finding-my-bliss

Flapping my Wings

2013-05-22T21:53:00.000+01:00

My love has 'man flu' so I'm grounded,
my butterfly wings are being prepared for flight.
Just as soon as his eyes are dry,
we'll be up, up and away!

24/05/2013

Our butterfly wings ~
free, outstretched, dry & weightless,
glinting in the sun.

Linking with
Haiku my Heart
Recuerda mi Corazon

How does your garden grow?

2013-05-19T17:46:00.000+01:00

My husband has oodles of energy, he tends to get a lot done in the garden,
whilst I'm always lacking in energy and find myself feeling overwhelmed.
To be honest a handkerchief garden would suit me better, unlike the two acres we have!
So the bulk of gardening gets done by my love,
which is fine since he was the one who pushed to live here!

The only problem is he's a bit of a top surface gardener, a little hoeing
here, tweaking the edges there, all the while beneath the surface those invasive type plants are
sending their spider web roots ever outward and our garden is fast becoming a jungle!

Yesterday whilst my love was away for the weekend, I suddenly had an urge to garden,
an energy rush. I surprised and surpassed myself in his absence and without his well intentioned
"you'll never get those roots out of there" advice. ;~)

At the end of the day I went indoors feeling wonderful at my new-found strength and vigour,

I couldn't help but analyse ~

and the moral of the story is this ~

If you tell yourself something or someone else tells you often enough you will believe it!!

I told myself I had no energy ~ false
He told me I would not be able to get those roots out ~ false

