Sky Watch, FaveFives, Just for Joy and more ...

1. Mimi's Cafe keeps offering email coupons for free 4-packs of muffins with purchase a breakfast, and I keep taking them up on the offer so I have quite a nice supply in my freezer for when they stop this marketing plan.

2. The weather this past week has been most unusual and today was no exception. After eating half of my Monterey Omelet, I sat in the blue chairs on the front patio ... with Molly greeting people passing by while I wrote for about an hour & a half. She got to meet and play with Guapo (see photo below), a new little dog that's been adopted by the guy who moved into the little blue house where Aloha & Jenke lived previously. I've shared photos of the two of them playing together for Camera Critters & Pet Pride at Small Reflections. I just noticed what BIG paws this little dog has and suspect he might grow to be much bigger eventually.

3. I stopped to take all five of these photos (and several others) today within minutes of one another (pointing the camera in different directions) while LISTENING to rumbling thunder inland under sunny skies above ... strange weather here in Southern California at the beach!

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4. Life's been richly exciting and quite busy with lots of wonderful changes recently! It all started during the 2010 Writer's Retreat in Taos, New Mexico this summer ... and the pieces came together during a 4-day event at the Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ. I've shared more details in my first post at my new self-hosted blog, Giraffe Journal.

5. I've discovered and availed myself of some marvelous resources online and feel as if I'm in school without leaving home ... getting an education by listening to 'free webinars' ... learning all about 'publishing' & 'internet marketing' as I move toward publishing my first book, creating a business and setting up a website.

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Friday's Fave Five

Here's a GIFT below for all who pass this way
with a message we ALL need to hear more often ...
click the play button for a pleasant surprise!

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Thought for Today
"The universe is wired with the electricity of God, and each of us is a lamp. It doesn't matter the size or shape of the lamp; it only matters that the lamp is plugged in. With every prayer, every thought of forgiveness, every meditation, every act of love, we plug in. The more of us who plug in, to more the darkness of the world will be cast from our midst. Today, let's all increase love's wattage!" Marianne Williamson

Friday FAVES ... Skies, Beauty and JOY!

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Finding Beauty and Just for the JOY of it!


more blue skies of late
with some wispy clouds passing
... finally 'summer'

as Fall approaches
September already ... soon
kids return to school






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1. The roses in my garden seem to LOVE the odd overcast weather this summer ... they're looking healthier than ever and blooming up a storm. These are Mr. Lincoln's straight out of the camera.

2. I've really enjoyed having my sister back in town for a few weeks before they leave mid-September for another Alaskan cruise & more RV traveling. We spent two days together this week ... Tuesday just 'hanging out' and visiting while we ran errands (getting things done) and (after a productive morning at home yesterday) we enjoyed the afternoon together ... ending the day eating fish tacos at Duke's in the Barefoot Bar by the HB Pier ... DELICIOUS day & dinner! We're going to spend 6 days together next week in Phoenix while attending an exciting event there. This was an unusual cloud formation she captured while we were driving.

3. I've signed up for a Festival of Change at Online Clarity. It's ... "a celebration and exploration of how we align ourselves with the flow of change -- simply, naturally, and with a deeper, richer awareness" ... and participated 'virtually' in another event last week: A Call to conscious Evolution: Our Moment of Choice at Royce Hall of the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles.

4. After resisting 'smart phones' for years, I'm a believer at last and love my new Palm Pre Plus. Each day I'm surprised as I learn something new this little gem can do and become more skilled at using its features. At 'free' (except for sales tax) at Verizon Online ... the price felt too perfect to resist. I still don't 'text' ... but it's kewl to have my calendar, useful apps, email & the Internet at my fingertips wherever I go.

I've even learned to change my wallpaper to be a photo of the 2010 group from Taos ... shared yesterday at Small Reflections along with some photos of the grounds around the Mabel Dodge Luhan House and my August Gratitude List.

5. I'm writing daily Just for the JOY of it ... feeling excited about prospects for publishing & beginning to explore marketing possibilities in the service of others ... gaining clarity & focus each day!

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Friday's Fave Five, Finding Beauty and Just for the Joy of It

Thought for Today

"The quality of my decisions is directly proportionate to my patience with not knowing what decision I need to make." Anne Wilson Schaef

What I've been doing this past week ...

