Sharing this Beautiful Meditative Video ...

and hoping you'll find it of value like me

I'm watching it daily ... just because.

A Warm Embrace - The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering) 

from R Smittenaar on Vimeo.

Thought for Today

"As for the future, your task is not to foresee it but to enable it." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

A lovely 'random' act of culture at Macy's ...

Stop, look, listen ... and Enjoy!

You can find me at my new blog ... Giraffe Journal

I've not had much time for posting or blog visits, but if you're interested I hope you'll find time to check out my new self-hosted website ... Giraffe Journals at WordPress. I've shared a couple of inspiring & life-affirming links and a different 'flash mob' event featuring the Hallelujah Chorus in a Food Court at Small Reflections. They're well worth a look & listen too if time permits.

Thought for Today
"Whatever situation you're in now: send love to it, place it in God's hands, open your heart to everyone involved -- and it will turn out miraculously." Marianne Williamson

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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others participating in Sky Watch

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!

Click for others participating in Just for the Joy of It

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

Big changes in my life right now ...

I've not had much time for posting or blog visits, but if you're interested I hope you'll find time to check out my new self-hosted website ... Giraffe Journals at WordPress. I've shared a couple of inspiring & life-affirming links at Small Reflections. They're well worth a look & listen too if time permits.

I invite all to participate
and spread the word far and wide ...

Thought for Today
"Letting go of the past means that can you enjoy the dream that is happening right now." ~Don Miguel Ruiz

Friday FAVES ... Skies, Beauty and JOY!

Scroll down for Friday FAVES,
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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others participating in Sky Watch & Haiku Friday

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!

Click images to embiggen for better viewing and for others participating
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 ...

Scroll down for Window Views,
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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in Thursday Thirteen and Just for the JOY of it!

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

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

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participating in Window Views, Sky Watch , Haiku Friday,
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!!!

Scroll down for Haiku Friday & Sky Watch


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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in Thursday Thirteen and Just for the JOY of it!

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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others participating in Sky Watch & Haiku Friday

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