Lesson learned ~
challenge those old stories,
write new lines for yourself,
and
send your love away for the weekend once in a while!

~~~~~~~~~~

Just to let you know, I will be on the road next week, the ocean is calling me and I must go!
Will be back soon, soon I say :~)xxx

Linking with
Postcards from Paradise
Recuerda mi Corazon

To Be Seen

2013-05-17T09:25:00.000+01:00

The gift of seeing
is precious like no other,
thanks for seeing me!

If there is anything more precious than really being seen, then tell me about it....
To be seen and loved for who you are is such a soul affirming joy.
I feel so privileged to have friends like this...
My heart is overflowing with gratitude,
I'll haiku forever...

Haiku my Heart
Recuerda mi Corazon

Mary of my Morning

2013-05-14T08:57:00.001+01:00

Where I met Mary this week, this morning, please take a minute and discover
the essence of one beautiful soul ~>~>

Faerymother
Fiddle Sticks

Linking with ~>

Mornings with Mary
Recuerda mi Corazon

The Visitor

2013-05-07T22:48:00.000+01:00

It feels a bit like a dream now, surreal even, the water seems so lonely now she's gone.
Although she was ours for only six days altogether we began to think of her as family.
Salina we called her, it was the name of my grandmother who I'd never known,
I thought it had a graceful air about it and seemed fitting.

Five mornings in a row I made my way to the water's edge crust in hand,
Salina on first sight of me glided across for breakfast as though we'd always done this.
I was ecstatic, our very own swan sailing serenely on the water, an idyllic country cottage scene.

The lad from across the way raised some concern in our minds pointing out that our pond may not be large enough for her to take flight should she need to. At this point I began to realise I was starting to worry for her welfare just like you do for family! Was there enough natural food in the pond and round about for her nourishment, was she stranded on the pond, lonely?

Yesterday morning my love announced that Salina was making her way up the hill of the field behind the house, he thought she may have been attracted to the newly sprouted crop shoots, but after pausing he went on to report she was making her way to the top of the hill and she was now poised ready for take-off. He went on to recount her running down the hill wings spread wide and flapping, touching the ground once and again and then she was off, she gained height above the pond soon disappearing from view.

I was feeling sad and relieved all at the same time, sad at the thought of losing this beautiful creature and also relieved that I didn't have to worry for her. In actual fact I never did have to worry for her, she could look after herself perfectly and what's more she never really was ours, she was always wild and free, just visiting!

Note to Self

2013-04-29T17:19:00.000+01:00

After visiting Suzanne at Sperly-Girl today I just had to take her cue and write myself a little note.
This photograph is not technically all that it could be, was taken on my mobile, but I just love the way I look, my facial expression and would like to come over like this, but alas I don't always. Just now I'm in a lot of pain and my love keeps singing some song about a sad eyed lady, I'm sure he's singing about me!!

So I'm posting this to myself as an affirmation!

Thank you Suzanne and also to your friend who inspired you. xxx

BTW If I haven't called to say hello and leave you a little note of affection lately, it's because I'm not so good right now, but will be back just a s a p. x

PS Mary came to me by way of Suzanne's blog today,
so I'm linking this love to ~>
Mornings with Mary
Recuerda mi Corazon

The Art of Distraction #1

2013-04-22T16:33:00.001+01:00

Sometimes when the day starts off foggy, grey, lacking in focus and clarity,

there's just no other option but to find your colours,

whether they be paint, cloth, clay or collage ~ whatever?

Just so long as they fully submerge the grey stuff,

if you know what I mean?

Actually Mary came to me with this by way of ~

Regina Brett's 90 Years Celebration of Growing Older ~ Point 17

"It's never too late to be happy, but it's all up to you and no one else"

Sending to ~

Mornings with Mary

Recuerda mi Corazon

Saturate the earth with love

2013-04-19T18:49:00.001+01:00

A day void of love

is the day of no sunrise,

all starts to wither.

Reverse the process

saturate the earth with love,

sun salutations.

Visit

Haiku my Heart

Recuerda mi Corazon

Warm Winds Blowing around the Globe

2013-04-14T20:39:00.000+01:00

Crazy windy here today too,
I'm in paradise right now,
listening to sweet violins and guitars,
tango tunes,
they stir my emotions as does the light,
pink clouds dancing across blue evening skies.

I'm thinking the wind came all the way over from you, crossing on an ocean of love
for it is a warm wind full of whispering promise of spring and summer.

A Postcard from Paradise
Recuerda mi Corazon

A heart Full of Mary Love

2013-04-08T21:00:00.000+01:00

Today was an unusual day for me,
I caught public transport to a nearby city,
I sometimes do this when I'm feeling a bit low
a break from the norm seems to shift my perspective.

On these outings I'm usually preoccupied with eye candy,
what's new in the stores, arty things I don't see locally.
Today was different,
since my own brush with vulnerability
the human landscape of suffering seems to easily catch my attention.

I had to rest in the shopping mall a couple of times,
in so doing I noticed all the ones with some-kind of problem.
Several women crossed my path shuffling along with their walking aids,
it made me wonder how I had never really focused for long on their plight before!

I felt a huge heart of compassion for these folk,
an interconnectedness, we're all in this together kind of feeling.
I got to wondering why I had never felt quite this way before,
and of course it is because I had not been touched personally, I hadn't felt their discomfort.
But now I understand having been in their position shuffling along and feeling vulnerable!
Now I understand the gift of vulnerability the fruit of compassion and love