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Haiku Friday & Sky Watch
Scenic & Shadow Shot Sunday

1. writing LOTS ... just for the JOY of it ;-)
2. culling, labeling, organizing, and sharing photos from my trip to Taos with retreat participants
3. connecting with friends & neighbors back home
4. pulling weeds in my yard
5. I ate breakfast at Mimi's Cafe yesterday and got 4 free muffins with an email coupon ... replenishing my 'stash' in the freezer
6. listening to the Successful Author Secrets series online and taking notes to help myself stay on track
7. following up with helpful resource links
8. doing my best to remain calm ... avoiding a sense of 'overload'
9. generating lists of things I want to do and need to schedule
10. walking on the beach with (and without) Molly ... just for the JOY of it!
11. getting lots of rest ... catching up on missed sleep
12. reading ... just for the JOY of it!
13. creating a plan for my future ... just for the JOY of it!

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rainbow appeared on
our last evening in Taos ...
lovely sight behind

Mabel Dodge Luhan
House & Conference Center
... delightful mem'ries

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Scenic Sunday and Shadow Shot Sunday

Thought for Today
"Aim for service and success will follow." Albert Schweitzer

I'm back from Taos, New Mexico ...

... transitioning gradually from the space of 'retreat' to that of 'real life' ... filled with gratitude for the many blessings of this journey ... Just for the JOY of it!!!

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This morning I'm grateful for ...

1. 'lessons' learned during my week at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House & Conference Center
2. pieces of writing I generated during the past two weeks and intend to share eventually
3. rich encounters with lovely women & writers while there (in addition to those I met along the way to and from New Mexico)
4. delicious Santa Fe meals prepared by the talented 'staff' at MDL
5. the beauty of nearby Henningsen Gardens as lovely in 2010 as it was in 2007
6. the resonant energy of Taos & MDL still in my heart, mind & body
7. gaining some clarity & focus for writing I intend to do & share in the days, weeks, and months ahead
8. a myriad of supportive resources to explore & put to use
9. discovering the El Rey Inn in Santa Fe ... a 'destination' for many vacationers from all over the USA
10. literally HUNDREDS of photos to cull, label, organize and share!
11. discovering the Dance of Shiva ... learning how it allows our brains to dissolve old & create new patterns of thinking
12. the company of Molly & Ms Kitty here by the beach in Southern California
13. a ready willingness for whatever comes next ...

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For those who may be interested in a bit more info, I've updated my Gratitude List in the sidebar of Small Reflections and will share more soon (both here, there, and a Happily Retired Gal)

Early morning view
of the Taos 'classroom' where
we met for a week

Gradually sky
brightens as the sun rises
beautiful clear day!

Click the photo below twice
because the white circle is the full moon
and the dark spots are large ravens in flight ...


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Thought for Today
"I love the sweet smell of dawn -- our unique daily opportunity to smell time, to smell opportunity -- each morning being, a new beginning." Terri Guillemets

Daily Delights and Discoveries

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Finding Beauty, and Just for the JOY of it!

Yesterday the skies
looked dramatic to the east
where thunderstorms struck

Turning to the west
skies were colorful as the
sun slowly vanished


Early this morning
drizzles fell and I looked up
to be greeted thus

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1. I'm delighted that extended May Gray days and June Gloom have finally passed as of yesterday ... though it's hotter than usual currently with odd thundershowers occurring and fires started by lightning strikes are burning around the Southland. Fortunately it's not windy so hopefully they'll be out very soon. I've shared recent colorful skies above and this morning's RAINBOW too ... Just for the JOY of it! The 'drizzles' below are also from this morning but didn't last long and it's quite sunny out already today.

2. I've watered the yard and done some much-needed weeding already (after taking Molly for a walk earlier today) ... and I'll continue gardening activities later this afternoon once it cools off again. I do enjoy this unusual blossom ... methinks it's an onion or garlic plant but I'm not actually sure just what it is. I have several growing in my yard as they tend to multiply on their own.

3. I've been getting my ten year old Ford Explorer ready for the drive to Taos & back so that I feel safe on the highway ... getting new rear brake pads & brake fluid was my biggest expense but the tires are still good to go and my local mechanic has performed a safety check while doing regular maintenance so I should be able to relax and enjoy my 'road trip' when the time comes.

4. Since all my clothes are 4-5 years old, I decided to use this trip as an opportunity to update my 'casual wardrobe' with new 'Fresh Produce' pants and a few new 'Life is Good' t-shirts from REI ... just for the JOY of it!

5. Monday was 'Retired Gal's Lunch' at 'the Corner Bakery' and I enjoyed reconnecting & catching up with friends ending with a latte at Starbucks afterward. I'm headed out soon to have lunch with a friend today ... Just for the JOY of it ... then I'll run a few errands before I come home and work on my 'to-do' list.

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Friday's Fave Five, Finding Beauty and Just for the Joy of It

Thought for Today
"Enthusiasm is the great hill -climber." Elbert Hubbard