BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN

Welcome beautiful Autumn!! You are glorious with your crisp air, rustling winds and wonderful colors. You are brief but oh so glorious...stay awhile, we miss you so.

Summertime Blahs

I know, I know...most people can't wait for summer with all the outside activities and vacations to take. We go all winter saying "boy, it is so cold and dreary, can't wait for summer". But come late July I am wanting it to be over, knowing full well that the real "heat" probably hasn't even begun. August in Arkansas is the hottest (usually).
We have had some wicked sunsets this summer and earlier today we had a big thunderstorm roll through bringing lightening & heavy rains in some places. When I went to Hobby Lobby last weekend, I was appalled at the sight of Christmas ornaments already being on the shelves but this week I am wishing Fall would start. Actually I wish we could be "forever stuck in Autumn"...it is my favorite time of year. One grand thing happened this summer, we were blessed with our 5th grandchild. A beautiful baby girl!!!

CAPTIVATING SUNSET

When a picture is worth more than a thousand words.....

THE STAR TOWER IN ARIZONA

Going south on Estrella Parkway, south out of Goodyear Arizona you will come to "The Star Tower" perched on a hill on the edge of the Estrella Mts. It is a beautiful structure with a rusty red facade, spiraling up to a viewing area. Looking up to the heavens and down to a man-made stream with mini water falls meandering on the grounds. It is a very peaceful place for a break. Very quiet and serene.

BIG DOGS VS. LITTLE DOGS

I might have mentioned the "Rocky Ridge Refuge" in Arkansas before in another post but will always come back to it because it is such a wonderful place. You should all go there at least once, here. I love this poem from the site:
BIG DOG RULES FOR “STUFF”
*If I like it…it’s mine.
*If it’s in my mouth…it’s mine.
*If I had it a little while ago…it’s mine.
*If I can take it from you…it’s mine.
*If I saw it first…it’s mine.
*If it looks like mine…it’s mine.
*If it’s edible…it’s always mine.
*If I chew something up…all the pieces are mine.
*If you have something & put it down…it’s mine
*If it’s mine…it must never be yours.
*If it used to be yours…get over it.
*Except if it’s broken…it’s yours.
My son & daughter-in-law have a large brown lab (Leroy) & a very small chihuahua (Peanut)so this fits them perfect. Although Peanut tries to "act" ferocious sometimes...Leroy just ignores him. It it so funny to watch.

TREASURE HUNTING FINDS

Today I would like to tell you about an estate sale find from a few months back. I found this beautiful "Luther Travis" table cloth in a pile of old linens...the color is what caught my eye. It is aqua, which is the color of my kitchen so I pulled it out and was pleasantly surprised. My treasure cost me a whopping $3.00After washing it to get out a couple of old stains (with a little advice from a blogging buddy, Diane Mc over at Luv2Luv Antiques...it turned out perfect and I have been enjoying it all Spring. It really brightens up my table.

AWESOME IMAGES

I'd like to share a few photos with you today of our earth in all it's beauty & awesomeness...Sedona ArizonaGrand Teton Mts.Snake River Grand Tetons.

SPRING THOUGHTS

I always feel Spring is really the time to think of starting a new year. Since it is the time when flowers start to bloom & the trees start budding and leafing out. Everything is so fresh and new. And the time when we start saying "Here we go again" when our allergies start kicking into full throttle. Fall is my favorite time of year but Spring has it's moments too. I've been hearing the frogs croak and lawn mowers growling. Turtles are in abundance...lined up on any exposed logs in the afternoon sun. Birds are building their nests and mosquito hawks cover the ground. It's also a time when we want to take weekend trips around the state...enjoying all the outdoorsy things in Arkansas. I just heard yesterday that gas prices are going to get up to $3 a gallon by June or July. That will put a damper on our outings...you know for every $1 that gas goes up...Iran earns billions of extra dollars. Maybe we will put more of our efforts into gardening...we could always benefit from more home grown produce...I might even do a little canning this year. That reminds me...I need to make a run to Lowe's SOON.This was taken on a record pollen count day.Tulip tree in full bloom.

