quotes to ponder...

i thought i'd show some quotes that i loved - for one reason or another....i hope you will find one that you love... if you find a quote that you like, click it, for more info., or to go to the site for more quotes to ponder...

Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.
Edith Sitwell (1887 - 1964)

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
Martha Washington (1732 - 1802)

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1869 - 1959)

Wear the old coat and buy the new book.
Austin Phelps

Charity sees the need not the cause.
German Proverb

Be gentle with the young.
Juvenal (55 AD - 127 AD)

Happiness depends upon ourselves.
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)

Kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted.
Aesop (620 BC - 560 BC

Patterning your life around other's opinions is nothing more than slavery.
Lawana Blackwell

The wise man carries his possessions within him.
Bias

Ordinarily he was insane, but he had lucid moments when he was merely stupid.
Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)

Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.
Albert Einstein

Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.
Albert Einstein

Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others.
Socrates

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.
Martin Luther King Jr

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt

The words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels.
Hazrat Inayat Khan

Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

When you drink the water, remember the spring.
Chinese Proverb

In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior.
Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten-thousand stars how not to dance...
E. E. Cummings

You can only perceive real beauty in a person as they get older.
Anouk Aimee

just a little sing-a-long...

I rode my bicycle past your window last night

I roller skated to your door at daylight

It almost seems like you're avoiding me

i'm okay alone, but you got something I need

Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates

You got a brand new key

I think that we should get together and try them out you see...

I been looking around awhile

You got something for me

Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates

You got a brand new key

I ride my bike, I roller skate, don't drive no car

Don't go too fast, but I go pretty far

For somebody who don't drive

I been all around the world

Some people say, I done all right for a girl

I asked your mother if you were at home

She said, yes... but you weren't alone

Oh, sometimes I think that you're avoiding me

I'm okay alone, but you've got something I need

Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates

You got a brand new key

I think that we should get together and try them out to see...

La la la la la la la la, la la la la la la

Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates

You got a brand new key

here it comes...

i'm not one for making new year's resolutions....i think of that as just setting myself up for a beating...and who wants that...for i know in my heart given just 24 hours i will have fallen from grace.

this year however, instead of resolutions i'm going to try to make some changes...(this may allow me the opportunity to trick myself)

fit in my 50's...

no, i will not chant oprah's - 'i will not be fat at 50', (oh dear, far to stressful and sounds mean too), nor will i only give myself a certain amount of time...i thought it would be better for me to give myself a decade to achieve this...i'm a slow starter...for the fit at 50 involves so many changes, small and just overwhelming...it will take me at least 10 years to make these changes...

change out of my pajamas long before carpool at 2:00...

now this may sound easy for all of you....but it is a comfortable way to paint game boards...i will have to trick myself by saying...diane sawyer may just drop in for a surprise visit any moment and i want to look my best!

cook...

i'm already on my way with buying new cookie sheets and baking dishes... now i know my family won't jump on this boat to quickly, but i have recently been given a 'timer' from my sister...this should help with my cooking traumas....

join a hiking club of hikers that don't really want to hike too far...

i guess that could fall into the first category of getting fit during my 50's...but it will be difficult to actually find a group of people that don't really want to exercise...but would rather sit and chat, take a nature walk, look for birds....chat and cross-stitch?

clean my house...

an actual schedule would be good....maybe something every day instead of all at once or at least more than just before my mom and dad come to visit...which is only once a year anyway, i think i can do that and i could also throw the diane sawyer trick in there too...

and i think that's as far as i should go...for i'm starting to feel the stress build up in my shoulders just thinking about all the other things that i could/should change that would be beneficial...and i wouldn't want to treat myself poorly or be mean to myself...

happy 2009 to all of you

may you all shine brightly...

and how was your holiday...

ok....i admit it, i should've known. the fact is that i am surrounded by 'guys'. and added to this i collect pitiful dogs that run amok... year after year i have the idea swimming in my head that this is just going to be the most perfect celebration....shiny glimmery things, wonderful food, friends and family. and then, well, it turns into the usual family event...my being outnumbered by these 'guys'. i seem to have no authority over them...they run in a pack...i cannot tell you how many times i chanted: "there is a woman in the room", or "you will never be invited to eat at the white house if you eat like that!" occasionally an eye will be lifted towards my general direction but in no time it wanders back to devouring the food like wolves...or the conversation begins again as i play 'dumb' as to what they could possibly be talking about...i felt like i was caught in a world somewhere between a barn and a bar...

then it was off to the other side of the families celebration....now i love to go to my sister in laws home for they have endless energy...their home is decked out in a celebration that could be in a magazine...the food is always so splendid, and the both of them are just so darn pretty...and as i walk in i always think - yes, it's so normal here and smile....

