think about it

People who inspire you are living a version of life that you want to live. And people that you envy hold the key to the things you "think" you are missing from your life. ~Mastin

i get so angry

 

 about this

Breaking: Major Harvard Study Published in Federal Govt Journal Confirms Fluoride Lowers IQ

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/harvard-study-published-federal-govt-journal-confirms-fluoride-lowers-iq/#ixzz27OYHQWcl

and about this

we are so blessed

i look out from my morning table and cannot help but find myself in a state of appreciation as i watch the birds, squirrels and chipmunks scurry about.  twice i have seen a hummingbird come to the coral bells.  come the month of may next year we will put a feeder out for them.  i say "for them" when in fact it will actually be to enable myself to observe and enjoy these tiny miracles hover and dart about.

i came across a little sign in a downtown shop the other day.  it read, "we are so blessed".  i brought it home as a constant reminder of that truth.  so often we get caught in day to day struggling that we forget to take note of just how blessed our lives are.  we can often feel that our lives are mundane and lacking in flavor or nothing more than a series of struggles. if we think and feel this, that becomes our experience and we fail to see the beauty and magic all around us.  believe me, i know of what i'm talking about because i have been in that place more than once.  access to it is easy.  the truth of our existence is a matter of perception, of what we choose to focus on.  anything worth attaining takes focus and practice and most of all the desire to change.  and change is not necessarily hard.  sometimes it's simply a matter of changing your mind or switching your thoughts.  to do that simply requires an awareness of your thoughts.  so, today, try practicing that awareness. 

we are all on a journey of self knowledge and awareness whether we recognize it or not.  as i continue to learn and grow i hope to delve more deeply into this subject.  in the meantime count your blessings and take note of the beauty and gifts all around you.

nom nom, this is heaven in a cake

cinnamon roll cake

i found this recipe via pinterest last week and had to try it.  oh my god! we loved it!  mark's favorite cake was chocolate until he tried this.  in a phone call the other day i even heard him telling his friend bill how good this cake was.  he's hoping i make it again real soon. pssst, just ignore the probable calorie content.

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

the most important thing you'll ever see

this truly matters. i'm askiing you to watch it in it's entirety if you care about your life, liberty and freedom ad that of your children, grandchildren. i'm asking you to watch it if you care about anything concerning human life and the place we call home as well. it's probably the most important thing you will ever watch.  watch it here or visit the following link:

   visit http://www.thrivemovement.com/the_movie

THRIVE: What On Earth Will It Take?
www.thrivemovement.com

Visit www.thrivemovement.com for more information on THRIVE. THRIVE uses the Yekra player technology.  See www.yekra.com for more information.

my morning table

i love cats.  simple fact.  and i have never allowed my cat(s) to be on the table or counters.  but...living with my mister and his precious, namely furby, has changed my outlook. you see, furby is with mark 99% of the time.  (i could be jealous if i were the jealous type)  she is a needy little one and at near 14 years of age, he caters to her every whim.  (actually, i think he's always catered to her whims, thus she is the way she is.  read that, spoiled!) her whims include being held at and allowed on the dining table.  now i for one never would have allowed this in the first place, but sometimes my soft spot gets the best of me and what can i say after after all?  he's been allowing this for years.  in this case, anyhow, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  now oden, my feline familiar, did not have permission to be a table cat.  well, until recently anyhow.  (really, he only wants to look out the window)  seeing as how it was ok for furby to rest on the table, it seemed only fair to our other "child" to allow the same.  now i know to some people this might seem disgusting, particularly because when a critter is laying on the table they have their butt on the table.  but rest assured, i clean my table regularly.  and oden is very aware that this is a privilege and still knows the counter tops are off limits...except of course when i am not looking. 

so, this is our morning table with all the necessary accompaniments, coffee, water, reading material, etc.  oh yeah, and critters.

 

a most blessed day

 you are the living earth

(copyright r. mark chadwick 2012)

a spirit breath of

forest

field

sun

moon

a vibrant rain of

heart

soul

mind

dreams

you gather stars

and gift them

monday was my 57th birthday and what a nice one.  i awoke to a lovely, romantic  birthday card from mark with this handwritten poem inside.  mark has made it tradition on special days to present me with a poem he's written especially for me.  he truly is a romantic guy and words are his gift. 

more surprises came my way throughout the day.  when he came back from picking up the mail he surprised me with these, remembering i loved sunflowers.

later in the day we went for lunch.  when we returned we checked the mailbox at the house and inside was an envelop from "the boys", my three grandsons luke, mike and nick.  inside i found a variety of notepads (because g-ma is a list maker :) and three most wonderful handmade birthday cards. the fact that they were on pink paper did not allude me.  luke, the oldest (11) remembered his grandma's favorite color.   :)

and just in case there is any doubt about who the best "gandma" is, mike has made it clear.  :)

so a big thank you to my wonderful, sweet man mark and my awesome offspring.  you may not know how much your thoughtfulness means to me but it meant the world.  i love you all!

i find it hard to believe i am nearing 60 years of age.  they (whoever they are) say you're only as old as you feel.  my body feels it but the mind says different.  without a doubt i feel i've matured in wisdom over the years, but there is and always will be a kid in me.  sure, i can't  do all the things i used to do and a lot of things i'd love to do due to physical limitations, yet inside this aging woman of routine and limitations lives the free spirit of a child.