I Love To Take It For A Ride!

OH WHAT A DAY IT'S BEEN!!! The box is opened and the contents removed...slowly and gingerly. The battery is charged. Each component has been unwrapped....very carefully. One at a time. Every so often I've had to stop .... and just take a breath and let it all sink in. The lens has been attached with slow, exact movements. A sigh of relief let out when it is accomplished. Daughter encouraged to return to her reading in the other room because the nervousness of someone watching me open my camera was too much pressure!!! Memory card inserted, power 'on'.

OH. MY. GOSH !!!!!!!

I'M IN HEAVEN!!!

SEE??? RIGHT DOWN HERE...

l

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V

I spent a good deal of time today reading my manual trying to 'get to know my camera'. A few trial shots were easy enough, but they are more to find out what I can do without knowing what I am doing... does that make any sense?

I got some nice little shots and these are SOOC - which is big photography talk for 'straight out of the camera' (no editing with Photoshop, etc.)....not only do I have to learn how to work my camera, I have to learn the lingo as well!! I absolutely love how the tinge of purple comes through on the belly of this cloud. Pretty.

I just thought this little pillow-puff was sweet.... wouldn't you just love to sit on top of it and float around?

Rays from a setting sun...

One of the reasons that I chose a Nikon camera is because I own a Nikon film slr camera which I bought about 10 years ago. One Christmas, I received a telephoto lens as a present. It's a beautiful lens and I know it wasn't cheap. As I researched information on digital slr's, one of the questions I wondered was if my lenses from my film slr camera would fit on a new digital slr. The information is varied about it and the odds were more with me if I stayed with Nikon...no guarantees, but a better chance of them fitting the camera body if it was the same brand. Well, Edna, call the neighbors, CUZ THESE BABIES WORK ON MY NEW CAMERA! WHOOOO-HAAAA !! Excuse me while I do my happy dance!!! Be right back!

Okay....back!

Now...for the big kahuna.....the picture that has me giddy....

...yes...it's a spider... Daddy Long Leg, to be exact. So why does this little fella float my boat???? Because he's in focus and the BACKGROUND IS BLURRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the type of photo that I've drooled over taking with a digital slr for years!!! I'm not sure how I did this shot.... I was playing around with settings and this is only the 12th picture that I've taken with my new baby. But it's a start and I am so excited about being on my way to taking some wonderful pictures - I can't wait to learn as much as I can about this type of photography!! If any of you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to leave a comment - I value other's knowledge and experience!! Wheeeeeee!! Thank you, Mr. Spider, for holding still and posing for me!

Stay tuned for an upcoming post about my new electronic toy....yes, other than my camera..... any guesses what it might be? J, no telling!! : ))

Susie, Sisters and Savoring

It's been a wonderfully crazy weekend full of gatherings, friends and family! My friend, S, who writes this blog, hosted a party for a friend of hers who writes this blog! Susie came from Saudia Arabia to visit family and friends and it was amazing to meet her in person!! I have followed her blog for some time now and have learned an amazing amount of information about life in that part of the world! Susie is just an absolute sweetheart and we had so much fun! I was able to visit with her on three different occasions and feel so blessed to have been able to spend precious time with her.

Yesterday afternoon my sister, K, came over with food, movies and pajamas in hand! We had an impromptu sleepover a month ago at my daughter's graduation party and it was so much fun, we planned another one! Since 'Mr. Flew' put the plans on hold last weekend, we were kickin' it for this weekend! After helping her unpack everything, we grabbed iced-teas at Quick Trip (have you tried their plain iced-tea with a 'shot' of the peachy white tea for flavor???? Oh.my.gosh!) and headed out for pedicures! It was a blast!! Girlfriends really do need to do this together sometimes...it is such a fun, and relaxing!, way to spend the afternoon! Twenty pink tootsies later, we came home and watched a 'chick flick' while trying to keep cool in the desert heat..ugh!

I had a few goodies for K and one of them was this...