that so many have gained through walking in the same footsteps.

My shopping bag was empty on my return from the big city but my heart was full of Mary love!

Visit Mornings with Mary
Recuerda mi Corazon

Soul Love

2013-04-07T16:14:00.002+01:00

Seeds of love,
sparking off of one-another
blowing over the entire globe, there and back.
They're feeding those gentle creatures
life sustaining nourishment,
blossoming and blooming through
soul love.

What better way to populate paradise!

For more soul nourishment visit ~

Postcards from Paradise
Recuerda mi Corazon

Sailing Through

2013-04-03T22:39:00.001+01:00

Today finds me somewhere in-between the pinks and the blues,

I'm hoping I can glide gracefully through.

My evening walk with the mutts and my love helped a lot,

we visited the five little ponds my favourite walk, the light was perfect.

A *no apps* painterly effect is achieved through an ambient light water reflection, turned upside-down.

It was a photo~shoot of contrasts, much like life really,

with all the twists and turns!

Subtle

2013-04-01T15:36:00.000+01:00

Like the emergence of this image,
through focusing on subtle change as the sun faded away,
so too spring seems to be just nudging its way forward very subtly this year,
we're hardly noticing the change, but we know change is here, it is inevitable, it must be.
I'm honouring my own subtle changes too, within and without, for they must take place!
I'm looking for the subtle beauty in everything.

Too Cold!

2013-03-29T18:29:00.001Z

Jack's frozen fingers,

will they lose their winter's grip?

Sun, please melt his heart!

There are no bunnies hopping around here today,

they are all down their rabbit holes, too cold to surface.

The weather man says April's going to be cold too.

Good thing there's plenty of warmth round at Haiku-ing Hearts!

Linking with

Haiku my Heart

Recuerda mi Corazon

Do you Believe in Magic?

2013-03-26T10:40:00.003Z

Have you ever encountered Magic?

I have several times or even several hundreds or perhaps several thousands of times.

Anyway too many times to keep a count of!

There seems to be a sequence to the pattern, a feeling within that something is about to birth,

then through a series of intuitive actions and reactions, it happens the magic appears once again ~>

No cunning nor trickery just plain magic in its soft subtle hues, the nuances of seeing, maybe you don't,

that's all right for it is my magic, but just keep an eye open for your own, its everywhere!

Mary in the Morning & Symbolism

2013-03-25T16:44:00.000Z

My morning always starts this way,
my ritual, and my mantra ~>
"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up"~ Rigina Brett's 90 Years Celebration of Living.

My daughter flung the sheet of points at me when we were both ill at the beginning of the year, I was surprised by this as I'd been the one doing the encouraging for well over a year through her mental health breakdown. Encouraging her to get up and get dressed when all she wanted to do was bury her head under the duvet, she hardly muttered a word for six months.

We read the sheet together, and when we came across point 40 as outlined above we both vowed to each other this is what we would do! At the very least we would make sure we'd "get up and dress up". For my part I make sure I wear the above bracelets and earrings everyday, I put them on first thing of a morning as a symbolic act in recognition to the power of motherly love and to keep a positive attitude. I leave them on my bedside table so they are there waiting for me in the morning.

We came through tough times together. I don't claim all the credit for myself for I only passed on what I received, learned from the many Mary type figures found here on-line as well as other places, circles of strong giving women.

Linking with
Mornings with Mary
Recuerda mi Corazon

Round Every Corner

2013-03-22T18:38:00.000Z

Fly towards the dark,
remember, magic awaits
round every corner!

Linking with love to
Haiku my Heart
Recuerda mi Corazon

Where's Mary

2013-03-18T17:29:00.000Z

Where to find Mary in the Morning?
Why in the hands of any
loving mother!

Visit ~
Suzanne Sperl

Linking with
Mornings with Mary
Recuerda mi Corazon

A Space for Sunshine

2013-03-15T17:32:00.000Z

Magnify the love,
create a space for sunshine
even among clouds.

Linking with
Haiku mi Heart
Recuerda mi Corazon

A Friend Indeed

2013-03-13T20:43:00.000Z

A friend of mine popped round this afternoon,

she took me by surprise.

I was feeling rather 'fragmented',

scattered even if you know what I mean?

I felt like I had come apart in so many places,

doubting if I could put myself back together!

This friend of mine has a special talent

developed through her own life's school of sometimes hard knocks!

She's a dab hand at recognising all the jumbled up parts of you,

like the pieces of a jigsaw and she seems intuitively to know

how to fit them back together again.

Confidently she identifies each of the positive features

gently nudging them one by one back into place

until the whole body starts to regain its appearance,

its former beautiful, colourful self!

It is wonderful to have a friend with such talent,

it amazes me how she always calls

at just the right time,

always brings back the best of me!
I am grateful for such a friend.

xoxoxoxox

Sending to Share the Joy
Meri's Musings

My Gifts

2013-03-09T15:20:00.000Z

I am enough
I am good enough
I was made that way

I honour my maker
I use my gifts
however they
manifest....

Qualifier ~>
An amount of self sabotage, not good enough has been circulating lately,
I suppose we all get a dose from time to time! It is appropriate then and helpful for me to remember ~
all that I am is not of my own making, that what I offer has been gifted to me in the first place.
My unique ~ I just keep building upon that base!

Don't Blink

2013-02-28T21:36:00.002Z

What rate ticketh clock?
I blinked and a whole year passed
or, was I dreaming?

Somehow I seemed to have lost a whole year,
it appears what I thought happened last year happened the year before!
My sister who is twelve years my senior warned me about this ~
"wait until you get to my age then time really does fly"!