THINK SKINNY

Yes, it is that time again...to think about losing those extra pounds I've gained in the winter months. It is just not working for me so far. Up two, down one, up three down two, up one, down three & so we are right back where we started a week before. It can be very frustrating but I'm not giving up. SO, now I am trying a new approach. Only eat when I am hungry and when I do eat, fill up on protein, fruit & veggies. I don't eat processed foods so you would think it would be easier for me but I guess my body is used to it so it holds every ounce it can. It just doesn't want to let go! I have been drinking 7-8 glasses of water a day now for about a week & still nothing. I will also be increasing my exercise from walking 20-30 minutes several times a week to at least 30 minutes every day for at least 5 times a week. With a trip to the gym thrown in several times. My goal is to lose 10 lbs. by May 1st. I will try to see it this way...so many pounds together make for too many but as soon as they start shedding...it will help break them up and pretty soon...Wha-Lah! The new me...IT WILL TAKE A MIRACLE...but miracles happen every day. I can feel it...it IS happening as I speak (uh..write). Wish me luck

Using Native American Flute Music For Meditation

Hello...today I want to tell you about a fabulous place to visit if you like meditation music. I first saw this amazing man, Scott August on a youtube clip...here
He plays Native American Flute music. This is one of the most relaxing sounds I have ever heard especially for meditation. I found his website at cedarmesa.com. Please take the time to visit his site...you will be glad you did. There is a plethora of information & you can click to sample the music from each of his cd's. I would also like to mention my participation in a 28 day meditation over at AWAKE IS GOOD with my blogger buddy Jan Lundy. She is sharing a vast amount of advice to anyone who wants to read or join in...
MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH ALL THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

A NEW DAY OF BLOG

Do we blog for ourselves or others? I think mostly for ourselves...You may ask, "Is it a form of meditation?" I say, NO...blogging creates waves of creativeness, random thoughts, quick aspirations for the day ahead or past. Minds full of egos overflowing onto the page. I find it best to meditate "hours" before or after I blog...allowing my mind to rest, to settle down, to deflate back to it's natural state so as not to keep the thoughts looping around inside.

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

If you have ever had trouble with a busy mind, thought looping or anything else that keeps you distracted & from settling down at night (probably everyone on the planet) then you can benefit from daily meditation. You don't have to have an instructor or class to go to. You don't even have to know what to do. Just go to a quiet place and concentrate on nothing...try to clear your head even if it is for a couple of minutes. Don't think about what happened today, yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Give your mind a break! If you have trouble with this, try concentrating on your breathing...in, out, in, out. FOCUS on a word or object to center yourself. I personally use a quartz crystal...it helps me center my energy...I imagine that energy as a bright light that flows through my body & hands into the crystal & back into my body again. Try it...you'll enjoy the benefits.
Join me along with Jan Lundy and friends at AWAKE IS GOOD for a 28 day study in meditation. You can join in at any point or just read along.

CAN YOU FLUNK MEDITATION?

I usually meditate at night before going to bed so I decided to change it up & try to meditate upon waking up this morning...so, after I woke up early at 4:30 am, from a bad dream...I attempted to clear my mind, concentrate on my breathing anything that would calm my mind & put me back to sleep. Nothing was working...I tried & tried and nothing worked. I could not center my energy...it was jumping all around inside my head...I couldn't lock onto it.Sometimes that happens...but at least I tried. I got up early and went about my day...I even finished a painting I had been working on for a couple of weeks. Even though I was tired and sleepy all day, I still managed to accomplish a goal. Hopefully, I will be so tired tonight, I will sleep soundly and wake up at the normal time. Then I can try to meditate in the morning before I get up.
To answer the question: "Can you flunk meditation"? The answer is "NO"!!! There is no right or wrong way, just your way. As long as you are taking some alone time for your inner self is all that is required.
Join me at one of my fellow bloggers site, AWAKE IS GOOD for a 28 day study on meditation, by Jan Lundy. You will be glad you did!

MEDITATION FOR FREEDOM

Hello and welcome to the year 2010...I am embarking on a journey of self discovery, of a freedom few will know. This journey will not take me long distances and hours of travel time. It will not be filled with the stress of planning and budgeting. It will merely be a journey inside of myself, to the far realms of my mind where only I can go. I will seek out what's inside my heart & mind & soul. My goal is to reach this place & bring back it's energy in the form of self enlightenment. So that when someone looks at me, they will say..."tell me your secret".
To begin, I have joined forces with Jan Lundy over at her blog AWAKE IS GOOD. She has started a 28 day meditation challenge.

I have gradually gotten away from meditating every day and I can definitely tell the difference in my day to day self. I am much more sluggish & some days lack the drive to get through the day without feeling drained. So, I starting my daily sessions on Dec 31st to get a head start on 2010. Her sessions started today and I am so looking forward to this journey. Please feel free to join us in this attempt to renew our life energies.

BLUE MOON FOR A NEW YEAR

The blue moon last night is supposed to energize us to a good start to a new year. I went outside right after midnight to capture the energy of this event and was not disappointed. With the glow of the moon and the crisp cold air...it was tantalizing. I am going to try to keep that energy going as long as possible by meditating every day and anything else that may be creative in my mind. I have been painting for the last couple of hours...this is something I will try to do at least a little of every day. Not only does practice make perfect but the more you do something the more you want to do it. BUT, not too much so as to get burned out. Know your happy medium to keep you in a happy place :-)HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!