I bought us a set of wine glasses from IKEA (such a deal!!) and I made her a wine charm for her glass.... simple beads with a silver leaf at the end! It was as cute and 'charming' as could be and we both used ours! We had quite the feast planned - K being the head chef tonight! She marinated a beautiful fillet of salmon in wonderful spices, then covered it in a layer of chopped dill. Next, she placed it on a cedar plank and grilled it.... IT WAS SO WONDERFUL!! It literally melted in your mouth with the most delicious flavor. K also made a Chinese citrus salad that was tops! A side of artisan bread and fresh cantaloupe and we had a beautiful feast fit for two sisters with pink toes! Terramisu was dessert - oh, if you insist! We settled down and ended the evening with another movie before calling it a day.

This morning I made blueberry scones and scrambled eggs for breakfast before we headed out to the cemetery to pay a visit to our parents. Orange tulips decorated their crypts and it was a sweet morning to do this together. Afterwards, we went to a new market in town that is truly like stepping into Mexico! I've never seen so many beautiful items piled high! Fruits, veggies, the meat case...oh.my.gosh!! (I'll keep quiet about the most surprising thing I have EVER seen in a meat case - K had to finally drag me away from it!!!). K loaded up with some amazing items for a dinner with her son later on and we came home yakking away about the whole weekend. We got her packed up with all of her goodies and hugged and planned on doing this all again.

***ANNOUNCEMENT!!*** - NIKON is here!!! It arrived yesterday - so unexpectedly early!! I have not, repeat, have NOT opened it yet! Why??? Well... two reasons... I bought myself a new little electronic 'gadget' yesterday before K came over and I wanted to get it all set up this afternoon and focus on it. I've been dying to open IT up, but didn't want to while K was here, so I've been playing with it this afternoon. (Oh my gosh...so COOL, IT IS!! ) Can you guess what it might be?? I'll post about it at another time. Secondly, I want to take the time to savor opening it, looking at it...just enjoying the moment of it all, instead of whipping it out of the box for the sake of opening it. Does anyone else do this???? You know... buy something really special but take your time to opening it/use it??
Or...am I the only one...?

Daughter and I have a little errand (ahem) to do tomorrow involving a auto collision center, so after that, I will be spending the day with my new baby toy...NIkon! : ))

All This Bliss Is Wearing Me Out!

I'm tired. I mean tiiiiiiiiiii-eeerrrrrrrd. You know the kind of tired I'm talking about. The kind where at 9:20 in the morning, you are so wishing that you were home, in your pajamas, snoozing on your sofa instead of teaching children in summer school about geometric shapes. The kind where you drive in a daze to work, then when you turn off the engine, you don't remember the trip! The kind where Starbuck's doesn't even make a drink with enough shots of double-espresso to keep both of your eyes open for a minimum of 5 minutes. Did I say that I was tired?

I did?

Oh good. Cuz I'm tired.

The reason is simple. Lack. Of. Sleep. The protagonist is a little trickier. It's not because of my neighbor's barking dog. Or a sick daughter (like last week). It's most certainly not because I watched 'Jon and Kate mess up the lives of their children 8!' on t.v - what's entertaining about watching a family implode at the expense of innocent children?!!. Nor is it because I'm swinging from the chandelier with some super hunk man in my life. HAH! It's not a new puppy. Or that I've gone on a painting binge in my house! Nope. The reason is...

BLISS!

As silly as it sounds, I can't sleep because I'm so excited! What about? EVERYTHING!! Summer school being over in two days! Summer vacation starting in two days! My new bundle of joy arriving even sooner that expected! Days to read a book, work on a project or piddle in my garden! Mornings to spend out on the patio sipping creme brulee' coffee and watching nature pull back the covers of night. Having happy hour with women who are my strength, inspiration and buddies through thick and thin! An upcoming weekend with my sister - oh my, I can't wait for this event which we had to postpone from last weekend due to Mr. F. Lew! I haven't felt like this in a long, long time.

Last night I was so excited about my camera order that I couldn't sleep. No, really...I couldn't sleep! I read, tossed, thought, watched t.v., thought some more, tossed and turned some more, had some dark chocolate (at least 72% cocoa to receive the benefits of dark chocolate, by the way), checked email....and still I couldn't get to sleep...

until after 4:00 a.m. By then, what's the point? And this isn't the first night that this has happened these past couple of weeks.... try like the 8th or 12th??!??

