Belated BYBS#16 - Sacred Life Sunday and ...

.. Monday Motivator too ;--)

"I believe in the imagination.
What I cannot see is infinitely more important
than what I can see." ~Duane Michals, Real Dreams

As I've shared previously ... I'm exceedingly grateful for my 'happily retired' lifestyle ... delighted to have time to enjoy TENNIS at the US Open this past week. I wrote of this exciting tournament in some detail at Small Reflections earlier today. In addition, my Photoshop Elements class has resumed ... so my schedule is busier than usual, but I love what I'm learning about using 'filters' to alter the appearance of photographs. It's been fun to share some of my 'experimentations' with images on both of my blogs.

Last Sunday I shared an award in my Belated BYBS#15 ... and I wish to acknowledge three others here and express my thanks to Mike Golch of MJG's Rambling Thoughts gave both to me for Sacred Ruminations. I do feel blessed by his generosity and would like to pass all three along to anyone on my Blog Rolls in the sidebar (near the bottom of the page here at Sacred Ruminations) ... at Small Reflections and/or any of those listed at Blog Rolls & Bling.

If I visit YOUR blog with any regularity ... you know I love it. To those I've neglected these past few months, I apologize ... but I'm determined to catch up with all those unread posts in my 'reader' ... eventually, so please bear with me.

For others who 'Blog Their Blessings'
go to My Blog Rolls and/or click on the logo
at the top of this post.

For those who participate in Sacred Life Sunday
click the logo below:

Thought for Today
"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." G. B. Stern

Photo Hunt #17 - Beautiful: Memories of ...

Note: If you're looking for Sky Watch or Haiku Friday you'll find them below this post. Smiley Saturday (#17) and a 2nd 'beautiful' Photo Hunt (#18) are at Small Reflections today.

This is my 17th Taos, New Mexico ... Summer of 2007

The week long Writer's Retreat that started everything ..

Click for others participating in Photo Hunt this week.

Thought for Today
"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." Kahlil Gibran

SkyWatch#9 & HF#68 California Clouds ...

Late today because
I decided it was time
to make a 'logo'

of my own for these
combined Sky Watch Friday posts
blended with Haiku ...

Different clouds today
viewed from my front patio ...
Lovely are they not?

Last week's 'wispy' clouds
seemed like 'angels' drifting by.
What do you see here?

Click for others participating in Sky Watch this week at its new home.
~ ~ ~
Haiku Friday #69 is be at Small Reflections ... finally.
I'm moving S L O W L Y today.

For others participating in Haiku Friday this week go to A Mommy Story. Jennifer is no longer hosting Haiku Friday at 'Playgroups.' (To see my previous Haikus, click on the Haiku Friday label below this post or in the sidebar under About Me where you'll find a 'directory' of my Haikus on both blogs).

If you've not seen them and have time ...
check out my most recent 'photo experimentations' using 'Photoshop filters'
at Small Reflections and here at Sacred Ruminations.

Thought for Today

"Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one's face." James D. Finley

Almost WW #46 - Photo Experimentation

Almost

Experimenting with
filters in PSE6
I came up with these ...

Taos images
'Stylized' with 'Find Edges' ...
Aren't the results 'kewl' ...?

Click for others participating in Wordless Wednesday today.

I'd like to thank Tammy of A Little Girl Talk and Mom Knows Everything for helping me get rid of the 'html' borders messing up my headers on both blogs. Lookie ... no 'excess' lines here or at Small Reflections any more.

Thought for Today
"All photos are accurate. None of them is the truth." Richard Avedon

Belated BYBS#15 - Sacred Life Sunday ... and

.. Monday Motivator too ;--)

As you may know, I've been admittedly captivated by the Olympics ... continuing to post about the games in Beijing at Small Reflections. Hence I'm later with this post than I was last week, but hopefully I'll get back 'on schedule' eventually. The US Open (beginning today), the Democratic Convention (beginning tonight), and my advanced Photoshop Elements class (beginning tomorrow) may keep me scrambling for a while yet, but I'll do my best to take one thing at a time ... and forgive myself when I fall short.