but then let's add all the personalities....and shebang it could be a sequel to 'home for the holidays'....phew...there are a lot of different opinions, and all in one room...

and as we all leave, just like in the movies... there are lots of hugs and 'i love you's' and 'i didn't mean it's", and promises that next year each and every one of us will be traveling to some undecided place on earth, and will not be able to get together...hubby annouced - we will be in vermont, and his sister assured us that they would be off feeding the hungry children, anywhere in the world...and i yell out to my brother in law - thanks so much for having us, we don't get many invitations...

i began to think today....ohhh, i should really try to do something 'special' for new years eve...wouldn't that be fun?...then i began to think of wonderful things i could bake, new recipes that i didn't get a chance to try for christmas... and how fun it would be just to let everyone know that we will be having a gathering, and that we would love it if they could just drop by....nothing fancy, just come as you are....an all day fun event!

off for the week...

i won't be blogging this week....so much to do! finishing and shipping of game boards, painting galore, last minute shopping, wrapping and baking the dreaded holiday cookies...i say dreaded for i burn everything...so that means lots and lots of frosting on top! i hope you all have a wonderful celebration, whether it be hanukkah, christmas or the beginning of winter... peace and health to each and everyone of you...

how the pretzel saved christmas...

In some rural parts of America, where "Plain and Fancy" is still vogue, there is a wonderful old custom of stringing Pretzels with red yarn and hanging them on the Christmas tree. The origin of this delightful custom is found in this inspirational old tale of How the Pretzel Saved Christmas for at least one small village in the Alps.

It was only a few weeks before Christmas in 610 A.D. The monastery bakery was in preparation for the holidays. Brother Bachman was earnestly kneading bread dough while he watched the village children playing in the snow outside the chapel window. "It's too bad they aren't as interested in coming to church and learning their prayers," he thought.

The growing apathy of the village folks saddened him. "If only there was some way to get them back to the church." Brother Bachman continued to work the dough and ponder his dilemma. As he was finishing up the last loaves of bread, he was suddenly struck with a most original idea. He thoughtfully gathered up the leftover dough and began to form pencil-like strips, which he then twisted into a shape that looked like a child's arms folded in prayer. "Ah!. . .a Pretiola!" he declared, which in Latin meant little reward.

He opened the bakery window and called out to the children. "Come in, come in. . .say your prayers, and I will give you a Pretiola!" It didn't take much convincing. Soon each child had learned a prayer and proudly received a "little reward." Rushing home, the children excitedly told their parents. Word of Brother Bachman's idea soon spread through the village, and children and parents alike visited the chapel to receive a Pretiola.

One child proudly placed his Pretiola on the small church's Christmas tree. . .not to be outdone, the others followed. Soon the entire tree was beautifully decorated with this unique symbol of their achievements. The Christmas Prayer Service that year was especially festive and bright. The church was filled with families once again. And. . .as the cheerful voices rose in prayer and song together, Brother Bachman smiled joyfully and thanked the Lord for little rewards.

The Pretiola soon found its way into Germany and Austria. It became a symbol of excellence used to reward worthy accomplishments as the church and youth programs flourished.
Through the centuries, Pretiola became known as "Pretzel" as we know it today, and decorating the Christmas tree with Pretzels became a special family tradition that continues. . .thanks to Brother Bachman's bakery inspiration.

there is something to be said....

there is something to be said about an artists personality...the willingness to put themselves 'out there' for all to see, view, critique... it's really rather a feeling that can be described as the possibility of being thrown to the sharks, but an artist is oblivious to that... without the personality to put yourself out there with no defenses, into the unknown, to show our 'stuff', we would never know how you feel about our work...and the american artists movement would have never existed... this is john clarke, out there for all to see, no defenses or protection...bringing us his art and talent...

oh my...here she goes again...

there it was tucked into the box of pretty presents sent up from my mom and dad....ohhh how my eyes danced as i opened up the pretty box of postcards featuring the gee's bend quilts... as my eyes danced my mind swam with all the inspiration before me... i've been thinking of a new gee's bend game board for some time and thought that i would like to try some ideas out in january... after seeing the postcards i new exactly which piece i would do next... a grand slam of color, a rainbow, a vivid mix of wonderful colors on a mill game design...i can hardly stand the wait...



i know many of you are quilters...and this is always my favorite time to quilt...snuggled in a chair with my piece keeping me warm, snowy days, eggnog and a fire...who could want anything more? below is some info. on the gee's bend quilters that i thought i would share from their site...

Quiltmakers
The women of the Gee's Bend Quilters Collective all live in the area of Rehoboth and Boykin, Alabama.