My chica, N, had to laugh at me today. I stopped by her home for an impromptu visit on my way to the grocery store. I had dark circles under my eyes. Yesterday's hairstyle. A slightly slower brain. I told her it was due to the fact I couldn't sleep last night. 'What's wrong?" she asked with a concerned look of arched eye-brows. 'Nothing!" I replied. 'I'm just so full of joy" I said, with a matter-of-fact, mono-tonal delivery and half-opened eyes, slumped on her sofa. She laughed! "All this bliss is wearing me out!!" I muttered.

And I couldn't be hap.... pi....... e..... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........

It's True! I'm Expecting!!

After much planning, researching, decision-making, and effort, I am please to announce that I am expecting...

A NEW CAMERA!!!

I can't tell you what a big deal this is!! I've always had a passion for photography and yes, I do own a Nikon slr camera with two lens - but it's a FILM camera, people!!! FILM!!! And yes, I did get a new point-and-shoot Sony digital from Santa last Christmas. But I have wished, pined, drooled and dreamed about owning a digital slr for years!! It's even on my 'vision board' that I created last year. I can give you 58 reasons why I should NOT get this camera...and I have fallen on those reasons for all of these years. Too expensive, other things to spend the money, put the money in savings, new brakes for the car. All valid reasons for not buying my dream camera....and these reasons have served me well all these years.

But recently I had an event that slapped me upside the head. I travelled a two-week road of high emotions and anxiety. The details are not important any more, but the lesson of it was not lost on this student. I told my chica as we walked through the parking lot that last day and got into my car that I knew exactly why I had had this little journey and what God was trying to teach me. I was to enjoy life. I was to live life with passion and joy! I was to let go of so many of the restraints that I had put on for the past several years and live my life with passion and joy again!!

During those two weeks, I had made mention that if things worked out, I was going to buy myself this little gem. My chicas and friends amended my comment with 'You should buy it regardless.' I've remembered that. Oh, old habits are hard to break and every time I've come close to maybe buying myself 'my' camera, I've fallen back onto one of those 58 reasons why I shouldn't. I've wrapped myself up tight in my restraints and shoved the idea out of my mind.

This weekend was spent in bed with the flu....and once again, this notion floated back and settle down in its comfortable chair. Thus, there was time spent online researching, investigating, comparing, shopping, reading .... for a dslr. Ten times I decided to do it, and ten times I talked myself out of it.

Apparently 11 is my new lucky number.

Today I was, once again, drawn to research some more - and things took a turn. I was all set on a different model of this camera, with a higher price. But I accidently stumbled upon a website (one of about 30 I've read) that highly recommended this little baby. After considering purpose, finances, and potential, I switched my sights to this one - and found it for just the perfect price for my budget. A few clicks later, it was ordered and will be here in a couple of weeks. I could cry.

So, it is with great JOY that I announce that I am expecting a bundle of joy named NIKON!!! Pictures will be coming!!

Because

...it's Father's Day and I miss him greatly
...I got a wicked case of the flu and have been in bed for 3 days
...I'm so behind on things I need to do
...it's a beautiful flower
...I thought you needed this picture to start your week with
...just because

*Photographer's note: this is the same flower pictured a few posts ago (Sun and Flower) but taken in the afternoon with the sunlight coming through the petals from behind as opposed to the prior photo taken in the early morning with the light hitting the front of the petals....cool, huh?

Channeling Johnny Depp

Have you ever had a hankerin' for pancakes? You know the kind...' momma-made' pancakes? With slides of soft butter and puddles of syrup? You have? Me too! This morning was one of those hankerin' mornings...and since I be da momma, I got crackin' in the kitchen! I was defrosting a bunch of bananas to make banana bread at some point today, but I got to thinking...hmmm... banana pancakes.... hmm.... sour cream.... hmmm.... let's see where this goes.....

Truly, I dumped stuff in a bowl, mixed it up till I was satisfied with its consistency and content, then made the pancakes... I am not a perfect measurer when it comes to things like this... too much experience under my apron tie to be constrained by numbers. But I have done my best to 'standarized' the recipe for anyone wishing to try it. And do. You won't be disappointed!

Banana Cloud Pancakes

2 cups Bisquick mix

1/3 cup half-n-half

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 mashed ripe bananas

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

dash of sea salt

Combine mix, half-n-half, milk, sour cream and egg. Mix with fork until fairly smooth. If mixture is too stiff, add a little more milk, teaspoon at a time, to achieve desired consistency for pouring. Mixture should still be somewhat thick. Stir in mashed bananas, nutmeg and salt. Heat your cast iron skillet (you DO have a cast iron skillet, don't you??) with a little vegetable oil on medium heat. Pour batter in and cook about 4 minutes on first side, 2 or 3 on the other until golden brown on both sides. **These pancakes will PUFF UP and rise high! Don't walk away and do a load of laundry while making these - you need to keep an eye on them so that they don't burn!