Last week I offered this short Finish Strong movie from Simple Truths ... and it's still in my mind today together with this brief Dreams are Whispers from the Soul video from the same source. I've viewed both multiple times recently and feel 'lifted' each time ... so I add these links today for all who pass this way ... prayerfully and I'd like to pass along this award shared by Ramblings of a Villas Girl too. May you each have a marvelous Monday!

For others who 'Blog Their Blessings'
go to My Blog Rolls and/or click on the logo
at the top of this post.

For those who participate in Sacred Life Sunday
click the logo below:

Thought for Today
"Pay attention to your dreams - God's angels often speak directly to our hearts when we are asleep." Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias

Photo Hunt #15 - Wrinkled

Note: If you're looking for Sky Watch or Haiku Friday you'll find them below this post. Camera Critters, Smiley Saturday, and a 2nd 'wrinkled' Photo Hunt at Small Reflections today.

This is my 15th Many of my summer scarves are 'wrinkled' by design ...

Click for others participating in Photo Hunt this week.

Thought for Today
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln

SkyWatch #8 & HF #66 Wispy Clouds on Blue Sky

My first Sky Watch is at Small Reflections.Thanks to Scylla at Law & Motherhood for this cool Haiku button

California skies
near the ocean often look
just as these photosdepict ...Onshore winds
move clouds inland quickly on
a pallet of blue

cooling temp'ratures
for our summer visitors
visiting from the

deserts and mountains ...
vacationing lazily
here in 'the southland'

Fortunate am I
to enjoy the 'beach' year-round
and to be retiredso that I can snap
images like these to share
and visit YOURS too!

Click for others participating in Sky Watch this week at its new home.
~ ~ ~
Haiku Friday #67 is at Small Reflections ... and I'm still
'Admittedly Olympic Obsessed as you can see in my Beijing related posts.

For others participating in Haiku Friday this week go to A Mommy Story. Jennifer is no longer hosting Haiku Friday at 'Playgroups.' (To see my previous Haikus, click on the Haiku Friday label below this post or in the sidebar under About Me where you'll find a 'directory' of my Haikus on both blogs).

What's your opinion on my new headers
here and at Small Reflections?

Thought for Today
"We welcome passion, for the mind is briefly let off duty."
Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

Belated BYBS#14 - Sacred Life Sunday ... and

... Monday Motivator too ;--)

As you may know, I've been admittedly captivated by the Olympics ... posting about the games in Beijing regularly at Small Reflections. This Finish Strong Movie from Simple Truths came to mind as I've watched the many of the events ... and I offer it as my 'blessing' and 'motivator' for the week ... just because. You might also enjoy the 'inspirational' links I've included in my sidebar at the left and down a ways.

For others who 'Blog Their Blessings'
go to My Blog Rolls and/or click on the logo
at the top of this post.

For those who participate in Sacred Life Sunday
click the logo below:

Thought for Today
"If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you've got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience." Robert Fulghum

(Wordless) Photo Hunt #14 - Colorful

Note: If you're looking for Sky Watch or Haiku Friday you'll find them below this post. My OSI Week 24: Staiway posts can be found here and here. I've participated in Photo Hunt a second time today at Small Reflections ... just because.

This is my 14th ... but ... (the 1st 6 and #13 are at Small Reflections
and #7-12 are here at Sacred Ruminations)

Theme: C o l o r f u l

Click for others participating in Photo Hunt
and Wordless Wednesday on Saturday

Thought for Today

"Pretty is the queen that rules our land." Carrie Latet

Sky Watch #7 & HF #64 - Cloudy Collages

My first Sky Watch is at Small Reflections.Thanks to Scylla at Law & Motherhood for this cool Haiku button

Watching the sky change
yesterday I snapped a few
photographs and then

experimented
within Photoshop to make
these two collages.

Click for others participating in Sky Watch this week at its new home.
~ ~ ~
Click for Haiku Friday #65 at Small Reflections ...
'Admittedly Olympic Obsessed'

For others participating in Haiku Friday this week go to A Mommy Story or Playgroups are no Place for Children. (To see my previous Haikus, click on the Haiku Friday label below this post or in the sidebar under About Me where you'll find a 'directory' of my Haikus on both blogs).