Throughout much of the twentieth century, making quilts was considered a domestic responsibility for women in Gee's Bend. As young girls, many of the women trained or apprenticed in their craft with their mothers, female relatives, or friends; other quilters, however, have been virtually self-taught. Women with large families often made dozens upon dozens of quilts over the course of their lives.

The women consider the process of "piecing" the quilt "top" to be highly personal. In Gee’s Bend, the top—the side that faces up on the bed—is always pieced by a quilter working alone and reflects a singular artistic vision. The subsequent process of “quilting” the quilt—sewing together the completed top, the batting (stuffing), and the back—is sometimes then performed communally, among small groups of women.

what a look...

i will admit that the look on my face in the video below is well...a look of shock? probably....how would you like to be with this gang?

merry christmas from the mountain gang...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

a day in the life...

my dad sent me this video making me laugh out loud....for all of you winter friends, it's a day in the life...for you warm weathered friends, burrrrrrr.... (pardon the title, if it shows up...a word that is 'banned' from our house!)

gratitude...

we all know things are getting pretty tough, not only in our country but around the world... yesterday i was at our local hunger coalition for i have volunteered there and drop off food on occasion... the hunger coalition had no food out...families were coming in to gather food for their dinner, happy go lucky kids in tow....oblivious as to the struggles, fears and swallowed pride of their parents...the coalition was already out of food for the day... i became so sad, for my next stop was to the grocery store to pick up something for our own dinner, and the people i had just left didn't have this luxury...

i honestly can't think of anything more heart wrenching than a parent trying to find food for their children...so gather up your extras and drop them off at your hunger coalition, churches and schools...often times you can 'buy a bag' at your grocery store that they will collect and send over to a shelter for you...a bag of apples is a wonderful donation, it goes a long way when it is opened and set out, and kids just love them....go through those clothes that you don't need, bag them and drop them off too...goodwill is suffering a shortage...yes, things will get better, but let's all try to do what we can to help others in need in our hometowns....

my dad sent me this quote which i thought was wonderful, he always sends me the perfect thing at the perfect time (how do parents know this?) ...by Melody Beattie

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

silent night...

a pretty rendition from my homeland, ireland - sung by enya...

i shouldn't...

i shouldn't do this, this time of year, that is for sure...but i must. i must show you what i have found - after all i don't want to be one of those friends that won't tell you where you can run and buy something that i have and you love and must have!

it was in a magazine...and i do admit i do let them pile up...but when i saw these little guys i thought - oh i just have to have one, two, three....oooohhhh a collection! i ran to my computer and pulled up colin's site...colinscreatures.com... i didn't know a thing about sheep until i went on his site - i guess i just kind of assumed that a sheep was a sheep, and adorable at being that. but sheep do take on a whole new look when you find them in other countries...germany, wales and ireland, to name just a few...

if you would like to see more of his work - click on the above link...you will see where his inspiration comes from, the materials he uses to create these pieces and see what other animals he is working on...and of course, i'm sure he would be happy to have you order a piece too...

my dad sent this to me and i thought i'd share it with all of you... amazing grace has always been one of my favorite christian pieces, and it is also one of the first songs that i try to learn whenever i am figuring out a new instrument....oh how many times i've called mom and dad and made them listen over the phone to my horribly carved out rendition of amazing grace.

this i love, for the singing is beautiful, but the bagpipes i will always be a fan of... hey mom and dad, you know bagpipes are big up here....maybe i'll practice and give you a call...(i hate that they now have caller i.d.)

this is a group from italy - II Diva - it is an amazing performance in a beautiful setting...i just bet you will get chills half way through...



ok...after i posted the above i thought i'd get on line and see what other music i could find by these guys...we might be seeing more and more from them, after all i did read the words 'simon cowell', and you know what that means if you are a fan of american idol...below you can read what is being said...

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com

While not exactly classical crossover's take on The Monkees, this international quartet of young male vocalists from America, France, Spain, and Switzerland shares a similar genesis. Assembled after a long talent search and audition process, they were teamed with pop producers Per Magnusson and David Krueger (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys) and Steve Mac (Charlotte Church, Kelly Clarkson) and turned loose on a slate of classical-pop favorites, with a dramatic, dynamically nuanced read of Toni Braxton's signature "Unbreak My Heart" setting the standard. While the deceptive ease of their harmonies belie the group's disparate nationalities and talent search roots on the melodramatic "Hoy Que Ya No Estas Aqui," Morricone's glorious Mission theme, "Nella Fantasia" and the cascading "Passera," the album's pop-oriented material is a decidedly more mixed bag ."Everytime I Look at You" and "Feelings" (not Morris Albert's) soar gracefully, while "The Man You Love" seems more a throwback to the producers' boy band roots. The standard "My Way" and a lovely, bonus cut Italian version of "Unchained Melody" close the album out on a high note.