Yell upstairs and tell daughter that you've made banana pancakes and prepare a little plate for her after she yells back down that she's picked up an extra shift at work and has to leave in 10 minutes. Smile with happiness as she hugs and kisses you after wolfing down said pancakes on her way out the door.

The sour cream and mashed bananas give these such a rich moisture content and allows the batter to rise higher than usual pancake batter. The pieces of banana are yummy to bite into, too! Enjoy!

By the way.... is it just me or does my pancake up there sort of look like a pirate skull with a toothy smile and a melting eye-patch?? Maybe I need a 'Jack Sparrow' fix today.

Treasure Box

So let's talk projects....yes, LET'S!! I have a little treasure box that I just love! This gem sits on my desk in my kitchen and it's just one of those things that I love....is that wrong??! I don't think it is. Sometimes you make something that you just adore! As Martha would say...'It's a good thing!"



This box started out as an assembled, unfinished package of parts from IKEA! Yes, IKEA! I don't remember the exact price, but I believe it was under $20...easily. Probably more like $12. I wanted something to hold my various goodies for scrapbook journaling. I had pens, doo-dads, cards, ink pads, and other thing-a-ma-jiggies that needed a place to be. It was easy to assemble - just a hammer needed to put it all together. Once done, the next step was to put a finish on it. After sanding it down for a smoother surface I mixed a couple of colors of acrylic paints from my craft store...a combination of soft green, salt-water blue and a sprinkle of cream and gave it a good coat all around. After it was thoroughly dried, I took my sandpaper and scuffed it up a bit, especially at the edges and corners...not much...just a shabby touch! Now it was time to decorate it! On the top, I modge-podged pieces of tissue paper, scrapbook paper, printed vellum and a picture of a little nature girl! She was adorned with vellum leaf wings embossed with teeny glass pebbles.



I also made an embellishment out of microscope slides, used copper tape around the edges and glued it on. She even has a little jewel adorning her hair... can I tell you? I found that on the pew at church where I always sit on Sunday... I took it as a sign from Higher Up that she needed a little bling!



On this side, I wrote out the wonderful poem 'The Road Less Traveled' and modge-podged it on. Then I adhered real dried autumn leaves, some 'leaf' vellum and some leaves carved out of a type of jade. I also used a rub-on word, 'foliage' , on the side. Afterwards, I gave it a coat of modge-podge to seal the deal.


For one of the front drawers I modge-podged some tissue paper that I received from Starbuck's years ago when I bought a mug there as a gift. They wrapped it in this wonderful cafe'-colored tissue paper with beautiful scripted words on it.... don't ever throw goodies like that out!! I loved the words on it. Then I added 'letter' stickers to make my own verse over the tissue paper. For the drawer above, I simply glued some scrapbook paper of a leaf under a glass 'puddle' then glued it on the drawer a drawer pull...love this!


For one of the mini-drawers on the top row, I photocopied an antique picture, glued it onto some soft pink cardstock, ripped the edges, and fancied her up a bit with some glitter on her hair and along the edges. I also stamped my little 'naughty' verse, then gave it a top-coat of modge-podge. The other two mini-drawers are plain...I guess this is still a 'work-in-progess'!


The beauty of this type of project is that you can do it up in any way you wish!! I love mine and use it all the time. Think about the little goodies you could store in yours!! And don't you think this would make an awesome gift for that sweet someone?? I bet you have some papers, embellishments and doo-dads of your own that would be perfect for a project like this!



See ya at IKEA!

Back By Popular Demand

A few days ago, a friend and I were reminiscing about blogs, mine in particular. She mentioned one of my posts from a year ago...saying how she howled when she read it! I must admit, it was a good one. I remember it well when I wrote it and what the impetus was that compelled me to put down my dust rag and Pledge and head straight to the computer! We laughed about the subject for a while and she asked me how she would go about rereading it. To spare her the treasure hunt and for those who might be new visitors here, I'll rerun the post today. It's from last June, and even after reading it again today, I STILL haven't changed my thoughts about it!! In fact, I might be even MORE incredulous at the whole idea!! Grab something cold to drink, sit back and enjoy, dear friends!