Thought for Today
"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed. ... It feels an impulsion . ... this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons." Richard Bach

(Almost)WW & OSI Week 24: Stairways

AlmostThe prompt for Week 24: Stairways

As a baby dog
Molly easily could climb
up these backyard stairs ...

yet once at the top
scary it seemed to descend.
Many times did I

climb these stairs myself
to retrieve the tiny pup
as she sat and cried until tentative
downward steps she carefully
managed on her own.

Now she uses these
stairs to watch the world go by ...
standing 'guard' above.

Click for others participating in Wordless Wednesday & OSI this week
and to see my 2nd WW/OSI post at Small Reflections too.

Thought for Today
"We acquire the strength we have overcome." Ralph Waldo Emerson

BYBS#13 and Sacred Life Sunday

Really Good Things

1. We've been blessed with lovely weather all week at the beach in Southern California ... clear blue sunny skies and gentle on-shore breezes most afternoons kept temperatures in the mid-80s.

2. Watching Michael Phelps break his previous World Record (by 1.41 seconds) and win his first gold medal in the 400m Individual Medley last night was exciting ... and seeing 41 year old Dara Torres, swim the final leg of the 4 by 100m freestyle relay for the US warmed my heart as well. With 10 career Olympic medals to her credit before the start of the Beijing Olympics (won from the age of 17 through 37 between 1984-2004), this mom (with a toddler) is the first swimmer to compete in five consecutive summer Olympics. What an inspiration!

3. Here in Los Angeles, Andy Roddick won his 'semi-final match' at the Countrywide Classic Olympus tennis tournament yesterday and will play the 'final' against Juan Del Potro of Argentina this afternoon. After an excellent start to the 2008 season, Andy's experienced a series of physical issues that caused him to withdraw from several scheduled tournaments. He opted to skip the Olympics this year to concentrate on being healthy for the US Open Series because he believes the fast surface in New York is is best chance to win another 'major' ...

Photo source: Yahoo Sports

and after defeating Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic earlier this year ... he just might succeed with this goal. Late afternoon addendum: Unfortunately, Andy got off to a very slow start and dropped the first set 1-6. He picked up his game in the 2nd set and got it to a tie-breaker, but Juan Martin Del Potro won that ... defeating Roddick in straight sets. Thus, the 19 year old from Argentina now has his first win on American soil (his 3rd tournament win in a row this season) and is the first teenager to win this event since Pete Sampras won it at 19 ... the same year he won the US Open for the 1st time.

3. I've enjoyed using my newly acquired Photoshop skills to create collages like the one above, one I made and shared this morning with photos of Michael Phelps, and another shared yesterday (with photos of Roddick's quarter-final match against Marc Gicquel) in my Smiley Saturday post ... both at Small Reflections.

4. My sister and her husband have returned to the USA after spending the last couple of months traveling in eastern Canada, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia. They're in Maine currently ... enjoying the sights along the East coast ... savoring delicious Maine lobster, visiting the place where Ben & Jerry's ice cream is made, and this morning they called to let me know they've purchased a new HP Laptop with camera ... so once we both figure out how to use this feature and Skype, we should be able to communicate via our computers in addition to using our cellphones.

5. In case you haven't seen this 'doggie lullaby' yet ... check it out to be delighted. Click Bedtime for a guarateed smile ;--)

For others who 'Blog Their Blessings'
go to My Blog Rolls and/or click on the logo
at the top of this post.

For those who participate in Sacred Life Sunday
click the logo below:

Thought for Today
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Harold Whitman

Photo Hunt #12 - Full Moonrise ...

Note: If you're looking for Sky Watch or Haiku Friday you'll find them below this post. Camera Critters & Smiley Saturday are at Small Reflections. My OSI Week 23: Folly posts can be found here and here. I've created a 2nd Photo Hunt (#13) for this theme at Small Reflections ... just because.

This is my 12th ... but ... (the 1st 6 are at Small Reflections
and #7-11 are here at Sacred Ruminations)

Theme: Dark

Moonrise: taken from my back yard ...

and then from my front patio ...

on July 30th ... 2008
~ ~ ~
Click for others participating in Photo Hunt

Thought for Today
"Moonlight is sculpture." Nathaniel Hawthorne