Of course we'll never be able to confer!

Still, living in the moment can feel like forever, because it is,
I'm trying to make each beautiful moment count!

Sharing with
Haiku my Heart
Recuerda mi Corazon

Intuitive Dream-Board Tutorial

2013-02-25T21:42:00.001Z

I am the Queen of procrastination!
but today I'm going to change ;~)
I am going to pursue something
I promised myself and you ages ago ~>

A ~ Full Moon Intuitive Dream Board & Tutorial

Why?

Because it is the 'Full Snow Moon' this evening
a perfect time for visioning and creating, a powerful process for securing dreams!

Tutorial here we go ~>

First step collect materials ~>
images, words, colours that speak to you from old magazines, photos, leaflets packaging etc.
*keep your eyes open*

My stash today ~ a variety of magazines,
when I go through them I'm confident
something will speak to me.....

BTW I'm tuning into some therapeutic listening, Sade on Spotify!
'Bring me Home' ~ Live 2011,
oh, and a mug of cocoa....

Next I quickly scan the magazines and rip out the images/words, this stage needs to be swift, just an intuitive recognition of what draws your attention, no need to labour!

The idea is to get the juicy creative energy-flowing and released.

Today the moon energy is strong with me! This is often the time I am most creative !!!!

Now I prepare to get messy, I collect together~>

A board, any board, cardboard even, this is not intended to be a work of art but if it turns out to be one apply it something stronger!
Different papers, I like to use tissue paper, coloured and patterned, home/hand made.
A container of watered down PVA glue + applicator brush.
Scissors, bowl of water + sponge for cleaning up.
Hair dryer for speeding up the process.

Next I decide on the colour pallet for the tissue background then I get to ripping, randomly applying and layering it onto the board which is first covered with PVA glue. I apply more glue by hand smoothing and rubbing the tissues in the way it wants to go!

There's no need to be precise, just bear in mind two colours placed over each other mingle to give different shades, oh and the colours may run but this does not matter, it all adds to the finished look. However precious papers need to be strategically placed or saved for later as they may get covered up by your images. When I have completely covered the surface I leave to dry or use the hair-dryer. I'm now taking a lunch break so my Aga will be doing the drying job!

Turning my attention to the images/words I select the ones I want to use cutting or ripping ready for use. At this stage you may discard some of the images you originally selected, some images/words now begin to speak louder, take note and go with the flow. TRUST

Now's the time to start arranging/applying your chosen images, start with the large more obscure or background images. Sometimes ripping large pictures into strips adds interest when spaced out, especially strong graphic ones. You might find that you cover some of your initial images, this doesn't matter its the final look that comes about by letting go and going with the flow!

Save the prominent images and words applying them last. When you are happy with the result allow to dry thoroughly then you may want to enhance further by drawing, writing, stamping or adding heavier items, the sky is the limit!

When I study form the things that have surfaced through this intuitive process reveal themselves to me! They are to do with my intentions for the year namely ~>

To value my time and use it wisely.
To value my home and re-commit to home-making now moving house is disappearing from view!
To continue to honour all life forms as we are all interconnected.
To find rejuvenation from travel.
To find restful ease in my life.

I am going to keep my dream board in a prominent place as a reminder of my dreams and to re-enforce my intentions! I hope you liked, will be adding further digital enhancements later in the week!

Breathe Easy

2013-02-24T08:59:00.003Z

My hospital appointment coincided with yoga practice,
so I was a little reluctant to visit as
I knew it was just to tidy-up the
paper work and to discharge.

However, there was a consolation should I miss yoga!
The 'English Eccentric',
the consultant who was so very charming on my last visit,

and, maybe he would throw some light on another concern
I was holding my breath about?

Having had some re-assurance from
the 'pink cartoon tie' wearing consultant I was off in a jiffy.
It was about 4 minutes to the hour, the lights being with me on the road
and just a few moments later I slipped into the back of the studio unnoticed
joining in with yogic calming breathing......

Tense situations in life tend to make us hold our breath, and then we may only breathe into the top part of the lungs or the chest, this is common, not using the whole of the lungs! Yoga focuses on fluidity of mind, body and spirit, using the breath to facilitate this. Calm steady breathing using the whole of the lungs to send life giving oxygen to every cell not only rejuvenates the body but also promotes a peaceful and steady state of mind.

In the early days I did not appreciate how vital a part breath work is to yoga, to be honest it was enough for me to just learn the postures, but because the tutor constantly instructed the ins & out breaths I naturally fell into the way of it. Over the years I have come to really appreciate how wonderful this natural function is, I have come to take great delight and rest in the most basic of all human gifts ~ the breath! (Prana)

No wonder 90 year old Rigina Brett in her 42 points ~ Celebration of Growing Older said ~
"Take a deep breath it calms the mind"!

For more enlightening and fascinating facts about the breath please take a moment and visit ~
Leslie Kenton ~ Secrets of the Breath

I will just drop this off to ~
Postcards from Paradise
Recuerda mi Corazon

Connections

2013-02-21T18:56:00.002Z

I have a gay friend,

he's one of my yoga buddies.

After our practice today he gave me a ~>

He told me he missed me at Monday's practice,
this felt so good, this connection is a real Joy....

Linking with

Sharing the Joy Thursday
Meri's Musings

Bonnie's Pixel Dust Photo-Art