**DISCLAIMER** The following post is not for the faint-of-heart, children under the age of 18 or prudes. It contains adult subject matter and those fitting into the categories as described are highly encouraged to either head over to another site or log off now.

So, I'm in the process of cleaning today. The patio. The rugs. The dust. The bed sheets. I'm also catching up on a few phone calls, installing Photoshop onto my computer and checking the cat's ears to see if the mites are gone. It's been a productive week - both mentally and physically. I visited with a woman earlier in the week to help me get myself 'unstuck' as well as I started a 'body cleanse' program (from Trader Joe's) to help detoxify my body....I figured if I was going to detoxify my mind, might as well throw the ol' bod on the train for the ride, too. I'm feeling like my t's are crossed and my i's are dotted. : )

Then...

I saw it...

in the last issue of my now-cancelled Oprah magazine...

an article about "Brown Betty"... ?????

HUH????

Oh yes, ladies! Just when you think you've got your act together, your bills paid, your house dusted, laundry done and food in the fridge...you might want to double check something else.... do you have gray hair 'down under' ????

Heaven forbid if you do!!! BUT WAIT!!! You don't have to endure the embarrassment of being gray 'down there' any longer! Grab yourself a box of 'Brown Betty'! In 10 - 30 minutes, depending on the amount of gray (and how stubborn it is), you, too, can put on that 'finishing touch'! As the ad reads:

betty™ products are especially formulated color dyes for the hair down there. In less than one year, over 100,000 happy customers are using betty to naturally match their hair above, cover gray or just for fun! Whether you're a blonde (be a true blonde now!), radiant auburn, rich brunette, raven black or want to try hot pink for fun, our easy to use no-drip formula gives you the perfect finishing touch!

Oh yes! Hot pink for FUN!!

FUN??!!???? How much fun would I have running around town with a pink patch?? Really! Tell me!! At 51, is my life going to be enhanced, filled with unbridled glee and will I have a smile on my face because I'm pink???!!??

And thank gawd it comes in a 'no drip' formula! That's a relief! I wonder...do you have to do the classic 'patch' test before applying it to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction to it in the process??

But wait!! There's more!!

If I'm really feeling fiesty and so Californ-I-A, there's Malibu Betty - not to be confused with Malibu Barbie, although, now that I think about it, Malibu Barbie probably wishes she had some Malibu Betty for Malibu Ken to enjoy.

You've got to be kidding me..seriously! And if you're single, like me, who do you share this with?? Do you smile smugly at your girlfriends over your margarita at happy hour and say coyly...

"Notice anything different about me?" ...

and then drop your pants??!???

Do I stand in line at the post office, quietly giggling to myself, because I spent $20 bucks (gas prices, be damn!) for a box that has turned me into a 'radiant auburn' in the 'land down under'???? I mean really!! You've got to be kidding me!! It's all I can do to remember my appointment for my hair on top!

And all this time, I thought 'Brown Betty' was a dessert.

Sun and Flower

5 Bucks' Worth of Chain

Have you ever had one of those days where you accomplished sooo much?? Today was such a type of day for me ... oh, and add in that it was fantastic!! I sooo needed a day like today to wash away any remaining stress, to recharge my batteries, to center myself, to catch up, to 'stabilize'. It's been a long time since I had a day like today and I made the very most of it.

First up - this little gem!! "What is it?" you might ask? A new clothesline! Um, yep...things like this can float my boat. I spent the morning outside reading the current book for my sweet book club and oh my...is it an awesome read! (The Book Thief by Markus Zusak) The weather is absolutely gorgeous and I sipped my coffee and read while the hummingbirds played chase and the sounds of a wonderful Saturday morning drifted by. On the top of the laundry list were my quilt and two sets of sheets. The clothes line quickly filled up and I wasn't done! After pondering the situation for a minute, a quick trip to Lowe's was in store...so off I went and soon I returned with $5.10 worth of new galvanized chain. That's right...chain. I use a chain for my clothes line and love it! A hammer and nails were all I needed to add a second length and voila'! In no time, my new line was full of summer sheets drying in the lazy morning sun.... perfect! Best five bucks I've spent all week! It became one of those days of projects popping up - mixed in with a little 'break time' for more reading. A day for:

...watching a neighbor attempt to trim his mesquite tree with a power saw on the end of an extension pole...man, I covet that tool! Do you know what I could do with that?!?

