. Add in how nice and friendly my local Starbuck's people are, and I am a happy camper! I can honestly say that there have been days that my day was simply made after gettting my ice coffee! It's a great way to start a day!

What's your guilty pleasure?

Peach Blush

Dinner is over with and the dishes are done. A quick picking up of things and a search for a worksheet from a scrapbook class and I'm given a few moments to watch as the sky settles into a cool gray as misty rains glides up towards Four Peaks and beyond. Two hummingbirds agitate each other at the feeder. Blustery breezes have the chinese elm bending their heads and pointing the way east - as if to say "the storm is heading that'a way". A little speck of puff is taking on a peach blush as the setting sun's light kisses it good-bye for the day. The weather was too amazing to believe! It started out this morning cool, cloudy and teasing rain. By late morning, half the sky was gray and sprinkling rain, while the other half was clear and sunny! By afternoon, this is what the sky above looked like...puffy, fresh... Even a pair of ducks were enjoying our spring as they snoozed in the grass of the neighbor's front yard as I arrived home!

I'm slowly getting my book set up that I'll be using for my 'new home'. The process is turning out to be a slow one. I guess I had planned on having it put together and set up for each room by now. But that's not happening... A bit ironic when you reflect on how the whole process of letting this house go has been a slow one, and my inner voice tells me it will be a slower still. Ironic, indeed. Nevertheless, I am enjoying the process. I'll show you a picture next time.

What process are you working through?

Simple beauty..inside and out

Gorgeous, huh? The beauty of it is that I walk by this cutie every day. How lucky am I?!? The twinge of orange on the yellow petals causes one to stop and take notice...and trust me, I'm not the only one who has done that!! Sunflowers... a true gift to us all. Told ya that I work in the most beautiful place of all... hehe...

M and I went shopping today. A bit of an extravagant thing to do, but sometimes you have to do that, do you not? Her self-esteem is ten-fold tonight with her new shoes, new jeans, new shirts and a new feeling about herself. She needed it, and with a little prodding from mom, she got it. She's excited to wear her new outfit tomorrow, as she should be! Me...I got a new pair of Crocs.... spring green! Wearing them tomorrow.
Blessing to you...

Next time a sunrise steals your breath

or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless,

remain that way.

Say nothing,

and listen as heaven whispers,

"Do you like it?

I did it just for you."

-Max Lucado