...drying bed linens and a quilt out in the summer breeze and dappled sunlight

...flipping and turning the mattress so that it wears evenly - truth be told, it's probably been 1 1/2 years since I last did this! When did you last do yours??

...sinking into the story of a young girl in World War !! Nazi Germany - a genre soooo not my type...and yet, running over to my patio table to steal a few more pages between my odd jobs of the day

...cleaning the tarp that covers the bar-b-que grill and hanging it on my new clothes line to dry while I cleaned the grill, too

...getting the grill's propane tank refilled and then wrestling that bad puppy back in place good and tight - it gave quite a fight, but I won!

...dusting and deep-cleaning my bedroom - sort of my own 'extreme make-over'. My goal was a clean bedroom with 'sweet pea' air freshener (a la Bath and Body works), summer-dried sheets and a freshly-made bed - goal met!

...cleaning my bathroom - okay...let me just spare you the graphic details which involved poses unnatural to humankind, cleansers all over myself and paper towels and rags all over the place!! I deep-cleaned it all, and it's sure purty tonight!

...making my bed up, spraying the sheets with 'creamy fig' body mist and fluffing up pillows - YUM-E!

...catching my breath as I cleaned out behind the bed while flipping my mattress. There...there they were...OH MY GOSH! My pearl earrings! I lost them almost 10 months ago. I thought I had checked there thoroughly. Since I couldn't find them, I sadly assumed that they had fallen into the little waste basket by accident and I'd never see them again. They were a gift from my ex-husband and ones that I treasured. I was so very sad to have lost them...he always treated me to sweet little gifts of jewelry and those were probably my most favorite. As I reached for things behind the bed, reminding myself how I had lost them, and had never found them, I saw two little dusty white things along the baseboard. Would you believe I looked at them twice and DIDN'T CHECK THEM OUT BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD BE MY EARRINGS??!!?? ...and on the third time of glancing at them, I reached down and found out that they WERE MY MISSING PEARLS! All odd jobs came to a halt as I gave thanks for finding them...and took a few minutes to remember...

...folding clean clothes and sprucing up the kitchen

...letting it be 'theirs' ... and not making it mine

...trimming that mulberry tree - which STILL taunts me!! (see older post)

...watching planes on their final approach...and those up high streak across the blue sky

...cutting up and starting to throw half of a watermelon from a week ago into the compost bin, then realizing that the birds might like to have a summer snack, so putting it out in the middle of the yard and watching the grackles, doves, sparrows and mockingbirds bicker and maneuver for position all day long - man, they LOVE watermelon!! Thankfully, Ross has shown no interest in it...yet. There's still the cover of darkness tonight!

...sipping pomegranate green tea and sneaking a few more passages from my book

...fixing rosemary chicken, grilled asiago cheese bread with garlic and sliced garden tomatoes for dinner...along with a glass of pinot noir (hmmm... someday I'll have to post about what I think 'pinot noir' stands for...

...being charmed...again...by the Gamby! It's so nice to be back on steady feet again! : )

The Cat Days of Summer

In my next life.....

I want to be one of my cats....

I'm just saying...

Lesson Learned

Can you just drink in this gorgeous beauty?? A gift from a ya-ya yesterday. Oh yes... yesterday.... a day I've longed to get over with for the last 12 days. A day that brought good news ... and much relief. So much relief, in fact, that I barely slept all night. I have been up since 1:45 a.m. Couldn't sleep, despite my best efforts. Too much disbelief...too grateful...to relieved.... to sleep.

This was a sight that greeted me this morning as I sat on my porch swing, sipping my creamy coffee and watching as morning woke up. Can you see them? The soft rays of light reaching up? Ahhh...yes.... they are a reminder from God, no less. A reminder of the lesson I have learned these past 12 days. What lesson is that, you might ask? Ahh, glass-hopper....a simple one.

To live life.

To open myself up to what life has to offer me. To break my shell. To let go. To enjoy life with gusto again.

Plain and simple.

Lesson learned.